Smittybuilt Element Ramps

[horrocks007]

That's my thinking, competition is good.

If you build your company up one a single product that is highly reproducible, you'd better have a strategy to stay in business.

The industry I work in is highly competitive, and "knock off," products are the norm for sure. It takes more than an original idea to keep your business running.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone else starts selling a similar product as well.

The fact that their products are made in China (assuming they are) is a different issue all together.

 

[REDrum]

The fact that their products are made in China (assuming they are) is a different issue all together.

No....that is THE issue. Since SB's product performs pretty much the same as MT, its only competitive feature, other than color, is its made in the far east $125.00 lower knock-off price. You have no sense of basic macro economic theory, and no appreciation of how the trade imbalance with China stifles US growth far worse than domestic debt.

 

[horrocks007]

No....that is THE issue. Since SB's product performs pretty much the same as MT, its only competitive feature, other than color, is its made in the far east $125.00 lower knock-off price. You have no sense of basic macro economic theory, and no appreciation of how the trade imbalance with China stifles US growth far worse than domestic debt.

Nobody on this forum appreciates your disrespect. If you actually have some points to argue, by all means post them up here, it's free to do so. But trying to win an ethical debate by attempting to pass insults and belittle others it getting you nowhere.

The Maxtrax product isn't made in the US either. The US is the 3rd largest exporter of goods in the world, and imports more goods from Canada per US$ value than China, and exports more goods as a whole than buys from China specifically. (In value of goods)

 

[off-roader]

No....that is THE issue. Since SB's product performs pretty much the same as MT, its only competitive feature, other than color, is its made in the far east $125.00 lower knock-off price. You have no sense of basic macro economic theory, and no appreciation of how the trade imbalance with China stifles US growth far worse than domestic debt.

I saw the Smittybilt product this past weekend at the local 4wheelparts expo and was concerned about how well they'd hold up with use? Unfortunately I didn't have any others to compare to see if they're the same or just similar in design, poor quality castings, inferior plastics, etc. to justify the dramatic reduction in cost.

That said, if they do work even if it's poorly then I do see a place for them in our economy. Just as there's a place for harbor freight tools because the reality is, most of the people buying them (99.5% probably) ARE NOT & WILL NEVER BE in the same market tier as those who buy the original expensive product.

Just like there's a market for Matco & Snap-On tools. Will I ever buy a $150 1/4" drive socket wrench from them? Probably never. Will I buy the cheaper $50 Craftsman model? Most definitely. A $20 socket set from Harbor Freight? Most definitely especially when they're so easily lost or accidentally taken by others during a trail repair.

That said, when I can afford and justify buying a Quality product especially one thats American made or from some other quality vendor, I most certainly will buy American, but if there US products are inferior in quality or value, I most certainly will take a closer look at the overall value and cost of my purchase.

 

[eurosonic]

I bought a set last week. To me, they seem to be sufficient enough to get the job done. Haven't had a chance to test them out yet.

Will I be using them to bridge? No.
Mud/sand? Yes

 

[REDrum]

But trying to win an ethical debate by attempting to pass insults and belittle others it getting you nowhere.

-Not an ethical debate
-Not insulting, pointing out your incorrect premise-again
-Not intending to go anywhere by posting, but have clearly irked you

As other have pointed, out at some point they are just pieced of plastic used to prevent someone from getting stuck or getting you unstuck. There are many options to choose from, some banal in technology, some quite unique. MT has a nice well engineered and innovative chunk of plastic for ~300 bux. SB copied their design, makes it in China, and sells a chunk of plastic for <200 bux.

There is a pice-point for every person; thats why Walmart and Neiman-Marcus both exist.... PAX

 

[Mash5]

I think Manley trailers is an interesting case in point.

He sells both a less costly, made overseas version and a more costly, made in the US version. I wonder what his sales split is between the two? The reason I find this interesting is that in a way he has made the choice to compete with himself. The foreign and domestic versions surly draw sales from each other so economics indicate that he could almost certainly sell ether one for less by not selling the other one. Therefore, his customers are paying small premium for his trailers no mater which one they chose because they have the choice. It is a bold business move that serves to insulate him from a competitor coming in with a similar product made overseas at a lower price while still giving his customers the opportunity to choose American Made if they are willing to put their dollar where their mouth is.

The same dynamic is at play with these ramps but with two different companies playing the rolls of foreign and domestic versions. In both cases, the cost of production is driven up by the delusion of the market because of reduced economy of scale realized per unit of capital investment, while simultaneously the sale point is pushed down by outside competitive pressures. The effect is to keep cost low for consumers and prevent excessive profit taking but also to make innovation more risky, thus costing the consumer better products that might have been had the environment been more favorable for investment in innovation and product development.

Warning tangent ahead...
Being in the business of product development, I for one believe that America can be great by being innovative… by being the best at solving problems. I don’t feel that what amounts to nationalistic nepotism is going to solve any problems or bring back a nostalgic era where vast swaths of Americans earned a solid living in blue collar factories. We should look to ourselves and ask what is our real value to the world economy? I don’t believe the answers are hard to find. In addition, we should be thinking about what kind of policies we can put in place to move in the direction of reducing risk for innovators in the market.

As the saying goes ‘you are only as good as your last show’. The world does not owe us anything because we ‘usta’ be a manufacturing powerhouse. Markets work best when they are competitive. The race goes to the swift. We are as great as a people as we are willing to be. If we are a nation of couch potatoes with huge chunks of the population on welfare and insist on trying to get our way in the world by force we will decline as a nation. If we can inspire our youth to succeed by working hard and being smart, there is no nation that can surpass us.

 

[BIGdaddy]

To me they are two different products that look similar and accomplish the same job. Kinda like how my Teraflex shocks looke the same as Rancho shocks. How a Warn winches looks similar to a Superwinch. A Screwdriver from lowes looks like a screwdriver from home depot just a little diferent color and shape. THeres only so much you can do to a piece of plastic with a bunch of bumps on it....

x2 haha...here-here.

 

[dr350jja]

I think companies need to adapt to the market place. Many companies do offer multiple lines of products that range in cost and quality. Kind of like buying a Chevy or a Cadillac. They need to establish their price point, for the various customer base.

I think that it would be advantageous for a company to make more than one product.

For instance, they might have an entry-level product and then also offer a more top-of-the-line product. Kind of like what WARN did with their winches. They have the higher-end winches and then they also offer the VR series line, to be more price competitive with other companies selling lower-end winches. Some customers don’t want to spend top dollar for top-of-the-line products, and are content with lower end products. Just like the tools comparison, Snap-On vs. Craftsman.

So, some might say that it would be counter-productive for a company to offer a lower end and an upper end product. But, think about it. IF, ALL the company offered was an upper end product, then they might NOT sell many, because some customers may not perceive it to be a value to them. Just my view...

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

So, back to the original topic. These two products are practically one in the same, save, a few bucks on the Smittybuilt kit.

Thanks

Edit: Sorry I thought this was the thread I started with the testing we conducted...
Here's a reminder: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Element-traction-devices?p=890288#post890288

 

[off-roader]

So, back to the original topic. These two products are practically one in the same, save, a few bucks on the Smittybuilt kit.

Thanks

Edit: Sorry I thought this was the thread I started with the testing we conducted...
Here's a reminder: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Element-traction-devices?p=890288#post890288

Can you repost some of the missing images specifically ones comparing both side by side?

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Can you repost some of the missing images specifically ones comparing both side by side?

Hmmm.... I need to stop hosting pics on bookface. :smilies27

 

[Chi-Town]

So, back to the original topic. These two products are practically one in the same, save, a few bucks on the Smittybuilt kit.

Thanks

Well said.

 

[off-roader]

Alternatively it is possible that Maxtrax merely sold their original molds to Smittybilt who now has the rights to offer them to the market.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

No, they are quite different. But you could be on to something. Smittybuilt is a much larger company than Maxtrax. They could have even bought the rights to produce an alternative product? Who knows?