Food for thought: posting serial IDs for yonex rackets

Discussion in 'Identify Fake Racket (Price/Source/Serial/Photos a' started by rattos, Apr 7, 2012.

  1. rattos

    rattos Regular Member

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    Hi every one, yesterday i posted my yonex serials on the dedicated thread and after clicking the button quick reply something came to mind.
    on those 850 pages, we have the original serial numbers for almost all the famous/desirable/expensive rackets that people might try to duplicate.

    Yonex aims by give unique serial numbers to their racket to recognize fakes, and our aim in the forum is to avoid fakes at all cost and not to get tricked by cheats.
    I dont think anyone would argue against the above statement.

    So here is the problem:
    We have posted all the original serials and now anyone wanting to duplicate their rackets can just take our serial numbers by googling "yonex serial numbers", doesnt that defeat both yonex's and our aims.
    By posting our serial numbers on this site, we make it easier for counterfeit productors to trick us into buying them AND BELIEVING THEY ARE REAL.
    How can we know that our serial code is unique, maybe the player you are playing against or the player on the next court has the same racket and the same serial code, how can you possible know which one is real. Maybe they are both fake and it is another person in another country who has the original racket.

    I am not saying that counterfeit items with real serial numbers are our fault, manufacturers can always buy one real racket just to get the serial code and to make it as close to it as possible. But there is no denying that having this huge database would make their job easier.

    SO here is my request:
    I am by no way saying that this whole idea should be shot down, it is very reassuring to know that there is a way to find out if the racket you bought yesterday or last week is real. But i think it would be a good thing to make the whole process more secure so that you can just see what you posted and the answer you received.

    Thank you for reading this post and please post your comments and views about this matter.

    Rattos
     
  2. Avenger

    Avenger Regular Member

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    yes, that is what I think the whole time
    however here is the trick

    under IP law, a person cannot IMITATE intellectual property of a company (if they trademark it)
    when yes we put every single shaft serials and cone code in there
    counterfeit maker CANNOT imitate it
    if they do that, that means they imitate the product and they can be sued

    same with many examples such as wrong font, wrong butt cap, and especially wrong yonex logo
    why? because if they put slightly variance in their racket, that means it is "original" racket and they won't infringe the IP law

    if they dare make exact replica, they can be sued and force to closed

    heck, you can see apacs, ashaway, and many other lower brand copy VT80 or arcsaber 10 pg paint pattern
    they make slight variance and under different brand
    however, I'm sure Yonex trademarking many vital features in their racket, fake maker manufacturer will not gonna play with fire


    P.S: yonex shaft serials and cone code is NEVER meant to be a way to know whether the racket is fake or not
    it is a way for Yonex to mark how many rackets did they make and on what date, just in case they make defect rackets and needs to recall those rackets (or for performance quality measure)
    however, we as users know that it is one of a kind, therefore we can do it
    remember, in next 7 years, there will be 2 rackets that has same shaft serials (even though it will be different cone code)


    to prove that your Yonex racket is fake or not, they have yonex sticker which is special sticker that can identify if the sticker (thus the racket) fake or not by using Yonex authenticator
    which is this one


    View attachment 117514
    View attachment 117515

    http://www.badmintoncentral.com/for...Yonex-Voltric-Z-Force-)?p=1850917#post1850917

    this is the only way you can be sure that your racket is genuine or not
    however, maybe in the future they can make it.. (of course yonex will improve their sticker if the fake maker can make it)
     
    #2 Avenger, Apr 18, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2012
  3. amleto

    amleto Regular Member

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    Avenger, I'm sceptical of the distinction you assert there is between current fakes and a theoretical imitation that you say would get the fakers into trouble. Do you have any reference material to backup your claim?
     
  4. Avenger

    Avenger Regular Member

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    I don't have it, I learn this thing from my univ teacher (that's why protecting IP is hard)
    believe it or not, changing one small part of the cosmetic can be seen as completely different product
    obviously they use Yonex name, however if they use different font, which is in many cases they do like bigger spacing or different font in the shaft serials or like putting perfect O instead of a little bit oval O on yonex logo, Yonex can do nothing about it (of course if you have money you can try to bring it to court like what Sony did, however it would be costly and time consuming)


    as far as I understand, fake maker COULD make exact imitation of Yonex racket

    I found some fakes that is very very close to genuine one based on the cosmetics, yet they failed on cone code and shaft serials
    like rattos said, this thread is since 2002
    so WHY they never found it? put "check yonex serial number" on google and this thread is the third one on the list

    I'm sure they are not dumb, this thread exist for 9 years and I found only 1 or 2 that really close to the real one
    even then, it is still far by hundred thousand (100,000+ number)

    and we talked like crazy about fake racket, fake sign every single day on almost every single thread in this sub forum
    but then, why they did not learn from their mistake?
    it is a very very obvious mistakes, such as putting jp on the shaft, sunrise sticker, etc
     
  5. Avenger

    Avenger Regular Member

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    again, if you check DHgate or alibaba, they sell this in whole sale
    $ 15 or less each
    where they can find money if Yonex bring them to court?


    but of course, this is my opinion
    I could be wrong, they could be ignorant enough not to check it
    it could be that they don't have money to alter their blueprint
    but one thing for sure, fake rackets didn't getting better in past 2 years.. (the best I could get is Yonex in a box with free over grip gifts, even by then, the shaft serials is wrong. check every single Yonex in a box and most likely you will find the pattern of 7XXXXXX and cone code of 2009 and 2010)

    or, I am ignorant enough not to know that they perfected their technique and it is below our radar

    P.S: I always checked if the racket fake or not is by searching the cone code or the shaft serials through search box (it does some wonder especially with popular fake racket pattern)
     
    #5 Avenger, Apr 18, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2012

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