Chinese Moon Filters - Badge Engineering?

[Guest]

I bought this Meade Moon Filter from eBay and noticed there was some writing under the white label. 

I could make out "1.25in" below the label, as well as the word "Filter" in italics. 

I found another one on eBay with the box without the white label. 

I guess it's either a counterfeit or more likely the same factory in China 'badge engineering' filters for different companies. 

Any thoughts? 🤔

[Ruud]

It looks like this one: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1-25-NO-ND96-0-3_1867510713.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.23625c1dLIzIqn, made by Ningbo Barride Optics, Zhejiang, China.

[baggywrinkle]

Most likely badged. A huge amount of Chinese optics and accessories get exported under different guises.

[Guest]

On 24/12/2019 at 07:44, baggywrinkle said:

Most likely badged. A huge amount of Chinese optics and accessories get exported under different guises.

Yep, that's almost universal with Chinese products...  Their version of go-pro type cameras is a prime example of coming out under umpteen different names.  As long as the quality is good, I'm not too fussed.😉

[dannybgoode]

The way Chinese manufacturing and bagging etc works is all about the quality control. 
 

As above you’ll see what looks to be the same product, but some badged from a known name and some generic. However they are often at varying price points. 
 

What generally happens is the likes Meade either have feet on the ground at the factories or they have the option to return any product that don’t meet their performance specifications. Either way they get the pick of a particular production run. 
 

This costs money to do hence they sell at a premium (the badge has an impact on the price too also of course). The rejects go back and are generally graded by the company and the ones that are ok filter down to the second tier sellers
 

The second tier sellers-Ostara example, perhaps undertake some QC checks but perhaps a percentage of a batch. Generally they are ok because they have been graded by the first tier badge holder but the odd poorer copy gets through
 

Then come the box shifters. None are QC’d and a lot have been rejected by the tier 1 and tier 2 ‘badges’ but they are sold so cheap that often really poor ones are not returned. Where they are returned they are simply replaced-maybe for a good one, perhaps another poor copy. Either way the consumer becomes the QC and decides whether performance is consummate to the price paid. 
 

So you have many sellers of the same product differentiated by the QC they go through. 

[Guest]

I bought from eBay through this store...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/picstop/Binoculars/_i.html?_storecat=3492918017

[Louis D]

On 23/12/2019 at 18:07, Ruud said:

It looks like this one: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1-25-NO-ND96-0-3_1867510713.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.23625c1dLIzIqn, made by Ningbo Barride Optics, Zhejiang, China.

Since Ningbo Sunny is probably the same as Ningbo Barride (or at least closely related), and Ningbo owns Meade since 2013, it can probably be said to be a genuine Meade product.

[John]

Meade re-brand Chinese products like many other brands these days. I don't think they have a production facility any more. They switch manufacturer now and again as well although the products are made to the same spec.

I have an older Meade filter (UHC type) and that is made in Japan.

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Louis D said:

Since Ningbo Sunny is probably the same as Ningbo Barride (or at least closely related), and Ningbo owns Meade since 2013, it can probably be said to be a genuine Meade product.

That's good to know, thanks.