DSG Rebranding goods

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mrprosser
mrprosser Posts: 34 Forumite
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in Consumer rights
Hi all
Just wondering how often DSG sell rebranded goods. I once bought a monitor from PC World, it was a very good price, and made by a reputable manufacturer (Philips)
When I tried to register it on the Philips website it wouldn't work, and upon emailing Philips I got a reply that they didn't actually make that product. I wasn't overly concerned at the time it was a cheap monitor, and it still works brilliantly.

We are planning some work in the kitchen and SWMBO spotted a dishwasher that she liked in Currys made by kenwood.

Doing a little research to see of I could find the dishwasher cheaper anywhere else I found the FAQ's on the Kenwood homepage which states "We don't make dishwashers, any complaints should be made to DSG Ltd" or words to that effect.

So do DSG often rebrand goods as those made by "premium" manufacturers?
How legal is it? There are no signs in store to say that the product you are buying might not be made by the company whose name and trademark are on the front of it.

If someone were to sell these things on through eBay etc are they selling counterfeit goods?

Makes you think
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  • Esqui
    Esqui Posts: 3,414 Forumite
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    It's perfectly legal, otherwise it wouldn't be done (I'd hope). In any case, the brand name doesn't give any indication as to provenance or ability. Anyway, here's our own brand products (as far as I know, anyway!).

    Computing:
    Ei System
    Advent
    PC Line

    Audio-visual:
    Logik
    Matsui
    Digitrex
    Evotel
    TEAC
    TV line

    SDA:
    Logik
    Belling (Microwaves)
    Russell Hobbs (Microwaves)
    Kenwood (Microwaves)
    Matsui
    Carlton

    MDA:
    Matsui
    Kenwood
    Logik
    Currys Essentials (unsurprisingly)
    Carlton

    And if you can't remember all that, just have a look at the barcode. DSG items start with 5017416... (don't ask why I know!)
    Squirrel!
    If I tell you who I work for, I'm not allowed to help you. If I don't say, then I can help you with questions and fixing products. Regardless, there's still no secret EU law.
    Now 20% cooler
  • Red_Cat
    Red_Cat Posts: 1,040 Forumite
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    Wow! I was surprised to read TEAC on there as they used to be really good hi fi brand.
    Hoping this year is better than the last. :)
  • Esqui
    Esqui Posts: 3,414 Forumite
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    I can't remember if the hi-fis are or not - the TVs definitely are.
    Squirrel!
    If I tell you who I work for, I'm not allowed to help you. If I don't say, then I can help you with questions and fixing products. Regardless, there's still no secret EU law.
    Now 20% cooler
  • mrprosser
    mrprosser Posts: 34 Forumite
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    But surely that is misleading the customer.

    I bought the Philips monitor because of the provenance of Philips consumer products. Their TV's are innovative and of high quality. To find out it isn't what I was told it was seems wrong.

    Equally Kenwood make high quality small kitchen appliances, it is misleading to sell a dishwasher made by god knows who and where but to stick on the name of a high end manufacturer and bump up the price accordingly.
  • vikingaero
    vikingaero Posts: 10,920 Forumite
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    Could it be that the LCD panel was a Philips item? I bought a CRT TV with a Lodos logo on it and inside the TV was made by Thomson.

    One time I took a Sony VCR to my local repair man to fix. When I collected it he said: "Your Sony VCR, it's not really a Sony, Samsung produce them for Sony and all the parts are Samsung parts, so next time just buy a Samsung." :D
    The man without a signature.
  • deanos
    deanos Posts: 11,223 Forumite
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    It happens all the time, Argos have several brands like Hitachi for example.

    Philips are being paid to use there brand and they have given DSG there permission
  • mrprosser
    mrprosser Posts: 34 Forumite
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    I get that, it is a licensing thing, it does seem to me to be a little dishonest.

    If I buy a car from a car supermarket for example a Ford, I expect to get what I have paid for, sure it may have parts made by bosch, or lucas, but it is a Ford. I don't expect the car supermarket to bolt a load of bits together and stick a Ford badge on it.

    If I go to McDonalds, I expect a Big Mac to come from their own factories, not for the store to pop across to ASDA for a pack of Burgers and Buns to stick in a Big Mac box.

    How many customers really know that the appliance they are buying isn't made by the company who's name is on the front?
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,598 Forumite
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    deanos wrote: »
    It happens all the time, Argos have several brands like Hitachi for example.

    you sure about that, i thought hitachi was a brand on its own and not owned by argos
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,598 Forumite
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    mrprosser wrote: »
    I get that, it is a licensing thing, it does seem to me to be a little dishonest.

    If I buy a car from a car supermarket for example a Ford, I expect to get what I have paid for, sure it may have parts made by bosch, or lucas, but it is a Ford. I don't expect the car supermarket to bolt a load of bits together and stick a Ford badge on it.

    If I go to McDonalds, I expect a Big Mac to come from their own factories, not for the store to pop across to ASDA for a pack of Burgers and Buns to stick in a Big Mac box.

    How many customers really know that the appliance they are buying isn't made by the company who's name is on the front?

    cars are the same, seats have vw engines and so do skodas

    theres a long thread on here and theres a list of who owns which electrical brand names
  • gordikin
    gordikin Posts: 4,422 Forumite
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    McDonalds don't have any factories of their own. They have suppliers.

    Cadbury don't make ice cream products, they are produced under licence by a third party...it's a common practice.
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