Become a Patron!

Popular Reviewer Decides to ONLY review Authentics

VapingCuban

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Damien Morter, a popular reviewer from the UK has recently changed his stance on reviewing clones. He is now only going to be reviewing authentic mods from now on!

I recently spoke of an expo event in Vegas who were only having vendors selling authentics at the show. So there seems to be a trend going on here about the industry shunning clones.

I think eventually this is where the industry will get tougher on the clone market. Similar to how the designer glasses and purses have done a few years back.

What are your thoughts? Will the clone market fanatics rebel against these type of reviewers? Will it hurt these reviewers fan base? Will they be looked at as a reviewer only for the few elites who can afford a $300 piece of steel?
 

jack

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
It's his review and he is free to do whatever he likes. He is not the only reviewer to take that stance. However , if I got things for free(FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVIEW ) ROFL , I would not care about clones either . Clones are here to stay . The makers are free to do things to avoid them .
 

DB Cigs

Founding Vendor
Founding Vendor
VU Vendor
Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Member For 5 Years
I I believe that he is free to do as he chooses. Everyone has their own opinion on the clones, and you now know what his is.
 

bigbadthor

Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Member For 5 Years
His reviews always make me want authentics even more than I already do.
 

Nikkita6

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Reviewer
Vape Media
Member For 5 Years
I don't have a problem with the reviewers who have a "no clone" policy, any more than I do with reviewers who primarily review clones. Do I think that the reviewers who take this stance, hurt the clone market? Absolutely not .. the clone market is much stronger than a handful of reviewers who refuse to review them.
 

Giraut

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
The problem is, people will carry on buying clones because, while there's a 50/50 chance that the clone is worse than the original, the price is an order of magnitude lower in many cases. Mechanically, with odds like these, people buy the clone first.

So when a reviewer refuses to review clones, they're ignoring the reality of the market. I would much prefer a reviewer reviewing the original and the clone, and then giving their honest opinion - "the clone is almost identical, but you shoud get the genuine article to support the original maker" or "the clone is much worse, stay away from it and get the real thing".

Ignoring the existence of clones is slightly disingenuous, and quite frankly a bit silly: people will read the review of the original, then try the clone anyway - only they'll do it blindly, without the help of the reviewer.
 

retrox

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
You can't depend on consistent quality where clones are concerned; hence, you can't depend on reviews of them to make an informed purchase. I've seen YT'ers scoring certain clones with high marks and yet, when I get mine in the mail, it turns out to be a piece of crap. I've gotten stuff made by EHPro and Hcigar that are garbage, and I've gotten stuff from Tobeco and some of the other lesser known (or known for their lesser quality) manufacturers that's awesome. Due to the hit-or-miss nature of Chinese QC and the sheer amount of this stuff they crank out, it's difficult to tell if the RTA or mech your buddy gets from the same place as you is going to be as great as yours is.

Even if an original piece's quality and performance isn't up to snuff with its competition, you can generally rely upon that quality to be consistent from one piece to the next. If I were a reviewer, I would probably elect to only review originals because of that reason alone. With clones, it's impossible to really tell what you're recommending.
 

UncleRJ

Will write reviews for Beer!
Staff member
Senior Moderator
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Reviewer
Moderator
I see both sides of this issue.

But I have had really great results with clones. But I get them from companies that I know stand behind their products.
 

VapingCuban

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
You can't depend on consistent quality where clones are concerned; hence, you can't depend on reviews of them to make an informed purchase. I've seen YT'ers scoring certain clones with high marks and yet, when I get mine in the mail, it turns out to be a piece of crap. I've gotten stuff made by EHPro and Hcigar that are garbage, and I've gotten stuff from Tobeco and some of the other lesser known (or known for their lesser quality) manufacturers that's awesome. Due to the hit-or-miss nature of Chinese QC and the sheer amount of this stuff they crank out, it's difficult to tell if the RTA or mech your buddy gets from the same place as you is going to be as great as yours is.

Even if an original piece's quality and performance isn't up to snuff with its competition, you can generally rely upon that quality to be consistent from one piece to the next. If I were a reviewer, I would probably elect to only review originals because of that reason alone. With clones, it's impossible to really tell what you're recommending.
I think you pretty much summed it all up. China QC seems non existing and that can be a scary think as well specially when your creating mods that may have issues with venting to begin with.
 

Hobby Kid

Brighton Boy
Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Damien Morter, a popular reviewer from the UK has recently changed his stance on reviewing clones. He is now only going to be reviewing authentic mods from now on!

I recently spoke of an expo event in Vegas who were only having vendors selling authentics at the show. So there seems to be a trend going on here about the industry shunning clones.

I think eventually this is where the industry will get tougher on the clone market. Similar to how the designer glasses and purses have done a few years back.

What are your thoughts? Will the clone market fanatics rebel against these type of reviewers? Will it hurt these reviewers fan base? Will they be looked at as a reviewer only for the few elites who can afford a $300 piece of steel?
A few reviews and events doesn't make something a trend.

As far as clones, there was a guy on mod envy Saturday night who works hard and passionately at his business and on his devices. They're a small business and I'd feel sorry for them if some wanker came along croning their stuff. But if a big price fixing company gets their stuff cloned or some business who's racking up their prices based on the idea that us vapers are mugs when it comes to spending money then I'm gonna be saving mine and buy the clone so long as it lives up to spec.
 

VU Sponsors

Top