Apparently production has been suspended. Sad if true, but the major ball manufacturers have to be happy as hell
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I agree. Has to be more to it than that. Maybe Titleist 'made them an offer they couldnt refuse'Wycliffe_03 said:
Would love to get the full story on this one. Maybe that's it, but I doubt it.
Read the comments. There is a patent atty that gives a pretty good explanation as to why that probably is not the case.tandy miller said:I agree. Has to be more to it than that. Maybe Titleist 'made them an offer they couldnt refuse'Wycliffe_03 said:
Would love to get the full story on this one. Maybe that's it, but I doubt it.
Goose said:
My guess: High dollar golfball brands got together and went to the factory making the Kirkland balls and said, ok y'all knock that **** off or we'll never order another golfball from you.
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Very good explanation. The only piece lacking was that Costco is constantly scouring the earth for products that are not intended to be sold in the US (aka gray market goods). They do not buy counterfeits, but they find limited supplies of various goods (look at their jewelry) and sell it much lower than he retail price you could get it at an authorized dealer. You do not get the warranty and if something is wrong, you deal with Costco, not Rolex or the manufacturer because the manufacturer's warranties only extend to product purchased from an authorized distributor. Costco has been sued numerous times by brand owners who object to them selling their product COSTCO acquired from 3rd parties, almost always outside the US and outside the normal channels of distribution. The brand owners say COSTCO is degrading their brand because the brand owners have no clue as to where the product has come from, it could be defective or stale or whatever, COSTCO says they are saving consumers money. Costco has been successful in most litigation. If you buy a dozen golf balls for $15 you don't care about a warranty. If you pay $7500 for a watch, you might feel differently if it breaks in 2 weeks and the manufacturer says, "talk to COSTCO and let them fix it". This scenario with the golf balls sounds totally like COSTCO finding a factory that was eager to unload an over supply of inventory or a factory that got greedy and made and sold a ton of product to some 3rd party, not expecting that 3rd party to dump it in the US, much less at COSTCO, and certainly not getting all the PR that has surrounded this event. Either way, that factory is not likely to be making the QUATTRO ball again for COSTCO or anyone else they do not know who might sell it to COSTCO. My basis for this assessment? I have been a trademark and copyright lawyer since 1978. I have seen and participated in this play more times than I want to remember.
So then the factory sold the balls to a 3rd party who then labeled them for Costco? That doesn't make much sense to me. Most likely the balls left the factory with the Kirklands label already on them.Quote:
This scenario with the golf balls sounds totally like COSTCO finding a factory that was eager to unload an over supply of inventory or a factory that got greedy and made and sold a ton of product to some 3rd party, not expecting that 3rd party to dump it in the US, much less at COSTCO, and certainly not getting all the PR that has surrounded this event.
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I mention TaylorMade in particular because the company's tour balls are produced at the same factory as the Costco/Nassau balls, and there are some indications that production of new TP5 has pushed smaller companies to the back of the production line. Even if Costco otherwise had the capability to produce balls immediately, which it appears it doesn't, the K-Sig wouldn't be given priority over larger brands and long-term customers.
I doubt that. They probably left the factory blank. Factory likely didn't know about this until later. That's what happens with the grey market.'03ag said:So then the factory sold the balls to a 3rd party who then labeled them for Costco? That doesn't make much sense to me. Most likely the balls left the factory with the Kirklands label already on them.Quote:
This scenario with the golf balls sounds totally like COSTCO finding a factory that was eager to unload an over supply of inventory or a factory that got greedy and made and sold a ton of product to some 3rd party, not expecting that 3rd party to dump it in the US, much less at COSTCO, and certainly not getting all the PR that has surrounded this event.
Doing that could get a visit from the Justice Department.Goose said:
My guess: High dollar golfball brands got together and went to the factory making the Kirkland balls and said, ok y'all knock that **** off or we'll never order another golfball from you.
EMY92 said:Doing that could get a visit from the Justice Department.Goose said:
My guess: High dollar golfball brands got together and went to the factory making the Kirkland balls and said, ok y'all knock that **** off or we'll never order another golfball from you.
Oyster DuPree said:
Less poor people playing golf