ZEISS in China? WTF?

[Wapiti]

We've been being bombarded by online ads about budget Zeiss prices and new selling agents, damn phone listening to our conversations.

Everyone was disappointed with Meopta going to Chyna, but what's with Zeiss selling Chinese binos and scopes?
Is this the end of the real good gear?
Have they moved production? Have they caved too?
Is this the beginning, can someone with industry knowledge let on what's happening?

If Swarovski do this, I would not be pleased.

[deye243]

Been seeying things like this in the shooting industry for quite a while don't think you'll find their top tier scopes being made in China but the entry level stuff seems a lot of manufacturers doing this it's their main bread and butter for instance Mercury outboards not sure on their smaller Motors but I know they're 50 horsepower and 60 horsepower are made in China I also know several commercial operators around here who are using these and have done for several years and they get a hell of a hard life and only time they leave the water is when they go on the trailer really gets serviced and they never have any problems with them and that to me is a huge surprise because just about all the Chinese outboards I've ever had anything do with around here absolutely rubbish but China can make good equipment if the company ordering it are willing to pay to get decent equipment

[Bugman]

Zeiss....or is it now Cheiss?

[Die Judicii]

I'm sticking to all my "original" Zeiss Duralyts and Conquests.
I even have spares sitting quietly in their original boxes in a safe designated for them.

I stopped buying Zeiss with the advent of the V4's.

It seems to be a trend with companies that manufacture all manner of goods (not just shooting related), to put out a product that is world class in quality, performance, and reliability.
Get a following, and a highly respected brand name,,,, and then go to Chyna for cheap Rse knock offs, but continue with the "name"
That way, they make huge profits selling 2nd rate goods.
And that is the beginning of the end.

One good example comes to mind,,,,,,
McCulloch Chainsaws.
Founded in 1943 and were in their days one of the best and most reliable chainsaw available.
Sold off in stages to various other manufacturers in Europe as well as,,,,,, you guessed it, China.
Still available in the distinctive yellow color and original name,,,,,,,,,,,
But the quality ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Wapiti]

My mother in law bought one of those small cars with the MG logo - the ones the Chynaman bought the rights to use.
It's just another example. But to her, it's an MG!
Why someone'd think that's great is beyond me - when I was a kid, the fact an MG was still hanging on and hadn't cracked or rusted in half or burned a litre of oil running to the shops was a miracle. A respected brand to boast about?

Then the other day I was in town looking at a very nice Steyr 308 hunting rifle. I didn't know what the strange looking space telescope was perched on to and the shopkeeper says, "it's a Vortex 5-25, great scope in keeping with the quality of the rifle, couldn't think of a better choice" as I looked at the bin and imagined the sound of that Chinese junk hitting the side on the way in.

[Damo300]

There was a gun tuber a while back that put all the cheap scopes from a lot of the common brands together and showed that they were all the same scope internally, with slight cosmetic changes to differentiate between the brands.
I think it may have been backfire. Was a while back.

90% of consumers purchase on the "look" of an item, not the functionality.
So China will still keep polishing turds so the stupid round eye can consume, at whichever price point gives them the best endophine release.