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What should I do (Marker Griffon warranty)

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marsh.
Posts: 1173 - Karma: 1,403
Last week I was skiing at my local hill, and i managed to completely break my marker griffon heel piece off of my brand new Thalls. I basically landed a 540, and the whole thing just broke right off the rail. Clearly this is a manufacture defect, so i know it can be covered under warranty.

So i went into my local marker deal (happens to be an Erik's bike shop) and show them what happened. The tech then proceeds to tell me that this doesn't happen to marker bindings, and i might have bought a fake pair of bindings. I'm completely shocked that he would say this, especially after he mounted them on the skis for me. Anyway, he says he can get them warrantied, but he needs some sort of receipt.The problem is i bought these bindings online, and don't have any record of the sale.

My question for you is how should i go through with this? I've tried to find ways to contact marker directly, but with no luck. Thanks, any help is appreciated.

Click for larger image

Jan 8 2014 1:52PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7160 - Karma: 17,589
Why do you have no record of buying them online? Online dealers will still send you a proof of purchase. If you have lost this contact the shop you got them from and see if they can send you a copy of the proof of purchase.
Jan 8 2014 2:45PM
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twatt_chaurus
Posts: 470 - Karma: 1,682
What the fuck, haha. Go to any other store that sells markers, they should be able to take care of the rest.
Jan 8 2014 2:45PM
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FlufyDuky
Posts: 163 - Karma: 651
Can't you just use email order confirmation as proof of purchase
Jan 8 2014 2:46PM
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marsh.
Posts: 1173 - Karma: 1,403
I bought them off of eBay, from just a random seller, that's why I can't really show a proof of purchase
Jan 8 2014 3:23PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11661 - Karma: 24,340
Counterfitting ski bindings would be the least profitable scam of all time. That guy is a god damn moron
Jan 8 2014 3:27PM
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BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,885
Run as far away as you can from the shop/tech and never go back.

This happens to Griffons all the time...and making a fake binding would be insanely expensive...and pointless.
Jan 8 2014 3:31PM
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snowpocalypse
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 3,525
He is right though. Marker will not warranty any binding unless you are the Original first owner and with a valid proof of sale. So if you got them off some dude on-line you are in a bad spot. Good luck.

totally wrong in the counterfeit binding thing. That's just dumb.
Jan 8 2014 4:46PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7160 - Karma: 17,589
Yeah sorry man you won't get a warranty unless you got them from an authorised dealer. You only get a warranty if you are the first user. You could try to contact a differnt shop but they will say the same thing. At this stage your best bet will be to try to buy just a heel piece from someone who has a spare to sell.
Jan 8 2014 6:09PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6674 - Karma: 10,977
It's actually not as crazy as you think. Especially on E-Bay

For example, Specialized has dedicated people who hunt down counterfeit Specialized bikes that are sold on E-Bay. Hundreds of fake Chinese copies of their bikes are sold on E-Bay every year resulting in breakages, injuries, and lawsuits.

Counterfeit products appear on E-Bay all the time and are appearing in many action sports industries.

Be very careful about buying products on E-Bay...
Jan 9 2014 4:28AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6674 - Karma: 10,977
More info:


And an article on the subject from Bike Radar:
Jan 9 2014 4:36AM
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TheClap.
Posts: 21671 - Karma: 4,158
Ebay got cha good
Jan 9 2014 6:19AM
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DonNut
Posts: 74 - Karma: 70
Forgery or not, this is quite a common issue with Griffons. As you are not the first owner of these bindings I doubt you could get any comfort from contacting Marker. You can try if you feel the need to.

You could also try to find and buy a used pair of bindings or maybe even just a baseplate, and replace the broken plate with a working one. Just screw the old one off, apply some glue, screw the new one in and glide the back piece to its place.

It seems that the metal parts have bended so that the backpiece won't stay at the right position. If u don't want to try and get a new baseplate you could try to bend the metals so that the back piece would fit in. I have tried this many times on customers skis while working at a sports shop but never succeeded though...
Jan 9 2014 7:04AM
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SladeSki
Posts: 263 - Karma: 290
I know a lot of music products are counterfeited as well on eBay. For example, some popular Shure mics are commonly counterfeited (SM57). I honestly wouldn't doubt that there's a chance those bindings are fake if a tech says so.
Jan 9 2014 7:26AM
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TheClap.
Posts: 21671 - Karma: 4,158
Na, they real, he Prob bout um used
Jan 9 2014 7:53AM
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marsh.
Posts: 1173 - Karma: 1,403
The bindings were brand new when I purchased them, and I skied them 3 times before this happened. They came in all the original marker packaging, so I seriously doubt they are fake. I'll take some more close up pics so you can see what actually happened, as the plate that is attached to the ski is perfectly usable.
Jan 9 2014 8:29AM
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MontanaMuggin
Posts: 444 - Karma: 1,642
Exact same thing happend to my friend. He kinda stripped his baseplate on a way. Took it to his shop and they fixed it. He might've gotten a new baseplate but I'm not sure
Jan 9 2014 8:34AM
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snowpocalypse
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 3,525
While I understand that some industries have an issue with this (my company for example). Bindings is not one of them. First of all most of the issues stem from factories overseas that run a production cycle for said company. Once the cycle is done they continue to produce and sell at deep discounts with out the original backing. Bindings on the other hand are mostly produced in factories owned by the company thus the likely hood of counterfeit goes way down. The next issue is profit. On a bike like Specialized you are looking at a frame that retails for $5000. By cutting out the original company and selling direct there is a huge profit margin for the counterfeiters. Bindings on the flip side only nets a few hundred if that after production costs. Its not that they can't make money on counterfeit bindings but the margins are so low its not worth the risk where as bikes. profit out weigh the risk.
Jan 9 2014 10:08AM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
it doesn't matter that they were brand new when you purchased them. the fact that you didn't purchase them from an authorized Marker dealer voids any warranty claim you might have.

i would suggest maybe going into another shop and try to get them to sympathize with you.

welcome to buying shit online. doesn't always work out for you
Jan 9 2014 12:52PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6674 - Karma: 10,977
Depends on how many they make... and if they are made super shittily, then they can make money off them. Also if you read the article, it is not just expensive frames that are being counterfeited, but simple clothing as well.

I'm not saying this is a counterfeit binding, just the potential is there. China is fucking sneaky as shit and people will copy anything, especially one of the world's best selling alpine ski bindings.
Jan 9 2014 3:43PM
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japanada
Posts: 13785 - Karma: 1,956
Find a better shop and bring them a 24 pack. Thatll grease the wheels.
Jan 9 2014 10:09PM
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TheClap.
Posts: 21671 - Karma: 4,158
Usually how I get my mounts done
Jan 12 2014 10:55AM
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beauchamp
Posts: 662 - Karma: 1,191
happened to one if my friend with markers as well. he hitted
a 25 footer and landed switch and the thing broke just like you. what i suggest and might have been said above is you find everything you can regarding the warranty, proof of purchase, etc. and you get yourself a new pair.
Jan 12 2014 11:05AM
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