copycat snow jack

dejadoo · Aug 20, 2009

What do you guys think of the powderjack guy copying the Harmon High-Jacker? You can tell by looking at it that he mechanically copied Harmon's jack and just made it cosmetically look a little different. I ride with Bill and know that he spent 2-3 years working on the design before ever selling them.
He has quite a bit of time in making them because he makes all the pieces by hand with pretty basic equipment. The powderjack guy appears to have some advanced watercutting equipment that cuts out enough labor that he is undercutting Bill's price quite a bit.

I think the guy is located in Alamosa. Does anybody know anything about him or his watercutting business. Trying to decide whether to give him some grief through the internet/better business bureau or just let it play out.

MtnDoo · Aug 20, 2009

Personally, I don't carry Bill's jack, or any jack for that matter.
Reason: Everyone around me does!

Did Bill "patent" his invention to protect it from these copycats?
That provides a few years of product protection as I understand it.

It's just a matter of time before someone or some company copies it.

People who appreciate Bill and his love of snowmobiling will always patronize him and keep the original product alive!

MD.

Maybe instead of competing with the original, he should have tried to work with Bill to contract out the production of the product.
Copying Bill's idea seems like a cheese-ball move to me and its a small community.

pernikm · Aug 20, 2009

I feel bad...but this is a story told over and over in the recreational motorsport world. Guy has idea. Guy brings it to market with sweat and tears. Big company robs it. Guy takes it in the can because he can't afford the lawyers to get or defend patent.
Welcome to the real world. Bill needs to tool up and compete with better manufacturing methods. Unfortunately that is high risk with the volume he is selling. This is why entrepreneures and venture capitalists often go broke...good luck

skibreeze · Aug 20, 2009

http://snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120294&highlight=jack+copy

pernikm · Aug 20, 2009

On another note...Bill might not be as bad off as originally thought. If you charge more for an item people will often assume it is better. This logic works well in the snowmobile industry. I will guarantee that a performance mod will ALWAYS cost more than a stock component. It has to, even tho the cost to manufacture is sometimes lower. The other is to look at a target market. We snowmobilers usually want the best reguardless of cost. If Bill's can target his product to a higher end market he will not lose sales to the "value" market. People who want a Lexus don't buy Yugos, no mater how cheap the yugo. He needs to make that distiction clear. In pricing, in marketing, and component quality.

MtnDoo · Aug 20, 2009

Hogwash.

All he needs to do to sell more is anodize them Yamaha Blue.

;-)

MD.

Rprecision · Aug 20, 2009

MtnDoo said:
Hogwash.

All he needs to do to sell more is anodize them Yamaha Blue.

;-)

MD.

No.....no....no

He needs to sell them in pairs for the yamahog !

Come on

Oh.........buy the way....I have one now too..........yet another reason.........you only need one

dejadoo · Aug 21, 2009

Thanks for the replies and the link, I did not know this had already been discussed. I have been around patents for 30 years in big and small businesses. They are easy to get but hard and costly to enforce.

Bill will pretty much fix any of his old jacks for free and even buy back any recent sales if customer is not happy. Hopefully this along with the quality of his jack will keep him in the game.

sledskiing · Aug 21, 2009

I've have bills and my buddy (Jeff) and Bushy has the copycat. I can say the copycat does work but it's not as easy to use. For the extra $100 i'd rather have "ease of use"

when my buddy get's stuck he asks me to throw my jack to him cuz i can take it off and put it back on my sled a lot quicker.

Jacking the sled with Bills jack is much easier. The copycat you have to "line" things up.

There are a lot of other little issues with the copycat (jack handle, mounting base, base plate, sled mount, fit and finish)

I've had mine (Bills) for 3 seasons now and it's still like new.

I could really give a crap about it being a copycat but if you are going to copy something than make it better. Sounds like this guy has more advanced tools than bill and he made a crappy product.

PJ-Hunter · Aug 22, 2009

MOST everybody I know has one of those jacks. I even know somebody who has a "copycat".

I know somebody that needs to buy either one, original or copycat. He rides a red 9hundy.

Zachcreek · Aug 22, 2009

Doo doesnt need one cause his Doo only weights in at 75 lbs.

bushy · Aug 22, 2009

If ya have a Yamaha get the original, anything else the knock-off will do

That's the definition of capitalism

Hate to display COMMUNistic tendencies on SW

PJ-Hunter · Aug 22, 2009

Bushmaster said:
If ya have a Yamaha get the original, anything else the knock-off will do

Get a winch too.

PJ-Hunter · Aug 22, 2009

PJtheMunchkin said:
Get a winch too.

Chris's jack saved my azz a couple of times though. But then, one time last season, there was this flat spot....

sledskiing · Aug 22, 2009

PJtheMunchkin said:
Chris's jack saved my azz a couple of times though. But then, one time last season, there was this flat spot....

MtnDoo · Aug 22, 2009

WARN Snowmobile Winch

bushy · Aug 22, 2009

WTF, I thought of that invention years ago!

bushy · Aug 22, 2009

PJtheMunchkin said:
Chris's jack saved my azz a couple of times though. But then, one time last season, there was this flat spot....

Sorry, can't borrow mine out, it's got a limited lifespan. Really is a piece of crap compared to Bills finely made device. Attention Walmart shoppers!

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copycat snow jack

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