From Skunk2 camp,
Well, for better or for worse, it looks like we created quite the stir on the interwebs this past week. We sincerely apologize if we've offended any and all enthusiasts that disagreed with how we went about getting the legal contact information behind two screen names.
Now judging from ensuing buzz online, we thought we should clarify a few things. First, the assertion of “attempted identity theft” is untrue. We were only seeking the contact info for people whom we did not know their names or general locations. For those who question the legality of what happened, the following link should shed some light: http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1528742 Again, we apologize about how we went about it. But we do not apologize for why we are doing it.
It is also unfortunate that the discussions online have led to discussions by certain individuals about actually committing criminal acts in retaliation, to which we have already responded by filing a complaints with local and federal law enforcement.
For those who think we are upset about someone “exposing” the countries of origin of Skunk2 products, that is far from the truth. On the Skunk2 website we have explicitly acknowledged that we have products manufactured in Asia (including Taiwan, China, Thailand, and Vietnam) as well as in the USA, Canada, Europe, and in-house in Norco, CA. So, obviously we are taking issue with false statements being made as there have been numerous and repeated mis-representations being made about Skunk2.
For those who expect us to make everything in the USA, that is an unrealistic expectation for Skunk2 as well as for numerous other companies in the import industry. But what we find so puzzling is why some people, upon finding import records from YoYo RD Int'l, would feel compelled to misrepresent Skunk2 as just a “trading” company that buys ready designed/made products from an overseas supplier; nothing could be further from the truth. What is the motive for incessantly trolling Skunk2-related threads and making misrepresentations about the company? If you are willing to make repeated public statements that we are just a trading company that has no R&D capabilities, copies products, rebadges copycat products, or does not have quality inspection in place, then you'd better be ready to back that up with real evidence and not with hearsay, innuendo, and mis-direction. The sad thing is that we've never been adversarial with these people. We still aren't. At this time we have not made any threats of legal action or any other. In fact, in the past we've extended invitations (expenses paid) to some of them to visit our facilities so that they might get a more accurate understanding of what we do, and they refused. But I'll tell you what, as a peace offering, we will keep that invitation open and we can discuss things if these individuals do come out.
To clarify, though we outsource much of our manufacturing, Skunk2 currently has seven people in its R&D department and does virtually all of its design, engineering, and testing out of its Norco, CA facility. Over the past 15 years we have been responsible for numerous industry product firsts, and in the past 24 months we have been issued seven US Patents, with another seven applications pending. Furthermore, over the next several months Skunk2 will be introducing several new and exciting products for the Honda marketplace as well as adding an additional 3,500 sq ft of new engineering space. And for those who just have to know, YoYo RD Int’l was set up in 2003 as an independent overseas logistics company responsible for the production management, inspection, assembly, and packaging of Skunk2 products sourced from the Pacific rim, as well as for handling overseas contract manufacturing and engineering projects for Group-A. In fact, the meaning of the name “YoYo” is actually short for “Skunk-Skunk.”
Now with regards to product quality, the idea that we don't care about product quality and don't inspect products is ludicrous. In addition to innovation, Skunk2 is 100% committed to the continuous improvement of our product quality and customer service. If you take all product issues over the course of 15 years and let them sit out on the web and present them as ongoing, you pretty much make any company look bad. The reality is that Skunk2 warranty claims track at a fraction of one percent of total sales. We try our best to reduce that number every year, and we always try to do right by our customers. In case there are unreported claims, we ask that anyone who has an unresolved issue with our product to please contact our customer service department at 951-808-9888 or
[email protected] or
[email protected].
To those who support us, we say “Thank you.” To those who hate us because of a bad experience, we say “If you have an issue with our product, give our customer service department a chance to make right.” To those who hate us just because, we are always open to constructive input. And to those who are undecided, we say “Ultimately what defines us is our tireless commitment to developing innovative products, our quality and performance, and our commitment to customer service.”
Source: Skunk2 (http://cms.skunk2.com/id/778/UPDATE/)