On May 5, 12:07*am, Will wrote:
On May 3, 12:21 pm, "Pat" wrote:

I've known the bike shop owner for nearly three years now and I've
never before seen her look so angry.

Methinks you should question your assumptions carefully...

Spell it out. What, exactly are you saying?

There are fakes in the shop. The owner is not a cabbage-head. She's
running a significant business wholesaling to other businesses and
resorts. So...was the reaction appropriate? Would you get "as-mad-as-
I've-ever-seen" before you examined the goods? reviewed the invoice?
talked to the supplier?

If a highly trusted employee (and despite the fact that I don't get a
salary per se, I am an employee of her's) came to you with
indisputable proof that you one of your distributors was cheating you,
yes, the reaction would be appropriate.

Displays of high anger from a seasoned entrepreneur, would make me
cautious.

When the person in question is well known for never ever losing their
temper at anything (I've seen her stamp her foot once or twice) and is
in a private space with only employees and family members to see
her... ?

Before I formed my opinion, I'd look at a lot of other merchandise.

I have looked at a lot of the other merchandise. Some of it I was one
of the consultants on purchasing. Some of it I was the primary
contact with the distributor. And most nearly everything that came in
without a Chinese label was translated by me.

I've seen the shipping crate that still had the US Postal Service
labels and the return address of Madison Wisconsin for the first Trek
Madone in China. It's really hard to fake something like that. Fake
the bike (unlikely but maybe) but not fake the postage on the box in
the garbage.

Finally, it might be the saddle wasn't "fake". It might be black
market instead. The factory produces 1000 units for the "contract" and
100 for the "back door".

They don't especially like black market things either. They don't
have the kind of quality control that you really want when you are
selling astonishingly expensive and potentially breakable items that
rely on word of mouth advertising.

-M