This article clarifies the meanings behind the terms “original,” “aftermarket,” “copies,” and “fakes” in the context of spare parts sold by dealers. While no one openly admits to selling counterfeit parts, they do exist in the market.
Original / Genuine Parts
- Official Channels: These parts are officially sold by the SINOTRUK spare parts department to wholesalers and retailers in China. Truck users seeking to buy directly from SINOTRUK often face restrictions, typically being redirected to wholesalers unless they purchase large quantities each year.
- Manufacturing Reality: SINOTRUK does not manufacture most components found in their HOWO trucks; instead, they source them from other manufacturers. For instance, injectors are purchased from suppliers like DENSO and BOSCH.
- Supplier Options: The less complex the component, the more options SINOTRUK has. For example, there are numerous suppliers for leaf springs that meet their quality standards.
- Genuine Distribution: If DENSO delivers 100 injectors of a specific model to SINOTRUK, they might install 40 on new trucks and sell the remaining 60 to wholesalers. These injectors are considered genuine originals.
- Quality Assurance: While the quality of original parts is assured, they come at a high cost—generally about 25% more expensive than OEM parts, with prices potentially tripling for certain items.
Aftermarket Parts
Aftermarket parts are an understandable choice given the high prices of original components. Wholesalers often bypass SINOTRUK and source directly from original factories, offering lower prices, faster delivery, and comparable quality.
Key Points to Consider
- Supplier Variability: For components like leaf springs, SINOTRUK may source from different suppliers each year. Products from these factories are classified as aftermarket.
- Quality Control Challenges: Wholesalers face challenges such as:
- Negotiating better prices with current suppliers.
- Distinguishing quality differences to select the right factory.
With thousands of items and hundreds of factories to manage, navigating the aftermarket landscape can be complex for wholesalers.
Copies & Fakes
The market for copies and counterfeit parts, often produced by small workshops, remains profitable and continues to grow. Countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam, where there is a substantial presence of HOWO trucks, see significant demand for spare parts.
Challenges in the Market
- Rising Competition: As competition increases, it becomes difficult to distinguish good parts from bad ones at first glance, leading to a decline in overall quality, despite high retail prices.
- Market Viability: In regions with high demand for HOWO trucks, such as Africa, original and OEM parts struggle to survive due to the prevalence of low-quality alternatives.
Consumer Awareness
In more developed regions like South Africa, South America, and East Asia, consumers are knowledgeable about the quality they desire and possess the expertise to differentiate between parts.
