 According to master reseller, Pioneer Computers Australia, the
disks are unofficial imports and possibly also counterfeit. Police and
customs were investigating, Pioneer said.
Princo claims to have more
than 50 per cent of the DVD media disk market, and believes such dominance
has attracted grey marketeers. Pioneer, which imports millions of official
disks from Taiwan each year, said staff members discovered the grey disks
at computer markets selling for less than a dollar, which compares to the
official retail price of $ 1.15.
Pioneer sales manager James
Cook said such a discount, helped by the disks costing the reseller $ 0.20
each, was eating into the firm's own margins.
The distributor tried to
trace where they came form, but found that traders didn't want to divulge
their sources.
Princo also told them it only
sold to Pioneer and two other distributors in Australia.
The Taiwanese firm has given
Pioneer the task of educating resellers about why they should by through
the authorised channel.
Princo said officially
distributed disks were 100 per cent Grade A, whereas grey importers
offered no such guarantee.
Some disks may also be
counterfeit, with Princo B Grade and C Grade disks re-badged as A Grade.
"Resellers are warned to stay
away from grey imports given their high instances of failure which tarnish
Princo's reputation." a Princo statement said.
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