I work for a semiconductor manufacturer. Someone wants to spec an IC to their specs they get a unique p/n for their needs. But as you might guess the $$$ has to work out in order to pay for the legwork to support that new p/n.
Walmart/Amazon selling lesser quality tires under same listing?
- Thread starter jdr7
- Start date
The rumor in the IC world was that MILSPEC and civilian chips came off the same line. The only difference was the MILSPEC chips were tested to meet the spec and then labeled accordingly if they passed.
There's the difference
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
The Bay's English Muffins at Wal_Mart can't be as good as at the grocery store. They are a $1 cheaper.
I remember witnessing the "same" video camera had a different part number depending on if it was sold at Best Buy or Circuit City. That way, each could price match knowing they were the only one selling that model. Identical specs, just a different trailing letter. I.E you might have a Sony CX-455B at Best Buy and a Sony CX-455C at Circuit City. Same camera, just a different model number printed on the tag and packaging.
Walmart tracks returns and warranty work. They wouldn't tolerate a tire that's worse than the industry average and would write their contracts accordingly.
If a tire manufacturer segregated the worst 10% of their production, I don't see Walmart or any other big retailer tolerating it. Maybe they'll sell them in South America. Maybe through Rent-A-Rim in the 'hood.
I've had quite good luck with Douglas tires, BTW.
If a tire manufacturer segregated the worst 10% of their production, I don't see Walmart or any other big retailer tolerating it. Maybe they'll sell them in South America. Maybe through Rent-A-Rim in the 'hood.
I've had quite good luck with Douglas tires, BTW.
A few years ago the toaster oven let go and we went to wally's to get another, there were 2 identical ones with different model numbers but everything was identical in the spec and physically.
I went home and looked them up on the manufacturers web site and sure enough the slightly cheaper one said Walmart only model, no replacement parts available.
So there may be some items that are cheapened for them but they also sell the first quality one right along side of it it seems.
Most things automotive, tires, lubricants, chemicals, filters, etc I am not worried about.
I went home and looked them up on the manufacturers web site and sure enough the slightly cheaper one said Walmart only model, no replacement parts available.
So there may be some items that are cheapened for them but they also sell the first quality one right along side of it it seems.
Most things automotive, tires, lubricants, chemicals, filters, etc I am not worried about.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
Never seen that where they are identical but different lol. But I have a friend who believes that oil from Walmart is a cheaper product under the same name that the parts stores sell so he pays $20 more for his oil than I do. Which I can confirm is false on the oil because my dad being a truck driver has delivered oil to places like Walmart and auto parts stores and it all comes from the same place. I do know the Douglas tires are not great never had good luck with them.
This is your answer in a nutshell!
I know I'd get the, he's trying to sell his stuff over walmart quotes lol...I simply asked the guy what brand trailer tire he recommended. There is only a few brands most use that put a lot of miles on trailer, or if he would recommend put LT tires on. I was wondering what he recommended as he travels hundreds of miles weekly for racing. His store's are in a different state than where I live, so he knew I wasn't buying from him. He said brand x and 8ply was overall best value. I mentioned I had saw something like that on Walmart and I'd prolly get them there for the warranty issue, didn't even mention cost. And that's when he mentioned be careful brand x builds some tires of lesser quality for walmart/amazon to help their prices. As for proof, all I got is that he's been at the tire plant/facility of brand x to get his own spec vehicle tires made for his 'retail zone'. And no real reason to lie, he had nothing to gain.
Didn't know if anybody that worked at a tire manufacturer was a member here and could confirm.
PS some more possible proof could be a few threads down. I think someone went thru like 5 tires from walmart, 3 went bad, and then got 2 from dealer with no issues.
PSS remember I'm talking about trailer tires not vehicle tires. They don't have mileage warranty's, usually around 1yr warranty. They are just built cheaper from the beginning than a vehicle tire. Trailer tires usually rot/crack from not getting used, or blow apart in use. You'll very rarely run them down to wear/replace marks. I just wanted something that wasn't in the blow apart group.
Didn't know if anybody that worked at a tire manufacturer was a member here and could confirm.
PS some more possible proof could be a few threads down. I think someone went thru like 5 tires from walmart, 3 went bad, and then got 2 from dealer with no issues.
PSS remember I'm talking about trailer tires not vehicle tires. They don't have mileage warranty's, usually around 1yr warranty. They are just built cheaper from the beginning than a vehicle tire. Trailer tires usually rot/crack from not getting used, or blow apart in use. You'll very rarely run them down to wear/replace marks. I just wanted something that wasn't in the blow apart group.
So long as the tires pass the tests, DOT doesn't care!
Wouldn't be surprised. They could have done two different things:
- One list of tests, but anything that tested to a narrow set of limits was binned into the military bin; the parts outside of that but still usable go into general sales or whatever
- Same parts/wafers/whatever again, but a different testlist. This would be if the milspec parts had more tests than the standard parts. For instance, say automotive grade is to be tested at 12V, but milspec is to be tested at 5V, 12V and 24V. This additional test time costs too much to do on automotive grade. Fallout from milspec could go into automotive grade (assuming it wasn't outside of auto spec)
I am a retired tire engineer - 42 years. Read what I wrote above.
Short version: For some scenarios, there are otherwise identical tires that are sold through different outlets that have different quality levels. But for other scenarios, I don't know this happens, but it is possible.
Same here. I saved quite a bit buying tires for my van in 2019. My loyalty is to my wallet. I laughed when I called Mavis for a price on tires for my father's Subaru, the woman quoted me a price, then immediately asked if I liked the price. I replied it was high, I got the hold please let me see what I can do. She came back with a price over $100 less. I laughed and told her she should have given the best price first, I might have trusted her then. I ended the call and bought his tires on Amazon, which had the best price at the time. Then I had someone I trust mount, balance, and install them, not having to listen to how the car needs ball joints, tie rods, and a slew of other work it didn't need. Sadly around here the tire places are just as big a rip off as the car dealers. Rant off.
That's true, however is a buyer who purchases at Walmart or Amazon going to have awareness of what the SKU difference (if any) is between what they purchased there as opposed to buying the same make and model from a traditional tire store or franchised retailer? Not likely.
Virtually all buyers are just seeing "Goodyear Assurance" or whatever tire it is, and making sure it is the correct make. model, and size. They aren't comparing the SKU/part number on the label, and wouldn't even know what that really means, without knowing the SKU/part number for the tire being sold at the tire dealer.
I am not a big "conspiracy" type of person, but have been around long enough to see retailer specific versions of products being sold with the same make and model, however being sold at a lower price or at lesser quality. Biggest example are the "outlet stores". The items sold there may have the same brand tag, and model number, but the products manufactured for sale at "outlet stores" are not the same thing you will buy at the regular mall. Those "outlet" products are manufactured to a different/lower standard to be able to be sold at the outlets at a lower price, to make consumers feel like they are getting some sort of deal.
As always, buyer beware.
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That's the way I heard it. Same wafer, maybe even the same packaging, just a more strenuous battery of tests. More extremes of temps, IIRC, both lower and higher.
You are correct I should have said seemingly identical.
Yeap, I've definitely seen this. First time was with baby stuff (stroller, high chair, etc). We were looking at Walmart and they had (I'm making this example up) a high chair with p/n HC1234-WM. We saw the identical chair at Target as HC-1234-T. We asked the 2nd store to price-match the other since it was higher priced and they said they "can't" because it's "not the same item". This is different than what the OP is describing though. What I saw and ran into myself was with Walmart / Goodyear tires. We bought a used Odyssey that had Goodyear tires on it and I had to replace one. Drove to the nearby Goodyear shop and said he can't match them because the ones we had were only sold at WM.
