Spiker,

I was as well.

First, it may not have been an unauthorized swap. It might just be a case of Outlaw getting what it paid for - materials that are inferior to those found in the West. You can hand the Chinese a sample and say "just like this" and they will always say that they can deliver. You can look at a sample that they provide, or even the initial product runs and be happy. But you still run the risk that, with time, you could see more product degradation than what you might normally expect. They simply have not been able to match Western standards for things like plastics and adhesives - where they've developped them themselves. They will eventually - but they're not there yet.

Second, I was referring to Outlaw's chances of ever winning some form of litigation in China - if it ever came to that. It's an inherent risk of doing business over there.

And finally I have no doubt whatsoever that Outlaw will stand behind their product(s) and correct / repair / replace any that are defective. They remain a text book example of great customer relations.

Jeff Mackwood