Question about a shop

[Sir Didymous]

Has anyone here ever done business with Robert, Son & Co.? They have a few items that caught my eye and the prices are within my range, but I don't want to get ripped off. Bear in mind that I'm not too hung up on the country of origin, so long as the products are good for the price. I mean products from either Scotland or the USA are a bonus, but I am fiscally humbled/financially embarrassed more times than not. So the price is a big factor.

[Livonian]

I will preface this by saying that this is only my impression from their website.

- They have "military jungle boots" "WWI Uniforms" and "WWII German Uniforms" mixed in with the usual Highland Dress. Their "military jungle boots" are not actually jungle boots. I thought that they sold Highland Dress and Piping Supplies? They seem to be unsure what they are selling.

- I can confirm for a known fact that the photo of the "Silver Buckle Patent Leather Pump" is stolen from Thistle Shoes (Robertson & Co: http://www.robertsonco.com/product.php?id_product=542 Thistle Shoes: https://thistleshoes.com/product/buckle-brogue/) There are a number of other photos which I suspect are stolen but don't have time to confirm.

- Their prices are suspiciously low. Good deals do exist, but these prices seem indicative of horrendously low-quality goods. Some of their stuff, especially their jackets, just looks "off". Maybe that's why they feel the need to steal photos from other vendors?

I may be speaking too soon, and I would certainly wait for those with experience with the products to chime in, but from my limited observations, I would be extremely wary of their products and would personally save my money a few months longer to buy my clothes from a more reputable company.

[Downunder Kilt]

I will preface this by saying that this is only my impression from their website.

- They have "military jungle boots" "WWI Uniforms" and "WWII German Uniforms" mixed in with the usual Highland Dress. Their "military jungle boots" are not actually jungle boots. I thought that they sold Highland Dress and Piping Supplies? They seem to be unsure what they are selling.

- I can confirm for a known fact that the photo of the "Silver Buckle Patent Leather Pump" is stolen from Thistle Shoes (Robertson & Co: http://www.robertsonco.com/product.php?id_product=542 Thistle Shoes: https://thistleshoes.com/product/buckle-brogue/) There are a number of other photos which I suspect are stolen but don't have time to confirm.

- Their prices are suspiciously low. Good deals do exist, but these prices seem indicative of horrendously low-quality goods. Some of their stuff, especially their jackets, just looks "off". Maybe that's why they feel the need to steal photos from other vendors?

I may be speaking too soon, and I would certainly wait for those with experience with the products to chime in, but from my limited observations, I would be extremely wary of their products and would personally save my money a few months longer to buy my clothes from a more reputable company.

If theyare selling Thistle brand shoes what makes you think they have stolen the photo rather than being allowed t use it

[Tenmiles]

Observation:


Robertsonco.com is registered to Rashid Anjum, of First Computer Services & Engineering, based in Pakistan and/or United Arab Emirates.


http://whois.domaintools.com/robertsonco.com








Opinion:


After looking at the stuff on the site, and the prices, it made me think of that Chinese wholesale site Alibaba.com.
On the website of First Computer Services & Engineering (http://www.sell147.com/company/Unite...es/1512360.htm), I note the statement: "It will be a honour to provide our services to the all the customers of Alibaba."


So, I'm inclined to think that apart from the robersonco.com watermark platered across many of their images, that much of what is being sold there may be the same items you can pick up off Alibaba.


Indeed, when you search Alibaba for some of the specific items listed on roberstonco.com, you can find the same pictures, so I think Robertsonco.com is just remarketing the wholesale products available on Alibaba; the difference being that, usually on Alibaba, you have to buy a package lot (say, 10, or 25, or 50 pieces), rather than one item at a time.








Personal conclusion:
You'll get what you pay for; so if a $40 tartan kilt will fit the bill for a costume wekeend or something, go for it, but I wouldn't expect lasting quality.

[OC Richard]

yes it's obviously one of dozens, hundreds, of firms in Pakistan (and India) that all make the same sort of stuff.

Dead giveaways are the offering of Highland Dress items, embroidery, and bugles! They all seem to do that.

Sometimes these firms also make replicas of WWII German, British, and American uniforms, American Civil War uniforms, and so forth. Replicaters (note the misspelling) in India makes loads of that sort of thing.

I'm absolutely sure that they don't sell Scottish-made things. They might, however, sell things that you'll find being sold in Scotland by Scottish firms which one might think were made in Scotland, the labels on such things sometimes being cleverly misleading.

[RockyR]

They've stolen pictures from various companies to represent their products. They stole one of mine and use it to this day. Since my watermark was not too obtrusive to the photo, they literally blurred it out and re-typed THEIR OWN company name on top of it. Unethical.

I've asked them before to remove the photo from their site. They did, then put it right back up.

My opinion: If your products aren't good enough to show in your photos, you're trying to hide something. You're also a thief in one area, so why should anyone trust you in any other area.

[RockyR]

If they are selling Thistle brand shoes what makes you think they have stolen the photo rather than being allowed t use it

I've contacted Thistle (we're a retailer for their shoes) and they do NOT sell those shoes to this company. The photo is stolen.

[plaid preacher]

I think the clue is actually in the company name. It seemed strange to me when I read the first post and still does. It seems to have all the marks of a non-native English speaker. I think whoever heard the Scottish name Robertson and thought that would be a great name to stick on their site, but instead of "Robertson & Co." or "Roberts and Sons, Co" which would be grammatically be correct, ended up with Robert, Son & Co - which make no sense, at least to my eye.

I think I'd spend my hard earned cash elsewhere.

[kiltedsawyer]

Had to check, and indeed this is not http://www.scotsware.com/kilts.htm otherwise known as Sir Robert's Highland House, which I have found to be exceptional in the best meaning of the word.

David

[Downunder Kilt]

I've contacted Thistle (we're a retailer for their shoes) and they do NOT sell those shoes to this company. The photo is stolen.

I would call that conclusive evidence , Thanks Rocky