To answer the comments above - I've been a car fanatic my entire life, starting with the little toy cars that i used to play as a child, wanting to become a race driver when i grow up, buying my first car - Honda/Acuras many many Civic Si's to Integras to Type R's and a couple of NSX's (owned over 25-30 cars before I turned 30) - modified most of them and getting my first job in the car performance industry 16 years ago. I, like the rest of you, is a consumer. I know for certain items, I pay a higher price because I want that specific brand name parts. I became a brand loyalist to some brands like Blitz, Greddy, Apexi, Volks, AEM, Racing Harts... etc. I know for some items, I can get the same quality, if not better, and at a cheaper price if I forgo the brand. I actually have authentic JDM NSX-R parts on my old NSX -- like the wheels, engine covers, and many other parts that are actually 3 times more than any aftermarket parts. I assume more than 90% of the guys here will not spend over $6k for a set of actual JDM NSX-R wheels (not sure how much they are now days, I heard $10k) just to save ~2 pounds over the 02-05 OE wheels and the JDM bling! Like the TYPE-R spoilers for example. There's the actual JDM NSX-R spoiler ($$$$), the ProCar version ($$$), DownForce version ($$), Seibon version ($).... There are only a limited few who spent $$$$ for an actual NSX-R rear spoiler where the guy down the road only paid $400 for a NSX-R spoiler. Both consumers are very happy with their spoilers.
Every product goes through a product life cycle. When the product is new to the market and has no competitors, the product will be priced at a premium. But as the product grow, competitors come in to make the same product, the price dips due to competition (good for the consumers and bad for the guys who paid premium on them) but the quality is still similar if not the same or better. Like our PRIDE Light Weight Exhaust for an example, with improvements like the 2.25" straight thru piping from the inlet to the exhaust tips, fully polished piping and muffler, all hand T.I.G. welds, tips angled up slightly to flow with the 02-05 valance design, high temp muffler packing, and more that are differ to the other brand's design. Hence, this is the evolution of store brand versus name brand in all the products we use everyday. The original manufacturer of the product will need to distinguish itself, via marketing, why consumers should still purchase its product, which is still offered at the premium price. Internally, this manufacturer now is making less $ on this particular product because it now has to incur higher marketing cost. From a consumer standpoint, we are still charged at the same price by buying it from the original manufacture. The other competitors are able to offer the same product for less because the cost incurred to produce this product is less than the original manufacturer (less marketing, perhaps fewer personnel, minimum R&D costs etc). I am one of the competitor and I know I can offer my products at a lower price point and of the same quality, if not better, versus the original competitor because I don't have to pay for all the extra costs that the original manufacturer is paying for. I can sell our exhaust at a premium for $1400+ if you guys prefer. LOL Other manufacturers will eventually phase out of NSX parts because there is just not enough NSXs for them to survive on. But I'm still here, still making NSX parts, because this is my passion like most vendors here.
So to sum up, if you are a brand loyalist to the brand or a certain manufacture, then perhaps I am not where you want to buy your product from and perhaps you are not my targeted consumer. However, if you are a consumer that cares more about quality, customer service, and price, I am your guy. Thank you!
Mark @ PRIDE