Korea King and presenter ‘Woody’ panned over ‘unethical’ sales campaign

[rooster59]

Korea King and presenter ‘Woody’ panned over ‘unethical’ sales campaign

By WICHIT CHAITRONG 
THE SUNDAY NATION

 

TV celebrity Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda is brand ambassador for the Korea King frying pan.

 

WIZARD SOLUTION, which imports the controversial Korea King frying pan, and its celebrity brand ambassador are facing mounting criticism and questioning about its business ethics, with suggestions that it could be breaking laws relating to consumer protection.

 

“The company has set an excessively high detail price [for the pan], then gives consumers a sharp discount. It may not break the law but it does obviously breach business ethics by luring consumers to believe they get a very cheap price relative to the product’s claimed high quality,” Pavida Pananond, an associate professor of International Business at Thammasat Business School, told The Nation yesterday.

 

She also criticised Channel 9 TV presenter Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, the face of the Korea King advertising campaign. 

 

“A brand ambassador should be aware whether such a company carries out its business ethically or not,” she said.

 

Pavida added that the controversy surrounding Korea King might be a good lesson for the public, and consumers should keep an eye on such business behaviour.

 

Wizard Solution’s advertising claims that its pans, both the gold and diamond series, are made from high-quality materials with innovative Korean technology. The advert says the price is as high at Bt15,000 to Bt18,000 but offers a huge discount, selling the pans for a few thousand baht per pair, depending on which series. 

 

However, some social media users claimed that the cost of importing the pan is just Bt358.

 

Kasemsant Weerakun, posting on Facebook, argued that such a marketing ploy should be called “fake original price” because the company is trying to take advantage of consumers. The pan could never sell at the high price it claims, Kasemsant posted.

 

Kasemsant said consumers in some foreign countries take such cases to court to demand compensation. 

 

The Consumer Protection Board put a statement on its website, saying it had been looking into the advertising of Korea King. It said Wizard Solution Co registered its direct-selling business in January 2016 and imported the Korea King brand pan with an intended detail price of Bt15,000. 

 

In October, Wizard Solution informed the Consumer Protection Board that the Korean manufacturer wanted to set a standard price of Bt15,000, but Wizard Solution offered consumers a promotion of “buy one, get one free”, selling at Bt3,300, according to the board statement. 

 

The board said it was gathering all information related to marketing tactics and pan quality, and would submit all information to the direct-selling committee under the Direct Selling and Direct Marketing Act on Wednesday for consideration. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30315140

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-14

[Rhys]

...seems Woodie has been duped again.....

[edwinchester]

We've got one of these frying pans. To be honest it's really nice for cooking and the non-stick works very well.

Having said that it is very expensive for what it is even at the 3k bht 'discount'.

[trogers]

The tricks of the old days are over in this tech savvy era...

unless the target are those tree rubbing housewives.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed. 

[Damrongsak]

I still cook things in a crudely cast aluminum pot from Thailand, must be 40 years old.  My wife used it for years until getting a rice cooker.  We used to say they were cast from American airplanes downed in the war.

[YetAnother]

nothing unethical; just good business practice; always buyer beware

[Apiwan2]

Seems to be a permanent sale on goods in Thailand

makes them think they are getting a bargain when in reality they're not.

Robinson a prime example

[Dexlowe]

Marketing is the dark art of business unless it is regulated. I see it characterized by the 3 Ds: duplicity, dishonesty and deception. The Consumer Protection Board does a very poor job of keeping in check such wild and clearly deceptive marketing claims such as this.

[Machiavelli]

3 hours ago, Rhys said:

...seems Woodie has been duped again.....

She can dupe me anytime.

[Dexlowe]

3 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

nothing unethical; just good business practice; always buyer beware

Nothing unethical? Good business practise? Come on, get your feet on the ground. Even in Thailand there are rules to govern businesses for a very good reason (if poorly used :) ). To say "buyer beware" is all well and good, but the dark art of marketing can be very seductive. If marketing crosses the boundary of fair trade, then shoot the barsters. 

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I still cook things in a crudely cast aluminum pot from Thailand, must be 40 years old.  My wife used it for years until getting a rice cooker.  We used to say they were cast from American airplanes downed in the war.

Any signs of Altzheimer's yet?

[Hereinthailand]

Better deal than buy two get one free.

[ujayujay]

In westerner countrys this offer will be named ripp off. Thailand has a lack of consumer protection. Everything is on Discount, price labes shows a phantasyamount.

[Classic Ray]

Anyone who sees a "recommended" price of 15000 baht and jumps at the chance to buy two for 3000 baht is congenitally stupid and unprotectable.

 

Please send me their address and I will forward all my Nigerian 419 emails to them so they can make millions to buy more pans!

[Reigntax]

2 hours ago, Hereinthailand said:

Better deal than buy two get one free.

 

Chineses quality, rusty and now becoming a pressure cooker.

[darksidedog]

All of the so called "deals" on these TV shows are generally a rip off. It isn't something I normally watch, but on the odd occasion I have seen them, the special price offered is always way more than I thought realistic. But there are stupid people out there. Tell them its supposed to be 15,000 but come out with, 'today only, just for our viewers", people think they are getting a bargain and pay over the odds for stuff. And has been rightly pointed out there are no consumer protection laws here. Caveat Emptor!

[Lucky mike]

Do they market subs as well ?

[Dexlowe]

2 hours ago, Lucky mike said:

Do they market subs as well ?

Yes -- they have factory seconds going cheap. A couple of dings, a few scratches, but otherwise completely sinkable.

[wump]

9 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I still cook things in a crudely cast aluminum pot from Thailand, must be 40 years old.  My wife used it for years until getting a rice cooker.  We used to say they were cast from American airplanes downed in the war.

Highly unhealthy. There has been a discussion one or two years ago about Thai vendors stopping the use of aluminium pots (of course nothing happened). But to voluntarily poison yourself at home is not smart. Better read up on it.

[irwinfc]

this korea king pan is in the same league as essence of chicken and bird's nest whatever. both overpriced and overhyped. the question is why do people still buy them?

 

maybe i'll open up my own line of invisible clothing and price them so high that only the "big hair high-so" can afford. i'm going to make bundles for sure!

[Pdaz]

This is no different to the sales practices that were the norm at one time in the West. They are no longer tolerated due to more savvy consumers and legislation to protect the more gullible.

 

However here in Thailand many consumers are still naive and easily led.

You only have to witness the friendly , smooth talking sales guys in all the dept stores. Thais seem to love "advice" and take these commission earning sales people at face value.

[wakeupplease]

6 hours ago, ujayujay said:

In westerner countrys this offer will be named ripp off. Thailand has a lack of consumer protection. Everything is on Discount, price labes shows a phantasyamount.

In western country's they would not even try to offer this as people are not so gullible and there are much cheaper better options says the wife.

A pan is a pan is it not and a expensive one here is a lot less that that one over there.

 

Chefs

he is filling his pockets at gullible peoples expense and laughing all the way to the bank at the people who buy it.

 

I have eaten in many top restaurants and after, turned to the wife and said I have eaten better at home and its not cost me £150.00 for 2

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Pdaz said:

This is no different to the sales practices that were the norm at one time in the West. They are no longer tolerated due to more savvy consumers and legislation to protect the more gullible.

 

However here in Thailand many consumers are still naive and easily led.

You only have to witness the friendly , smooth talking sales guys in all the dept stores. Thais seem to love "advice" and take these commission earning sales people at face value.

 

Agree and I add; the on screen sales hype will certainly convince many people, in any country, that the food is delicious because of the special (?) pan, with deliberately no mention whatever about the quality, freshness of the main ingredient and no full list of the herbs, seasonings, the temperature, the cooking techniques / times etc. 

 

It's mentioned in the initial report  that the pan is much cheaper in Singapore but the seller says that's because it's a normal not a special model. I hope they investigate that further and I'm guessing the investigation could reveal at least the following:

 

- Singaporeans are, at large, just not so gullible and they buy pans which are  OK / good quality with sensible prices and  with full realization that overpriced pans do NOT make the food more delicious. 

 

A different slant; the food is 'cooked' on camera and then tasted by the presenters producing loud expressions of how wonderful the taste is.

 

There's every chance the presenters don't think it's wonderful / delicious at all, but are paid to make loud over the top comments which are in fact lies. False advertising 101. 

 

Reminds me of when I lecture marketing strategies / and competitive advantage to MBA classes.

 

Half of the students quickly realize that successful long-term strong revenue must have a long-term element of honesty, do it any other way and there are multiple risks which can suddenly 'jump out', and honesty is the best policy.

 

The other 50% are still locked into go for the highest price possible and tell as many lies as is needed to make a sale today. 

 

Many times in the class room I have turned this into a four team debate; 2 teams for each approach. Strong words fly pretty quickly. 

Edited May 14, 2017 by scorecard

[Damrongsak]

12 hours ago, giddyup said:

Any signs of Altzheimer's yet?

I don't remember.

[teacherpaul]

On 14/05/2017 at 2:23 AM, Damrongsak said:

I still cook things in a crudely cast aluminum pot from Thailand, must be 40 years old.  My wife used it for years until getting a rice cooker.  We used to say they were cast from American airplanes downed in the war.

Or Japanese if you have your loyalties right.