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Hi all

Parallel Importing - So What Does That Mean?

Last Wednesday morning while working in our new Takapuna store I overheard one shopper whisper to her friend  "Hmm, parellel importing - are they real or is it all fake?". 
"I'm not sure", answered her friend, as they continued to browse through the Revlon foundation.

Well that was enough for me - in seconds I had made my introduction and had set the record straight before the minute was out.  But this got me thinking.  How many others out there may also be uncertain about what it means to decide on the Parallel imported version of their favourite make up.

If that's you then here are a few words that may fill in some blanks.

Firstly some people confuse parallel imported product with pirated and counterfeit goods (fakes, knock offs, expired goods and goodness knows what else they've been told by the media and companies that hate us for doing it!)  I can assure you that the association is totally incorrect. 

Parallel imported goods are those that are manufactured and put into circulation in another country either by, or with the consent of, the owner of the good's intellectual property rights. In contrast, pirated and counterfeit goods are goods produced without the consent of the owner of the intellectual property right. Therefore, parallel imported goods are as "real" as any other product you buy today.

They do have one major difference though - the price.  Retailers and wholesalers that choose to Parallel import (like Makeup Direct) obtain their goods directly from licensed or authorised overseas sources.  This is in stark contrast to those importing through traditional (read high cost to you) means which has them dealing with local suppliers, licensees, agents...the list goes - the ticket gets a clip each step along and the costs go up.

So the beauty (and please pardon the pun) of all this is because we choose to parellel import our goods we can import directly from our overseas suppliers and sell directly to you.  The middle people are missed out in the process and therefore the savings we make are passed directly to you.  

That's why we think our prices are the best you'll find anywhere.

OK now that's me off my soapbox for this month.  But before I go - see below for some great deals to celebrate the invention of parallel - enjoy !

All the best,

Moyra Parker
Manager
Make Up Direct  - "The only difference is the price"  

P.S. And those two shoppers? You will be glad to hear they both walked out of the store as freshly educated parallel import converts cluthing twice the Revlon Colorstay they would normally buy.