Wested's Web Site Conirms Overseas Manufacture of Jackets

[lovemyfedora]

I dont know why I did not notice this before. Maybe it was just added. On the Special Offer Raiders ROLA Authentic Lambskin page:

"Please Note: Although this jacket is imported the materials used are the same as our UK production made to strict UK spec and in my opinion are every bit as good as those produced here."

Link: http://www.ekmpowershop4.com/ekmps/shop ... n-70-p.asp

So it appears that they are indeed disclosing the fact that their jackets are made overseas....

[Michaelson]

They've been working on the website today. VERY good.

Regard! Michaelson

[lovemyfedora]

I just ordered a custom Raiders jacket in authentic brown yesterday. Glad it will be made by Wested hands. The fact that Wested made the original jacket for Raiders is really my whole reason for choosing them. I work for a very large "software" company so I am familiar with the business benefits of outsourcing, but when it comes to my first real indy jacket, I want peter's hands all over it.

I do think it is great that they are giving you the option to go UK made and otherwise. Consumers now have more options. In my opinion, it is only good news.

Cant wait to get it!

[Michaelson]

Agreed. Looking forward to reading your report when it arrives!

HIGH regard! Michaelson

[jacksdad]

that's pretty cool of Peter. I love my wested,its a otr regular goat so I now know for sure it's made in Britian. That is what I call customer service and he has my business for life on my next purchase of a jacket,shirt or pants when I can afford to add to my collection.

[PSBIndy]

MY OTR washed goat is Indian-made and did not come with a certificate......it's still a good jacket but the fact that this wasn't disclosed prior to my purchase kind of left a "bad taste" in my mouth.

[Michaelson]

Understood, but at least it's been recognized that this information wasn't as apparent as they originally thought it was, and they are actively correcting the problem.

Regards! Michaelson

[Raider S]

Yeah, it's amazing how wanting to know the facts of a matter can have a quick, positive effect for those wanting to make an educated decision on what products they buy.

[PSBIndy]

Yeah, it's amazing how wanting to know the facts of a matter can have a quick, positive effect for those wanting to make an educated decision on what products they buy.

Well, I emailed Wested several times about this issue previously with no response.......it wasn't until all this latest "hoopla" over imported jackets got posted at COW that Peter finally got the hint....

[IndianaGeo]

For what it´s worth, I think by making Peter aware of our feelings on the issue of outsourcing and the need to disclose that fact will indeed help his company. His competitive advantage, really, is that A) His firm is the original supplier to the Indiana Jones series and B) They´re made in Britain. These are oftentimes important considerations to a buyer of a functional collectible like this type of jacket.

Would I buy a Morgan whip if it was made in Korea? No.

Peter has done the right thing here by correcting the nondisclosure issue and it´s good to see he cares about such things. This only makes me a more loyal customer.

[cowboy827]

Hey gang,

I'm new to the group, but I've been following many of the discussions.

I talked with Peter yesterday. I called Wested to order a new LC jacket, because my lambskin Raiders jacket no longer fit. Ah, the cost of living well. It really pained me to ship my old Raiders jacket to the person who bought it from me on ebay.

Anyway, I asked Peter about making jackets in India. He expressed some frustration over the discussions here on COW. He told me that he outsourced the off-the-rack jackets in order to meet customer demands in a timely fashion.

By outsourcing the off-the-rack jackets, Peter freed himself up to focus on the custom orders. This division of labor reduced the wait time for both the off-the-rack and custom order jackets.

Peter felt that having the ability to produce quality jackets and reduce waiting times for customers would be a good thing. He assured me that he was very careful in finding craftsmen that would honor his standards of quality.

When I ordered by Raiders jacket eight years ago, I waited over two months for its arrival. Peter told me yesterday that I can expect my new, custom LC jacket in two to three weeks.

I believe that Peter certainly had no intention of offending or misleading anyone. I don't think he ever expected people to find the idea of an India-made jacket to be so inflammatory. He just wanted to make his customers happy by reducing the time it takes from them to obtain their purchases.

And realistically, not every customer is as fanatical about their Indy gear is some of the members of this group.

But that's just my opinion.

[PSBIndy]

No one here I believe is accusing Peter of intentionally misleading his customers. I think the majority of us here simply would have liked to see Wested disclose on its website where the OTR jackets were being made.. that's all....and give the buyer a choice of whether to pay more for a U.K.-made jacket or not. (For example, on Wested's website, there is no explanation why the special offers are "special".....and why the price is lower than the others). The fact that nothing was disclosed on the website and these jackets-in-question had no tags as to its origin is what caused all this unecessary hoopla. On their website from now on, I would like to see Wested put in big, bold letters for their Indian-made jackets, "Made in India"...and "No Certificate Included." Will it hurt sales?....maybe....but that's the truth.