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Fake Coconaras


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wasnt there  stories way back about even quality of hookahs being different. Egyptian hookahs meant to be sold in the US were a bit better quality then those sold locally in Egypt....of course this was something from like '09 or '10. The two different markets does sound real. Glad to see H-S step up and handle it.

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I think part of it may be how Hookahs, hoses, bowls, etc are perceived in different markets.

 

I think because most hookahs have to be shipped to the US and Europe, thus driving the prices up, we expect them to last a lot longer than they do in say Egypt, where the consumer has a much wider accessability at a much lower price. I know guys from various parts of the middle east who are used to buying a hookah for 20-30 bucks, using it until it wears out or they get tired of it, and then going out and picking up a new one. No big deal. The hookah is on par with a coffee maker or some other everyday household item. Here we expect everything to be perfect, we expect our hookahs to last for ever since we dropped a hundred or two on the thing,

 

I know we have discussed this with hoses especially. The Guys from Mya were saying they have to build hoses with plastic to last longer for the American market because hoses they might sell in the Middle east, get used a few weeks and then get thrown out, no big deal.

 

So perceptions and expectations of the market will certainly drive quality AND price. But I can't think of any market where you'd make an inferior, nasty tasting, low heat burning, red ashing coal. Unless it was for a market where you could push such crap at a high price for greater profit because your market has no choice about buying your coals.When you have no choice, you take what you can get right?

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I think the different market thing is BS. Sorry, just my opinion.

Like you said, where would you market inferior product? China? Give them a taste of their own medicine?

Why would coconara do this? Would this not soil their reputation?

This still makes no sense to me.
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Maybe that response was too harsh, I tried to edit it but it will not let me.

 

Let me say that I think the different market thing is a bit off to me, there we go, sounds better than the aforementioned post.

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What Mush said makes a lot of sense. But the idea of having a coal that simply doesn't work right seems nonsensical. There are definitely different markets and as such products to meet the demands of each market. But something like that should definitely be held to a stricter gradient than to allow a few boxes of 'inferior' products be shipped out when the expectations are higher.

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What Mush said makes a lot of sense. But the idea of having a coal that simply doesn't work right seems nonsensical. There are definitely different markets and as such products to meet the demands of each market. But something like that should definitely be held to a stricter gradient than to allow a few boxes of 'inferior' products be shipped out when the expectations are higher.

From the sounds of it...they didn't look into the problem until after they told the user it was meant for another market.  Maybe just an excuse to refund the user without him getting mad?  Or maybe, this whole batch was just bad and the coals are better usually, just not up to par with what we are use to.

 

I'm only speculating though.

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I think the different market thing is BS. Sorry, just my opinion.

Like you said, where would you market inferior product? China? Give them a taste of their own medicine?

Why would coconara do this? Would this not soil their reputation?

This still makes no sense to me.

 

 

Maybe that response was too harsh, I tried to edit it but it will not let me.

 

Let me say that I think the different market thing is a bit off to me, there we go, sounds better than the aforementioned post.

 

Naw, I think you got it right the first time. :)

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well crap...i got the mega deals coals too. Man thank you for posting this, i would've had absolutely no clue.


No problem, glad I could be of help. That's why I posted this cause I know I'm not the only one this has happened to.
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What's crazy is that I noticed my CocoNaras weren't hitting well, ashing black instead of grey and they wouldn't last as long. So I researched on the internet and found this thread.

 

My coals are from MasterSales in DC, and are as fake as you can get. No flyer, no stamp inside the lid, the plastic wrapping was not neatly folded and coals did not have razor sharp edges like I'm accustomed to.

 

Here's the kicker, I didn't get mine from H-S, mine came from a local smoke shop in NorCal. It's possible and likely he used H-S as a wholesaler or used the same vendor. In any case, this pissed me off to no end.

 

qcWa6cDl.jpg

 

Full size pic here: http://i.imgur.com/qcWa6cD.jpg

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This is ridiculous... I went to a local vendor here in Santa Barbara and picked up two boxes of CocoNaras. Both from MasterSales, the vendor received them TODAY. Neither have the stamp inside, they both have the flyers, but they aren't the normal flyers that show you how to use them. Neither plastic is blue, but the smaller one is folded.

 

Now what? I'm think I'm done with CocoNara, they are overly expensive for no apparant reason and at this point it's just brand loyalty. A vendor in Sac told me about CocoCoals who he was selling for $10 a kg and they smoke a lot better than CocoNara AND they are cut perfectly well. Even Amazon has them for $11 shipped. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009I0U9OA

 

BaoHJabl.jpg

 

Large version: http://i.imgur.com/BaoHJab.jpg

 

MEhd1TUl.jpg​‹

 

Large version: http://i.imgur.com/MEhd1TU.jpg

 

I51EGKOl.jpg

 

Large version: http://i.imgur.com/I51EGKO.jpg

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Wow I just realized ive been getting these Mastersales Coco's also and they are horrible like you said I bought them at a local shop , Ive been getting them since i started smoking hookah and i was always wondering why people rave about them they go black break apart and are just crappy.

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Philmatic, would you please post a picture of the back of the nara box? That way we can see the "mastersales" logo
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I don't think the box on the right is fake.  I have the same one, no stamp, different flier and they smoke just fine.  Bought it in SoCal too.  I'm not sure what size that left box is, but the only weird looking thing is the different cardboard.  I don't usually buy the 45 piece box so I have nothing to compare it to.

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I received mine from coco-nara and they are the exact same as yours.

MasterSales from DC are legit according to coconara-US.

Mine are the EXACT same and smoke fine, ash grey and are awesome. Maybe you got a bad batch?

I think after this ill no longer order coconara coals, ill prob use Gaia or something similar.

Seems with all the fakes n bad batches its too risky to buy these.

But like you I looked for stamping, none, no blue wrap, no flyer inside and no high gloss box. But they are legit and smoke fine. Interesting.

Maybe someone should ask coconara to respond?
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  • 3 weeks later...
No, I would still buy them if I hadn't bought them several years ago. The ones I purchased recently are just fine. I think you just need to make sure you buy legit ones (ask the retailer who the distributor is on the side of the box).
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