UKC

Had an advert flag up on my FB feed for the Rab Discount Store closing down sale, up to 89% off!

Website looked very authentic but why would Rab sell stuff at 89% off? All goods shipped from China, but the Rab outlet is in Alfreton? Allow 25 days for delivery - most stuff takes a week from China? Some of the grammar on this page was slightly off like it was written by a non English speaker.

I searched for the Rab website and its address is Rab Equipment - this confirmed it for me. I suspect the Rab Discount Store closing down sale is a scam, happy to take it back if Rab get in touch but I have seen these 90% closing down sale things before, they look plausible but why discount by that much when you could go with 50% and empty the shop? Maybe I am wrong, but I doubt it.

Not going to post a link as that would seem contrary.

Of course it's a scam - these things have been popping up, always via Facebook or other social media, for a good few years. I think Rab even had on their website warnings about it. There have been similar scams on Scarpa and Mountain Equipment, and I'm sure clone scams of the big US brands over there too.

Well worth warning people about it though.

In so far as there is an official Rab 'Discount Store' - they occasionally have 'factory outlet' sales at Equip UK's HQ near Alfreton - it is definitely not closing down. 
(Equip UK is Rab's parent company since Rab Carrington himself retired.)

So yes, your instincts are correct, it's a scam.  The kind of thing that's quite common on FB, though it's been a wee while since I've seen one of those personally.

Isn't there a TV advert at the moment, that uses "90% discounts" as an example of scams people might fall for? I think it's used in a light-hearted way, as it's such a blatant scam...

I’ve just sent a quick email to Rab, just so that they’re aware. 

I'm pretty sure they're aware, but fighting this is Sisyphean as having one taken down means three new ones pop up. 

My employer, another household outdoor brand, has taken the step to put an authorised reseller finder on the website. 

The rules of retail means that basically anything sold for more than 70% off is very likely to be fake - and 70% off is already outrageous and really only happens with stuff that's long out of production and with off sizes such as men's XXS or women's XXL. Oversimplifying a bit here but if you're selling it for less than 50% of RRP you're basically burning money. 

Other tell-tale signs are weird language or slightly iffy grammar, using generic disclaimer texts that mention products the brand doesn't even make, only having creditcard payment options, and having high discounts on current-season products in full size ranges. 

And the thing just randomly popping up on Facebook in the first place tbh.  Especially in the form of a photo with a load of people tagged.

While we're on the subject, what's the score with the obviously bogus products being advertised on youtube lately?  Is there no regulation at all?  Miraculous weight-loss cures and the like.  And just recently a teeny tiny fan heater that apparently costs pennies to run whilst heating your whole house.  (Because a clever student at uni somewhere found a loophole in that whole conservation of energy thing.)