Martes, Nobyembre 5, 2013

The Rubber Lip Phenomenon..




One the most interesting things that has happened to me or has tickled my brain would be the Rubber Lip Phenomenon, as you all know, its basically a lip that you put under your bumper to either protect it, or to serve as a chin or lip to make the car look lower. 

Out of your capacity, you can purchase it at Amazon, Ebay, Alibaba, Sulit, Ayosdito, hey you can also check this link, its basically sold as a door seal in other countries..

Click:

Rubber Lips are derived from Garage Door Seals.

Click to see Video: Home Depot Rubber Lip

In the meantime, you may get your Rubber Lip at JDMselect and avail of an additional discount, just show us this blog through your Tablet, Phone or Pad. (Shameless Plug).

Basically to keep everyone educated, its a strip of rubber, nothing more, nothing less. We need not debate over it, nor compare since we have countless kinds at the shop and they are all the same and serve the same purpose.

I've even encountered a fanboy who keeps on insisting that this lip is better than that lip, I sorrowfully replied: Sir, its just a piece of rubber, take it easy, buy some milk tea or watch a movie… :) 

I've had a minor as you may say, conflict, with a supplier since I've transferred to another supplier who can provide at a much lower cost for such a very basic item. Such cost enables me to sell to other stores so they can still make additional profit out of it (my biggest motivator), to our customers so I can give them bigger discounts on it yet still maintaining a free install policy and being able to ship these internationally may it be to our customers in Brunei, Malaysia, our good hardworking friends and customers at Qatar, Doha and other far flung places.  

The internet has been helpful to us in providing such a "basic" product to the masses. Those who are warded off by expensive carbon fiber and plastic chins, those who have high and elevated garages and office places take advantage of this rubber lip. We've had weekdays and weekends wherein we had a 5-6 car parking lot waiting for us to serve their lips, we've had Sundays wherein people would still visit the shop not mindful of the strong rains or that big-time boxing or MMA match, to have their installed. We've sent them to Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, CDO and included them as part of their daily purchases. We thank them for that, with utmost sincerity. I've always thought of it as a PRODUCT FOR ALL - thing... 

BUT, when others glorify it and market it as if its going to increase your horsepower by 50%, that's way wrong and overboard. Its like saying that this apple is better than that apple in the middle of a marketplace because it has a plastic or paper wrap unto it. It would also be like saying this pencil is better than that pencil because I bought it in National bookstore rather than Divisoria. In this industry, you cannot make a big fuss out of something, you cannot super-impose something which in truth and form is a very basic item. Its no BOV, its no carbon fiber, its no camshaft, its no mono flex suspension nor it is in the same league as a fiberglass chin beautifuly crafted at Chico street near Anonas. No matter how many many ribbons you put unto its box, how many dedications, special letters, glitters, swarovski crystals, free gummy bears, Marian Rivera and Anne Curtis autographs, you put unto it, it will still be a strip…of…. rubber.. and definitely, the word Authentic is reserved for one-off and beautiful products and masterpieces. Aral ulit ng grade 1 English pag may time... ;)

You know for some reason, while thinking over this essay or topic, I kind of recall college with some very rich batchmates who would ask capital from their parents and build businesses of their own and give it a cool name. To make a name for themselves, to make mommy and daddy proud, to earn respect, to impress their girlfriends.  I on the other hand, would go to school, at the same time work for my parents at below minimum wage, sell soap and detergent to offices and laundry shops in Ortigas and sell Initial D CD's online.

For some strange reason, these rubber lips remind me of a rich, young kid, who woke up one day and decided to take a trip to the market, buy some bananas and decided to resell, and call them: The Best Tasting Bananas in the World.