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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Lastpilot on Tue, 11 February 2014, 16:54:53

Title: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: Lastpilot on Tue, 11 February 2014, 16:54:53

Can somebody please explain why leopold.co.kr includes other brands like Realforce, KBC, Type Heaven, Ducky, Filco and Happy Hacking? Is there some kind of keyboard alliance in Korea that I don't know about?

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: Grendel on Tue, 11 February 2014, 16:59:11

Quote (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Leopold):

Quote

Leopold is a Korean company and online shop focusing around the development, production and retail sale of keyboards and keyboard related products. Leopold has been founded in 2006, and has been selling their own Leopold branded products and third party products since.

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: Lastpilot on Tue, 11 February 2014, 18:48:17

Thank you Grendel!

This might be veering into less-keyboard oriented discussion, but what I am asking is WHY leopold sells other keyboards? Wouldn't they be more successful if they listed their own product exclusively? I ain't no business major doe.

My guess is that they started out first as a web-store and then developed their own product while keeping current wares up to date? Something like if elitekeyboards started selling their own keyboards while keeping the rest of their shop up?

I'm sorry if I did not word my initial question clearly enough.

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: iAmAhab on Tue, 11 February 2014, 19:05:31

It's quite common for large corporations to have several different daughter companies competing in the same market. Competition is healthy for the market and the different companies strive to be best while the owners sit on top and collect.

EDIT: Well this has nothing to do with the question OP posted, need to find my reading glasses.

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: intelli78 on Tue, 11 February 2014, 19:25:36

I have also wondered this. So Leo is the parent brand of RF? Are Leopolds and RFs made by the same OEM?

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: Linkbane on Tue, 11 February 2014, 22:42:18

Quote from: intelli78 on Tue, 11 February 2014, 19:25:36

I have also wondered this. So Leo is the parent brand of RF? Are Leopolds and RFs made by the same OEM?

Go back to the second post, they're not related. Realforce is made by Topre (in Japan, hence the JIS layouts) and Leopolds are made in Korea (hence availability of Korean-printed versions).

Title: Re: Leopold: Mega-brand?
Post by: intelli78 on Tue, 11 February 2014, 23:00:58

Quote from: Linkbane on Tue, 11 February 2014, 22:42:18

Quote from: intelli78 on Tue, 11 February 2014, 19:25:36

I have also wondered this. So Leo is the parent brand of RF? Are Leopolds and RFs made by the same OEM?

Go back to the second post, they're not related. Realforce is made by Topre (in Japan, hence the JIS layouts) and Leopolds are made in Korea (hence availability of Korean-printed versions).

Got it now, thanks!