Product being copied in China

[V8MoneyPit]

We have found a couple of our products being copied and for sale on eBay from Hong Kong......

Here's one of our products:


And their's:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140424966138&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_998

We have bought one to have a look! Then we will have a word with eBay to get their view on it and whether they will block the seller. However, I don't think the seller is the manufacturer. We will have to watch the marketplace for these.

They do say that imitation is the best form of flattery, but...... 

[dxmedia]

Sorry, but I think that the term is tough.

Copyright is country specific, so are patents.

[Disco Matt]

Sad to say, I doubt you'll get anywhere even if you can prove that it's an exact copy of your product. The Chinese Government really doesn't seem to care about IP theft/counterfeiting, if anything I get the distinct impression that they're happy with it as it brings in more money. While this attitude continues there's little ebay can do - if they block this seller they'll turn up with a new account a week later.

Your best bet might be to put the word out on the Mini forums and make it known that someone is copying your product. If the copy turns out to be a shoddy piece of work then you can mention that too!

On a related note, I was browsing a magazine recently and began to wonder about some LR parts. I see near-identical rear dislocation cones from several manufacturers but I wonder who was the first to make them in that pattern? I mean the sort which look like two round-nosed triangles welded in an "X" shape (when seen from above). The only other design I've seen is the Gwyn Lewis ones with the hook to catch the spring before it clears the end of the cone.

[Saffy]

how does the price compare between yours and theirs?

[V8MoneyPit]

Sorry, but I think that the term is tough.

Copyright is country specific, so are patents.

I'm sure you are right. But I'll talk with them anyway. If only to get their view on it. Intellectual design rights apply to the UK without registering. If a design is registered, it extends to all the EU and a few other countries.

how does the price compare between yours and theirs?

We retail ours at

[adafish]

what is it ?

[V8MoneyPit]

what is it ?

It's an engine top steady bar for the classic Mini.

[Saffy]

how does the price compare between yours and theirs?

We retail ours at

[TDi90]

X Eng make quality kit so they can charge their prices.

[Drift]

Again, the Chinese version my not be as reliable or as strong as your version, at least with a UK part there is a certain amount of come back, quality would win if I was purchasing a part like that.

[V8MoneyPit]

X Eng make quality kit so they can charge their prices.

So do we!  :P :lol:

We had a choice when we started to either price them as a premium product since they were unique in the market, or price them as low as we could to get some volume out. We have increased our prices a little recently as we recognise now that the market is rather finite and we are never going to move enough volume at the lower margins.

It will be interesting to see this Chinese one when it arrives. I sort of hope it's rubbish.... at which point we can justify a campaign based on 'British is best'.

[TDi90]

X Eng make quality kit so they can charge their prices.

So do we!  :P :lol:

i dont doubt that! (i have yet to try the steering box!!)

[littlepow]

X Eng make quality kit so they can charge their prices.

So do we!  :P :lol:

i dont doubt that! (i have yet to try the steering box!!)

Sometimes its worth paying a little extra for the personnel service and honest decent advice they provide as well.

[V8MoneyPit]

X Eng make quality kit so they can charge their prices.

So do we!  :P :lol:

i dont doubt that! (i have yet to try the steering box!!)

 :lol: But that wasn't one of our products! I'm sure it will be fine though  :D