When Someone Buys Your Product to Copy It

[tamaralea]

I am just sick.  I thought we only had to worry about the Chinese selling knockoffs, but I shipped to a U.S. linen manufacturer several months ago, and now I see them selling hundreds of the products  I shipped them.  U.S. manufactures are watching this site to see what sells!   I immediately contacted the original company that made these discontinued products.  They said the company paid them a license fee to make these.  Guess that's the end of that market niche. 

[hollysfinds]

Well, that really stinks.

I haven't got any advice because I know nothing about that kind of thing.

All I do have is sympathy for a rotten situation.

So sorry that happened to you.

[misfitfun]

So it was not your product(you did not make/produce/create it)?And the new maker bought a license from the rights owner to reproduce it?Nothing wrong w that,you sold what you had for the price you wanted,they saw a market and took the correct steps to sell to that market.You could have done the same thing.

[emerald40]

You have been making money off this person by selling his product here.

At least the other guy is paying for the license fee.

[hawgryders]

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@tamaralea wrote:

I am just sick.  I thought we only had to worry about the Chinese selling knockoffs, but I shipped to a U.S. linen manufacturer several months ago, and now I see them selling hundreds of the products  I shipped them.  U.S. manufactures are watching this site to see what sells!   I immediately contacted the original company that made these discontinued products.  They said the company paid them a license fee to make these.  Guess that's the end of that market niche. 

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Misleading title --- it was not "your product" --- you were simply a reseller of a discontinued item

The U.S. Linen Manufacturer is not selling knock-offs --- from what you have said they BOUGHT the rights to manufacture the item

Since you have experience with the product perhaps you should see about being a wholesale dealer for them ...

[janet9988]

It is not YOUR product, otherwise the original manufacture could not have sold another manufacture the license.

[nawlinsron2]

My only hope is that this is not indicative of millennial thinking...
Side note: Thinking involves connecting the dots, not simply emoting.

[southernfriedbelle]

Don't see the problem here. You had a product no longer produced. You did not own the pattern or patent,  you were not the original manufacturer, nor are you related to the original manufacturer or it's owners. A buyer comes along and purchases your items. What they do with them afterward is out of your hands.

That your items appear to have been purchased by a company desiring to reproduce them, and purchased the right to do so from the original manufacturer appears to be a completely legal, ethical and apparently mutually beneficial and satisfactory agreement reached by the only parties the issue concerns.

The buyer did nothing wrong, that I can see. Or, am I missing something?

[tamaralea]

I hope they don't sell much.  They even copied my prices.  Maybe they'll lose interest after a while.   I know it wasn't MY product, but I can't believe how many people must be watching to see what is selling on eBay.  

[thenobletuckylife]

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@tamaralea wrote:

I am just sick.  I thought we only had to worry about the Chinese selling knockoffs, but I shipped to a U.S. linen manufacturer several months ago, and now I see them selling hundreds of the products  I shipped them.  U.S. manufactures are watching this site to see what sells!   I immediately contacted the original company that made these discontinued products.  They said the company paid them a license fee to make these.  Guess that's the end of that market niche. 

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Afternoon Tamara,

Despite what others have said...I get it.

Most likely if the product was discontinued then you having inventory of the discontinued product did make it easier for the newly licensed company to become a competitor since they now had product in hand to reproduce from.

For years we had niche markets until the very suppliers we were buying from decided they were going to become retailers and of course it had to be here.

It does catch one off guard and it is challenging when selling here is very difficult these days.

Know the feeling all to well.

Mr C

[lindyslucky]

So sorry you lost your niche.

It seems to happen.

Yes, apparently there is a lot of information on ebay others use, including what's selling.

We guess it has always happened. We had a great original Fiesta Ware collection.

Then they started making reproductions...

Hopefully, you will find another hot item to sell.

The market changes constantly. 

[luckythewinner]

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@tamaralea wrote:

I am just sick.  I thought we only had to worry about the Chinese selling knockoffs, but I shipped to a U.S. linen manufacturer several months ago, and now I see them selling hundreds of the products  I shipped them.  U.S. manufactures are watching this site to see what sells!   I immediately contacted the original company that made these discontinued products.  They said the company paid them a license fee to make these.  Guess that's the end of that market niche. 

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They paid for a license to manufacture the product. 

So in other words, they didn't buy your product to copy it, they someone else's product from you  in order to copy it. 

What they did was entirely proper - so the fact that you are "just sick" makes no sense. 

[southernfriedbelle]

Oh, I think I get it, now. I thought the OP was upset someone was reproducing some kind of heirloom linen product. But it's the competition aspect that's the problem. Right? I'm admittedly a little confused over what the true issue is.

[hawgryders]

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@tamaralea wrote:

I hope they don't sell much.  They even copied my prices.  Maybe they'll lose interest after a while.   I know it wasn't MY product, but I can't believe how many people must be watching to see what is selling on eBay.  

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Successful Manufacturers & Retailers are constantly searching for ways to increase their bottom line --- apparently they saw a chance to start a new product line based on their research of the sales of this item  (from you and all the others who bought the discontinued stock at auctions)

This should be a good learning experience --- next time you can contact the original manufacturer to get the rights --- then set up a shop to make the item ...

[tamaralea]

I don't want to get into the manufacturing buisness.  The minute I saw that ship to address, I knew that market was over.  I am actually surprised and impressed they got the license.  If I'm going to lose out on a market niche, I'd rather lose to a legitimate seller, which they are.