And the Best Knockoff Is…

Business Week ^ | February 8, 2008 | By Jessie Scanlon

[JACKRUSSELL]

Last year, a German tourist traveling through China spotted a set of nested salt and pepper shakers: The slender cylinder of pepper rested perfectly in the center of the doughnut-shaped salt holder. It was a sleek design. It was also, he recognized, an almost exact copy of the successful Two-in-One salt-and-pepper set made by Geislingen (Germany)-based WMF, and he sent it to the company.

As a result, the maker of the imitation—Shantou Lian Plastic Products of Guangdong, China—is one of 13 winners of the Plagiarius Award, a dubious honor bestowed on makers and distributors of the "best" (which is to say the most flagrant) product knockoffs. The awards were handed out Feb. 8 at Ambiente, the world's largest consumer goods trade fair. Given annually by the German organization Aktion Plagiarius since 1977, the awards aim to publicly shame those involved in product piracy and to inform designers, consumers, politicians, and others of its harmful effects.

"Almost every sector is affected—luxury goods, of course, but also children's toys, technical products, and even medical equipment," says Christine Lacroix, managing director of Aktion Plagiarius. This year, awards included winners in all of those categories, as well as housewares, jewelry, furniture, and stationery supplies. Imitators are also getting more brazen, she says, pointing to a Chinese company that copied an entire line of toy trucks made by Fürth (Germany)-based Bruder and adding, "It's a growing problem."

DOESN'T INCLUDE PRODUCTS SOLD ONLINE

The European Commission reports that customs officials intercepted more than 128 million counterfeit or pirated articles, compared to 75 million in 2005. And a 2007 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) estimated that $200 billion worth of counterfeit and pirated goods changed hands in 2005 (the year this study was based on)......

[JACKRUSSELL]

Visually, Dornbracht's three-hole basin mixer is almost identical to the Chinese copy. The German manufacturer estimates that it lost €200,000 in sales as a result of the knockoff. Even more worrisome is the consumer safety issue: The lead content of the imitation is about 200% above the level allowed in sanitary fittings by German law. Dornbracht won a legal injunction against its copier in German court.

The salt and pepper shaker on the right took first prize in the Plagiarius Award, for the most egregious rip-off of the year.

VIEW SLIDESHOW OF OTHER WINNERS:

Plagiarius Award Winners

[JACKRUSSELL]

(Please FReepmail me if you would like to be on or off of the list.)

[ChocChipCookie]

I’m beginning to think that the Great Wall was a knockoff, too.

[rlmorel]

Before Christmas, I went to a Dollar Store to buy a bunch of stuff to put in my wife’s stocking for Christmas. (It is our custom just to fill them with partially useful knicknacks and doodads, candy, car air fresheners, things like that)

While in the store, I saw a 10-pack of Sharpie markers for .99! I use these things constantly, so I grabbed two packs for myself.

As I was looking at them in the check out line, I noticed that while they LOOKED exactly the same, and the brand name font and style of the writing was nearly exactly the same, the markers were not “Sharpie” but “Shar-pei”.

THIS is why China is such a POS “business partner”. They have no concept of or respect for trademark and patent restrictions.

[Tax-chick]

Dornbracht's three-hole basin mixer

What does a three-hole basin mixer do?

[bannie]

It's an interesting war we're fighting against the Chinese. It's not covert; but we seem to be too dumb to object. After all, we NEED "The Dollar Store."

[ChocChipCookie]

You know, after looking at all the product knockoffs in that article, I was shocked by how many of them were copied by European manufacturers.

[struwwelpeter]

[diggerwillow]

Did you put them back?

[Red_Devil 232]

You Didn't Notice How Warm And Cuddley They Were?

[rlmorel]

Not just the Dollar Store, right? Any other American who is dumb enough to buy ANY Chinese product is supporting them as well.

But hey...there are people out there who look at EVERY single thing they buy, so they are exempt from criticism. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.

Even buying one single product made by them is supporting them. It’s like being a “little bit pregnant”.

[rlmorel]

Indeed I did, with disgust.

It was just a little TOO arrogant and blatant, kind of like “Ha ha, this is great, nobody will notice...”

[Eva]

I’m afraid that you get what you pay for in plumbing products. When I was picking plumbing fixtures for our house, the plumber sent us to a supply house, where I was drawn to some great looking fixtures, that seemed to be more reasonably priced and I asked the guy why he wasn’t showing me those. He answered that though the looked great, he had had so many complaints that he no longer warranted them. All made in China.

[proxy_user]

A small manufacturer who has his CD players and amplifiers made on contract in China told me he has to watch them like a hawk. If he doesn’t have his agent in the factory every day, they will start substituting low-quality parts for those specified in the contract.

[ARE SOLE]

the markers were not “Sharpie” but “Shar-pei”.

My pal bought some markers "Sharpie" he thought. Closer examination showed "Sharkie".

Regards

[Gil4]

RE: What does a three-hole basin mixer do?

I think it is just what we in America refer to as a “normal faucet.” There are valves for cold and hot water, and the mixture of the two comes out in the middle. It fits into a sink with three holes.

Some European fixtures are the two-hole variety - separate spouts for cold and hot water, although it’s less common than it was twenty years ago.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“lead content of the imitation is about 200% above the level “
I’m not sure what the MCL is in Germany, but a percentage as used here can be somewhat deceiving. Here in the US, we test for lead in the water. There is no lead in the water in my system. However there is lead in the water flowing out of a home’s faucets. Why? Cause the lead is leached out of the fixture itself! Leadfree solder has been the law for many years, and in most cases of older homes with lead/tin solder, the pipes have a sufficient coating of minerals to minimize leaching of the lead. That said, if the ph/acidity balance is not correct, this can cause problems. Always let the water run for a few seconds before drinking. This will flush away any water that has been contaminated by your fixture. Lead content is always higher in new faucets, but decreases as the faucet ages.

[Eva]

That’s good information for those of us who live in new homes.

[Eva]

What labels are the knock offs sold under? Danze was the one that I was warned about.

[Thunder 6]

You mean that “Roleks” watch I bought in Itaewon is not real? But, I paid 10 bucks for it!

Regards,