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It's not straight-up counterfeiting, since they own up to not being Chromecast, but it may not survive legal action. It's a weak defense. Google may have alread

It's not straight-up counterfeiting, since they own up to not being Chromecast, but it may not survive legal action. It's a weak defense. Google may have already started legal action. The trademark infringement is certainly there. A lot depends on where it's made. Does Google have patents on the form factor in that country, either by treaties or by actually registering in the country? It can shut down the reselling by American companies at least. As for food, counterfeits are unnecessary. There are already store brands which offer mostly or entirely the same food stuffs but with a derivative name (like Miracast vs. Chromecast, or Crunchy Nuts vs. Grape Nuts) and knock-off packaging. There's also the bit where 3rd-party sellers don't exist in grocery stores.

apotheothesomai 9y ago
Oh man, you removed the line about Whole Foods, bummer.
pbhjpbhj 9y ago
>"It's not straight-up counterfeiting, since they own up to not being Chromecast, [...]" I'm certain it doesn't work that way in the UK. Small suppliers get _all_ their product confiscated in raids by Trading Standards when they sell knock-off Nike, or whatever. Everyone knows it's knock-off (counterfeit, branded sports wear, like trainers and tracksuits). The sellers don't get let off for admitting it's fake; sometimes they go to prison, always they have goods confiscated. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8034060.Counterfeit_crackdown_seizes___30_000_of_goods/ http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8034060.Counterfe... This seems analogous to the Amazon situation. By rule of law Amazon warehouses should be shut by the police until all inventory that's counterfeit can be removed by Trading Standards. Presumably they lack resources to effectively police traders larger than market stalls.
- GarrisonPrime 9y ago
  >By rule of law Amazon warehouses should be shut by the police until all inventory that's counterfeit can be removed by Trading Standards. And harm the economy? Fat chance. Perhaps their size isn't as massive there, but in the US Amazon is certainly "too big to fail" at this point.
  - pbhjpbhj 9y ago
    That of course is short-termism: the economy (sic) is harmed more by fake good of low quality. The problem is enough corporate financial profit benefits from it. I think if it were up to me I'd issue an ultimatum. Remove all counterfeit goods from your marketplace/supply chain or your warehouse in South Yorkshire is shutdown until the 3 people working in the local Trading Standards office can process the full inventory and confiscate counterfeit goods; that would include all goods in transit, eg by post, with an Amazon label or biking performed through Amazon. That would be lenient compared to how small "businesses" are treated. Then choose one warehouse to assess, do a raid, check compliance and act appropriately. Note, advertisement of counterfeits is non-compliance. That will definitely never happen this side of the greens getting in to power.

apotheothesomai 9y ago

Oh man, you removed the line about Whole Foods, bummer.

pbhjpbhj 9y ago

>"It's not straight-up counterfeiting, since they own up to not being Chromecast, [...]" I'm certain it doesn't work that way in the UK. Small suppliers get _all_ their product confiscated in raids by Trading Standards when they sell knock-off Nike, or whatever. Everyone knows it's knock-off (counterfeit, branded sports wear, like trainers and tracksuits). The sellers don't get let off for admitting it's fake; sometimes they go to prison, always they have goods confiscated. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8034060.Counterfeit_crackdown_seizes___30_000_of_goods/ http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8034060.Counterfe... This seems analogous to the Amazon situation. By rule of law Amazon warehouses should be shut by the police until all inventory that's counterfeit can be removed by Trading Standards. Presumably they lack resources to effectively police traders larger than market stalls.

GarrisonPrime 9y ago
>By rule of law Amazon warehouses should be shut by the police until all inventory that's counterfeit can be removed by Trading Standards. And harm the economy? Fat chance. Perhaps their size isn't as massive there, but in the US Amazon is certainly "too big to fail" at this point.
- pbhjpbhj 9y ago
  That of course is short-termism: the economy (sic) is harmed more by fake good of low quality. The problem is enough corporate financial profit benefits from it. I think if it were up to me I'd issue an ultimatum. Remove all counterfeit goods from your marketplace/supply chain or your warehouse in South Yorkshire is shutdown until the 3 people working in the local Trading Standards office can process the full inventory and confiscate counterfeit goods; that would include all goods in transit, eg by post, with an Amazon label or biking performed through Amazon. That would be lenient compared to how small "businesses" are treated. Then choose one warehouse to assess, do a raid, check compliance and act appropriately. Note, advertisement of counterfeits is non-compliance. That will definitely never happen this side of the greens getting in to power.