Our VFF has been pirated/cloned? I'm pissed about this!

[dye]

I've shown this to Justin a few days ago.. I dunno if anyone noticed in eBay, someone is selling 5F on a different name.. clones you may call it.. i don't know how I'm gonna feel about this.. probably insulted in a way... could someone share some thoughts and help me control my anger over this..

LINKs:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-FIVEFINGERS-SHOES-WOM-VIBRAM-FIVE-FINGERS-SOCKS-KS2_W0QQitemZ180470428504QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Women_s_Shoes?var=&hash=item6fc24e09f3

http://shop.ebay.com/llibkoo/m.html?_nkw=fivefingers&_sacat=0&_trksid=p3911.m270.l1313&_odkw=increase+insoles&_osacat=0

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-FIVEFINGERS-SHOES-MEN-VIBRAM-FIVE-FINGERS-SOCKS-KS1_W0QQitemZ180470429074QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Men_s_Shoes?var=&hash=item6fc24de85a

Photos:

This is NOT V****m brand shoes. It's MUPUK (A French brand). Please see pictures carefully before you make the purchase. This is a pair of shoes which can protect your feet when you do barefooting sports and is more affordable. High quality Guaranteed!

Is there really a MUPUK French Brand?
Could someone verify the validity of this brand? I can't find any link or company called MUPUK.
What would be Vibram's stand over this?

All I can say right now is... GRRRRRRRRRR!

[quadjr4]

HHMMMM i couldnt find anything 

[Hawkeye]

Why are you mad about it? It's inevitable that somebody in China would knock it off anyway.

[dye]

For me Vibram haven't blossomed yet to a worldwide fame and here now piracy have occured.. it would affect so much on Vibram's market.. how could i explain this... hmmmm...  for some reason, don't you wan't our VFF gain more success before getting cloned? maybe reach global market like Nike, Adidas etc.. Clones may diminish our VFF's existence if the clones overpowers the market.. no money for VFF, no production, no VFF's for us to buy, just sub standard imitations.. yes we cannot stop proliferation of imitations, im just concerned because we the VFFers believe that VFF are still in a long way to go to call it success, maybe piracy must wait VFF to ripen up before they produce those imitations.. hahahaha..    wouldnt you be annoyed if someone approached you with an imitation and called your VFF fake? maybe i'm too loyalist over our VFF, hope you'll understand my madness..

Cheers!
dye

[ZeitHeld]

This is actually not the first VFF fake we've encountered, though it is likely the best I've seen. I don't think that we need to worry in the case of a competitor; competition drives the world. And in the case of plain ol' knock-offs? Even less so. It's probably one or two people at the most, buying crappy materials and making crappy versions that nobody but the gullible will purchase. They're trying to make a few quick bucks, but they're not lying to anyone or damaging the original brand. S'all good.

[Hawkeye]

VFFs are shoes. There are more important things to worry about in the world. Just don't buy the knock off and all is well. They're also not priced all that cheap anyway.

I wouldn't be surprised if the quality of the knock offs were the same or better than real VFFs. I'd bet you they're made in the same factories, it's just the result of some "overtime" work by a few shady employees.

Having copies out there means VFFs have "made" it.

P.S. I'd be more worried about Somali pirates than VFF pirates. LOL
  

[dye]

yes, i know i have other things to worry about.. it's just all aggression on my part.. funny, regarding the other competitors like tefta (somehow all i think about is intellectual theft-a, sorry if this is harsh words), have many malaysian fans on their facebook fan page.. obviously they haven't seen the real VFF's...

[justin]

I sorta like some of these crazy combinations ... knock offs aside.

[orlin03]

These little companies won't do much, at least not in certain countries (with all the knock-offs in every market coming from Asia, I can only imagine what can be had in some places on a small salary).

I think the real dangerous clones will come out when some big-name shoe company sends in the lawyers to walk all over Vibram, and adds gel or air or what-have-you to bring 'barefooting to the masses'. Then, I'll be pissed for Vibram.

[Maleka]

I am really fairly unimpressed by Vibram workmanship, and I don't believe in imaginary property. It is hard for me to find anything wrong with another company picking up the idea. Sooner or later, it would happen, and we all benefit from it - both in cheaper prices, and in the chance for others to build on the idea.

What gets me is that these knockoffs aren't much, if at all, cheaper than the authentic ones. It is very possible to find VFFs on sale cheaper than the knockoffs. Also, they don't add anything to the base concept (except maybe colors). Another knockoff company that hasn't hit the market yet but was actually the first to show up, PR sports, has some major differences in their design from the original VFFs. These? Competition is great, but this really isn't anything.

[orlin03]

Any links to PR Sports? Haven't found them yet.

[dye]

maybe a VFF pump ala Reebok's pump? yikes!

i've noticed with Tefta FF.. they didnt copy the razor siped soles... maybe one way Vibram to overtake the knock-offs is by producing the Bikilas and the 2nd gen classics.. maybe... just maybe.. sooner or later there will be knock off's of bikilas too..

[Maleka]

Any links to PR Sports? Haven't found them yet.

Only from export websites. The company has a website but it didn't work and I can't find it now (probably lower in google rankings).
http://www.tradeindia.com/Seller-2586986-3037944-1454-FEATUREDPRODUCT/Sport-Shoes/Guangzhou-PRSPORTS-Shoes-Co-Ltd.html

[Hawkeye]

I find it difficult/not right to patent the 5 toe design since you can't patent/change the human foot.

I too would be more upset about nike designing a VFF shoe, but then again compeition makes products stronger and cheaper.

[orlin03]

Hate to say it, but... umm... who wants to be the guy to ask them for a waterproof version?

Really, though, they look like a classic with more material sewed to the upper. AT least they don't have a yellow logo!