Watch out for the OEM factory you choose

Just got back from an International trade fair in Guangzhou China, where we found a whole booth (not even a small booth in the South 40) right smack in the middle of the exhibition floor filled with products with our partner’s trademarks all over them. In addition there was another booth with another type of product, with our partners design AND name on it. Come to find out both of these companies were contracted to manufacture proprietary items for our partners, then turned around and sold them as well.

Well finding knockoff's in China are of no surprise to anyone, especially if you have done any shopping here, you know you can find LV, Gucci, Rolex and other brands without even trying. What might surprise you to know is that a factory that you contracted to make your design, is using your design and or name and putting it on everything they make and trying to sell into a market where you might not have a presence, or worse into a market you do have a presence.

We have a few methods of helping our clients deal with problems like this.
* First and foremost is to Prevent this from happening by performing due diligence and executing a contract in English and Chinese with your factory which has robust intellectual property protection provisions. You may even consider protecting your marks by registering them in China.
* Feet on the ground - there is nothing like actual presence at the factory in the form of surprise visits or pop ins to keep your factory honest. We also go to local trade shows in your industry to look for your brands or designs being used in an unauthorized manner.
* Here comes the fun part - Calling your factory out. Then what comes next is up to you. Will you shut them down? Pursue legal channels, sue them or grant them a license? How soon can you get a new honest factory up and running?

Either way, buyer beware there are dishonest factories that will screw you over pretty quickly to make a buck. It is important that you are proactive in protecting yourself, and in the event that you have been copied, to be agressive in defending your brand and educating interested parties to the truth.

If you are looking for any OEM clippers please be very careful if you deal with Jeng Shyuan Precision Co LTD. they are a Taiwan based blade and clipper maker with offices in Shanghai. They also make many other products for the pet industry.