| 20mmgamer | 09 Feb 2016 5:02 p.m. PST |
Browsing on the internet I saw a Chinese company advertising 1:72 resin figures. Am I right in thinking that some of them look similar to AB figures ?
Is AB selling its figures in resin or has this Chinese manufacturer started using the AB sculptor perhaps ? Anyone have any info on this ? Is this a new company ? Seems like at the moment they only have German figures. Here's a link to the page. link |
| Jeigheff | 09 Feb 2016 5:14 p.m. PST |
My guess is these figures are pirated. At one point in the last couple years, AB Figures cautioned its customers to avoid buying unauthorized copies of their figures from overseas companies, particularly on Ebay. If I'm wrong, I'll eat my words. |
| PiersBrand | 09 Feb 2016 5:21 p.m. PST |
Those are all pirated copies. Not just AB…. Under Fire Miniatures too and TQD. I will let them all know. |
| Nic Robson | 09 Feb 2016 6:36 p.m. PST |
Thank you Piers for the alert.
The next question is how do we stop these?
If anyone can advise who to contact I would be grateful.
These are certainly copies, and totally unauthorised.
Nic EUREKA MINIATURES |
 Saber6   | 09 Feb 2016 6:46 p.m. PST |
Unfortunately, you need to play whack a mole with eBay(caution the seller and watch for when they get offered by another account). |
| wrgmr1 | 09 Feb 2016 7:49 p.m. PST |
Name and shame on TMP and LAF. They won't get buyer from our community. Well some people will buy anyway… |
| Cyrus the Great | 09 Feb 2016 10:23 p.m. PST |
Well some people will buy anyway… More than some, if the perceived quality is there, my estimate is more like 1/3. Why? Price point or availability of OOP figures. That's among gamers I know. |
| TunnelRat | 10 Feb 2016 1:02 a.m. PST |
Definitely a company to avoid. |
| Anthony Barton | 10 Feb 2016 2:35 a.m. PST |
Pirated copies : we don't make resin figures , but metal ones!
Thanks 20mm Gamer for letting us know.
Stopping them is the problem, and as Nic has already done , I appeal to everyone to shun them , and if they know how to make their lives difficult, please tell us. |
| PiersBrand | 10 Feb 2016 5:02 a.m. PST |
Aliexpress has a 'Report Item' button on each listing, that goes directly to a report for Copyright Infringement. They accept reports in Chinese and English. |
Ben Lacy  | 10 Feb 2016 6:00 a.m. PST |
No worries here. My AB came directly from Mr. Barton. |
| TheGiantTribble | 10 Feb 2016 9:49 a.m. PST |
One way to 'make life difficult' for these type of people, is for as many people as possible to msg them, with seemingly reasonable questions. Once you have them talking ask about deals for bulk buy, really waste their time, and at the same time get them excited. |
| shaun from s and s models | 10 Feb 2016 11:57 a.m. PST |
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| cp models | 10 Feb 2016 1:10 p.m. PST |
Please dont buy anything from this seller. All the CP/TQD figures listed on there are pirated copies as like AB all our figures are produced in white metal. |
| BlackWidowPilot | 10 Feb 2016 10:22 p.m. PST |
We have had this very problem with our own products, with the added insult to injury that our complaints to the culprits and a major corporate retailer of the pirate copies of our product have refused to even acknowledge the violation. Our only recourse would be to sue the manufacturers of the pirate copies in a PRC court, and action that would require far more money than we have at our disposal. Ours IS a small community. We indies need the members of our community to recognize why supporting pirates is never in anyone's interests. Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net |
| Rapier Miniatures | 11 Feb 2016 4:11 a.m. PST |
And Chinese copyright and trademark law also means you might lose, if they filed first in China. The only way to stop is them is not to buy, but there will be buyers because the real things are 'too expensive'. Just shun and run. |
| shaun from s and s models | 11 Feb 2016 5:25 a.m. PST |
the odd thing is the copy of our quad bike is only about 30p more than we charge for uk customers! |
| French Wargame Holidays | 11 Feb 2016 6:32 a.m. PST |
Even the large scale figures are rip offs |
| 20mmgamer | 11 Feb 2016 5:21 p.m. PST |
It's shocking, sorry to discover that these are all rip-offs. You innovate, you make a good product, then you find someone selling cheap copies of your work. It must be very frustrating. I can imagine that if I were a manufacturer I would be reluctant to send any of my figures to buyers in China. |
| 20mmgamer | 11 Feb 2016 5:30 p.m. PST |
For what it's worth, I've submitted a complaint. You have to join Aliexpress to do so, but I created a new user account and used a disposable email address. If we all do the same it should have some effect. We need to support each other or these people with no respect for others will put decent manufacturers out of business. |
| Nic Robson | 11 Feb 2016 6:34 p.m. PST |
20mm gamer, thank you for doing that. I will be very interested to see what response you receive from Alibaba. Nic EUREKA MINIATURES |
| Anthony Barton | 22 Feb 2016 2:21 a.m. PST |
It seems those figures have now been withdrawn from sale. Many thanks to anyone who wrote and complained . |
| lou passejaire | 23 Mar 2016 9:30 a.m. PST |
this was used , in the old times |
