58 replies to this topic

[JeagerEX]

Have you notice this another Chinese company that bootlegging LEGO?


http://www.alibaba.c...AGO_SERIES.html
http://www.alibaba.c...AGO_SERIES.html

The new Chinese company known as "HELA". That company has been bootlegged the most recent LEGO themes such as Ninjago.

[lightningtiger]

Double edge sword that company will fall on.....Lego and perhaps even TimeWarner could get involved.
Total rip-off of Ninjago , I hope that mob get what's coming to them.

[Peppermint_M]

Seen it, in Billund. TLG know all about it.  

[bjtpro]

I saw some of those at a market a couple weeks ago, it was pretty shocking as it's such a blatant copy. If you look close at the minifigs you can see the poor quality but from arms length the packaging looks almost identical. Retail price was US$ 1.50

[Nightshroud99]

Yeah big deal, there're always copies of popular items. There have been Dragonballz direct copies forever, it's just a common problem.

[JeagerEX]

You know guys, that company could copy the most recent themes in LEGO history. Like Enlightened they copied Western, Castle and Pirates.

I wish that company will not copy the most popular LEGO theme. That means the Collectible Minifigures theme.

[Leo Crimson]

Wow...the skeleton heads in one of the sets are so bad it's hilarious. TLG could just let this go and it probably wouldn't affect their sales at all.

[escortmad79]

WTH? They've not only blatantly stolen TLG's designs but also their branding artwork & pictures!!

[Ferrik]

They look almost exactly the same as the real Ninjago, except it's called "Ninja". However, you can see the quality difference.

[bjtpro]

All art is copying and building on what has come before to some extent but some of these Asian companies really go overboard, don't they?

Take a look at this Chinese company's (Wange) product page; link

It's exactly like Lego's!

I went there because I was looking for some Disney Cars lookalikes that I saw in a market, couldn't find them but they're pictured in the company's catalog.

The models (Wange's and these Ninjago knockoffs) are so crude that I don't think anyone would be fooled.  Also, these products aren't meant for the spiffy malls found in the West.  They're destined for markets in third world countries where the huge majority of the local populace can't afford Lego even if there was a store that sold it. I could be wrong about that though, there's probably someplace in NYC, LA or Chicago where you could find them.

It would be interesting to sit in on a meeting at Lego where they discuss their strategy to deal with these things, wouldn't it?  It's probably not worth their time and money to pursue it too far but who knows?  These Ninjago knockoffs really go over the top in copying the whole concept.

[JeagerEX]

Ferrik, on 15 September 2012 - 11:08 PM, said:

except it's called "Ninja".

Ninja?? Not to be confused with an old Ninja theme(not ninjago).

[Jedi master Brick]

I doubt Lego can stop this being sold in china.  The same sort of thing happens with cars there

[Big Cam]

Jedi master Brick, on 16 September 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

I doubt Lego can stop this being sold in china.  The same sort of thing happens with cars there

If they spend enough money they can. Although most of the time it ends up not being cost effective to go after them.

[JeagerEX]

bjtpro, on 16 September 2012 - 12:56 AM, said:

All art is copying and building on what has come before to some extent but some of these Asian companies really go overboard, don't they?

Take a look at this Chinese company's (Wange) product page; link

It's exactly like Lego's!

I checked in that website. It looks like LEGO.com's product page. And also Wange has producing a HERO Factory knock off without a permission from TLG.

http://www.aliexpres.../591917673.html

And also you better find this out: http://www.aliexpres..._591599545.html



That fake Cars look-a-like LEGO set has a minifigure that is similar to the Cowboy from Series 1 minifigures.

Edited by JeagerEX, 17 September 2012 - 05:56 AM.

[TheRedGuy]

I see those every time I go to Korea. What's worse is that those kids actually buy that crap, believing it to be the real sets.

EDIT: Turns out I bought one in my trip. Should I take comparison pictures?

Edited by TheRedGuy, 19 September 2012 - 06:31 PM.

[Leo Crimson]

TheRedGuy, on 19 September 2012 - 06:21 PM, said:

I see those every time I go to Korea. What's worse is that those kids actually buy that crap, believing it to be the real sets.

EDIT: Turns out I bought one in my trip. Should I take comparison pictures?

Please do.

[TheRedGuy]

Leo Crimson, on 19 September 2012 - 10:33 PM, said:

Please do.

Sure, but beware. My camera skills are crap.

EDIT: I'll actually make a review, but it'll take atleast 2 days.  

Edited by TheRedGuy, 20 September 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[Ferrik]

JeagerEX, on 16 September 2012 - 02:09 AM, said:

Ninja?? Not to be confused with an old Ninja theme(not ninjago).

No, I meant this company called their version of the Ninjago sets "Ninja" (It's in the second picture..)  

[bjtpro]

Ferrik, on 20 September 2012 - 12:13 PM, said:

No, I meant this company called their version of the Ninjago sets "Ninja" (It's in the second picture..)  

I think JeagerEX was referring to the old Castle subset theme of Ninja.  Brickset link here. It's too confusing to explain further so I'll just stop here and hope the points been taken?

[The Cobra]

I don't know if this is a new or old company: I found this pics on an eastern auctions site:






Not to mention...






More clones in my recently updated gallery.

[Wout]

Strange that they give Kai the same name and the blue ninja a complete different and illogical other name.

[TheRedGuy]

Wout, on 20 September 2012 - 06:10 PM, said:

Strange that they give Kai the same name and the blue ninja a complete different and illogical other name.

Blue ninja Daygfrakjaw! Blue ninja of Ninjaman!

Ninjaman? Seriously?

Edited by TheRedGuy, 21 September 2012 - 09:26 AM.

[Peppermint_M]

Bootlegs rarely make sense. They make it look similar enough that someone would get brand confused and buy it for the cheaper price.

[bjtpro]

Peppermint_M, on 21 September 2012 - 09:41 AM, said:

Bootlegs rarely make sense. They make it look similar enough that someone would get brand confused and buy it for the cheaper price.

I can kind of understand it myself. Real Lego Ninjago spinners cost 10x what those knockoffs do here in China. A real one could be 10% of some lowly workers monthly pay! So, if some little company wants to run a few off for the local markets, well, I can see it (but maybe I've been here too long, ha ha).

What pisses me off is when they start selling on the B2B sites in mass quantities, that's definitely crossing a line.

One poster said that Korean kids buy these things thinking they're real Lego? I find it hard to believe that even a child could be fooled by this junk.

Anyway, I'm not condoning this blatant copying but maybe what I'm really trying to say is that it's a different world here.

[heavyfishcannon]

Hmmm... those are some sad clones on that website! Just see the millitary sets and laugh! I've seen $0.50 plastic soldier packaging that's easier to understand! I think  my favourite of this sad lot is the "Martial action" Combat tractor! Isn't that what you call executing someone for war crimes?