LED Manufacturer took my designs and is now selling them as their own

[Miss Chrisy Co]

Hi all, I make some 3D printed accessories for the Mavic Mini and I usually make the STL available for those who have their own 3D printer and want to print them. Recently one of the LED manufacturers that I make mounts for downloaded the designs(which are listed for non-commercial, person use only) and began selling them on their website, Etsy and Ebay, even using MY OWN pictures in their listings. After contacting them to try to resolve this issue, they admitted to taking my design and selling it, and admit they did it to cut me out of the loop.

It is really disheartening since I support this manufacturer by selling and advertising their stuff, I directly resulted in over 150 of their LEDs being sold in the last 3 months. Sorry to vent.

I hope everyone is staying safe during these tough times.

 

[Dedal]

It's OK to vent over something like this. I would be even more poised than that. Any chance of compensation in sight? If not, make it public (not just venting, but names), social media can work miracles... If nothing else, they will (maybe?) think twice next time...? Anyway, after knowing about that, I would not want to buy anything they have to sell. Just my opinion.

Take care.

 

[Miss Chrisy Co]

It's OK to vent over something like this. I would be even more poised than that. Any chance of compensation in sight? If not, make it public (not just venting, but names), social media can work miracles... If nothing else, they will (maybe?) think twice next time...? Anyway, after knowing about that, I would not want to buy anything they have to sell. Just my opinion.

Take care.

Thanks for that. I'm not interested in compensation, I just want them to stop selling my stuff as their own, the manufacturer at first tried to say I was violating trademark by selling stuff developed for their products, when I defended my fair use, they quickly back peddled saying they like working with vendors. Well the time to work with me was before you stole my designs, and my pictures, and used them as your own, and continue to do so after I sent a cease and desist. I would have been willing to work out a license, but they admitted they just stole the design to cut me out, not the type of person I'm interested in developing a professional relationship with. Even though I love their products and will continue to produce stuff that supports them.

I do have a meeting with my lawyer on Tuesday to discuss how to move further. I've been able to get their stuff taken off Etsy and Ebay for using my pictures, but not their website and it doesn't stop them from re-listing them with their own pictures, which they have already done on Ebay, and I don't know if Ebay is going to defend my Creative Commons License or not.

I don't make a whole lot of money off selling these things, I just made them available because we kept getting asked about them when my husband made a youtube video about cool Mavic Mini accessories. It has helped us a lot during these tough times, I got laid off when the quarantine started and this has been my only form of income, so a major manufacturer admitting to cutting me out really upset me.

thanks again, it helps knowing other people agree with me.

 

[Dedal]

Sure, no problem, that's how I feel about it. I understand how this is upsetting, anyone would feel that way. Keep doing what you do, and share any news, I would be interested in knowing how it goes.

 

[PhantomFandom]

Hi all, I make some 3D printed accessories for the Mavic Mini and I usually make the STL available for those who have their own 3D printer and want to print them. Recently one of the LED manufacturers that I make mounts for downloaded the designs(which are listed for non-commercial, person use only) and began selling them on their website, Etsy and Ebay, even using MY OWN pictures in their listings. After contacting them to try to resolve this issue, they admitted to taking my design and selling it, and admit they did it to cut me out of the loop.

It is really disheartening since I support this manufacturer by selling and advertising their stuff, I directly resulted in over 150 of their LEDs being sold in the last 3 months. Sorry to vent.

I hope everyone is staying safe during these tough times.

That is really sad and despicable. I would make it known far and wide about who they are and what they have done. I for one would not buy products from them for undertaking such underhanded schemes.

 

[bumper]

Agree, not good. I can empathize as I've had patent infringements and one company reneged on a verbal 5% royalty agreement (I was young and stupidly thought a handshake was honorable - that cost me at least a quarter mil - get it in writing).

Not making any accusations, though a quick search on Miss Chrisy Co shows she makes mounts to fit Firehouse Tech's LEDs.

 

[Dedal]

Agree, not good. I can empathize as I've had patent infringements and one company reneged on a verbal 5% royalty agreement (I was young and stupidly thought a handshake was honorable - that cost me at least a quarter mil - get it in writing).

Not making any accusations, though a quick search on Miss Chrisy Co shows she makes mounts to fit Firehouse Tech's LEDs.

OK, good to know. She would never give us the names, because she is too... Well, she is the kind of person every one of us should be, honest and respectful, but sadly, the world is not like that. Thank you.

 

[Phochief]

I see what appears to be the same Mavic Mini mount on the FHT website.

 

[Carb63]

Hi all, I make some 3D printed accessories for the Mavic Mini and I usually make the STL available for those who have their own 3D printer and want to print them. Recently one of the LED manufacturers that I make mounts for downloaded the designs(which are listed for non-commercial, person use only) and began selling them on their website, Etsy and Ebay, even using MY OWN pictures in their listings. After contacting them to try to resolve this issue, they admitted to taking my design and selling it, and admit they did it to cut me out of the loop.

It is really disheartening since I support this manufacturer by selling and advertising their stuff, I directly resulted in over 150 of their LEDs being sold in the last 3 months. Sorry to vent.

I hope everyone is staying safe during these tough times.

Hi Miss Chrisy, hope you and the family are well and staying safe. I’m so sorry to hear what they did to you and your hard work. Maybe I can help , contact me. 347.664.3286

 

[ddoss]

Hi. I believe Etsy and Ebay (like Amazon and Alibaba) have contacts for reporting stuff like this where you can request they stop selling that manufacturer's bogus items. I don't know what all is involved, but, might be worth a try.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Not making any accusations, though a quick search on Miss Chrisy Co shows she makes mounts to fit Firehouse Tech's LEDs.

It appears you may be wrong there, take another look.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I see what appears to be the same Mavic Mini mount on the FHT website.

Not so, see post above.
I would be disappointed to see FHT do this, it looks like another manufacturer.

 

[FLPilotshark]

Thanks for that. I'm not interested in compensation, I just want them to stop selling my stuff as their own, the manufacturer at first tried to say I was violating trademark by selling stuff developed for their products, when I defended my fair use, they quickly back peddled saying they like working with vendors. Well the time to work with me was before you stole my designs, and my pictures, and used them as your own, and continue to do so after I sent a cease and desist. I would have been willing to work out a license, but they admitted they just stole the design to cut me out, not the type of person I'm interested in developing a professional relationship with. Even though I love their products and will continue to produce stuff that supports them.

I do have a meeting with my lawyer on Tuesday to discuss how to move further. I've been able to get their stuff taken off Etsy and Ebay for using my pictures, but not their website and it doesn't stop them from re-listing them with their own pictures, which they have already done on Ebay, and I don't know if Ebay is going to defend my Creative Commons License or not.

I don't make a whole lot of money off selling these things, I just made them available because we kept getting asked about them when my husband made a youtube video about cool Mavic Mini accessories. It has helped us a lot during these tough times, I got laid off when the quarantine started and this has been my only form of income, so a major manufacturer admitting to cutting me out really upset me.

thanks again, it helps knowing other people agree with me.

@Miss Chrisy Co - From my experiences unless you have a patient on it or if you Trade marked it then you can stop them which i am sure you did file for one correct? They probably are already filled for a patient on it since its a company! I am not sure if you ever tired getting a patient on something or trade marked it but its a real pain in the butt if you know what i mean. Lot of paper work , time and money - trust me been there done that. The sucks they are selling your idea! Wishing you and your family the very best during these tough times

Can you send me the link on where this company is listing your idea?

 

[Rockjok]

My sympathies. I occasionally buy 3d printed stuff that I probably could have eventually printed myself after a buncha hassle with my printer.
Years ago I created a shaded relief atlas of local atlas of local mountain ranges (before google). Several small magazines and even a realtor scanned my images and were publishing them after removing my name etc. Since I could prove the creation date I managed to get some compensation and a stop to the printing. Good luck, I think it's worth pursuing.

 

[unionglzr]

Hi all, I make some 3D printed accessories for the Mavic Mini and I usually make the STL available for those who have their own 3D printer and want to print them. Recently one of the LED manufacturers that I make mounts for downloaded the designs(which are listed for non-commercial, person use only) and began selling them on their website, Etsy and Ebay, even using MY OWN pictures in their listings. After contacting them to try to resolve this issue, they admitted to taking my design and selling it, and admit they did it to cut me out of the loop.

It is really disheartening since I support this manufacturer by selling and advertising their stuff, I directly resulted in over 150 of their LEDs being sold in the last 3 months. Sorry to vent.

I hope everyone is staying safe during these tough times.

personally I feel if you're not going to give her all the information for people to know then why bother even putting this out. just dropping a name and people passing it around will surely be a help to your cause and to make this low life pay for what he's done.

 

[unionglzr]

Thanks for that. I'm not interested in compensation, I just want them to stop selling my stuff as their own, the manufacturer at first tried to say I was violating trademark by selling stuff developed for their products, when I defended my fair use, they quickly back peddled saying they like working with vendors. Well the time to work with me was before you stole my designs, and my pictures, and used them as your own, and continue to do so after I sent a cease and desist. I would have been willing to work out a license, but they admitted they just stole the design to cut me out, not the type of person I'm interested in developing a professional relationship with. Even though I love their products and will continue to produce stuff that supports them.

I do have a meeting with my lawyer on Tuesday to discuss how to move further. I've been able to get their stuff taken off Etsy and Ebay for using my pictures, but not their website and it doesn't stop them from re-listing them with their own pictures, which they have already done on Ebay, and I don't know if Ebay is going to defend my Creative Commons License or not.

I don't make a whole lot of money off selling these things, I just made them available because we kept getting asked about them when my husband made a youtube video about cool Mavic Mini accessories. It has helped us a lot during these tough times, I got laid off when the quarantine started and this has been my only form of income, so a major manufacturer admitting to cutting me out really upset me.

thanks again, it helps knowing other people agree with me.

just list the name with nothing else in the post. we will take it from there

 

[jorn]

Yes, we’d very much like to know the parties involved.

 

[Capt KO]

Had this happen to me but had a patent. Won and compensation was good until patent ran out. The date on your pictures and any invoices from the company will be helpful for your case. Companies will do their best to cut out any middleman if possible. I have done the same but never infringed on someone else’s idea.
Sadly, lesson learned. Stay safe

 

[Starshots]

I’ve had copyright infringements before from press using my photographs without authorisation. Like you I wasn’t bothered about compensation but made them pay anyway and ensured they made a donation to a charity of my choice (with proof). Worth considering.

 

[msinger]

It appears you may be wrong there

See this page.