What do you do when your product is knocked off? - Lateral-g Forums

Ringbrothers · #1 07-15-2011, 11:21 AM

I think that we have kept quiet long enough. We would like everyone to know that Ringbrothers DID bring the first billet hood hinges to the market. Once they were quickly knocked off Mike and Jim came out with a new design to set us apart for all of the copies on the market. In NO WAY are we private labeling for the company below that blatenly ripped off our design not once but twice.

Mike and Jim are car builders first - so they know what it takes to make a product that works. When you are looking for hood hinges please keep in mind that development and prototyping cost a lot of money - reverse engineering is little to no cost.
I guess we should feel honored that someone would copy EXACTLY what we design (twice) becuase they can't come up with it on their own. The only problem is I get calls weekly of not daily that the knock off's product doesn't work. Please support original innovators in the industry.

JKnight · #2 07-15-2011, 11:25 AM

Yeah, this is really very sad. Unfortunately, when I saw Fesler's "new" product release I thought, hmmmm, those look exactly like the RingBros design.

I don't have any advice for you guys, but can say that awareness of these issues will always drive my purchasing decisions.

**GregWeld** · #3 07-15-2011, 11:28 AM

#1 is you call your lawyer.... and then you'll find out, that in order to have protected your design, you will have had to do many different steps BEFOREHAND.

The problem with stuff like this is that most people don't spend the money, time, and effort it takes to protect their designs in advance of product release... and then you're fair game for being knocked off.

garickman · #4 07-15-2011, 11:50 AM

Not to stir the pot...but I am just a hobby builder. Most of my projects I have sold before completion for lack of funds. I did build a 1968 and a 1969 camaro in which I used Ring Brothers hood hinges. RB's is first class all the way, as people, a business, manufacturers and car builders. In my 5 or 6 short years in this hobbly I had heard a lot of negative things about the company you are referring to. Both in quality and the fact that many of thier products were rip-offs such as the majority of thier frist gen camaro products. Other than what I have heard, I have no first hand knowledge of Fesler's products, thier marketing or business strategies. I do know that many of their products do appear to have come along after other companies have done the R&D and made these products popular to the public.

My current 1967 Chevelle Police Tribute Car has and will have Ring Brothers products all over it, including hood hinges, door handles, door strikers, hood adjusters, hood pins and hopefully the new touch start. I will continue to support Ring Brothers and thier innovative designs.

Rick D · #5 07-15-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringbrothers

I think that we have kept quiet long enough. We would like everyone to know that Ringbrothers DID bring the first billet hood hinges to the market. Once they were quickly knocked off Mike and Jim came out with a new design to set us apart for all of the copies on the market. In NO WAY are we private labeling for the company below that blatenly ripped off our design not once but twice.

Mike and Jim are car builders first - so they know what it takes to make a product that works. When you are looking for hood hinges please keep in mind that development and prototyping cost a lot of money - reverse engineering is little to no cost.
I guess we should feel honored that someone would copy EXACTLY what we design (twice) becuase they can't come up with it on their own. The only problem is I get calls weekly of not daily that the knock off's product doesn't work. Please support original innovators in the industry.

You mean R&D (Rip off and Duplicat) And we wonder why China keeps growing. (No disrespect to the nation of China)

ironworks · #6 07-15-2011, 11:52 AM

Well the "Other Brand's" are not quite the same. The Ring Brothers hinges are not as sloppy as the "Others Brand". I personally don't like my hinges to be sloppy so I now buy my hinges from the Ring Brothers, I had a customer supply the other brand and we had to throw them away since they were so sloppy.

Unless you like your hinges like your sloppy Joe sandwiches, Buy Ring Brothers....

67ragtp · #7 07-15-2011, 12:00 PM

Ill tell what they did in the old days, it looks something like this

Unfortunately theres not much that can be done with out legal protection. All I can tell you is you guys are the best, you got my purchase on your hardware and they didn't. Hopefully people will relize who has the best quality and the sale will come to you as a result.

Rich

96z28ss · #8 07-15-2011, 12:02 PM

this is why DSE puts patent on alot of the stuff they make.

I'm a designer and I have a couple design patents. Let me start off by telling you The Ringbrother hinge and the Fesler hinge are similiar. They are not a duplicate.

Ringbrothers hinge is an air frame design. The cut outs are all the way thru. The Fesler ones aren't they are just pockets. That alone is enough of a difference to state they didn't copy your design.

It stings a bit I know. You really have to move on and continue to come out with new products and build your brand up. You have to market your hinge as the First billet hinge and sell it as better quality than the competitors.

**Matt@BOS** · #9 07-15-2011, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKnight

Yeah, this is really very sad. Unfortunately, when I saw Fesler's "new" product release I thought, hmmmm, those look exactly like the RingBros design.

I don't have any advice for you guys, but can say that awareness of these issues will always drive my purchasing decisions.

That's what I was thinking the other day too. Unfortunately, not everyone knows, who is actually creating the innovative products. Case in point, at SEMA last year, one of your competitor in question won a GM design award for "most innovative products."

I'm curious Greg, if the Ring Brothers had taken the time to protect their hinge design prior to release, would it matter in a situation like this? I've heard from a few small companies around here that the costs generally don't outweigh the benefits because if the design is changed 10 percent or so by the competitor, then it is fair game. In this case, the new hinges aren't completely "air-framed." Also, I kept thinking that there was a difference in the strut mounting position, but then I noticed both are now horizontal. I can't even keep up with who is being innovative anymore

Matt

**XcYZ** · #10 07-15-2011, 12:04 PM

If I were a photographer, and somebody blatantly photocopied my work and started pumping it out for a profit, I'd be PISSED.

If I were a artist creating renderings, and somebody blatantly photocopied my work and starting pumping it out for a profit, I'd be PISSED.

If I were a wheel designer, and somebody blatantly photocopied my work and started pumping it out for a profit, I'd be PISSED.

This is no different. Fesler did nothing but photocopy a Ringbrothers product and start pumping it out the door. Ringbrothers have every right to be PISSED.