I rememeber there was a threat here years ago, but I cannot find it. I just bought today one Czech magazine, in which I got like summer offers. So I decided to see what is in there and the first major shock was seeing a pic of toy which resembled a Zini toy, not sure what was the name. And my favourite Swan rabbit vibe.
Ok, the major shock was when I by curiousity saw the prices!!! The Zini vibe was back then about 120 to 130 pounds, but they are asking for this replica nearly 210pounds, no joke.
And the Swan Power is 140pounds, and they have the courage to ask for nearly 260!!! I checked and even the charging system looks the same, the shape is the same etc. I admit I am really disguested. They charge incredible price and they present it as innovation, something new....
I rememeber there was a threat here years ago, but I cannot find it. I just bought today one Czech magazine, in which I got like summer offers. So I decided to see what is in there and the first major shock was seeing a pic of toy which resembled a Zini toy, not sure what was the name. And my favourite Swan rabbit vibe.
Ok, the major shock was when I by curiousity saw the prices!!! The Zini vibe was back then about 120 to 130 pounds, but they are asking for this replica nearly 210pounds, no joke.
And the Swan Power is 140pounds, and they have the courage to ask for nearly 260!!! I checked and even the charging system looks the same, the shape is the same etc. I admit I am really disguested. They charge incredible price and they present it as innovation, something new....
I've seen stuff like that on other sex toy sites and it's usually the other way around. They make their toys look like something else, like the We-Vibe Tango and it's like half the cost. But obviously it would never be like the Tango lol
I have seen this happen quite a few times unfortunately. Tracey Cox seems to have borrowed ideas from other manufacturers, or the other way around, as I've seen identical toys on other websites which aren't made by her. Although it's hard to know for sure who started selling them first.
I guess the same could be said for the FSOG range, which in many cases is identical to Lovehoney's own range as well.
I'm not sure if they just use the same manufacturers and are aware that similar toys are being marketed under a different name, or if they're ripping each other off, but it sure does make things confusing!
About the only ''main'' brands that actually make their own stuff are Tantus, and FunFactory, from what I've seen in my travels about the net. The couple-y We-Vibes are their own I think, but I can't speak for Touch and Tango.
Pipedream is questionable, most brands on here are generic stock branded by LH, and basically everywhere does the same.
Not all LELO stuff is specifically made, you can buy unbranded but legit bodywands, etc.
A bunch of factories make it, sell it to wholesalers. They sell it to companies who brand it to high heaven, and thus you get LH, 50SOG, Tracey Cox etc....
If somewhere can get away with some fancy packing, a five year warranty and including storage bag and lube in order to stick £200 on a generic toy.... it's just business.
I actually expect that the warranty is standard one in this country, which is 2 years, no lube, maybe just the bag. And these are marked as something new. It does have very fancy packaging and naming EC Royal collections, but it seems to be using several years old design of Zini, and I am sure the rabbits resemble Swan, just are like nearly double the price.
They also have one resembling Jessica rabbit, but costing 80pounds plus and that is using batteries. I admit I am like WTF. I would never pay so much for a toy using batteries. And even the price tag of the Zini replica is... really leaving me shocked someone would even pay it.
I just used those as random examples of how companies can one-up each other to put a bigger price tag on :)
...that's a bit insane though, even by industry standards.
I guess in regards to using older designs, it'll be in the hope everyone will have forgotten, and to do with the life of patents or whatever.
A bunch of factories make it, sell it to wholesalers. They sell it to companies who brand it to high heaven, and thus you get LH, 50SOG, Tracey Cox etc....
Some stuff like Bluebella Tracey Cox Fifty Shades Swoon Bettie Page are Lovehoney brands it may well be cheaper to put a different band name and colour on something than make a whole new range of products
The marketting thing is an interesting one that did suprise me when i saw a rocks off product being sold by another retailer and packaged to look like their own. I didnt realise that kind of thing was allowed. Ive seen them selling a pipedream product in the same way so i suppose its common practice.
There are so many fakes about though especially on non sex sites. Products like we vibe and lelo seem to be the main ones that are copied, although some of them make it clear they arent real.
Well, the shocking part for me was that on this CZ sex shop, the duplictes costed like double of Lelo toys, and nearly over double of the original. Which I find really ridiculous. And wondering how someone could pay that much for it