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First counterfeit Apple products, now a counterfeit... store?!

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Admiral
Admiral
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/20/counterfeit-apple-stores-pop-up-in-china/

It's not just counterfeit iPads and iPhones that turn up in China. There are knockoff Apple Stores as well. The anonymous writer behind the BirdAbroad blog ran into a fake Apple Retail Store -- complete with wood floors, blue t-shirts and lanyards -- in Kunming, China.

I tried to imagine the training that they went to when they were hired, in which they were pitched some big speech about how they were working for this innovative, global company – when really they’re just filling the pockets of some shyster living in a prefab mansion outside the city by standing around a fake store disinterestedly selling what may or may not be actual Apple products that fell off the back of a truck somewhere.

Funny. But not unexpected.
 
Kudos to them for completing the forgery by including a dozen counterfeit hipster employees in blue shirts with an undeserved sense of accomplishment and a religious zeal because they bought a computer.
 
I saw that.. Truly amazing. Sad thing is you do you think those fools who work there even know it's fake?
 
^ Sorry.

I saw that.. Truly amazing. Sad thing is you do you think those fools who work there even know it's fake?

From the article:

Being the curious types that we are, we struck up some conversation with these salespeople who, hand to God, all genuinely think they work for Apple. I tried to imagine the training that they went to when they were hired, in which they were pitched some big speech about how they were working for this innovative, global company – when really they’re just filling the pockets of some shyster living in a prefab mansion outside the city by standing around a fake store disinterestedly selling what may or may not be actual Apple products that fell off the back of a truck somewhere.
 
^ Sorry.

I saw that.. Truly amazing. Sad thing is you do you think those fools who work there even know it's fake?

From the article:

Being the curious types that we are, we struck up some conversation with these salespeople who, hand to God, all genuinely think they work for Apple. I tried to imagine the training that they went to when they were hired, in which they were pitched some big speech about how they were working for this innovative, global company – when really they’re just filling the pockets of some shyster living in a prefab mansion outside the city by standing around a fake store disinterestedly selling what may or may not be actual Apple products that fell off the back of a truck somewhere.

I understand there are some firms in China that have done such a good job impersonating established multinational corporations that they even collect patent and copyright royalties, and duplicated the company right down to stationery and training materials. Fucking crazy!
 
For some reason, when I first saw the thread title I thought counterfeit iTunes stores, but then I read they were actual physical stores. Wow, talk about brazen. I once read an article about counterfeit ipods which was quite interesting. They were such good knockoffs that I think they even had someone from Apple comment about them and they couldn't tell the difference, to the point that Apple has difficulty themselves making inroads because the counterfeiters are taking all the business and opportunities. Actually it was about the whole counterfeit business in China which is actually pretty extensive. They have counterfeit businesses there for everything, it seems. As for the Apple Store knockoff, it seems like this time around they've tried to copy the Apple Store experience. No doubt, there's likely a bunch of people who'd never suspect they weren't the real thing.
 
Update:

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/21/fake-apple-store-employee-we-just-want-to-do-a-good-job/

"I just care that what I sell every day are authentic Apple products, and that our customers don’t come back to me to complain about the quality of the products."

The salesperson said it didn't "make much of a difference" if they were authorized. Instead, as the quote above illustrates, the staff in the store simply want to do a good job selling Apple products -- just like the authentic employees at an Apple Retail Store.
 
Kudos to them for completing the forgery by including a dozen counterfeit hipster employees in blue shirts with an undeserved sense of accomplishment and a religious zeal because they bought a computer.

I love you.

It's always fun to have a laugh at Apple's expense but China's utter disregard for IP laws is appalling.

And this too, I suppose. I do think this is funny, but it's amazing that they can have an entire fake store and get away with it.
 
From my understanding of the article they are selling legitimate Apple products. As long they're legitimate products, I don't see the problem. They're really no different from any store in the U.S. that sells Apple products. They just went out of their way to give customers an experience reminiscent of an official Apple Store, I doubt Apple holds any copyright patents in terms of store design.:rolleyes:
 
the article mentioned a "signature" staircase. I've never seen one in any of the apple stores I've been to.
 
From my understanding of the article they are selling legitimate Apple products. As long they're legitimate products, I don't see the problem. They're really no different from any store in the U.S. that sells Apple products. They just went out of their way to give customers an experience reminiscent of an official Apple Store, I doubt Apple holds any copyright patents in terms of store design.:rolleyes:

Between Apple and Microsoft, I'm surprised we can breathe without infringing upon any number of patents.
 
From my understanding of the article they are selling legitimate Apple products. As long they're legitimate products, I don't see the problem. They're really no different from any store in the U.S. that sells Apple products. They just went out of their way to give customers an experience reminiscent of an official Apple Store, I doubt Apple holds any copyright patents in terms of store design.:rolleyes:

Between Apple and Microsoft, I'm surprised we can breathe without infringing upon any number of patents.

Are you kidding me? You just infringed upon 12 patents and 2 trademarks in that sentence alone. Apple own the Macbook Air, so by breathing air, you're infringing their trademark. And Microsoft patented the patent, so by mentioning patents, you're violating their patent on patents.
 
I just opened my windows to let in some morning air. Microsoft is coming after me, aren't they?
 
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