Update: ** ****** ******* ***** *******
** ********* ****************'* *** Shoemaker ** *** **** has ******* ***** ****. He ******* ********* ** is ** ****** ******* dummy ******* *** ****** he *** ****** *** UniquExceptional ***** *** ****** store *******, ** ****, 'Chinese *****-**** **** ****** my *********'.

Claims '******* ************ ********* *** ********'
********* ********* ** ** that ***** ~****, *** dummy ****** ****** *** good *** **** *** company **** '*** ** the **** ***** ******* on *** ******' *** **** 'it *** * ********** business'.
******, ** ** ***** in ****, *** **************** brand *** *** ******* #3 ****** ************ ****** on ******. *******, *** ****** his ******** *** ****** by ******* ******* *********** products **** **** *** suppliers, *****, *** **** sported *** ****.
** **** ***** *********** ****** were **** ******* *** priced ***** **** *** own ******. *** ****** was ** *********** **** during **** ** ******* to ***** ** *** Amazon *****, **** **** his *******, *** *********** operations ** ****************.
Amazon '*** *** ****'
********* ** *********, ****** 'did ******' ** **** counterfeit *******, *** **** even *** *** ***** camera ******* ***** **** there ** '****************' ******* is ****.
*** ***** ** ******* complicated ******* ****** *** consolidated ******** ** ******* dummy ******* ************* ****** *** ************* *** ******* ******** group ******** ** **** authentic *** *********** ***** cameras.
** ****, ******'* **** of ******** ** *** to *** **** ** Shoemaker's ***** ***** *********** for ****************, **** ** trademarked ***** ** ******** names (******** ******* * ***** version ********) . ** *******, Don ****** ***** ********* to ***** *** ***** or ***** ****** ******** were ******* ***, *********** his ********.
*************, *** ********* ***** the '****************' ***** **** grown ****** **** ***** cameras, *** ************** *********, ***** ****** repellers, *** **** **** safes:

********* ***** ** **** none ** ***** ******** are **** ** *** or *** **** *** now-shuttered ******* *** ****** are '*********' **** ***** the ***** *** ****** ratings ** ******* ***** confidence.
Broader **** ** ***** ******* **** * *****
**** *******, ** ******** that ***** *** **** a *********** **** ** the '****** *****' ** dummy ******* ******** ** 'real' *******. *** *******, the *** *** ******* Amazon *** ************ ******* currently *** **** **** $40:

********, **** ********* ********, *** ** **-*********, selling ************ ******* *** just $**, *** ******* *** low-cost **** ************ ******* have ****** **** **** significant. ******, * ***** ago, *********'* *** ***** camera **** $**.
****** * ***** *** when *********'* ******* *** #3 ******* ** ************ cameras, ** ***** ****** models *** *** ** Amazon's *** **. **** 2 ***** ******* **** the *** **, **** are * ***** ******* ***, effectively, $* ** $* per ***** ******:

*** **** ***** ***** as ** *** *** in ** *** ***** real (****** *** *******) surveillance ******* *** ***** sold *** ****** ** low, ****** ***** ******* a ***** ****.
******, ** ********, ***** cameras ****** **** ****** cybersecurity.
Comments (17)
Luis Carmona
Classic!
Interesting report by the way. Give insight into the continued problem of trademark and copyright protection.
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Undisclosed #2
It wouldn't surprise me if Chinese vendors included a "dummy" Ethernet port in the case an end user would mistakenly plug it in and make it a live feed...
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Undisclosed #3
Call me old school, but quality should still count for something, right?
A well-crafted dummy cam from a reputable dummy manufacturer has numerous advantages over “real” but junky cameras, for instance
1. MTBF - upwards of 300,000 hours* (continuous duty)
2. Installation - Prefocused/greatly reduced cable reqs.
3. Maintenance - Minimal “if it looks ok, it is ok”
4. Compatibility - 100% with all other manufacturer’s devices
5. Cybersecurity - Unblemished record
*depends how you define failure and duty
;)
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Marty Major
04/25/18 06:25pm
I remember the original post from 5 years ago you linked to in the beginning of this post.
And I remember it primarily because John H. had stated in the comments that Amazon reviews couldn't be 'gamed' - and I remember spending many hours wasting time proving (at least imo) that Mr. Shoemaker was most probably gaming Amazon reviews in the heyday of UniqueExceptional's reign of dominance on Amazon.
So, sorry if I have no sympathy for the demise of Don's temporary success based on China gaming his ass.
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Sean Nelson
04/25/18 06:33pm
If you are going to sell your own private label brand on Amazon, you would be very wise to get it trademarked and registered with Amazon Brand Registry. It only costs about $350 to get a trademark from one of the companies that will handle all the trademark filings. The doozy is that it takes 6-8 months.
You can be rest assured that someone will come in and hijack your listing and sell for a little cheaper than you if you have a popular selling product.
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Kyle Folger
Although I don't believe it was a problem on Amazon, it was a problem on eBay. My favorite iPhone case was from Lunatik. I used to use Otterbox and they broke very fast with normal use. I've only had two Lunatik cases and I've had my iPhone 5s for about 4 years or so. I could upgrade, but I'm seeing how long I can carry it along. Because the cell phone companies have changed their model on subsidizing, I didn't feel obligated to upgrade because I am now saving money on my phone bill where I would be wasting money in the past by not upgrading and still paying the subsidized price.
When I was at the fastener store getting supplies, the guy in front of me had my case but his looked like it used to be black but now was all shiny. I asked him about his Lunatik case which was stamped on it. He didn't even know the brand. He simply got it off eBay for under $20.00. Obviously, I knew it wasn't real because the Lunatik cases from plastic and his was metal. It was a nice build though.
A few years after that, Lunatik is no longer a company. This is pretty unfortunate because it does take design time to come up with a case model and then have it be popular when all it takes is someone to duplicate it and sell it for less than 1/3 the price.
I guess I will eventually have to research and find an alternative durable case. That is unless I purchase a used iPhone SE which will fit in the same case. I like that form factor/size and don't really wish to change.
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Undisclosed #3
Perhaps moving to the latest 2D printing tech will allow for paper thin margins:
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