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tmacklin

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It has come to my attention that a person or persons unknown is attempting to market the Guillotine Fin Alignment Jig that I make for Apogee Components. They are doing this using copyright protected materials that they apparently lifted directly from the Apogee website.

Ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Guillo...993?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27f0f34ba1

As most of you here may know, I am both the inventor and manufacturer of this product. I have been marketing this product exclusively through Apogee Components since October of 2011. As a courtesy to my fellow rocket enthusiasts, I've also sold PDF plan sets to a few individuals who wish to build their own Guillotine Fin Jig. I do not know who these flim-flam artists are but I know I do not have any arrangement with them to sell my product. The list price for my product is $90.00 plus shipping from Apogee Components and that includes a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I have contacted Tim Van Milligan about this matter and trust that he will take some action against these latest interlopers.

Don't be fooled. These people are NOT LEGITIMATE!

Ted Macklin
 
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That sucks.
Is'nt there any legal action you can take?
 
WOW they are asking $150!

You mentioned above that you sold the PDF plans to a few people. Do you think any of them would be bold enough to have made a few units and decided to profit by selling them on eBay?

It also looks like they used Apogee's pictures so I'm sure there is some kind of violation there as well. Can you somehow contact the seller and maybe threaten him with legal action?
 
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They are in Israel.

I went and read the description and stuff, and it does'nt say they have more than one of them.
Perhaps someone just had one they bought from Apogee, never used it and it ended up back on the Market? It says "Brand New", and the seller does'nt claim to be the builder of it.
 
What make you think it's not purchase from Apogee ?
 
WOW they are asking $150!

You mentioned above that you sold the PDF plans to a few people. Do you think any of them would be bold enough to have made a few units and decided to profit by selling them on eBay?

It also looks like they used Apogee's pictures so I'm sure there is some kind of violation there as well. Can you somehow contact the seller and maybe threaten him with legal action?


Yes, yes and yes.
 
Ted - didn't you make two types? One for smaller tubes and the for 3" and above? Just wondering? I may want to get one. My eyes aint what they use to be ya know?
 
It could be eBay seller is selling it and have Apogee drop ship it making $55.00 without stocking the product

what it looks like at least from first glance
 
Did you notice your product is listed in the category for fishing lures and the other products listed by the store include https://m.ebay.com/itm/291196815237 ? My guess is it's a foreign seller or an automated store that found your product in a Google search and didn't know what they were looking at. They probably have no stock and order and drop ship from other stores and collect the profits.
 
A quick search on Ebay brings this up as well: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Guillo...110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f6030766 although on their website it actually gives you credit for the "Macklin NEW Guillotine Fin Jig" https://www.sears.com/macklin-new-g...6?sid=IDx20140425xECNMPFS10&redirectType=SRDT

Thanks Cody for your research on this. The Sears connection is very interesting and I will pass this on to Apogee. Whether the people doing this actually have my product in hand or not, I do not know. I know that the stole the photographs and text from Apogee and that alone is a criminal act.
 
Ted - didn't you make two types? One for smaller tubes and the for 3" and above? Just wondering? I may want to get one. My eyes aint what they use to be ya know?

Yes, I make two sizes for Apogee. If you decide to buy one, by it from Apogee and not from these Ass Clowns on Ebay.
 
That sucks.
Is'nt there any legal action you can take?

Maybe, but for all I know at this point this may be just another Nigerian scam. The two Ebay Sellers call themselves "dealsalert" and "bluemarbleproducts", and are both phantom operations. I'm going to relax and let Tim Van Milligan handle this.
 
THey are using pictures from apogee too. Ripping everyone off it looks.
 
I think we'd all be better off if we took a break from watching eBay listings. eBay seems to cause a lot of heartburn here lately.
 
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