The Wild West of Print on Demand

AliExpress Piracy  Part 1  |  Part 2  |  Part 3  |  Part 4   |  Part 5  | Part 6 | Fight Back

 

Duking it out with the online pirates

For those who know me, it’s no secret that for years I’ve been sharing my unique designs through Redbubble and TeePublic. My passion for creating original art has brought over 300 captivating pieces to life, each one reflecting my journey as an editorial cartoonist since 1997. Whether you’re a history buff or simply looking for something special, my gallery has something for everyone! Thousands of people around the world have made purchases of my designs over the years. There’s a nice steady flow of royalties I receive every month from sales – not enough for me to quit my day job, but enough to help pay the bills in our soaring cost of living world!

What follows though, is the sinister side of being an artist making a few bucks selling designs online.

Welcome to the chaotic realm of print on demand, where creativity meets copycats, and ethical practices seem like a distant dream. It’s a jungle out there, and unfortunately, companies like Printerval, AliExpress and yes, Amazon.com are swinging from the branches, ready to snatch up original artwork without a second thought.

Take my design of Theodore Roosevelt, for instance. Proudly available on my Redbubble shop here, this piece showcases Roosevelt’s larger-than-life personality and historical significance. Yet, what’s this? A quick glance reveals that it has been repurposed by multiple intellectual property thieves:

• Jeff A Jacobson over on Printerval? Check it out here.
• Divya Agrawal, another thief, who thought it would be a good idea to steal my design, available here.
• Then there’s the cutely named Teal Narwhal Lillis, (click the link to see their gallery of intellectual property theft) who decided to jump on the bandwagon with a slightly different take on my design, found here.
• And let’s not forget Ryan Miller, who has his own version floating around here.

Nice try, everyone, but originality seems to have taken a vacation!

It doesn’t stop there. Amazon.com, the giant conglomerate dominating the planet sells all kinds of repurposed intellectual property.

I’ve spent the past two weeks of my own Summer holidays making Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) reports to Jeff Bezos’ worker bees getting nothing done about the following designs, so maybe Jeff, the latest Intellectual Property Thief Donkey inductee to my pantheon will be shamed into finally doing something.

Ulysses S. Grant: So, GFL Graphics (click the link to see their gallery of intellectual property theft) thought they could swipe my design and sell it on Amazon—guess originality isn’t their strong suit! Legit here vs. Pirate here. Look carefully at his left heel where it says “MacKay Cartoons” – still not enough evidence for Amazon to remove it. To them it’s just fine because some sucker will drop $5 on a blurry low resolution image. Did they come to their senses and remove their willful act of piracy? Here it is in perpetuity.

John Adams: Vision Graphics clearly couldn’t resist lifting my John Adams design and calling it their own—creative genius at work! Legit here vs. Pirate here.

Donald Trump: MagX USA decided my Trump magnet was fair game for a quick cash grab—nothing says “artist” like recycling! Legit here vs. Pirate here.

The China-based AliExpress, an arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba from Hangzhou, is the east’s answer to Amazon, but with a particularly egregious disregard for intellectual property rights. Their infringement reporting process is a nightmare, demanding piles of personal information before they even consider your complaint. Do I want to hand over sensitive documents to a foreign entity mired in political controversy? Hard pass. So, instead, I’ll let them—and all of you—know about their criminal activities right here:

The AliExpress repurposed version of my President Theodore Roosevelt design through this link, which was ripped off from my original work on Redbubble through this link. 

The AliExpress repurposed version of my President Abraham Lincoln design through this link, which was ripped off from my original work through this link. The abusing individual seller’s account name is Lorraine Living Store (such a nice boutique name – find your choice pirated merchandise here!)

The AliExpress repurposed version of my Karl Marx design (I know, ironic as it is) through this link, which was ripped off from my original work through this link. The abusing individual seller’s account name is Felice Livingroom Store (how quaint.)

The AliExpress repurposed version of my iconic The Kings And Queens Of England design can be found officially at Redbubble through this link. Another lovely ripoff is here. And for a final insult, check out this terribly placed product here. All are blatant ripoffs from my original work here.

I expect the company to remain blissfully unaware of these and other unmentioned infractions. I’ve informed AliExpress of these violations even though my website’s firewall prevents any visitors from mainland China to access it through the Internet. They don’t care.

This isn’t just a one-off incident. Countless creators like me are battling the tidal wave of theft that floods these POD platforms. It’s a sad reality that many of these companies prioritize profit over principles, turning a blind eye to the rampant design piracy that plagues their marketplaces. They seem perfectly content to churn out pixelated, low-quality products that inevitably end up in landfills, all while raking in the cash.

What’s more frustrating? The vast number of dissatisfied customers who, after receiving their shoddy products, leave scathing reviews, as expressed as follows with regard to Printerval, AliExpress, and Amazon.  It’s like ordering a gourmet meal and getting a cold microwave dinner instead. These POD giants need to realize that when they allow thieves to thrive, they’re not just hurting artists; they’re damaging their own reputations.

Feel free to take advantage of the low prices of any of the above unethical print-on-demand companies.  In exchange for my pirated work, aggravation will most certainly result. The design will be blurry, because they’ve used low resolution jpegs. They will be printed on cheap, substandard quality merchandise, and when the product takes forever to arrive (or never arrive) on your doorstep, good luck receiving customer service when you inevitably register your complaints to get refunded.

I can attest from my own experience that the companies I contract in terms of vending, distribution and billing – Redbubble and TeePublic – are excellent. They act swiftly on the odd ripoffs that weasel their way on to the platform, and for the most part ensure that the best quality of purchases are delivered to their customers. They also allow sellers to determine their royalties. Mine are mostly set at 25%, which is, yes, pretty high, but fair.

So, here’s my challenge to these companies: If you’re going to profit off artists’ hard work, at least have the decency to vet your sellers and enforce some standards. Because right now, it looks like a free-for-all where creativity goes to die.

Let’s make some noise, folks! If you care about supporting true artistry, think twice before buying from these platforms. We need to hold these companies accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. The future of creative integrity hangs in the balance, and it’s time to start shaming the companies that prioritize profits over principles.

ALIBABA (update August 2, 2024)

AliExpress, the China based print on demand site is particularly tedious to deal with in trying to get infringements removed. Several steps have to be accomplished and a few official documents have to be handed over to prove you are who you are and the designs you’re complaining about are yours. I’m going along with the process and have initiated and progressing with getting the pirated images off their platforms. First I had to register who I am. Second I had to register my designs. Third I have to file my complaints, which is where I am now on August 2, 2024. Many thanks to the person behind OH PLESIOSAUR, who’s provided great tips on getting things moving. Here’s what I’m working on:

This design (British and English Monarchy) is featured on my professional website that acts as a portal to authorized print-on-demand vendors of the design. AliExpress nor its partners are authorized to sell products bearing this design. The links provided below infringe on my intellectual property and need to be removed promptly.  

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805091262032.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805091291870.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804743724318.html    by Shop1102419444 Store

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806765757180.html   by Shop1103741147 Store

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807179482974.html   by Shop1103706163 Store

DENIED: https://aliexpress.ru/item/1005005277576784.html   Shop1102676079 Store

Message from Alibaba IP Protection Platform (August 2, 2024): Congratulations you complaints submitted success!  Your complaint has been submitted successfully. Your complaint will be reviewed as soon as possible, please pay close attention to the complaint processing progress. Thank you for using the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group Intellectual Property Protection Platform!