Caveat emptor (FYI)

lovemygarden

I feel the need to put this info out just as an "FYI" -- not in any way meant to tell anyone "don't buy from...", but since this is something that has definitely changed my own perception of this company, it's possible others may feel the same.

The company is one we're all familiar with, the TLC catalog which does offer BC products at affordable prices. I have in the past months ordered things from them, and in almost all cases ended up returning them because I was disappointed in the quality ("You get what you pay for" definitely applies, IMHO). The only things I did keep were the microbead foobs which are made by Silique even though TLC does not identify them as such, and I didn't order until I'd verified their authenticity with Silique directly. But the quality-vs-price issue is not my beef here.

Recently I was paging through their print catalog to show the microbead-foob info to a friend who does not have internet access. In so doing I happened to skim the section for headcoverings, and my eye was caught by one photo; it was of the same item that I'd bought in April elsewhere online (one of many from that online source). However, TLC's price was almost 1/2 the price from my source, which is the only authorized USA distributor of the brand. The item's print was also shown in two alternate colorways, which I liked and which were never on my source's website. So when I got home I found the item on TLC's website and sent an email off to my source with the link to TLC's item (which does not identify the manufacturer; as always TLC just says it's "their" scarf, "their" cami, "their" foob, etc etc) asking "Do you still have it in these colors, and what's up with TLC's pricing?"

It turns out that a few years ago, TLC requested samples of this item and several others from my source, but never placed an order with them for any stock. However, some months later the TLC catalog began offering the same items (unbranded). My source contacted TLC to inform them that they held the USA copyright on those designs and to cease selling their "knockoffs" or they would take legal action. TLC's response was essentially "Ya wanna take us to court, go ahead, have a great time. We're affiliated with the American Cancer Society, do you REALLY think any judge is going to rule against us? Go ahead, make our day." Since my source is a small company (run by two women, by the way) and TLC has so much marketplace clout, their attorney advised them that more harm could come of a lawsuit than good -- such as TLC pulling strings behind the scenes so that the various cancer centers that my source now deals with, would withdraw their business. Not worth the risk.

Personally I think it stinks that any legitimate business would stoop so low as to pirate another business's copyrighted items just so that they can make a few more bucks selling cheap knockoffs to cancer patients. I have no idea if this is an isolated incident (logic suggests that a company that does it once, has probably done it other times, but who knows) but it was enough to leave a really bad taste in my mouth about TLC. I also realize that not everyone cares about such things, but I have a number of friends who work very hard to have their own small businesses and so this kind of stuff does get my dander up when I hear about it. All I would say in closing to anyone buying from TLC is "caveat emptor" .... just be aware that not every single item they sell is necessarily squeaky-clean-aboveboard ethically.

MrsNice

Thanks for sharing this info.  I do know that a lot of companies are not ethical, and I sometimes feel disempowered to do anything about it in a meaningful way except to avoid doing business with them.  I read somewhere else a week or so ago that the Komen foundation shares funding with Planned Parenthood . . . very disappointing to me as I do not support abortion and Planned Parenthood's approach to "education" is not in line with my values at all, so now I feel hesitant to support Komen as well. 

It's unfortunate there is such dishonesty to be wary of.