Danger of product bootlegged in China?

[dpd1]

Got an order yesterday from someone in China that wants a couple of one product I make. As it turned out, it's too big for the USPS max limit. I told him this, but he still wants to pay to ship another way, which would probably be twice the cost of the actual products. I'm not worried so much about getting paid, as much as bootlegging. I find it odd that someone would be willing to pay such a high shipping fee. And this particular item is really the best you can get right now for what it is. My design for now, is the best one anywhere, and I'm leery about somebody copying it. Am I paranoid? Chances are he probably just really wants it, but I don't know...

[Staffa]

Have you checked if there is a similar product already available in China, maybe not as good as yours but equally serving the same purpose.

If yes, maybe he just wants the better quality one.
If no, I would be weary too.

[bwnbwn]

dpd1 this can happen anywhere in the world and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
Does the product design have a patent on it? If not I could order it and make copy it as well. If it does you do have that going for you and can take legal action if necessary.

[dpd1]

I decided against it... I wouldn't have a problem with any other product, but this particular product is number one around the world in our niche right now. I'm sure others will follow, but it's one of the few times I can be #1, so I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. I can't risk having some cheap Chinese knockoff getting distributed a couple months from now... That would basically take kill most of our Int. sales. Patent or not, I don't have the resources to fight somebody overseas. I hate turning people down, but it's too great a risk.

[eferg]

You made the right decision. The profit you may have made is not worth the risk or the worry.

But... if they really want one, they will find a proxy in the US to order it and ship it over.