Update: Amazon have upheld my infringement complaint and removed the listings we had seen on the Amazon sites. In the short term this is the best result. :) I'm still waiting on a response from eBay regarding the counterfeit listings on their sites. Thank you for ongoing support, especially to those who may helped in reporting the counterfeit Map & Dice Playing Cards.
Will M. 17th June 2018
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Previous entry: 14th June 2018
It has been brought to my attention that a counterfeit version of my Inked Adventures Map & Dice Playing Cards is being sold on Amazon and Ebay and possibly through other sites. If you, or anyone you know, has bought these fake cards, we'd love to hear from you. We also might to be to exchange a counterfeit pack for a real one if you can post one to us, whilst also providing information as to where you bought them and maybe I make it worth your while with a freebie (this also depends upon how many packs I get sent, if any). I can even sign the pack if you like that sort of thing. :) My email is inkedadventures@gmail.com . I am Will M. / "Billiam Babble", owner of Inked Adventures.
Fake cards by "Lacesi" on the Left.
My Inked Adventures Map & Dice Playing Cards on the Right.
Note: the scroll banners.
The counterfeit Map & Dice Playing Cards are made by a company claiming to be called "Lacesi". They have scroll logo which adorns the packets - in place of the Inked Adventures scroll banner. The packet slightly resembles the early packets sold through the print-on-demand site The Game Crafter, and a box I made for customers to print themselves, to house the DriveThruCards (OBS) print-on-demand edition. The contents of the Lacesi packs directly and wholesale copy the art and layout of ones I sell through my Etsy store, or those sold by my permitted stockists (see below).
The Lacesi company, who have an office address in Vietnam, appear to be counterfeiting cards-based games and games expansions sold by Etsy sellers, probably because they consider them to be too small or naive in a business sense to a challenge IP or copyright. I am the sole owner of the original hand drawn dungeon map art, I commission the printing and am currently the main distributor. It is my intellectual property and, at the moment, my main trade. I intend to report every listing I find on every site I find them and urge others to do the same (or at least drop me a line if you see something) - and maybe hold back if you are unsure of a listing. I may also have to shut down selling my own print-on-demand packs (DTCards and GameCrafter), whilst I consolidate stock. I know it's cliché, but if it doesn't say "Inked Adventures" on the box, it's certainly not Inked Adventures in the box.
At the time of posting this I'm not selling playing cards through Amazon or the Ebay store, but I know that at least one of my stockists is with permission (Noble Knight Games) -see below. In the meantime, I may assert my product's presence by setting up shop on Amazon and Ebay, but it will be pretty clear that it will be me Billiam Babble or Inked Adventures who will be selling them (so don't report me by accident!). ;)
Apparently, counterfeiting affects both the large and small in this industry, so we must stand up to it whenever we can.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Official / permitted stockists of the Inked Adventures Map & Dice Playing Cards are as follows (at time of posting):
All Rolled Up (UK)
^^ These guys are okay! They buy stock from me directly.
You can also buy directly from the artist (me) from my store on Etsy: Inked Adventures on Etsy
If you are a store owner or customer with any concerns, please feel free to email me at inkedadventures@gmail.com
Thank you again for your attention. - Will M. / Billiam Babble, Inked Adventures. 14th June 2018
