[Kokoro]

Was I the only one who spotted some bootleg anime products while browsing the Exhibit Hall? I wish I had written down the names of the vendors I spotted them at. There were some very obvious bootleg hats (Pikachu, Totoro, etc) as well as some bootleg purses. Curious if anyone else spotted fake merch.

[Millions_Knives]

~nods~
we were hiving venders put them away
taking note, and such
cant go into details but we had ppl out there
and are working to remove bootlegs from the hall

[Kokoro]

Are the vendors who were selling bootlegs punished in any way? I was really surprised to see bootlegs because from what I've heard, conventions are usually pretty strict about this. I've heard of vendors getting booted out in the middle of a convention for selling bootlegs.

[GITS SAC Motoko]

I actually found myself talking to a legitimate vendor about this issue. Because I bought some figures this year, and I always, always asked "how can you prove to me this figure is not a fake/bootleg?" And I had them always show me the "official licensed product" and the company that publishes the anime and the company that made the figures. The vendor (I forgot their name ) ended up talking to me for like a half an hour about bootlegs and how so many at ACEN buy them. She showed me for the figures she was selling how they were officially licensed and legitimate. I know there are guides out there that can help you but for people that don't know it's hard to know what's real and what isn't. I really just ask and make them show me if it is legitimate, and if they can't prove it I don't buy. I should have kept my eye open more and got the name of the vendors that I saw too. >///< I will next time for sure. But if we find a vendor who is selling bootlegs, who do we contact at the con? IRT? Go to one of the offices? I'd like to know for the future.

But yeah I'd like to know how the vendors get punished as well if they are caught with bootlegs. Hopefully they just don't get a slap on the wrist, and then go to other cons and trick people out of their money. Do we have like a "secret shopper anti-bootleg crew at ACEN?" If we don't we should get something like that.

This post has been edited by GITS SAC Motoko: 03 June 2011 - 03:13 PM

[Kokoro]

So bootlegs are that common? Wow. I didn't buy much because I knew I could find it cheaper online - except for some $5 manga and a $13 Revoltech on sale at Hobbyfan, which I know is 110% legit (Hobbyfan ROCKS!), but... And here I thought buying from vendors at cons was really safe.

[Hikari189]

Bootlegs are, very unfortunately, all too prevalent in the Exhibit Hall. We did have staff patrolling and keeping an eye out for things but we can't always spot everything. If you notice anything that appears to be bootleg merchandise you need to come up to the Exhibit Hall booth and let us know. The booth is generally located directly between the Exhibit Hall and Artist Alley, right next to the ACen merch booth.

That being said, there are certain items that cannot be obtained outside of bootleg form. A particular example is Nendroids. They are produced for a short run by the officially licensed company and then often the same molds are used but with lesser quality materials by a separate company and distributed to vendors. These are technically still bootlegs and are of a lower quality but if a vendor wants to have any sort of stock they don't have much of a choice but to buy the bootleg merch. This is not to say that bootlegs in all forms should be condoned or that vendors should not inform buyers when they are buying something that is not officially licensed merchandise but bootlegs are sometimes an entirely unavoidable thing.

[The Fujoshi]

We had a thread about figures and I mentioned bootlegs. I posted a really helpful guide from LJ so reposting it again:
Bootleg vs. fake

Also Kokoro be careful because there are bootlegs online as well. It's usually the more popular figures like Hetalia and BRS but you still have to keep an eye out.

This post has been edited by The Fujoshi: 03 June 2011 - 03:43 PM

[Kokoro]

LOL. As someone who buys almost exclusively online, trust me, I am well aware of bootlegs, particularly on eBay. Sucks.

I also saw a fake Miku plushie for $30, now that I thing about it. She was holding a leek, I think...

So what happens when someone is caught selling bootlegs?

This post has been edited by Kokoro: 03 June 2011 - 04:06 PM

[Voltaire30]

Kokoro, on 03 June 2011 - 04:00 PM, said:

LOL. As someone who buys almost exclusively online, trust me, I am well aware of bootlegs, particularly on eBay. Sucks.

I also saw a fake Miku plushie for $30, now that I thing about it. She was holding a leek, I think...

So what happens when someone is caught selling bootlegs?

Glad you asked.

We here at ACen have a 2 strike rule, as a general set-up.

1. If you have bootlegs, you are to remove them, and you are issued a warning for the particular merch.
2. If you still have bootlegs, after the warning, you are issued another and..... removed from the event, denied pre-reg for next year, and banned from further Anime Central Events.

Now if there is an extenuating circumstance, we may issue another warning instead of kicking vendors out of the hall. For example, if it was new merch that they put out that was bootleg to replace bootleg (then this is their last chance), or something else. Basically if something happens that does not fit into the 2 strike rule, it falls into a 3 strike rule with no further exceptions.

I know for a fact that the vendors we spotted with bootlegs, and were warned to remove said items, were never seen selling the bootleg merch again.
As a good rule of thumb, if you see a vendor selling bootleg merch, you let us know right away, or take there name down along with the type of merch and let us know before you leave.

[Kokoro]

Sounds like a good rule to me.

From now on I guess I better be more careful than I thought I would have to be when purchasing stuff at cons. Stupid bootlegs.

[Voltaire30]

Kokoro, on 03 June 2011 - 04:54 PM, said:

Sounds like a good rule to me.

From now on I guess I better be more careful than I thought I would have to be when purchasing stuff at cons. Stupid bootlegs.

That sounds like a good plan.

It is a real unfortunate issue, that most people aren't aware of. I know that I have been toying around with the idea of possibly hosting a panel to help people identify bootleg materials, and what they should do once they see them, but given the time I have to devote to Exhibit Space, it isn't a feasible idea right now. >.<

The sad thing is that most vendors who sell bootlegs, know they sell bootlegs, but are trying to see if they can get away with selling them. It is something that is an up hill battle, but we are climbing that hill like its no bodies business.
It is one of the reasons why we keep a copy of the warning forms, if it happens one year, we know that they have been warned before, and on what type of merch, for future issues. I don't want to go into too much detail, because it would take up a lot of space, but the entire process both on the vendor side and the staff side is built around an education type approach.

[Kokoro]

Actually a panel about identifying bootleg products is SUCH a good idea. I wonder if someone else might be willing to do it, since you're so busy. It's amazing how many people buy bootleg products and don't realize it - even when the products are SO HIDEOUS and obviously fake. Bootleg Hello Kitty and Gloomy Bear plushies are so fugly, yet I see so many people with them.

Exactly. They're trying to rip people off. And you know they probably got those bootlegs that they're trying to sell for $60 for, like, $10-20 on eBay.

[Millions_Knives]

hmm
that sounds interesting
ya think we could talk Robbert into hosting a panel?
id be willing to help but ill have to get better

[The Fujoshi]

Hope you get better Knivesy!

You guys could ask the person who has the LJ, since that information helped me spot some bootlegs online a few times.

I can see what I can do too and give you guys more information. I dunno about hosting a panel...scared to do it ._.;

[keiichi969]

Bootleg anime is normally pretty easy to spot. Some of it can be really well done, but there are a few tells.

I was involved in taking down a few Half.com sellers who were selling Hong-Kong "imports" of Japanese anime a few years ago.

If you want to do a panel, I could offer some info and some samples of what to look for.

This post has been edited by keiichi969: 03 June 2011 - 07:56 PM

[kenkendazo]

Easy to spot bootleg Sader from Fate / Staynight

...though I would rather have a Sader figure than a Saber figure...

[Kokoro]

Suigetsu, on 03 June 2011 - 08:55 PM, said:

Easy to spot bootleg Sader from Fate / Staynight

...though I would rather have a Sader figure than a Saber figure...

I would buy that just for the hilarious derp factor. That FACE! D:

[bewd7879]

Glad to know that there's rules about bootlegs. I would rather pay double for a real item vs a bootleg. I have had some bad experience with them :/