"Product piracy, product counterfeiting or brand piracy is the business of counterfeit goods that are manufactured with the aim of being confusingly similar to an original good." - Attention this explanation is stolen, copied! - Very simple, Ctrl-C // Ctrl-V. - It comes from Wikipedia. Not fine, yet I hope to get away with it. - It won't be so bad, will it? - It was not a doctoral thesis.

I also stole the idea for our rear carrier system. - In the meantime, however, I no longer know whether that was such a good idea. But I only really became aware of this last week. I have to admit that I also have a split relationship to rules or "law and order" from time to time. - At the latest when I move in the traffic as a pedestrian or cyclist, my yardstick is not whether the traffic light is red or green, but whether there are children waiting at the light. After all, one does not want to be a bad role model. - However, if I see neither an approaching car nor small children, I go or drive through the red light as a matter of course. That's what (almost) everyone does, at least in Cologne. - As soon as I sit in a car, however, I would never get the idea. Schizophrenic, I know, especially since I am certainly more protected in the car. Because (almost) all do it, it is still not right, and certainly not allowed. Or?

When I look at it that way, I didn't steal from my rear rack either, just borrowed a few ideas. So far I confess. Was I not even aware at the time that I was cheekily copying? Maybe not, maybe I didn't even think about it. - I simply researched on the net, who builds the "from my point of view" best rear carrier, who has the longest experience. 

First I found this exciting solution at MultiCamper (fair picture) and wrote to them. - Here also came back a nice letter. - MultiCamper offers its solution exclusively for its customers. So far so good. - Since the decision was made for SpaceCamper, this carrier was thus out. But the approach is great.

We had a similar experience with an idea from TerraCamper. At first, there were no photos to be found on the web. In the meantime, their version is probably also available for purchase separately. The price of about 3.000,- € is no bargain. But the system makes, like almost everything of TerraCamper, a thought-out and high-quality impression. - If their vehicles weren't a bit too clean for us, this would have been a clear alternative to SpaceCamper. 

After that we came across the Terranger system. Here there were not only photos, but also vehicles live and in color. This gave us the chance to take a closer look at the system. I also got to talk to two customers and was able to benefit from their experiences. Although the Terranger system, which is based on the VW logo bike rack, is already available as an extension kit for less than € 1,000, it can also be quickly upgraded to the above-mentioned € 3,000 in the appropriate version. 

There must be a cheaper way to do that!? - That was the beginning of my attempt to make a copy. But copying does not mean understanding. I am well aware of how much development work can go into such a system. Without my brother's support, I probably would have gone straight for the original.

Speaking of original. - When I picked up our BUTCH at Terranger the day before yesterday, there were two retainer sets for the reinforced gas springs on the table. Identical at first glance. - But while the expected Terranger logo was visible on one, a Hess logo was emblazoned on the other. When I asked if Terranger supplied Hess, they waved me off with the comment. "Then everything would be fine". 

Next to it were two spare wheel holder modules, which are also indistinguishable except for the logo. - Who has copied from whom? - Is such a thing still idea theft or stone-cold product piracy? This will probably be clarified by lawyers in this case. - But one thing seems clear: they didn't even try to improve a product, but instead simply saved all the development costs. I might have expected something like this from a country of the rising sun. Who could imagine that something like this would also happen in neutral Switzerland? - But the idea that two companies, independently of each other, would develop exactly the same product by chance makes me doubtful. - Am I being too naive? - How great is the damage caused by product piracy anyway?

It was only in the end that a good friend, the managing director of a medium-sized company, was affected. It is well known that the electrical and lighting industry copies products. Names like Osram, Siemens, Bosch, Miele, Hella and Vorwerk occupy top places in the inglorious list of the most copied German brand manufacturers. - But even these are still surpassed by the company Stihl garden and motor devices. This occupies place No. 1 of the list.

The Handelsblatt finds clear words on this and even speaks of the '"counterfeit mafia", which causes billions in damage. "Counterfeit products cause companies and states to miss out on billions in sales, and millions of jobs are destroyed." - The business is allegedly more lucrative than drug trafficking. 

Even SpaceCamper, which is considered a particularly innovative company, does not remain unscathed by copiers. Quite the opposite. Although one comes up with new innovations year after year, one can find these at the latest one year later, again on the exhibition booths of individual market companions. Spacecamper offers e.g. for years the "SpaceCamper mosquito net for VW T5 and T6". Recently one finds on the side of camping Wagner the "mosquito net for VW T5/6 tailgate with obscuration". That the two look confusingly similar is surely also "just coincidence"? - Something like this is particularly annoying when you block yourself from adopting innovations from market companions. For example, we would have liked to have airline tracks installed in the car. Clear statement from SpaceCamper: "We don't offer that, because TerraCamper was the first here."

As I said, whether the above cases are forgeries remained and remains open. I can only speak for myself. I had the feeling to have done something wrong with my idea theft. Not on a large scale, but it starts on a small scale. Thereupon I apologized. "As long as it remained with the individual case like with me, that would not be so bad." - I even got tips on what I should pay attention to. Maybe at some point it will be an original rear carrier system after all. I don't think this is the only one I'll find at Terranger, I'm pretty darn sure. And if I need a new mosquito net, I will buy this again at SpaceCamper. This will cost thirty euros more, but I have a clear conscience and it is then worth it to me.

PS: Here you can find our SpaceCampers Equipment details, our SpaceCamper Expansion, the SpaceCamper Detail equipment "Last Call, as well as SpaceCamper Insider tips.

Here our TERRANGER Offroad modifications, info about the topics Terranger off-road driving training, Energy management, DIY Water tanks, DIY Rear carrier system, pit stop at delta4x4, Sand sheets, Vehicle foiling and Ceramic sealing.

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