We’re used to obscure manufacturers from distant countries coming up with close copies of established gear, but you don’t necessarily expect it from Amazon. Peak Design has noticed a striking similarity between its Everyday Sling and a bag sold via Amazon Basics, and the company decided to poke some fun by putting together a video.
Rather classily, there’s very little snark here from Peak Design, whose video is designed as a reminder to customers that quality and innovation — not to mention sustainability — come at a price. By contrast, saving yourself money means lining the pockets of an already monumentally wealthy company that’s certainly not suffered during the global pandemic.
Amazon appears to have shamelessly copied not just the design of the bag (albeit using what seem to be much cheaper components), but also the name. Amazon has since changed its listing to remove the words “Everyday Sling” (though it's still in the URL), and it remains to be seen whether Peak Design will opt to take legal action against the corporate giant.
The video’s caption is also worth a read. “If we were really serious people,” Peak Design writes, “we might get on our soapbox and pontificate about the pitfalls of capitalism. But we’re not really serious people. So we got some googley-eye glasses (thanks Amazon Prime!) and made this video instead.”
So, which would you buy and why? Let us know in the comments below.
It appears Amazon will now only allowed comments on this from verified purchases.
there were a ton of comments basically saying 1 star, they ripped off peak design
Not the only item they ripped off, a few weeks ago I was reading about them ripping off and putting out of business some tripod seller that at the time was the most popular tripod on Amazon. The renamed it amazon basics or essensials tripod or something and those guys had dropped significantly in sales.
I believe I have seen the same behavior with lens filters. Amazon Basics is basically their codeword for Chinese copies :-(
That tripod seller was using a Chinese supplier to create a private label product. It was nothing that he had created. He simply found a supplier, who was already manufacturing tripods, then put his label on the tripod, packaged it and sold it in the US. Amazon or any other third party (including you) can pretty much use the same supplier to put their label on the same basic tripod and sell it under their brand name. That is how private label works. I don't like how Amazon snuffs out small businesses, but this story is not one where that tripod brand was wronged! They should have patented the design if it was theirs - being private label, they couldn't.
"Let's Basic this bad boy" 🤣
They are pretty f in evil. What's the solution? Who doesn't buy stuff from them?
I'm buying less, that's for sure. Not just because of the slimey business tactics, but because of too many junk products that I had to return - and a strong suspicion that a lot of reviews are fake, or paid-for.
Canceled my sub. It's becoming more frequent that amazon doesn't have what I'm looking for in quality items that fit my needs. it's seems like 70%-80% of what i see is low quality products.
Wasn't this like $21 yesterday? It's $35.14 now.
I wonder if the increased attention caused them to bump the price for more profit.
"We’re used to obscure manufacturers from distant countries coming up with close copies of established gear, but you don’t necessarily expect it from Amazon."
That's only true if you're not paying attention. Amazon was in anti-trust hearings before Congress over the summer over this very issue (among other monopolistic practices they engage in).
Amazon does this ALL the time.
They even rig the search engine to send people to counterfeit products unless the legitimate product provider pays for advertising.
Amazon does a whole lot of nasty stuff to destroy small businesses. Make a popular enough product and Amazon WILL make a knockoff of it. That's been demonstrated enough times to have the government taking a look.
Take a look at the highlights from those hearings last summer and you'll see some consistently dirty dealings from Amazon.
Amazon's search engine is absolutely the worst I've ever seen. So many irrelevant results or results that are very close, but not what you're looking for. Easier to use Google to search their site for stuff.
PD products are not made in USA and most likely are made in China. Unless production run is large enough Chinese manufacturers reserve the right to sell excess to different brands sometimes using cheaper materials. PD knows that and this is the reason they decided not to start a lawsuit.
Their bags are made in Vietnam.
This design is similar but still very different. Not the same product with cheaper materials.
Jeff Bezos is a bad person.
Well, you don't become the richest man on the planet being honorable. Crazy when you search "everyday sling camera bag" on Amazon, their basic version is the first result (aside from the two sponsored Peak Design products).