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GuanLong Repackaged as... The Cube

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A cube as appeared on Amazon called "The Cube" from the company aGreatLife. They sent me a sample to demo. It is a GuanLong that has been repackaged. I asked them about it and the replied with "This is actually the first initial version and we are currently in the process of doing improvements. We are launching a new version soon. This initial version does serve a certain demographic and of course we do provide full money back guarantee for anyone not happy." Which doesn't address the issue. They then went on to tell me I shouldn't post a review just yet.

After a couple days of no reply to my followup email I decided to post a review on Amazon. Twice the review was not allowed to be posted. Possibly because I described a different product in the review. I do not know for sure.

You can see in the picture below by Guanlong on the right, and "The Cube" on the left.

What are your thoughts on the issue. I don't think I will make video about it. I would like to talk to the company i bit more.

11149527_995951077083342_2670876744391033065_n.jpg
 

rock1t

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A cube as appeared on Amazon called "The Cube" from the company aGreatLife. They sent me a sample to demo. It is a GuanLong that has been repackaged. I asked them about it and the replied with "This is actually the first initial version and we are currently in the process of doing improvements. We are launching a new version soon. This initial version does serve a certain demographic and of course we do provide full money back guarantee for anyone not happy." Which doesn't address the issue. They then went on to tell me I shouldn't post a review just yet.

After a couple days of no reply to my followup email I decided to post a review on Amazon. Twice the review was not allowed to be posted. Possibly because I described a different product in the review. I do not know for sure.

You can see in the picture below by Guanlong on the right, and "The Cube" on the left.

What are your thoughts on the issue. I don't think I will make video about it. I would like to talk to the company i bit more.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd...._=1436267075_3e6f79cc737a77d3b791fe45798ea8f4

It's not anything new.
Newisland phoenix is a rebranded QiYi bullfight
Rephael 3x3 is a rebranded YuLong
Formula cube is a rebranded Sulong
They are rebranding because the Wholesale price from these 3 YJ cubes ( Sulong, GuanLong, Yulong) are cheap and they sell it for more..
 
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It's not anything new.
Newisland phoenix is a rebranded QiYi bullfight
Rephael 3x3 is a rebranded YuLong
Formula cube is a rebranded Sulong
They are rebranding because the Wholesale price from these 3 YJ cubes ( Sulong, GuanLong, Yulong) are cheap and they sell it for more..

It is not all the same situation. Form what New Island tells me they originally ordered the cube to be designed, and now the plastics company is selling it to QiYi. New Island is not "rebranding" QiYi's cube (From what I have come to understand from the emails to the company).

I understand the cost effectiveness of buying GuanLongs in bulk, but that doesn't change the ridiculousness of the situation. If YJ is selling the cubes to them to rebrand it is slightly better than a company buying the cubes, putting them in a new box, and selling them as their own. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of it.
 

Yarco

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Its kind of a scumbag move, but I admire their business sense... they are going to make a lot of money off non-cubers or newer cubers doing this. Its a common practice called "Private Label" where cheaper products are rebranded and sold for more. Its common with cosmetic products, and nearly all dietary supplements are private label.

Moyu could easily fix it by creating some English packaging, reaching out to wholesalers, getting cubes into stores in North America... but they seem content with what they're doing already.
 
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rock1t

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You should definitely call YJ and these guys, its probably not legal

There's no law in China that is against knockoff/re-branding. You can't really do anything if the company is in China. That's why ShengShou still produce big cubes knock-off. But if a company produce these big cubes (except v-cube) and the company is not in china, they can be in **** for copyright infringement (c)
 

DeeDubb

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This is extremely poor ethics and morally wrong. Even if there's nothing illegal about it, I feel like the cubing community has a responsibility to try to hinder their sales as much as possible. Flood them with bad reviews. Make YouTube videos explaining how aGreatLife is a ripoff. Flood the big youtubers with requests to make the same kind of videos. Let's NOT stand by idly and let this happen.
 

Stefan

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If you can't see the difference between what this company is doing and what cube vendors do, then I don't know what to tell you.

I see the difference, I just don't think it matters.

And lol about this not being legal.

But if a company produce these big cubes (except v-cube) and the company is not in china, they can be in **** for copyright infringement (c)

Their cubes are protected by copyrights? Since when?
 

NewCuber000

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If a cuber is going through amazon looking at all these great cubes like the Gans356, the Yuxin and more for relatively good prices, and have done their research on what cubes are good and popular speedcubes, it's pretty rediculous that they would go for some overpriced, unknown thing called "The cube" over those. what logical person would do that? If you decide that's your best option then I'm sorry but you kind of deserve to be scammed XD
 
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DeeDubb

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If a cuber is going through amazon looking at all these great cubes like the Gans356, the Yuxin and more for relatively good prices, and have done their research on what cubes are good and popular speedcubes, it's pretty rediculous that they would go for some overpriced, unknown thing called "The cube" over those. what logical person would do that? If you decide that's your best option then I'm sorry but you kind of deserve to be scammed XD


This is not about experienced cubers. This is about people brand new to cubing being exploited. At least if they see it called a YJ GuanLong, they can look for other venders for better prices on the same cube. I don't believe that ANYONE deserves to be ripped off simply because they lack knowledge about a subject. This is exploitative and immoral.
 

cashis

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Morality isnt really something thats common in cubing, to be honest. It happens. Nobody was freaking out over the New Island, the Raphael, or anything else thats rebranded. It happens all the time, and its something that cant be avoided until china changes their laws. Sorry, DeeDubb, but it happens. At least they're getting a good cube.
 

Stefan

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$9.99 with free shipping for a good cube isn't even expensive. And would you rather have newbs be confused or turned off by all the China names and go with the known Rubik's brand?

Btw, I'm not 100% sure, but isn't Lubix just some repackaged silicone oil? With a steep markup? Am I mistaken about that, or why are you people not outraging about that? (Not hating on Lubix, just the first example that came to my mind.)
 
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DeeDubb

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Morality isnt really something thats common in cubing, to be honest. It happens. Nobody was freaking out over the New Island, the Raphael, or anything else thats rebranded. It happens all the time, and its something that cant be avoided until china changes their laws. Sorry, DeeDubb, but it happens. At least they're getting a good cube.

If it's not part of cubing, it should be. Just because it happens doesn't mean it should. I wasn't around for those other situations, so I can't speak on them. This one is not a rebranding. It's a company who is essentially selling a box for 1000% markup.

$9.99 with free shipping for a good cube isn't even expensive. And would you rather have newbs be confused or turned off by all the China names and go with the known Rubik's brand?

It's simply not a $10 cube. If they could sell it for $10 as a YJ Guanlong, why wouldn't they? I agree there's a problem with Chinese cubes being confusing and possibly inaccessible to newb cubers, but this is not a moral solution in my mind.

Btw, I'm not 100% sure, but isn't Lubix just some repackaged silicone oil? With a steep markup? Am I mistaken about that, or why are you people not outraging about that? (Not hating on Lubix, just the first example that came to my mind.)

I'm not sure, I thought they did something to it. I've never bought any, but I've bought cubicle lube which is possibly the same thing. To me, it was worth the convenient dispenser/quantity, and tacking it onto an already existing order to save on shipping (since I live in Korea, traxxas is a bit harder to get ahold of with cheap shipping).

I did buy a Lubix WeiLong as a noob, which I was a bit duped on, but at least they put in some work modding the cube, which has some value. It's still a good cube, but I wouldn't buy from Lubix again, now that I'm more knowledgeable.
 
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