Bitter-Sweet Selections

Ever wonder why you feel like you’ve seen the same invention idea over and over, but figured it’s impossible. Well, it’s very possible and here’s why.

Knock-offs. These are the products that you see in stores and online that are typically of lower quality, and imitate or essentially copy a bright idea that has already been created. While knock-offs can be great for the consumer market as they’re usually cheaper, it keeps consumers away from buying the original product. Knock-offs can be created when an idea has been shared with essentially anyone who decides they like the idea as well. It is easier than you may think to accidentally share an idea with the wrong audience and have that idea stripped from your hands and placed into the convenience of another’s. But how is that fair? It was your idea…

You’re right, it is unfair. Which is why you need to protect your idea as well as you can. While they aren’t fool proof, patents are the first major step to keeping your idea your own, and forces the idea stealers of the world to stay away. It’s not easy to go through the entire process of creating your very own invention and it’s your job to keep your invention safe from becoming a knock-off somewhere else. Before you begin sharing your idea, be sure to file for a provisional patent.

Sometimes consumers don’t even realize they’re purchasing a knock-off and end up regretting what they’ve paid for. This is when creating special assets is a good idea. To keep a distance between an invention and knock-offs of the invention, inventors might want to make sure their product has one or more special features that is secured to only their original product. These types of features have unique elements used that are nearly impossible to mimic, making it more obvious to consumers whether the product is original or a knock off.

While we can probably all say we’ve purchased a knock-off at some point in our lives for various reasons, it’s also important to give kudos to the original inventors to make sure their legacy lives on. So, as always, be creative and be aware. The opportunities are endless out there!

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