Temu to crack down on copycat designs

Temu has agreed to test new technology to speed up the identification and removal of greeting card designs that breach intellectual property (IP) rights, following lobbying by the Greeting Card Association (GCA).

The software will facilitate the bulk identification and removal of plagiarised designs being sold by vendors on Temu.

The GCA has been concerned for some time about the increasing availability of copycat products on Far East-based marketplaces, which has impacted members such as designers and retailers that have invested in original design.

Temu’s technology is being trialled by greetings card publisher Emotional Rescue. That will be followed by “a wider pilot with members to test the software and provide feedback”, the GCA said. 

GCA chief executive Amanda Fergusson said: “We know our members feel very strongly about copycat sellers and the difficulties they face addressing IP infringement on online marketplaces.

“We also know customers are often disappointed by cheap copies that undermine the thought and care of sending a card in the first place.

“Our dialogue with Temu and the actions they’re taking are a welcome first step to address those issues, and we appreciate their collaboration in piloting a solution that could help address the problem.”

Copycat designs on online marketplaces have been an issue in other retail categories, such as fashion.