Selling customized sets forbidden?

[tahra]

There is some kind of "restriction law" on customized klickies on the geobra homepage.

Well, I can write whatever I darn well please on my site, it doesn't make it law. I find it ridiculous, actually, and SERIOUSLY doubt it can be enforced. It surprises me that this nonsense goes to court. Unless the case is really about stolen parts, then it's completely different.

It's the parent's job to supervise what their kids are doing, not the toy's fault for what is being done to it (the toy).

Unfortunately, I think a LOT of parents these days think their kids are everyone else's problem.. 

[mike1003]

u can sell customs anywhere u like aslong u dont use playmobil in the topic or description. the figure itself is only like a medium..

[BlackPearl2006]

i can see if you're a store that sells playmobil, how you can get in trouble for selling custom sets if it's out of the same store.  Because Playmobil wholesales the merchandise to the stores, meant to be resold at retail and in their original form.

If a store owner (be it online or in real life) has access to wholesale parts, customizes them, and then sells them along side stock playmobil toys from the same store, it's a bit of a conflict of interest because, essentially, you'd be selling second-hand toys that dont' meet playmobil standards along side the brand new stock toys that do, and out of the same store.  Customers may confuse the customs for actual Playmobil stock toys, or riding off Playmobil's marketing (meant for stock playmobil toys) in order to sell their customs, thus, using Playmobil to promote your non-endorsed customs.

That seems to be the common theme between this Malta lawsuit and the other (unless they're one in the same?):  the customs are being sold by vendors who also sell stock playmobil regularly, and out of the same venue.  Maybe this can be avoided if the customs were sold out of a seperate and private venue not associated with the vendor's store that carries playmobil.

[Baron Marshall]

That is an excellent point BlackPearl! that would sort be a conflict of interest... because customs are usually better looking than stock... 

[Luis]

i'm sorry to hear what this seller is going through (i think i too have bought from her a few years back as her name sounds VERY familiar to me) - it even sounds ridiculous that she gets sued for such an innocent crime...there's really mean people doing worse things in the world!!! - the law of that country should get busy with things that really affect them instead of wasting their time with a working person who does nothing but pleasing her collector audience (pm should be grateful that in a way she's promoting their brand name)

[Playmofool]

I don't know what that seller is really sued for, but:

These rules by Geobra on customizing were established alongside the case of the "Playmo-Bibel" (an online version of this book by a pastor (User-Name:Bommel) with pictures of klickies telling the stories of the Old and New Testament).

He was threatened by geobra's lawyer's with a lawsuit if he didn't take his bible version off-line (apparently people who had looked at his site had asked geobra where they could buy those klickies "with bent arms/legs", the "steel knives and swords" and especially the "klicky Jesus nailed to the cross").

Around this time the above-mentioned document was put on the website and another one on "product policy" ruling out the use of violence and horror for Playmobil products.

From a common sense point of view, I'd say: Tahra and bonniebeth are right: These rules won't hold in court, but who is willing to take the risk (Bommel wasn't and has left the community).

From a realisitc point of view I'd like you to consider: There are things possible in courts (if you've got the right lawyers) that have got nothing to do with common sense).

I hope we'll hear more about this new case soon.

[stadswache]

I like the fotos in this newspaper 


are the custom??

its on topic its about the lawsuit

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110914/local/Fantasy-meets-reality-in-court-of-law.384614

[tahra]

I love the pic!

[PrimusPilus]

That's not "customized". She just positioned the klickies and accessories in a similar fashion to the real court. Customized would be if she had altered the klickies and parts in some way - the least would be swapping body parts (disassembling klickies that are not supposed to be taken apart).

[Luis]

I don't know what that seller is really sued for, but:

These rules by Geobra on customizing were established alongside the case of the "Playmo-Bibel" (an online version of this book by a pastor (User-Name:Bommel) with pictures of klickies telling the stories of the Old and New Testament).

He was threatened by geobra's lawyer's with a lawsuit if he didn't take his bible version off-line (apparently people who had looked at his site had asked geobra where they could buy those klickies "with bent arms/legs", the "steel knives and swords" and especially the "klicky Jesus nailed to the cross").

Around this time the above-mentioned document was put on the website and another one on "product policy" ruling out the use of violence and horror for Playmobil products.

From a common sense point of view, I'd say: Tahra and bonniebeth are right: These rules won't hold in court, but who is willing to take the risk (Bommel wasn't and has left the community).

From a realisitc point of view I'd like you to consider: There are things possible in courts (if you've got the right lawyers) that have got nothing to do with common sense).

I hope we'll hear more about this new case soon.

I totally understand Geobra's point on Bommel's case because involving religion with a toy brand that has nothing to do with it can be absolutely offensive and misinterpreted, not just by the Geobra crew or PM fans but also by believers, either conservative or non conservative.
I don't think Vicky's customs could be considered offensive, violent or horror-provoking, could they?