this really wouldnt be a big deal of sony wasnt claiming they did this to protect their customers, if they were honest about looking out for number 1- I wouldnt mind.
but claiming to be looking out for their customers while they fuck them over is just despicable
I agree. I hardly ever see a company claiming it's looking out for the customers by litigating against another company.
Hong Kong, October 24th of 2006 - Lik-Sang.com, the popular gaming retailer from Hong Kong, has today announced that it is forced to close down due to multiple legal actions brought against it by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sony claimed that Lik-Sang infringed its trade marks, copyright and registered design rights by selling Sony PSP consoles from Asia to European customers, and have recently obtained a judgment in the High Court of London (England) rendering Lik-Sang's sales of PSP consoles unlawful.
So London has ruled on the issue, that's just one country... is that a reason for Lik-Sang.com (a company I've never heard of up until now) to stop doing business in this avenue?? If Lik-Sang acquired their merchandise in a legal fashion, then who is Sony to boss around this other company, telling them to whom or where they may or may not sell the products?? If Sony has a contract in place determining the limitations of their retail operations that's a whole other story, and I'll admit that I'm not well informed with this particular situation.
Furthermore, Sony have failed to disclose to the London High Court that not only the world wide gaming community in more than 100 countries relied on Lik-Sang for their gaming needs, but also Sony Europe's very own top directors repeatedly got their Sony PSP hard or software imports in nicely packed Lik-Sang parcels with free Lik-Sang Mugs or Lik-Sang Badge Holders, starting just two days after Japan's official release, as early as 14th of December 2004 (more than nine months earlier than the legal action). The list of PSP related Sony Europe orders reads like the who's who of the videogames industry, and includes Ray Maguire (Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Alan Duncan (UK Marketing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Chris Sorrell (Creative Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd), Rob Parkin (Development Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited), just to name a few.
What hubris, Sony! Don't you control your own business and distribution channels (control of where your products go and for how much in wholesale???)? Why is this even an issue? Because of safety standards/etc? These customers are choosing to import hardware. I think they understand the risk, or at least the word would get out if their products were defective.
As far as the claim about trademarks and images, that's bullocks. If I were to sell some hardware, do I not have the obligation or at least an interest to include photographs of what I sell if not to be honest but to get more business? This judgement baffles me.
Score one for socialist corporate tyranny.
