I was able to successfully identify and avoid fake KFC and Pizza Hut, but failed on fake Starbucks. After I bought a mocha and it tasted differently, I realized I went in a "黑店" right away. I walked out and looked at the signage again and just laughed at myself. I was trapped since the coffee shop was within the airport (of a small city) and I assumed it should be a real one and did not pay attention to its sign (of course, it did not spell exactly Starbucks).
My friend was trapped by fake KFC when he visited Beijing years ago at 市郊 after coming back from the Great Wall.
KUNMING, China - Chinese officials have ordered two bogus Apple shops in the city of Kunming to shut, not because of piracy or copyright concerns, but because the stores in the southwestern city did not have an official business permit.
Five self-branded "Apple Stores" were found to be selling Apple Inc. products without authorization from the California-based company, but only two were told to shut, officials said.
An investigation into the stores was apparently sparked by a storm of media attention over an elaborate hoax Apple shop discovered by a blogger from the United States. The order did not apply to that store, which is applying for a reseller licence with Apple, a local government spokesman said.
"Media should not misunderstand the situation and jump to conclusions. Some overseas media have made it appear the stores sold fake Apple products," said Chang Puyun, spokesman for Kunming government's business bureau.
"China has taken great steps to enforce intellectual property rights and the stores weren't selling fake products."
Officials are investigating whether Apple had applied with the Chinese government to have its store design and layout protected by law, Chang added.
(full story from above link)
If Apple didn't apply a patent for its store design in China, then maybe that is why Apple is not complaining all these years.
Foreigners have been trying to mislead the public.
Foreign media have been saying:
1) This store is faked.
2) Faked products appeared in China before.
While 1) and 2) are arguably true, by using 1) and 2) they tried to insinuate that this faked store is selling faked products. But in fact this store is selling genuine Apple products.
Apple has the responsibility to open a lot more Apple Stores to serve the Chinese public, rather than just using China as a source of affordable manufacturing.
I am not saying it is ethical to open a faked store.
But if Apple didn't apply a patent for its store design in China, then maybe that is why Apple is not complaining all these years.
Apple has the responsibility to open a lot more Apple Stores to give the Chinese public the real Apple experience, rather than just using China as a source of affordable manufacturing.
Just the 4 stores in Beijing and Shanghai and the upcoming 2 stores in Hong Kong are not enough. Apple should commit more in China.
發表於 2011-7-22 18:41
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After I bought a mocha and it tasted differently, I realized I went in a "黑店" right away. I walked out and looked at the signage again and just laughed at myself. I was trapped since the coffee shop was within the airport (of a small city) and I assumed it should be a real one and did not pay attention to its sign (of course, it did not spell exactly Starbucks). 
