Illustrator's shock finding design copies on Temu

A Kent-based illustrator and designer has described her shock at finding copies of her designs on retail site Temu.

Elizabeth Harbour from Wateringbury, Kent, runs her self-titled business selling wooden decorations, mantle ornaments and cards.

However, she told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme she was shocked to see her designs on Temu: "I think what was so frightening was they were direct copies, and you think how has that happened?"

A Temu spokesperson said: "We take IP (intellectual property) infringement seriously and acted immediately to investigate when contacted by Elizabeth on 14th April 2024 and removed the infringing listings on 15th April 2024."

A Temu spokesperson says the company "is an online marketplace connecting consumers with thousands of third-party sellers and does not produce any of the products nor own any of the brands sold."

Mrs Harbour has been working as an illustrator for nearly 40 years.

She runs her business, Elizabeth Harbour Designs, with her husband and the pair sell her work via Etsy, an online market place for independent sellers and makers.

Mrs Harbour said she became aware of the copies of her designs when an Etsy customer contacted her to say "her daughter had seen my work for sale on Temu".

"It was quite a shock to see that six of my bestsellers were on sale on their site," Mrs Harbour told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme.

Mrs Harbour said the products for sale on Temu were two thirds cheaper than her designs.

"I wanted to purchase them to see what they were like but was nervous about ordering from the site," the designer said.

Mrs Harbour explained "Temu did promptly remove the counterfeit copies” but said she was still in "fear" the "work is out there and could it happen to other pieces of my work".

The Temu spokesperson says the company has "strict policies" against sellers who infringe on intellectual property rights.

"Actions we take include immediate removal of infringing listings, suspending listing privileges, and account termination,” the spokesperson added.

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