Tisk! Not cool Ergo, not cool at all!!

House of Blue · #1 (**permalink**) 09-08-2007, 06:34 PM

http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/s...+babywear ing

I’ve received several emails and have confirmed the information below and thought that I’d share what I’ve heard with you all so you will know what type of business practices Ergo is participating in lately.

The Ergo baby company has been targeting WAHM businesses in the US and not allowing them to sell the Ergo unless they sell a minimum amount per month. This, of itself is okay and a smart business move, however, the manner in which they are pulling the accounts is not okay. They are demanding that the businesses give back the Ergo Carriers to the company for a partial refund and threatening legal action against them if they don’t do it. This is not legal (if you buy something as a wholesaler, the product is yours to do as you please. Worst thing that can happen is the company can refuse to sell to you in the future), but they are threatening to take folks to court over it, which, if the WAHM companies decided to go forward, even though they’d win the lawsuit, they’d lose their business because of the costs.

Ergo is also targeting soft structured carrier (SSC) manufacturers to get them to stop making other SSC. They have a patent pending in the US http://portal.uspto.gov/external/por...tion= #7_0_18L

They are also now targeting WAHM companies overseas. When they are targeting these WAHM companies overseas, they are looking to collect damages from the distributors that have sold other competing SSCs. So, basically, they want the companies that are selling other SSCs to pay them money for each carrier that they have sold.

Personally, I find this behavior wrong on many levels. Ergo used (and still uses) many WAHM companies to get the name of their product out and now that it is becoming more mainstream and more popular, they are going after every company that makes and/or distributes anything similar so they can try to gain a monopoly. It just disgusts me that they are now trying to destroy the same companies that they used to make money for themselves

Anyhow, I thought I’d let you all know what is going on with Ergo so that way you can continue to decide if this is a company you want to support further. Also, if you are a manufacturer of an SSC or a distributor of SSC’s, you may want to seek legal advice just to be sure that you are protecting yourself.

noordinaryspider · #2 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 01:18 PM

Thank you. I'm glad I bought mine used and was considering getting another in a different colour for my teenaged ds to use. After reading this, I think I'll look into a WAHM-made Mei Tai instead.

runningmom · #3 (**permalink**) 02-18-2008, 09:45 PM

Wow - how bad is that! Seems like they are trying to defend their 'territory'.... however going about it the wrong way.

THEmommy · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2008, 01:28 AM

The thing is that most of the WAHM carriers aren't even exact to the Ergo design. SSC's have been around for like EVER, they are asian inspired carriers, that date back a couple of centuries..so how in the hell can these people try to stake claim on the whole SSC thing?

Ugh. whatever.

audimeadows · #5 (**permalink**) 03-19-2008, 05:43 PM

Hi! I am an ergowearing mama that was suprised to come across this comment. I hope that it is not true because I love my ergo so very much but, like any good consumer I really want to know the truth about products I buy. Please tell me where you came across this information so that I can research this subject for my family. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Audimeadows