Exploitation 101

This week's how to is brought to you by the NPR special "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me." Love it. If I did a "how to" be entertained while feeling smart that you're getting some current events, this radio show/podcast would be the answer. Today, however, I'd like to tell the story of one Chinese company's economic ingenuity.

For starters, China's products have been getting their fair share of negative press lately. This turn of events has led to talks about redeeming their reputation for quality and substance. What happened next is a matter of conjecture (I'm inclined to think nepotism was at play) but someone decided to go with the old mantra "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em... or whatever the equivalent statement is in Chinese. Whoever is to blame (I mean, praise), he/she is a genius. That person or group of persons has figured out how to live the dream- make maximum profit with minimum effort. Yes, they have figured out

how to succeed in business without really trying.

What's more, they have figured it out in the middle of a global economic crisis. And I'm sooooo not talking about the musical. Here's a hint: Bucksstar.

This is not a typo. In Nanjing, a city just outside Shanghai, a new "star" is born. Bucksstar Coffee. A little obvious, you think? Well, that's the idea. Bucksstar is part of a new "brand" of shopping mall-- a mall devoted entirely to knock-offs. Yes, in the counterfeit capital of the world, shoppers now know exactly what to expect in what they're buying. After all, in these days of economic downturn, folks don't have the cash to pay for brands, do they? So, what do we do, boys and girls? That's right! We capitalize on people's problems! Very good. Anyway, besides this beauty of a coffee shop, the unsavvy shopper can eat at McDnoald's, Pizza Huh, and Cinnabun. They can get a faker fake tan at Califronia Tan. They can shop at Abercronbie & Fetch. And to boot, they can get toys at... wait for it... wait for it... TOYS SCAR US! As Peter Sagal said, "Well, at least that one's honest."

Apparently, not everyone in China thinks this is a good direction to go in. There have been such outbursts as, "Not every shopper is brand conscious so a lot of people will walk into these stores thinking they are getting the real thing," and "The whole idea of this mall is just plain dishonest. Some fakes are done light-heartedly to be funny, but these stores look so much like the real thing people are going to feel cheated." Really people, how dare you!?!

I think it's brilliant. I'm sooo waiting for an exact duplicate of this mall to crop up in NYC. I mean come on! It's only fitting that the counterfeit mall be counterfeited. And then we can have all the fun of all the lawsuits rolling in. So, a word of advice... if you decide on this course of action, make sure you have a lawyer who can handle it. And make sure he/she is brand name.