I Wish You Wouldn’t

I Wish You Wouldn't

Special thanks to Maman Loup’s Den who suggested what is clearly the best title for this post. 

I love a good deal. I really truly do. When I find that something I’ve been eyeing has gone on sale, I get weak in the knees. I wish I was exaggerating, but I’m not. When I got my laundry machines for less than half price including delivery and installation, I was on a high for weeks. I still get flutters in my heart when I think of it. So, yeah, I love a good deal. You know what I don’t love? Stealing. I don’t love stealing at all. When I see a whole bunch of theft happening right before my eyes, I can’t just sit back and watch it happen. I can’t just turn the other way and avert my eyes. But when the one doing the stealing refuses to acknowledge it, and refuses to make it right, it lights a fire under me to take some action. Today, I’m taking action. I’m talking to you Wish.com, and it’s time for you to stop stealing from WAHMs, small businesses, and even big businesses. Enough is enough. 

If you haven’t heard of Wish, consider yourself lucky. I won’t be linking to their site here, because I don’t need to be giving them any more traffic than they already have. After you’ve read what I have to say, you’re welcome to Google it if you’re so inclined. Wish is a website that sells a variety of goods from clothing & footwear to baby gear and even cosmetics, they pretty well sell a little lot of everything. What draws the customer in is their rock bottom prices. When I say rock bottom, I mean it. These deals sound way too good to be true. When you see the items they are selling, they look amazing. Take, for example, this baby wearing coat:

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source: screenshot from wish.com

That looks incredible! The price simply cannot be beat. How can you not order when the deal is that smokin’? Before you click “buy” and send your money off to Wish, I urge you to take a closer look. You see, that perfectly designed coat in the picture looks awfully familiar, doesn’t it? That’s because the picture Wish is using to sell their coat is stolen. That’s right. Wish steals images off the websites and online shops of other businesses and just throws it up on their own site in order to sell more products. Now maybe you assume that Wish somehow got a really amazing deal on a whole bunch of those coats, and that’s how they’re able to sell them at such a ridiculously deep discount. That is not what’s happening here. Don’t think of Wish as the Costco of the internet. I have spoken with the women of Viva La Mama Berlin who make the coat in that photo. Wish does not have permission to use this photo, and they are not selling the item shown in this photo. They’re not showing you what they’re actually selling. Instead, they’re luring customers in with stolen property to convince you to part with your hard earned money.

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source (left to right): Viva La Mama Berlin, screen shot from wish.com

Still not convinced that Wish isn’t legit? Check out this listing for the same babywearing coat, but at a slightly different price:

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source: screenshot from wish.com

The good news about this one is that it includes a free nipple! I’ve always wanted a third nipple, and for an additional $8, it’s a real steal. See what I did there? If you look carefully at this picture, you can see that the “free nipple” is placed on top of the image strategically over a white cut out (it’s pretty hard to see, but if you angle your screen just right…). If you want my opinion on that, and you’re here so I’ll assume you do, I’d bet they have included a free nipple to cover up the real brand’s logo. You know, so you can’t tell that it’s a stolen image.

Now it’s not just pictures of babywearing coats that are stolen images on Wish. You know those adorable Skip Hop animal backpacks that are all the rage amongst the preschooler set? You know the ones. They come in adorable animals like frogs, owls, ladybugs, and bumble bees. Guess what? Wish has those too! They haven’t even bothered to try to cover up the logo tag on the backpacks, and one of the pictures cuts off half of Skip Hop’s own description of the item. Hands down the best part of this one is Wish’s description of the item. Not only is it made out of “Environmental Health Material”, because obvi, but it’s “convinent”, and “Notice: it is the best choice for your childrens”. If that doesn’t scream permission to use Skip Hop’s photos granted, I just don’t know what does. (Insert eye roll here)

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source: screenshots from wish.com

What are the odds boon gave Wish permission to use this picture of their Grass countertop drying rack? This one’s akin to highway robbery. Look at the serious discount Wish is giving its customers for this drying rack! It’s downright criminal. Only $20 when, according to Wish, it retails for $106? Sign me right up.

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source (top to bottom): screenshot from wish.com, screenshot from boon.com

Now maybe you’re thinking customers should just read the reviews. Perhaps that would help guide them through the jungle of legit products and counterfeit ones? I bet it would, if you could trust that the reviews for these items weren’t all fake. My favourite review has to be the one for this Maclaren bumper bar. I mean, the MacLAlaren bumper bar general armrest… Sasha-marie says “I’m a large and got an XL fit me small”. Good to know that the Maclalaren bumper bar fits small. I’ll be sure to size up when I order. Do I even want to know how Sasha-marie tried this on for size? Don’t answer that.

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source: screenshot from wish.com

Want reviews that aren’t fake? Just go ahead and search for reviews of Wish.com for yourself. You just might come across a multitude of unfavourable experiences. Case in point, this small business owner has an etsy store that’s fallen victim to Wish.com’s theft. She tried to get her photo, her property, taken off Wish, but the response she got was less than helpful. Like peg-leg pirates on the high seas of the world wide web, Wish customer support told her “they can use any picture they want to and that the picture was theirs”. Isn’t that nice of them.

I Wish You Wouldn't
Image source: screenshot from sitejabber.com

I think it’s fair to say that Wish.com is not the place you want to be shopping for baby gear. Not only are they using stolen property to deceive customers, but they’re doing it to the detriment of hard working WAHMs and small businesses. “Big” companies like Skip Hop, boon, and Maclaren might have the capital to hire a legal team if they want to take on Wish.com, but those small businesses who’s hard work is being stolen right off their own webpages are powerless against Wish. They can ask that their stolen property be removed, but Wish isn’t likely to change their ways anytime soon. Instead, I implore you, the consumer, to think twice before you open up your wallet to that steal of a deal on Wish.

If you’d like to learn more about the WAHM shop that actually makes that babywearing coat, you can check out my reviews of their Bosco babywearing coat and Belly Boo nursing hoodie.

TheMonarchMommy.com

The Monarch Mommy Top Mommy Blog

89 Comments on “I Wish You Wouldn’t

  1. never heard of Wish, but would have eventually, so thank you for the heads up on this site. I really appreciate that.

  2. In one of my local B/S/T pages, a woman was selling that same maternity/babywearing sweater you mention in this article and asking around $80. Someone commented that you could get it on wish.com for $14 and I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s a good deal” and thought maybe the lady was trying to scam people. But now I know that was not the case and it’s actually wish.com that is the scammer! Thank you for the eye opening post!

    • I crochet and so many people don’t realise the cost of handmade goods. Enough yarn to make a baby blanket can easily cost $10-15 and up and a mermaid tail is much bigger. Add to that the time it takes to make projects. They are not cheap.

  3. Wow! I had never heard of wish either, and I don’t care to look it up now!! That’s truest terrible, as you say. I’m interested in actual reciews though. The people who bought the babywearing sweater- what did they actually receive? Ugh.

    • I haven’t ordered one myself, so I’m not entirely sure. From one person’s report what they received must have been soaked in some kind of chemical (possibly to prevent mold growth?) and the whole thing stunk something fierce. She said she would never have put her child anywhere near it.

    • Very cheaply made sweater some seams not even sewn. A lot of mamas got the wrong colours. I ordered one 🙁 I didn’t know they stole the image from someone. Or that there was anywheres else I could get one. I seen a mom on my fb group suggest and link to wish. I just clicked didn’t bother to stop and do research:(

  4. I’ve heard of Wish through some BST groups, People talking about their diaper inserts. But I’ve never been on their website or app or whatever it is. I wonder what horrible quality everything they sell is since it’s obviously not what’s pictured.

  5. The crazy thing is that they’re not the only one! There are a bunch of these “discount retailers” (always advertised on Facebook) and they all do the same thing, and then the stuff they send you is total garbage. If you’re so inclined you can look up on Facebook groups where they post pictures of what they paid for vs what they got.

  6. I’ve sadly used wish a couple times,I have a nursing shirt I like the style of not the material but I haven’t seen the style anywhere that I know of. However the quality is just not there for the products so in the end it’s not worth saving the few bucks on wish and waiting the weeks to get the product. I’d rather pay a little more for the quality from the original company.

  7. this is crazy. i’ve never purchased anything from here, but people dont notice?

  8. Thank you for this. There was a discussion about this babywearing sweater yesterday on a Tula site, and I thought it looked familiar! I will definitely be passing!

  9. I’m confused. Are the images stolen, then the item you receive a knock off? Or the items stolen as well?

  10. Wow why do people do this its so wrong. Thank you for the heads up. I won’t open up my wallet to them.

  11. I heard about Wish through a local BST, but when I took a peak I was pretty confused. I had noticed some of the products looked the same as one of the Etsy stores I love, lo and behold the pictures were stolen…. it’s too bad.

  12. I actually visited Wish recently because I saw ian advertisement and was intrigued. It yelled SCAM from the first minute I looked at it!

  13. I’ve heard of Wish before but I’ve never taken the time to check out the site. Thank you for the heads up! I will definitely be passing

  14. Very very well put! Small businesses–like SprayPal, Grovia, and many others–make up an AMAZING 99.7% of US firms. And when they do well, they can expand and provide better wages and benefits for their employees.

  15. Just WOW! I have heard of Wish, but never used it or even looked at it. Now I am glad that I haven’t. Cyber stealing photos should have harsher laws or punishments!

  16. How is this company able to outright steal images like that? I know Kohls has been stealing art for awhile but to use the actual photo?

    • Because most of the retailers are not in the US or other countries with copyright laws.
      We have ordered from them before and only one item has ever come from the US, most of everything else comes from China

    • They’re actually not allowed to do it, but they do. Plenty of the brands they’ve stolen pictures from are in the US, but there are copyright laws against this type of theft in Europe as well (where the company that makes the real babywearing coats in based). They are simply taking the images off other people’s websites. Either right clicking to take it or taking a screen shot. :/

  17. I’ve never heard of wish, but good to be warned of them! Horrible what they are doing. Hope they get shut down soon!

  18. Thanks for the heads up. I’ve never heard of this website, but now I know to avoid it in the future!

  19. I have always wonder how prices were so cheap come to find out they have also done this with Mary Kay younique and Avon cosmetics! I’m glad even when I had the urge I didn’t waste the money!

  20. It’s really lame if them to be stealing ideas and customers from small businesses. Shame on that!

  21. I’d heard of wish before, and actually looked at the website, but after much research, and reading this, I will NOT purchase from them. Thank you for the heads up.

  22. This is such a shame. Websites like this should be shut down, but as you said it takes financial resources to take these people to task. Stealing is stealing though and they should have to pay for their crimes.

  23. Thank you for posting this! Finally someone who feels the same I do. Such a crappy scam of a business.

  24. I try to stay away from buying from sites like these because of this reason! I always feel like they are imitations or knock-offs of the stolen pictures of the products.

  25. Woah! I have never shopped on wish, and after reading this I never will. Thanks for the heads up!

  26. I’ve heard of Wish but never actually checked out the site. Thanks for the warning! This is detestable.

  27. I will post a link to this blog post when I see people raving about the awesome deals they are getting at wish.com. Some people don’t care as long as they save a dollar but I think most people would choose to make ethical purchases if they knew the difference. Thanks for getting this out there!

  28. This is awful. I hope some of the big companies being stolen from hire some intellectual property lawyers and take on Wish.

  29. It’s all knock off cheaper version of items directly from China. In China they don’t have copyright laws like we do here unfortunately so there’s not much we can do except spread the word and not buy from them.

    I know some people threw away the items when they got them and saw they were cheap versions. Environmental waste. 🙁

  30. You see these same cheap knockoffs when buying on eBay and even Amazon. A general rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Pay a little more for honesty and quality, and you’ll feel better about it in the long run.

  31. Wow, I always wonder why they are so cheap. It’s a good thing I never got anything from them before. Looks too good to be true!

  32. I only know of this site bc of my husband showing me all of the crazy cool things he could get for really cheap but I don’t trust sites like that so I never let him order from it. I’m glad I can now tell him that those aren’t the actual things they are selling.

  33. Thanks for this investigative blogging! I hate this business model, but unfortunately all too many online businesses get away with it. Like those Facebook ads for famous clothing brands at rock bottom prices. You don’t anything like the photo.

  34. Since becoming a WAHM, I’m encouraged so much more to shop locally. We have less money but the money I do have I want to use to support local businesses.

  35. Wow! I’ve heard of Wish.com before but have never actually ordered anything from them. I can’t believe they can get away with doing this. Not cool!

  36. Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of wish scamming people. I hate that they think this is how you treat customers. Thanks for the warning to all your followers.

  37. I love a deal… it when I saw the items and pricing I did more research. The company is not legit and not worth spending the money on. Buy from a local shop and pay the extra. Thanks for the article.

  38. That’s awful! I’ve never purchased anything from Wish and now I know I never will. Definatly sharing this with others that I know have.

  39. I hate the wish app, I’ve seen way too many people get ripped off by it because of their deceitful pictures

  40. I just downloaded this app after hearing about it on Facebook. Yikes! I will definitely be deleting it now. Thanks for the info!

  41. Fortunately I had never heard of this website, but I appreciate the info. I come from a long line of small business owners and my husband works for a small business, so I definitely get how this could affect those WAHM’s.

  42. I’ve heard of wish.com and always thought “it’s too good to be true”, but so many people buy from them. Why?!
    Thanks for spreading the word.

  43. Ugh!! Hate companies that do this!! I see it more and more with clothing too!! Use one picture and sell you the fakest pile of crap!! Id be curious to see what people receive when the order something!! Maybe that could be a blog post lol! I order this one thing and this is what I got 😉

  44. I’m all about the deals too. I get a rush from n incredible mark down hahaha.

  45. Thanks for the heads up..i hate these places and wish there was more that could be done about them.

  46. Omg! I refuse to buy from Wish! My sister bought these dresses from Wish when they first came out and they were beautiful pictures. She wants these dresses for an elegant night out. Let’s just say when she got them they weren’t the right size and didn’t look like the picture! I hate that app so much! I had no idea they stole pictures but makes sense now! I will never buy from them!

  47. Wow! I’ve been on there a few times and thought some of those pictures looked familiar…never thought they stole pics from WAHM, that is so wrong. Thanks for the info!

  48. Thank you. I’ve looked so many times and thought “someone’s getting ripped off here!”

  49. first time i hear about wish… sure won’t give them my support.
    thanks for the warning.

  50. I always thought it was too good to be true so I’m glad I never ordered from there before. Thanks for the info

  51. Wow… I had heard of wish and always wondered how in the world they had such crazy prices. I DID assume it was some sort of costco or Sam’s club of the Internet. Thanks for the warning!

  52. Terrible! Thanks for filling me in, I’ve seen alot of people posting about buying diapers and clothes from this site – so glad I never fell for their scam!

  53. Any time I hear anyone talk about the wish app I tell them about this. It’s absolutely absurd and something that needs to be taken care if by officials. I can’t believe it hasn’t yet. It’s sad for sure . does skiphop know they are being stolen from. Maybe if big merchants do something it will help the smaller shops. All in all its super sad and I’m glad your putting it out there.

  54. Very informative article! I hate kickoffs and companies that steal images and ideas from those who actually make quality goods to make a living.

  55. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I always wondered what the deal was with this site, I had no idea how blatantly they steal other people’s good ideas! It’s sad this sort of thing is able to happen.

  56. Thank you for the warning!! I have never heard of Wish and will not be checking them out!! How sad that there is so little that can be done to stop this practice

  57. Friends of mine have ordered from Wish and the quality was a joke. If it seems too good to be true, it is.

  58. Wow!! Thank you for this!!! The added humour was perfect; “I’ve always wanted a third nipple!!”

    So sad that this company does this.

  59. I figured wish was a bunch of knockoff items but that is terrible that they are actually stealing photos from other companies as well.

  60. I have bought plenty of stuff of wish, yes to takes forever and a day to get here but well worth it!!! Only suggestion if you buy a ring up your size by 1

  61. Wow had no idea that was what Wish was doing. Had seen some mum in my mum facebook group pass on those deals. Now I know better. Thank you.

  62. Yaasss. I can’t stand sites that steal. Although if you are looking for a laugh there are some wish and romwe hauls on YouTube that are hilarious.

  63. I’ve never heard of that site before (try not to buy too much online) but I will be sure to stay clear of wish.com! Great post.

  64. I have ordered a bunch of times of wish,and never had a problem. Sure it takes forever to get here but if its not here by the day they say,they will give you a refund and you get to keep the merchandise .

  65. This is so true with so many other products too, e.g. knock off wedding dresses from China. I’m also concerned about unethical labour practices! A good reminder to spend our money with people we believe in

  66. I’ve personally shopped on wish and had really good luck. I haven’t boughten clothes but I have bought nail stuff and jewelry and stuff like that. Yes it’s cheap China stuff but when you are looking for cheap stuff to try (like nail stickers) it’s really not that bad. I always get what I order (I’ve ordered probably over 30+ items). Shipping takes a long time (6+ weeks) but they tell you that when you order. I don’t mind the lower quality cause it’s what I expect. 🙂 Give wish a try and see what you think. For the $10 it takes to try something you might have good luck like I did! 🙂

  67. Wow !! I didn’t know. I have seen this website and was too hard to believe of the price being so low. I’m sharing this post on social media.

  68. People are people everywhere, I really don’t understand how people, no matter where they’re from, think this is OK.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *