If you manufacture in China but don’t sell there, you may think you’re safe. You’re not.

A surprising number of product makers assume their trademark protects them globally.

But it doesn’t.

One of my clients learned this the hard way years ago.

They switched manufacturers after serious recurring quality problems.

The old manufacturer, unhappy about being fired, went out the same week and registered my client’s unclaimed trademarks in China.

It was a strategic play.

When the next production run shipped, it was frozen at the port.

Customs saw the trademark on the boxes and flagged it as “owned by someone else.”

The shipment wasn’t released until my client paid a ransom-like fee.

Months of delays, thousands in losses, and an unforgettable lesson.

If you produce in China (or any other foreign country), register your trademarks there … even if you never plan to sell a single unit in that market.

Assume other parties will act strategically.

Manage relationships across cultures with clear boundaries, documentation, and contingency plans.

IP is not a paranoia thing.

It’s all about preparing for entirely predictable moves, that sometimes are not so obvious.

Want to make your product irresistible? That’s what we do as product marketing consultants at Graphos Product, helping innovators turn need-driven ideas into market-ready successes.