'Knockoff' Browser Extension Hides Sketchy Brands On Amazon
5 122alternative_right shares a report from 404 Media: A software developer made a Chrome and Firefox extension called Knockoff that automatically hides, grays out, or filters products from sketchy brands on Amazon, which highlights just how many shady brands are on the platform and how commonly they show up on searches for basic items. In just a few minutes of using the extension, Knockoff dimmed product listings for screwdrivers made by "SUNHZMCKP," spoons made by "SACATR," and a lamp made by "ROTTOGOON."
In a tweet announcing the extension, developer Josh Pigford wrote "Sorry to brands like WNPETHOME, EHEYCIGA, YXYL, LU&MN, JOYIN, TOMY, GODONLIF, YOOJEE, LINGTENG, LANEIGE, VISCOO, BIODANCE, COOFANDY, BALENNZ, TOSY, and LUENX." The extension can also hide all sponsored product listings. The extension quickly went viral as a much-needed filter for people who still use Amazon and, for those who don't use Amazon because of its horrendous labor practices and other concerns, it is evidence of what an incredible wasteland the platform has become.
5 comments
YMMV - But the knockoffs have a legit market (Score: 5, Insightful)
by HighOrbit ( 631451 ) on Wednesday July 08, 2026 @02:08PM (#66228530)
Sometimes I don't mind cheap chinesium. I just bought a pack of 60 dinner forks because my kids inexplicably loose dinner forks. I don't care about Bokon, Tinnin, ZXVFY, or whatever made up brand it is. I know I'm buying cheap chinese stuff. If I was buying life-safety equipment, well, Amazon might not be the place to start anyway.
Re:Why? (Score: 5, Interesting)
by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Thursday July 09, 2026 @04:51AM (#66229630)
Why would I pay more for the same stuff from a "reputable" brand
Reputation, specifically a local office, comes with liability which quite often drives independent quality control. Depending on the item those "same stuff" may look very different on the inside compared to the outside.
Just a personal example, I was looking at digital bluetooth thermometers for BBQs (the ones that get mounted in the lid) I bought one from a brand name for 75EUR. I saw the same one a few months later on Aliexpress for 15EUR and was curious so I bought it. They look the same, except I cut my finger on a sharp piece that was clearly poorly machined and didn't fit correctly in the casing of the Chinese import. Also the Chinese import thinks water boils at 90C where as "the same stuff but more expensive" says it's 100C. Which one is right?
Another generalised example, in the EU recently there was a case of a lot of kids play toys containing coloured sands having asbestos contamination. The reputable brands reached out to their customers with a product recall and immediately pulled the things from the shelves. In the meantime Amazon is still full of the listings for "the same stuff" and consumer groups are playing whack-a-mole trying to get Amazon to delist them as they keep popping up.
If your kid needs to recover medical expenses for lung cancer, what's the chance of Haoyu Xi Zhang from Mangya in Qinghai obeying the court to cover your medical expenses?
Or better still do you buy "the same stuff" when it comes to batteries, and does your home insurance cover fires caused by Chineseium-ion chemistry?
These things only *look* like they are the same stuff.
TOMY is legit (Score: 5, Informative)
by dajr ( 64457 ) on Wednesday July 08, 2026 @02:13PM (#66228538)
TOMY is totally legit!!!!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomy
https://us.tomy.com/
This is an outrage! (Score: 5, Funny)
by rsilvergun ( 571051 ) on Wednesday July 08, 2026 @02:22PM (#66228566)
I absolutely love my EHEYCIGA electric scooter and OH GOD IT'S ON FIRE. Quick where is my WNPETHOME brand fire extinguisher!? Oh God it's full of bees! Why is it full of bees!? They aren't even live bees!!
Re:Uh, not sure these are really knock-offs? (Score: 5, Insightful)
by ceoyoyo ( 59147 ) on Wednesday July 08, 2026 @02:50PM (#66228632)
The whole thing sounds pretty arbitrary. I've got an electric screwdriver with some name like "Goofun" on it that was clearly designed by engineers who wanted to make the best electric screwdriver they could. I've also got one from "Black and Decker" that is of much lower quality.
WTF is "Black and Decker" anyway? Or "Google?" "Microsoft" sounds like a sex joke, and last time I had "Coca-Cola" it didn't contain any of either.