RSSSony Importer Lik-Sang Shuts Doors
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published October 24, 2006, 12:26 PM
In what can only be perceived as an official raising of the white flag, the Hong Kong-based retailer Lik-Sang, which had earlier made promises on its Web site that European customers would be able to order Sony PlayStation 3 consoles this November instead of having to wait until February or later, has ceased business operations, effective immediately.
Last Thursday, a British High Court ruled that Lik-Sang's sales of Sony's PlayStation Portable to the UK were unlawful, but surprisingly not because they violated global shipping laws or regulations. As the Financial Times reported, Judge Michael Fysh ruled that Lik-Sang had no legally established "trading presence" within Britain or anywhere else in the European Economic Area. As a result, it might not have been legal for Lik-Sang to do any kind of business there, let alone sell a game console to a country without Sony's license.
While the case was ostensibly about the PSP, the effect of the decision affects everything Lik-Sang sold in the UK, including advance sales of the PS3. Last October 3, Lik-Sang began taking pre-orders of PS3 with a "no money down" promotion.
"No need to wait for the department store next door to finally get its stock a year later," read Lik-Sang's promotion, which is now clearly shut down along with every other promotion. "The price at Lik-Sang.com will remain $0 until we have secured the best possible purchase prices, as many units as possible, and until further details emerge from our suppliers all around the world."
Sony's response was indisputable, as indicated by its statement to GamesIndustry.biz last week: "The law is clear; grey importing PS2, PSP or PS3 into the EU, without the express permission of [Sony Computer Entertainment] is illegal. Therefore, we will utilize the full scope of the law to put a stop to any retailers who chose to do this."
As Lik-Sang noted on its Web site this morning, the close of its worldwide business could actually have a detrimental impact on Sony consoles sales in Asia, although it's difficult to imagine any gamer deciding not to purchase a PS3 because his favorite retailer has shut its virtual doors. Still, from Lik-Sang's perspective, Sony has assumed the role of Darth Vader, destroyer of worlds.
"It's the beginning of the end...of the World as we know it," stated Lik-Sang's former marketing manager, Pascal Clarysse, this morning. "Blame it on Sony. That's the latest dark spot in their shameful track record as gaming industry leader. The Empire finally 'won', few dominating retailers from the UK probably will rejoice the news, but everybody else in the gaming world lost something today."
Clarysse argued that Sony's win in court last week could set the stage for any retailer, anywhere in the world, to stop the shipment of anything it manufactures within a region foreign to it.
Judging from Judge Fysh's comments, though, that wasn't the real problem. Without a "trading presence" in the UK or EEA, he ruled, the retailer should not have been selling anything in that territory without its manufacturer's consent.
The company promises to refund its former customers for all pending orders, although for those pre-orders, there may be nothing to refund anyway.
unfortunatly it is not in the human scope to be able to see the big picture, some people get lucky. getting emotional about stuff like this is pointless, since none of us will really know who is right. but i guess you have take a stance or nothing will ever happen.
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|I just purchased a new flat screen TV on Monday. You guys can be assured that it was not a SONY. Count me in with those who hate a bully corporation and it's damned rootkits.
Be careful over in Europe! Ebay is based in Sunnyvale California. They have banned certain things at the request of big corporations. You no longer see those 800 mhz receivers or police radios; solely because of complaints from the car phone service providers and not the FBI. It wouldn't surprise me if they got the same requests from the SONY lawyers...
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|In a statement issued to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony has denied any responsibility for the closure of Lik-Sang - accusing the online retailer of "sour grapes".
The statement begins by observing that Sony Computer Entertainment has successfully sued Pacific Game Technology, which uses Lik-Sang as one of its trading names, for infringing intellectual property rights.
"Lik-Sang did not contest this case (i.e. they did not turn up and therefore incurred no legal costs). We have been awarded substantial costs against Lik-Sang which have not been paid," the statement claims.
"We would therefore strongly deny that our actions have had anything to do with this website closing (we assume the legal entity is still trading), and would suggest that this release is sour grapes on behalf of Lik-Sang which is aimed to belittle Sony Computer Entertainment and the British judicial system that found against them."
Earlier today, Lik-Sang announced it was going out of business, citing a series of lawsuits filed by Sony as the reason for the closure. The retailer also alleged that several SCE executives purchased import PSP hardware and software on its website.
Sony responded, "The purchasing of PSP consoles by SCE employees would be for investigatory purposes. We would also like to express our surprise at a company releasing personal information about its consumers, as this is contrary to data protection principles around the world."
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|That a nice big post there, too bad it doesn't mean anything. Sony are the biggest liars in the industry, of course they are going to say they aren't responsible.
""The purchasing of PSP consoles by SCE employees would be for investigatory purposes"
Something really stinks in here...oh it's thats load of BS I quoted there.
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|LOL, funniest thread I have read.
When Microsoft sued Lik-Sang, and won, nobody bothered, yet when Sony sued them a few years later, all the Sony haters come out from under their rocks, spreading all their hate...
http://www.geek.com/news...t/gam20021004016641.htm
The real bad news, is now the single link that hosted the Xbox360 HMDI lead is gone from the XBox360 fanboy armoury
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|Big difference, Microsoft sued because they were selling MOD CHIPs.
Lik has not sold modchips since. Can you please explain to me why Sony sued? Seriously you dont buy this PSP logo crap do you?
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|The way of the fanboy is to always defend your company no matter what they do. It doesn't matter if Sony does something wrong, I will just come up with some lame comparison and wait for everyone to sit back and appreciate me.
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|LOL!!!
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|Lik-Sang kicked ass. That's sad. I bought stuff from them; specifically xbox keyboard adapters. They were the shiz for that stuff, and it's a shame that Sony would drive a stake through a company like that.
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|I disagree, bourgeoisdude. Sony has had plenty of time and opportunity to "clean up their act" as you put it, but they have made it their mission, it seems, to crush their competition and strip Fair Use rights from consumers.
Sony, the corporation, has done more to stiffle creativity and emerging technology than any other corporate entity that i can think of. From the 1980s until now, their mission has remained consistent: anything that they do not own or control, they try to obliterate or bully through the courts. If you don't have a problem with a company that conducts business this way, then that is your decision, but it is also my prerogative to give my hard-earned dollars to companies who do not operate like Sony.
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|Sony is just proving that they are the dominating company in the world today. A small company like Lik-Sang had no right trying to resale their products, especially not to Europeans. Europe doesn't matter, they can play with their HD-DVD bolt-ons. Sony will still the console and format wars.
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|Someone needs to get a real life...
I think your moms calling you down for dinner...
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|Shutup, moron.
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|I have a life though, spreading information about Sony and trying to convert non-believers is the most important thing I could ever do. Sony is not bad, they're our saviors.
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|Oh another xbox fanboy trying to discredit me. You'll be sorry you bought your overheating bolt on when Sony puts Microsoft out of business, and it will happen.
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|Will the mods please ban this guy?
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|That's right, whenever someone says something you don't like you go crying to have them silenced. The truth hurts doesn't it? Just wait until Sony makes me the head of their company for all the great advertising I do for them. I'll rename the company GILLESPIE and then you'll all know how great I am.
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|And so ends the only good point in the lifetime of the PSP. Sony just shot themselves in the foot. Doesn't more PSPs sold mean more games bought from sony? How stupid do you have to be? oh, thats right, rootkit...
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|People! I don't like the way Sony currently is either, but the consequences of them actually folding would be an economic disaster! What Sony needs is massive restructuring and reassurance that they are changing. If Sony cleans their act up, will you guys be UPSET then?
I must admit there were times I wanted to see Sony fall, but now I realise that I should never rejoice at other's failures. I want sony to clean up their act and actually live up to the reputation they had before they destroyed it in the late 20th century and beyond.
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|Sony needs to fall. It would be a wakeup call to all corporations, CONSUMERS COME FIRST.
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|bourgeoisdude is right. Sony has been falling for a while. Now, they need to get up.
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|R.I.P. Lik-Sang.
Boycott Sony:
http://www.ketupa.net/sony1.htm
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|This is just stupid who is next Ebay you know theres going to be lots of PS3s on there when it comes out the only difference between Lik-Sang and Ebay is that the people now being forced to buy it on Ebay instead will now have even less money to buy games.
Sony Needs people to buy games to make money by doing this Sony shows it makes stupid decisions maybe the next stupid thing they do is when they need room for all those batteries they will store them in the basement of their headquarters:)
I don't plan on buying a PS3 or an Xbox360 will buy a wii just for the old school games.
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|I would like to see Sony and all of their products go down the drain (Blu-Ray, etc....)
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|Lik-Sang was a great resource for the gaming community, and now Sony has crushed them out of sheer arrogance. How were they hurting Sony? Oh yeah I forgot, people in Europe aren't allowed to own Sony products. Way to go Sony, you arrogant bas****s. I swear I think they are trying to make the entire world hate them.
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|nice work Sony lolz
im HAPPY :)
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|You're happy? Why?
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|Seriously, who finds happiness in bad news - no matter who it affects?
That's just sick.
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|Looks like Sony doesn't want help profiting from PS3. It's their loss when looking at it that way, but oh, the accessories for other platforms! I bet you this is really a move to sabotage other platforms.
I've been wishing for the fall of Sony ever since the DRM fiasco, and I really hope this happens.
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|I don't care for Sony, this much I've made clear--but your stance is downright dangerous. Good, bad or ugly, Sony is competition, and less competition means less choice, hence potentially higher prices, and--you get the point.
I DO want Sony to have a major shakeup, and at this point its safe to say they'd have to if they want to survive. If sony changes their ways and starts fulfilling their promises, making better more reliable products like before, and stop preventing the "law abiders" from legally copying music for backup, then I'll buy from them again.
You see, the "Sony" name itself is not the problem here, it's those bafoons that run it the way it is run that are making it bad. If they change their ways and/or new management comes along and makes sony better, I'm all for it. I hold no permanent grudge against the sony name, just the way they currently run the business is all.
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|on the other hand, the fall of a giant corp like sony might make other corps wake up, that the people dont tollerate dirty practices. i hope they do fail, and that is the result. if not, then a bunch of crooked crapholes are out of jobs, and wont be hired again soon, althought the common sony workers will most likely be sucked up as skilled labor by other companies.
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|*** insert comment here ***
(as the saying goes, "if you have nothing good to say, dont say anything at all")
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|Which begs the question: Then why did you?
lol
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|Good job SONY, shut down one of the best gaming retailers in the world. That helps........ NOBODY.
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|this one blockade able to shut lik sang down for good? I hope not, and just a ploy to get consumers really irate agains't sony.
I purchased some things from lik sang. They are a consumer's champion. Bringing to you what you want in gaming.
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|They've been involved with Sony in the courts for over 9 months. They've gone bankrupt from the legal fees :(
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|and all just because they are undermining sony's crooked region-based selling. i dont think anything should have region bases. espacially dvds and games.
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|What a total crock. Microsoft actually enforce WORSE region coding, PSP and PS3 are region free for games. Xbox360 and Xbox are region locked for both games and movies.....
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|Region-coding is there for a reason, if you don't understand what that is... wow... I'm sorry.
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|Yes, the PS3 is "region free" for games so it is the best. Yes Sony still sells the consoles based on region and rips off Europe price wise but we fanboys ignore that. Number one rule of being a fanboy is if you can't win an argument change the subject or just run away and ignore it.
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|You are unbelievably annoying and stupid.
You're not even clever with your idiotic flaming. Please stop, or - at the very least - try to be original.
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|"PSP and PS3 are region free for games."
That has nothing to do with this issue though. I believe he was referring to their practice of selling them by region, refusing to let certain regions have one yet or charging more.
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|never said microsoft didnt use region coding. its stupid. how can you argue about a ps3 when its not out yet and sony lies? and psp is region coded for movies, and depending on the version of firmware, some games as well.
And seriously why did you bring up xbox? that wasnt even part of the equation.
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|i understand that they are in different languages and all that. the point is they should not be locked out of playing in a different region. if i want to play a chinese version of a game on my american console i should be allowed to, whether i can understand the language or not. the only reason they have that on there, is so they can rip more money out of the richer countries.
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|Very good!
psp and ps3 are not region free, they just give manufacturers the choice as to whether or not to use it. they both do support it for gaming, but so far, most psp games dont use it.
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|yes, yes we all agree mark likes sony, so what? he has some good arguments and makes constructive posts, unlike you.
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|LOL LOL LOL.
Sony keep it up. You are making new customers every day with your inspired consumer friendly tactics.
/sarcasm off
This kind of thing needs to stop FAST
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