Kmart accused of 'stealing' a small business owner's idea
- Replies 2
A small business owner has unleashed her fury at retail giant Kmart, accusing them of shamelessly copying her ingenious idea for Christmas-themed pool inflatables.
Mollie White, founder of Australian small business The White Christmas Co., claimed she pioneered the concept of festive holiday floaties in 2021.
After noticing Kmart selling suspiciously similar products for a fraction of the price, she took to social media to vent her frustrations in a video that has amassed over 60,000 views.
'Kmart just copied our unique Christmas product idea, but I'm not going to let it get me down,' lamented Ms White.
When Ms White first had the brainwave to create pool floats shaped like Santa, Christmas trees, and other holiday icons in 2021, she claimed her research found no other business in Australia producing similar items.
After 'months and months' of searching, she found manufacturers she trusted to produce her floaties to the highest standard—built sturdy enough to last for many festive seasons.
When her Santa, gingerbread man, and reindeer floaties finally launched in 2022, she was thrilled that they exceeded her expectations.
'They are absolutely perfect, everything I envisaged them to be,' she said.
Ms White is selling her festive pool floaties, featuring reindeer and gingerbread themes, on The White Christmas Co.'s website for $99.95 each.
However, Kmart offers a much more affordable option—out of stock online as of writing—at just $19.
This stark price difference has left Ms White understandably upset, prompting her to raise an important question: How can small businesses like hers ever hope to compete with retail giants like Kmart when they can produce products at a fraction of the cost?
'It is impossible for small businesses to compete with Kmart when it comes to prices,' she said.
'But it's important that we realise the value small businesses bring our customers in terms of new products and their quality.'
'It's tough as a small-business owner, but it's important to power through and not give up,' she added.
Ms White mentioned that it was frustrating that Kmart released a similar product but also noted that she somewhat 'expected' it.
It's unclear when Kmart first introduced their version of the pool toys, but the small business owner claimed that they 'definitely didn't have them last Christmas'.
Watch Ms White's video here:
Kmart has been offering pool floats in a similar shape for six years, starting with a unicorn design. However, it's unclear whether they launched the reindeer design before or after the White Christmas Co. introduced their version.
Ms White's video about her holiday-themed floaties stirred mixed reactions on social media. Some viewers were sceptical about her claim that she created the idea for these items.
'Christmas pool floaties have been around for years. Please don't say you "invented" them last year,' commented one user.
Another agreed and said, 'You can't be serious that you think it was unique? Google it; there are loads of places that sell them.'
On the flip side, some offered support and encouragement to Ms White and her products.
One customer wrote, 'Happy to support small businesses and heading to your website now!'
Members, what are your thoughts on these accusations? Do you believe Kmart ripped off Ms White’s idea of holiday-themed floaties? Or do you think Kmart is innocent here? Let us know in the comments below!
Mollie White, founder of Australian small business The White Christmas Co., claimed she pioneered the concept of festive holiday floaties in 2021.
After noticing Kmart selling suspiciously similar products for a fraction of the price, she took to social media to vent her frustrations in a video that has amassed over 60,000 views.
'Kmart just copied our unique Christmas product idea, but I'm not going to let it get me down,' lamented Ms White.
Kmart's version is on the left, and The White Christmas Co.'s version is on the right. Credit: Kmart, The White Chrismas Co.
When Ms White first had the brainwave to create pool floats shaped like Santa, Christmas trees, and other holiday icons in 2021, she claimed her research found no other business in Australia producing similar items.
After 'months and months' of searching, she found manufacturers she trusted to produce her floaties to the highest standard—built sturdy enough to last for many festive seasons.
When her Santa, gingerbread man, and reindeer floaties finally launched in 2022, she was thrilled that they exceeded her expectations.
'They are absolutely perfect, everything I envisaged them to be,' she said.
Ms White is selling her festive pool floaties, featuring reindeer and gingerbread themes, on The White Christmas Co.'s website for $99.95 each.
However, Kmart offers a much more affordable option—out of stock online as of writing—at just $19.
This stark price difference has left Ms White understandably upset, prompting her to raise an important question: How can small businesses like hers ever hope to compete with retail giants like Kmart when they can produce products at a fraction of the cost?
'It is impossible for small businesses to compete with Kmart when it comes to prices,' she said.
'But it's important that we realise the value small businesses bring our customers in terms of new products and their quality.'
'It's tough as a small-business owner, but it's important to power through and not give up,' she added.
Ms White mentioned that it was frustrating that Kmart released a similar product but also noted that she somewhat 'expected' it.
It's unclear when Kmart first introduced their version of the pool toys, but the small business owner claimed that they 'definitely didn't have them last Christmas'.
Watch Ms White's video here:
Kmart has been offering pool floats in a similar shape for six years, starting with a unicorn design. However, it's unclear whether they launched the reindeer design before or after the White Christmas Co. introduced their version.
Ms White's video about her holiday-themed floaties stirred mixed reactions on social media. Some viewers were sceptical about her claim that she created the idea for these items.
'Christmas pool floaties have been around for years. Please don't say you "invented" them last year,' commented one user.
Another agreed and said, 'You can't be serious that you think it was unique? Google it; there are loads of places that sell them.'
On the flip side, some offered support and encouragement to Ms White and her products.
One customer wrote, 'Happy to support small businesses and heading to your website now!'
Members, what are your thoughts on these accusations? Do you believe Kmart ripped off Ms White’s idea of holiday-themed floaties? Or do you think Kmart is innocent here? Let us know in the comments below!
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