Howie The Crab's Mom Shares Update About Counterfeit Merchandise
By Melanie VanDerveer on August 8, 2023 at 3:00 PM EDT
A new TikTok video shows Howie the crab delivering some sad news. Thankfully it isn't the sad news that many thought it was going to be (about her upcoming molt), but it's still news that's frustrating and causing stress for Howie's mom.
TikTok famous Howie the crab is still dealing with people stealing and profiting off of her likeness. After weeks of working hard to stop counterfeit merchandise from being sold, Howie's mom shared another update about the continued struggle she's having to try to get it to stop.
People Are Selling Howie The Crab Merchandise Without Permission
Howie's mom has been sharing information about counterfeit merchandise being sold for weeks now. A recent update explains that it hasn't ended just yet.
"I'm very sad that Howie has to make this announcement in regards to her merch. I would much rather make cute and fun videos than have to talk about this. I have tried to no avail to have our designs and Trademark Howie The Crab™ taken down. So now all I can do is let people know that purchases from Walmart, unaffiliated companies, and third parties will not benefit Howie," the caption to the video begins.
"I can't tell you not to buy from someone else but I'm letting you know that the other places do not have our permission to use Howie's name and designs. It is entirely your choice if want to or not but it's only fair that you know where your hard earned money is going. ❤️ DISCLAIMER for legal purposes: This is not a call to action. We will continue sending cease and desist letters but this is information our fans need to know right now."
In the video, Howie explains just what's going on in an adorable child's voice.
"I have something very important to tell you so listen up," Howie began. "We are not affiliated with Walmart for any of our merchandise. We use Amazon and Spring Tee."
The video then shows Howie's mom's design and explains what's being sold at Walmart.
"My mom made it. It doesn't belong to anyone else but us," the video continued. "We have other designs but this is the one that Walmart is selling to my own fans. If you choose to buy it from Walmart or another company I'm not affiliated with, please know that your purchase will not help my mom pay for my cheese and caviar addiction."
Howie then explains where fans can get merchandise from so they know for sure that it's not counterfeit.
"Please use my website to find links to our true merchandise," she said. "My mom is tired of talking about merchandise. We don't want my videos to be about that. If you want it, no pressure, just pinches. Thank you for coming to my crab talk. I have to go work on molting now."
His Fans Commented About The Video And The Counterfeit Merchandise
Many of Howie's loyal fans dropped into the comment section to share their thoughts on the unfortunate events. Many really enjoyed Howie's child-like voice and hopes that continued in future videos. Others shared support during this ongoing issue.
"So so sad, def will be getting one of yours from Amazon," one person wrote. Another added, "Keep posting your merch here. we will support."
And many commented on the fear they had hearing the sad music in the video and reading the beginning of the caption.
"When I started reading the description my heart sank thinking the worst," one person wrote. "Ugh my heart just dropped! Don’t scare me! Lol," wrote another.
If you'd like to purchase Howie merchandise from Howie's mom directly, visit their website for more information.