[abakker]

Right - if you are already having a product made in China, you are the middle man. If you are actually making the product yourself, then Amazon might come to you and create an off-brand version with some trivial differences. But, in any case the designs of simple products are not nearly as sacred as the actual manufacture of them.

Unfortunately, it does have a depressing effect on new design and innovation. And it certainly seems that the low-cost Chinese manufacturers haven't got the knack for originality yet.