I would *so* rather get the knockoff. $541 can go towards the vacation fund, if you ask me.

If Overstock has a good return policy, it is definately worth purchasing from their site. Even with shipping costs, that's still a significant savings.

It all depends on if you want to be able to say, "This is my so and so coffee table"
Or if you want something to tide you over until you have 800 for a coffee table!

Yup, I would get the knockoff (its plastic) and save the money for my vacation...or buy shoes...oh wait, i wouldnt have $800 to begin with....

i normally disapprove of knock-offs, but this seems like a no-brainer

Why disapprove of a knock-off?

Considering that the sheet of acrylic used to make it probably cost around $50, paying full price for a designer name in this case would be pretty ridiculous.

for $2.95 shipping as well.. yeah, go for overstock!

"Why disapprove of a knock-off?"

Because the designer did all the work to come up with an idea & design only to have it stolen by an opportunist - Therefore, when you purchase a knock-off the designer isn't being compensated for their work and creativity.

the "real" one is an inch thick, but the "fake" is only half an inch...so it's really less sturdy...i dunno if i'd put my feet up on the fake one.

"i dunno if i'd put my feet up on the fake one."

You'd put your feet up on the real one???
Acrylic scratches very easily...

Okay - is it worth the extra money? That depends on a lot of factors, like how much a strong economy is worth to you. Or how much you support american jobs. Or the converse - how much you support unsafe labor conditions, or unhealthy environmental practices. As Charles Eames said "the details make the product".

When something is cheaper you really need to ask yourself 'why?' Most times knock-offs are shallow approximations of the real thing. They're usually made in places where labor is cheap and there arent as many restrictions on safety or ecological concerns. And they're made, not for design, but for pure profit.

Go to www.stopfakes.gov to see just how much of an impact knock-offs, counterfeits, and piracy affect the US Economy. Is a crappy economy worth the few bucks you save?

Overcharging for a piece of plastic furniture is also not helping the economy - it's called ripping people off. "Designer" or not, it's crooked, and do not expect designer furniture to solve economic problems by creating artificial demand and raking in disproportionately huge profits.
Making affordable goods in America that average people can afford: that would be helping the economy. And some companies do that by making quality, reasonably-priced knockoffs in the US.

Well said ChristopherB. Maybe one day DWR will offer the general public design that is truly within reach.

Christopher - that tired argument again?! Spoken like someone who has zero idea about how much it actually costs to make things, and zero idea how the economy actually works and completely ZERO idea of how/where knock-offs are made. If you want inexpensive go to Ikea. The only reason they, Target & Walmart can price things low is because they depend on cheap, foreign, unsafe & unhealthy labor.

I'm not supporting the price of Rashid's piece - personally I cant stand his designs. But I truly cant stand knock-offs. Anyone who supports knock-offs doesnt truly care about design. I'm talking Design; as a method of working, as a solution to a problem, as a rational series of choices about form and material, as a conscious effort to make something usable. If you really cared about design you'd understand the full extent of why knock-offs are bad. But I guess there will always be people who put image and the almighty dollar before quality, ethics, or long-term self interest.

And ps. Seaside - do your homework: DWR's name has nothing to do with affordablity.

Actually, Modfan, I design and build furniture, so I know precisely how much it costs to make a great many things. I can show you the receipts next time if you like.
Perhaps it is you who needs to do some homework.

yes, seaside and countless others... maybe one day design within reach will become something that which it is not. they will tailor their pricing to your income level and carry designers you approve of and knock off an item if you feel that the designer has already been adequately compensated for their time/materials/need for their ancestors to maintain their museums and foundations/etc. maybe one day they will change their name, their logo, the floor plans of their stores, their staff. maybe one day dwr will just go bankrupt and those who want to buy a licensed piece will just go back and do it the way they did it before dwr: hiring an expensive (and licensed) designer or architect so they can add their own surcharge and require the customer to wait six months to get the item. then everyone and their mother will stop beeyotching about the same damn company over and over on this website.

Acrylic (in most cases, it depends on the thickness) costs more than glass. It's actually a very expensive material to work with. Also, because of how easily it gets scratched, shipping costs a fortune.

After seeing this debate pop up over and over on AT I'd be interested to see an actual dollar-for-dollar accounting of the price of some of DWR's costlier wares.

don't these acrylic tables scratch up pretty badly, even the expensive ones?

Acrylic scratches really easily, regardless of the thickness or the "quality" of the acrylic. Thankfully, it's a very popular material, so you can easily find products at your local hardware store that will help buff it out (with a very, very, very fine sandpaper).

As long as its legal and meets my needs and desires, I would buy it. I don't care if its "authentic" or not.