LAS VEGAS — Last week, Trigg Laboratories, Inc., maker of Wet personal lubricants and intimacy products, filed suit in Nevada state court against New Jersey-based distributor Williams Trading Co.
In the suit, Nevada District Court Case No. A-20-818379-B, Trigg alleges that Williams has engaged in trade libel and anti-competitive conduct by sending an e-blast to adult stores and other retailers falsely representing the availability of Wet products and diverting sales to themselves and a competing brand.
“We have been in business with Williams for over three decades and prospered mutually,” Trigg Labs CEO Michael Trigg said. “Their annual Wet sales were over $500,000. They thank us by stabbing us in the back, because we adapted to market changes. Introducing the BuyWetDirect program to retailers and bypassing the middleman for Wet products is a big win for retailers. No other distributor reacted to this transition in that way. Still, we gave them a chance to appropriately correct their conduct and they refused. We filed this legal action to protect our formidable reputation and goodwill.”
President Simone Buntin stated, “It is very disappointing that Williams Trading has refused to correct its e-blasts, and inform retailers correctly that Trigg products are readily available through BuyWetDirect.com. Instead, Williams has retaliated against us with misinformation, seeking to profit from it.”
According to Trigg Sales Manager Jim Dodos, Trigg’s BuyWetDirect program offers a solution for brick-and-mortar retailers that are finding it difficult to compete with online sales.
"Unfortunately, cutting out Williams Trading and other distributors was a necessary part of that,” Dodos said. “Disparaging the Wet brand, as we stand ready to fulfill the high demand for Wet product, is an unfair and spiteful reaction from Williams.”
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and damages.
