There are trade offs of course. But from mechanical point of view, my project is simple enough that I am sure someone determined could just recreate it in CAD in a couple of days anyway and send to manufacturer of their own.
I think if product can be copied easily, then it will be copied. It's just a fact of life.
What can't be (easily) copied is the firmware. Someone determined could still do clean room implementation anyway.
The more complex and innovative your project is, the more time you can sell it for premium until someone copies it.
On one hand this is good, because it forces people to innovate on the other hand it makes projects less profitable in the long run.
That being said if you have your marketing and price right, your target audience is unlikely going to choose a cheap copy and those who do probably wouldn't be your customers anyway.
I think if product can be copied easily, then it will be copied. It's just a fact of life.
What can't be (easily) copied is the firmware. Someone determined could still do clean room implementation anyway.
The more complex and innovative your project is, the more time you can sell it for premium until someone copies it.
On one hand this is good, because it forces people to innovate on the other hand it makes projects less profitable in the long run.
That being said if you have your marketing and price right, your target audience is unlikely going to choose a cheap copy and those who do probably wouldn't be your customers anyway.