Deckers Corp. is threatening legal action against Australian manufacturers who have been using the Ugg trade name, which is registered by the US company, as a generic name for the sheepskin shoes that they have been producing in the South Wales region for many years. They have apparently caused a sensation after one of them, Tony Mortel, put them up for a successful internet auction on the eBay portal. Deckers recently reported strong sales increases for its own Ugg line of shoes, which carries a high price tag. In reaction to the alleged imitations of its products, the group will put out a lower-priced line for next Fall, called Simple Sheep, using one of the other brands in its portfolio, which has not been doing well lately. Deckers also sells Teva sports sandals with a lot more success than Simple.