Don't you just hate it when people steal your work?
Is it only a coincidence when a competitor starts using the exact same wording on their website? I’ve heard that you should feel flattered when people want to copy you, but I don’t.
I've been making and selling my soaps for nearly 4 years now and my website has been up and running for 1 and 1/2 years and now I find another soap maker is using the exact same wording on their website, couldn't they have changed the wording a bit?
I know we are all fighting to get a little share of business, but there are a lot of people out there and surely there is enough for all of us without taking someone else’s work.
There are thousands of soap makers out there, all doing their own thing and getting on really well together and why not? We all share the same love of soap making; we share ideas and learn from each other. But why is it necessary for some people to blatantly use exactly the same wording that someone else has taken hours to get just right?
There are so many different types of soap available, some all natural, some not, some who use mainly olive oil, some who use mainly palm or coconut, some use essential oils, some use synthetic fragrances, some use melt and pour, some use glycerine, some budget, some luxury, some make big soaps and some make small.
The point is, there is a place for all of these different handmade soaps because there are so many people out there who all like different things (and thank goodness, the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things). Different people like different products and have different budgets!
OK, now I've had my say and as you can probably guess, there has been a few things happening to lead up to this, what do they say about the straw that broke the camel's back?
Everyone is welcome to my ideas to fuel new ideas of their own, you are welcome to my words to give you inspiration for your own, but please don’t just copy mine because it took me so darn long to think of them myself:)
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Hi Jan, Yes - it is such a shame that people can't be original.. or at least ask permission to use certain ideas. Says a lot about their creativity and standards if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to say that I stand by your business and product and support you all the way!
It still might be worth getting the Copyright office involved as there are (I believe) breaches of the act.
Best wishes and a huge big hug,
Kirsty
Thanks so much for your support Kirsty, I really appreciate it. It was a hard decision for me to come to, writing a post about it, but in the end I really wanted to let people know, as I didn't want them to think that it was me who did the copying.
ReplyDeleteI thought about changing mine so that it would be different, but I'm not a great writer and it took so long to put it together and I really don't think that I should have to.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this happen to them and I'd love to hear from anyone else who has a story to tell:)
Hi Jan, I also would feel the same way and understand how you feel. It might be flattering in one way, but it's unprofessional and disrespectful to copy you so blantantly. Don't change anything of yours, I believe that the person copying will probably end up not being very successful as you just can't operate like that and get away with it forever!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyne, I really appreciate your thoughts and support.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan.... I had someone copy stuff off BWU and it upset me.. that is one reason that I didn't go near the site for a while plus other stuff was happening as well....... But I agree with everyone else... KARMA!!! will get them... what goes around, comes around... you have beautiful creations... as you flourish they will flounder.... Lou.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Lou and I agree with what you say about Karma, what you give out, you usually get back twice fold. Let's hope we all flourish a bit more! all the best.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear this has happened to you Jan. You're definitely NOT alone though. I had someone lift my text previously word for word and went through a stage where people blatently copied my designs - freely admitting it too!! The only way I found to adequately deal with it is to realise the copy-cats don't have a creative bone in their body and then keep ahead of the copying pack by making new things all the time. ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteThanks for the hugs Annette, I can always do with those:) It seems that it happens quite a bit to lots of people, I'm sorry to hear that it happened to you and Lou as well.
ReplyDeleteThe parts that were taken from my site was copied word for word as well. I don't mind if they change it around a bit, I just think it's a bit rude when they take it word for word.
Your words are copyright, I wonder what the copyright office could do? Might be worth checking out their website or sending a stern letter/email to the competing site letting them know that YOU know what they've done, and it's not good business ethics ...
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