The crappy side of business

[BakedApples]

I'm a new poster in the community but after reading the one thread below about how family friends or customers ask questions about your stuff then before you know it in a matter of hours they have a website up and running (imagine they went to the local open 24 hours liability insurance place on the corner) photo's, pricing the same as yours they even have the nerve to steal the copyrighted text on your site, in between I think they did stop at the division of corporations to file the proper paperwork then after that they stopped off at the local dept of revenue cause you know the state wants their sales tax! Then the icing on the cake is when the bash you all over the internet with nasty reviews of your products.

Ohh but wait they never did form a legal company, never did get that liabilty coverage, never saw them collect a dime for sales tax either. Hmmmm makes ya wonder why you bust your butt doing things the right and legal way then get kicked by Uncle Sam when you file taxes and have to pay in 7,000.

How is this fair?

Well after 3 years I'm sitting here thinking to myself how did I allow myself to fall victim to these weiner heads (being nice here using the word weiner) after just seeing yet again my words on another business website.

As I sit here and think how could I have stopped them? There is no way of stopping them! yes, I could go spend 300.00 and have my attorney send a letter to scare them if they do not remove my content, but who has the last laugh I'm 300.00 less cash and schmuck chandler has had plenty of time to establish customers so who cares is she changes her content at this point she still has her customer base that she built on your words.

Then you sit and dream of the day the IRS catches them, or someone gets hurt and sues them but they have no insurance, you dream the dept of revenue is knocking on the door...then you wake up!!! It's never going to happen because the wanna bee's will probably outlast us the real small business owners who did form an S-Corp, LLC, etc., we did collect and pay our sales tax, we went to our accountants and filed our returns. We the legal small business owners are the ones who end up getting screwed in the end. I put so much time into my business my marriage suffered then finally disolved.

Now how do I know this? I can't tell you how many times I have seen my text verbatim on another website, I can't tell you how many times my customers fell victim of the snakes who decided to make their own product and pass it off as mine, I can't tell you how many times a good nice customer decided one day she was going to make her own product and copy every single thing you did right down to the label sizes, cart service, scent list, prices and so on. They say copying is a form of flattery but not when it takes food off your table it aint flattery.

So my point is since all this has happened I have been fighting to keep my doors open, I'm very close to going out of business. Something I spent so much time and passion on can just end in a matter of weeks. If these things do happen to you don't shrug it off go after them somehow spend that 300.00 on the attorney (you can always write it off..lol) I'm sure it will be worth it sooner then later, don't think they will just go away or something will happen because the "weiner heads" are going to be the last one laughing.

[CC on Maui]

Welcome to the board.

My truth is that those who don't follow the rules will succumb to those who do in the end. The weiner heads will not be the last ones laughing. Period.

Unfortunately, copyright/trademark infringement has occurred since the time of the first written word, and will continue long past our demise. Unless we are in a position to trademark and copyright everything we offer -- then yes, we will continue to fall prey to the copycats from time to time.

I've been in business a long time, and have experienced my share of those who copy. The more competitive the market you are in, the more likely you'll find this occurring. Did it ruin my business? Nope. In the end, there is more business out there to be had than I could ever shake a stick at.

Copyrighting and trademarking is only as good as the enforcement arm is long. That said, I would rather concentrate my efforts on doing the absolute best job I can in running my business, than to worry about what the copycats may or may not be doing.

In the end, those who lack the originality to design/development their own dream are the same ones who give up when they don't realize instant gratification from their efforts.

I'm sorry you are hurting. Sometimes we have to step away from what we are passionately entrenched in to look at it clearly, KWIM? Maybe it's your time for a change.

[Grumpy Girl]

That sucks. I'd become their personal stalker, by any means necessary.

I'm waiting till the day I catch someone uses my wording or photos from my site as their own. Muwhahahaha!

[BakedApples]

That sucks. I'd become their personal stalker, by any means necessary.

I'm waiting till the day I catch someone uses my wording or photos from my site as their own. Muwhahahaha!

You my dear will be in business a very long time then. My problem was I sat back and took it, fight them and you shall win.

[BakedApples]

Welcome to the board.

My truth is that those who don't follow the rules will succumb to those who do in the end. The weiner heads will not be the last ones laughing. Period.

Unfortunately, copyright/trademark infringement has occurred since the time of the first written word, and will continue long past our demise. Unless we are in a position to trademark and copyright everything we offer -- then yes, we will continue to fall prey to the copycats from time to time.

I've been in business a long time, and have experienced my share of those who copy. The more competitive the market you are in, the more likely you'll find this occurring. Did it ruin my business? Nope. In the end, there is more business out there to be had than I could ever shake a stick at.

Copyrighting and trademarking is only as good as the enforcement arm is long. That said, I would rather concentrate my efforts on doing the absolute best job I can in running my business, than to worry about what the copycats may or may not be doing.

In the end, those who lack the originality to design/development their own dream are the same ones who give up when they don't realize instant gratification from their efforts.

I'm sorry you are hurting. Sometimes we have to step away from what we are passionately entrenched in to look at it clearly, KWIM? Maybe it's your time for a change.

I wouldnt say the weiner heads sales are any where near mine at any given time, but my point was I let them do this to me by not taking action. I am the bigger fish next to them being I am a legal company I have better grounds to stand on in the court system if it did come to that.

I never lost sleep over what they were doing I did focus on my business but not keeping them under a closer watch while they scummed me was my point. Almost like the saying keep your freinds close but the enemy closer.

Maybe it is time for a change but I truely loved and still love whats left of it, I don't want to see it go.

[CC on Maui]

I wouldnt say the weiner heads sales are any where near mine at any given time, but my point was I let them do this to me by not taking action. I am the bigger fish next to them being I am a legal company I have better grounds to stand on in the court system if it did come to that.

I never lost sleep over what they were doing I did focus on my business but not keeping them under a closer watch while they scummed me was my point. Almost like the saying keep your freinds close but the enemy closer.

Maybe it is time for a change but I truely loved and still love whats left of it, I don't want to see it go.

Okay. Obviously you are upset about what they have done to you and feel that contacting an attorney to pursue legal action is what you should have done. That said, unless you are trademarked/patented, I'm not sure what legal grounds you would be pursuing.

So, I guess my question to you would be why didn't you pursue them? or why aren't you now? Especially if you believe you are about to lose your business over it?

I can be slow sometimes, so perhaps I'm missing the intent of your thread, unless it was simply to share on the fact that you've had others copy you, too.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen my text verbatim on another website, I can't tell you how many times my customers fell victim of the snakes who decided to make their own product and pass it off as mine, I can't tell you how many times a good nice customer decided one day she was going to make her own product and copy every single thing you did right down to the label sizes, cart service, scent list, prices and so on.

Yeah, it sucks, and yeah, it happens. I'm not trying to sound harsh, but it's simply the reality when you put your stuff out in public. Some of the things you mentioned in the quote above however, are IMHO more the exception to the rule than the norm (Ie, your customers falling victim to the snakes who decided to make their own product and pass it off as yours?). My customers know me, my company name, my product, and where to find me when they want more.

[Grumpy Girl]

You my dear will be in business a very long time then. My problem was I sat back and took it, fight them and you shall win.

Then your business doesn't mean much to you. My business is like my kid or animals. Touch it/them and die.

[girlyracer]

Then your business doesn't mean much to you. My business is like my kid or animals. Touch it/them and die.

Too right Grumpy Girl. When it's your bread and butter they're trying to nick you need to fight tooth and nail for it! Run after them with the bread knife!!!!!!

Ruby

[ShelleyBean]

I'm sorry you have found your stuff copied, I think those of us who try the hardest to be different, or have wording so great people just copy and paste it will most likely always have that issue sadly. It would take a lot for me not to be a thorn in someone's side if I found my written words, pictures etc on someone elses site, knowing how hard I worked on all of it, because like grumpy said, that's my baby as well as my money maker, I would would do everything at my disposal to get them to change it. Cease and desist letters can often scare people to change (been done in prior online business ventures), if not from yourself, an attorney.

And grumpy, I think I can say will full certainty, if I ever came across wording like yours I would know for sure where it came from, and I would be emailing you to make sure you didnt own a sister site and if not, make sure you had the site name to go after. You have a one of a kind baby there girl

[royster13]

I for the most part make my living selling fridge magnets.....Today I get a call and in the discussion the fellow said he can buy magnets from so and so for less....When I hear something like that I tell the caller to go buy from them and have nice life....The point here is I spend 99% of my energy and passion worrying about my business because even though some other sucker can duplicate almost everything I do, they can not duplicate my passion....That is why I have been in business 33 years....Other than a fleeting glance (thats the 1%) I do not pay attention or worry about what some one else is doing....Because without my passion they can not succeed for long....RCS...

PS....There are far too many on this board that worry too much about what is happening elsewhere rather than putting all their energy into their own businesses....I am not meaning to pick on anyone in particular just explaining my philosophy....

[sudsnwicks]

I've often wondered about the businesses that are unregistered (of which I've come across a few). Suppose they don't get into any trouble or run into any problems. Would it be worth it, I wonder? That is, would the tax savings be more than what they would get to deduct in expenses?

[CC on Maui]

I've often wondered about the businesses that are unregistered (of which I've come across a few). Suppose they don't get into any trouble or run into any problems. Would it be worth it, I wonder? That is, would the tax savings be more than what they would get to deduct in expenses?

If I am not mistaken, there is no statute on unpaid/unfiled taxes. I sure wouldn't want it hanging over my head for the rest of my life.

It's pretty difficult to get beyond the occasional craft show level of business without being a registered business in my experience. There are too many checks and balances (ie, business banking, insurance, merchant account, etc) that stand in the way. JMHO.

That being said, there are tens of thousands out people out there who fly under the radar everyday. Pretty sad that so many people lack such integrity and ethics. A sad statement of the world we live in today.

[sudsnwicks]

CC, you're right about the risk. Which makes me wonder why they do it. Are the savings (from not having to pay taxes and avoidance of all the licensing costs) really so much?

[CC on Maui]

Some people just like to spend their life swimming upstream I guess. Others are just plain lazy.

For some reason, too many people think they are above the rules.

I wouldn't want to be rackin' up all that karmic debt. I prefer to sleep at night. LOL.

[The_Dallas_Texas_Dean]

There are far too many on this board that worry too much about what is happening elsewhere rather than putting all their energy into their own businesses....I am not meaning to pick on anyone in particular just explaining my philosophy....

I think you are probably right about this...and for WHAT?

And as far as them bad mouthing you....just consider the source. If I were you I would not concern myself with what anyone says unless they matter. Sounds to me like they are the kind of people that don't matter much. Time for you to REFRESH...change a look....release something new and exciting. Take the $300 and put a new face on YOUR company. Even the smallest details MATTER with public perception. DO NOT let them bring you down to their level. Be careful, they have already pushed you to the point you are already starting. If you play "war" with them, what you are saying is that they matter enough to deserve your time and energy. You are telling the public (possibly clients) that you are worried. Do not discuss them, worry about them, or give them any credibility. People like that are a dime a dozen. You will encounter them time and time again in business....and in life. If you FOCUS on you and yours, and put your energy there, ultimately, you WILL win.It is not hard to ignore the people on this planet who try and bring you down. It IS hard, however, to NOT ignore them.