Copy cats

[ChiKaPea]

Hi all

I've found a fellow seller that has begun copying my work. First it was one item & now there are two. It's quite frustrating to say the least. Anyone dealing with a similar situation? Any suggestions on how to stop her?

[Former_Member]

You could report the listings that are copies of your work. Outside of that, I'm not sure what your recourse would be.

[Former_Member]

Sorry to hear that I know someone posted something similar a while back. Your items are lovely. Good luck!

[HapaGirls]

I have just found someone copying my ring designs. It amazes me how people can blatantly copy your work, make a few bucks and feel good about themselves knowing they took someone design.

I really feel for the buyers who purchases their products. With so many sellers on Etsy, the buyers must weed out the good, the bad and the ugly!

[PaperHeartCreation]

Same thing has happened to me recently - someone has not only copied my designs completely, but stole my photos, and descriptions to advertise them. I confronted them, they removed them but are selling their own (cheaper not so good version!)

I was angry but the way i'm trying to see it is that i've been running for 18 months, have good feedback, customers, more experience so they will always be behind me. It's the same for you, people will see the quality and quantity of your items/feedback/sales shinning through :]

Someone posted a great quote recently 'Copy cats are always a step behind because they have to wait for you to be creative' It's so true!

[Former_Member]

I have had a copycat. Someone took one of my laser cut designs and made their own. It was a copy from my picture, so they didn't get the thickness of the wood right and it was clearly a shoddy copy.

I reported them, and provided evidence that it is MY design and that person had to remove that listing.

I do check that shop often to see if they have copied again.

Im some respects I am flattered they like my designs so much. But shoppers will know my version will always be better quality than theirs.

[ColiesCrochet]

I know in the crochet world things are copied all the time. Myself, I rarely make my own patterns and use patterns that are either available for free or for purchase and tweak them to my liking. If they don't state that we can use their pattern for product sales, then I contact them and ask. I also post where I got the pattern from right in my listing. Having said that, I know that if I was using someone's pattern and didn't source it, they would ask me to take the listing down right away.

I would message the person and ask that they take the listings down right away. If they do not, then I would report them along with any evidence you have to Etsy. Just remember that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Karma will always come back around to get them, I'm a firm believer in that.

You have a lovely shop, by the way. :)

[Former_Member]

It is sad when someone copies your designs....I have had it happen quite often with my knitting from my katebarkley Etsy shop, so I started selling my patterns to get a bit if that profit myself since it is going to happen anyway.

What bothers me the most is when I share a new design or a new idea with a safe friend and either that friend uses it or mentions it to someone who then chooses to do the same idea/thing.....I keep my ideas to myself now.

I had to laugh after working on a new line for my shop over a 4 month period to find that a new shop across the country had opened up with the same ideas as mine, so I am rethinking my new line and watching to see how that shop does with their stuff.....time will tell.....I can show mine this Fall in person at a craft fair, so they will not go to waste either way.

BTW, Sonia, your items are quite wonderfully unique and beautiful!!

[WintergreenDesign]

Yes... I have that problem : (

My suggestion is keep doing what you doing and do it better than her. As a copycat she will always be a couple steps behind you because she has to wait for you to be creative : ) Best of luck to you : )

[Former_Member]

I used to make mostly polymer clay food jewelry in my shop, but had to stop due to this. There was one seller who copied about 14 of my ideas lol, but changed them just slightly enough to say they were her own and then undercut me. I couldn't sell my designs, but other people did.
For example I put a new idea on Etsy that not one person had done before (I checked), but within 3-4 months there were about 100 copies lol, it annoys me so much.

[Former_Member]

Id take the "The Original Design" stuff out of your title...messing up your SEO is just going to help them out.

[Former_Member]

no one has ever copied me...

I am insulted

[Former_Member]

Alex your pieces are gorgeous but I think they would be very hard to copy, thankfully :0) so the copy cats might look elsewhere for pieces less complex.

[Former_Member]

Ok
So you wrap handles in twine. And are claiming no one else can ever do that.

People have been wrapping and decorating serving utensils in all sorts of materials for a long time. It's not an idea that can be owned.

Now, someone cannot steal your photos and text but the design itself is not copyrightable or anything.

Best to focus on your own shop. Take out the snarky comment about reporting shops from your description, sounds horrible and that type of stuff shouldn't be aired publicly.

[Former_Member]

How do people find out if there items are being copied and secondly what items are being copied from you?

[Former_Member]

Best to keep things nice and complex, and then it's harder to copy, that's what I found :0)

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

Dawn M. from BeadsByDawn says

Best to focus on your own shop. Take out the snarky comment about reporting shops from your description, sounds horrible and that type of stuff shouldn't be aired publicly.
____________________________________

I have to agree with Dawn.

[ReganEdesigns]

I have not had that problem on etsy, but I have had the problem where family and friends ask me for a knitting pattern I have created. I then give it to them and ask that they do not share it, but I have still had some of them tell me they have actually sold a product they used my pattern on. It always surprises me!

I am not sure if people do not realize how much work goes into all of our products or they just do not care. I hope you the best of luck in resolving this issue.

[Former_Member]

I guess I'm something of an idealist, but I think these challenges can be used to our ultimate benefit - to push us to be more innovative in our work, to develop as a business owner and creator, to fine-tune our customer service (after all, customers of copycat shops are not dealing with YOU!) - there are so many opportunities to refine and define your own personal, unique brand. My advice would be to use this experience to figure out how to push forward in an even bigger and better way!

[wildabouthandmades]

Well aware of copy cats. One started out stealing design ideas from a very successful site, then, also helped themselves to the site owners descriptive wording.
.
Now, this copy cat has opened a new site to look very much like the site that they have been copying, and had the nerve to also mimic the very unusual banner, and made a very similar site title for this new site by mixing up words a bit so that the two sites can be confused.

Now the two sites look similar if you are just scrolling through as a viewer.

The blatant way in which people do this is unbelievable and makes one feel helpless.

Not much you can do, and the only thing one can do is take every step to protect themselves from copy cats. Document, document, document.

This is a serious thing that I wish etsy would address more in depth.

[Former_Member]

Sonya, I'm not exactly sure which item you are speaking of when referring to your copycat. However, somethings in your shop I've done while working with my Aunt who is a wedding planner who makes all of her decorations. I've never heard of your shop until today but we've been wrapping serving utensils for years as well as making the card holder bird cages and adding flowers to shoes and handbags. I know sometimes people make similar items to yours and they may sell alot cheaper but there's really not much you can do unless they steal your pics and wording. I wish you the best.

[kijsa]

I have had a problem with this, and even posted a thread a few months back! The seller (s) took a very distinctive item from my shop and copied my design, down to my hand lettering!
One bit of advice I was given in the forum was brilliant! I am planning a great blogpost with pics of all the imitators in it (not nastly or spiteful- truly to show and talk about inspiring others to create!)
When you put the copies right up against the original, it shows off your own goods, their quality and your design! Plus, everyone cheers that you are a good sport and generous to inspire others!
Kill 'em with kindness!
Blessings,
Kijsa

[Former_Member]

Kijsa, that is the most awesome-est solution to copy cats I've heard! Keeping that one for the memory bank!

Sonia, hope your copy cat stopped following you. It's the most horrible feeling but there's not much that protects us on here. Maybe look into copyrights or trademarks if that's feasible but even then, there's no guaranteed protection and lots more legal stuff I imagine.

[HapaGirls]

Kijsa - Great idea!!! I just saw that my copy cat has copied yet another ring of mine!! Sad thing is the copy cats work needs work. I almost dont want to say I am being copied because it is so poorly done. Karma does not need an address!