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Posted

Obviously I'm not talking about key fobs, or any of those products you fold twice and add a clip. I'm talking about those bigger things you design.

Admittedly, my version of the product in question was inspired by existing things, but at the same time is still unique. Twice now I've discovered someone making near identical versions of it. The first guy built it for personal reasons, so I was fine with that. This new person, however, is planning on selling them. Via social media, I left a short and sweet message on the photo. "You stole my design. That is pretty lame." haha.

But what can I really even do, right? I'm certainly not going to be contacting a lawyer or anything. Maybe a home made Cease and desist? haha.

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Posted

Well you've given yourself the answer already. If you don't want to take legal action suck it up.

Telling someone that he stole your design and not telling him to not do it again and what you expect of him/her isn't helpful. There are at least 2 long threads about copyright infringement you can read up on. For as long as we are really just talking about a design and not a functionality the effort isn't worth it. Unless that design is part of your corporate identity, it be really hard to proof you have righteous claim.

  • Members
Posted

Well I would assume most of the people here wouldn't get one either? I did a quick search online and for the most part it was saying it wasn't worth it, so I just came in to see if anyone else had done anything about it another way.

  • Contributing Member
Posted

Our experience has been with wood products. We made/manufacture a product in wood that last time I looked 112 other individuals/companies have made also.

We have made it for 38 years. We get an occasional e-mail or letter saying we copied their design, they have usually only been in business a few years.

The worst at copying products are the Chinese. They copied some of our products so completely that shapes of parts and colors were exactly the same. They sold them for less than we could buy the material.

Re: Leather sewing machines. lol

ferg

  • Members
Posted

My only experience selling stuff is in wood also. Lucky for me, what I make can't be made overseas.

I figure that the only advantage I have is in creative thinking - coming up with unique products and unique jigging to make those products quicker. Those people who copy probably can't come up with their own stuff, so if you start feeling the pinch, the best route is new designs rather than competing with the imitators. Easier said than done, I know, but it is about the only way I know of playing to your strengths rather than wasting time and effort fighting a fruitless battle.

In leatherworking, I'm just making stuff for my own use, so my perspective may not apply.

  • Members
Posted

I figure that the only advantage I have is in creative thinking - coming up with unique products and unique jigging to make those products quicker. Those people who copy probably can't come up with their own stuff, so if you start feeling the pinch, the best route is new designs rather than competing with the imitators. Easier said than done, I know, but it is about the only way I know of playing to your strengths rather than wasting time and effort fighting a fruitless battle.

I calmed down a bit over the past couple days haha.

The more I thought about it, the more I decided this was the route to go. Fortunately, and this is the only aspect of my situation that is "good", but I've been in a temporary spot for a while now with no shop space. It crippled my production, but gave me plenty of time to prototype. I've got seven competing products to reveal the moment I move into my new shop, and a social media following that's way way better than his.

  • Contributing Member
Posted

Mark Smith, former CEO of ADTRAN (a tech company) was asked what he would do about a rival company copying his designs - as in purchasing, reverse engineering, and producing. He said "Nothing. It's millions of dollars in legal fees, probably years of lawsuits, and besides....by the time they reverse engineer it, we're already two generations ahead."

Don't settle on a single design for anything. In the eyes of most consumers, "newer is better", so keep innovating.

Mike DeLoach

Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem)

"Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade."

"Teach what you know......Learn what you don't."

LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.

  • Contributing Member
Posted

If the copier is good at it, offer him a job. If not, no worry ...

JLS  "Observation is 9/10 of the law."

IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.

5 leather patterns

Posted

This issue happens more frequent than not. I just read one last night in another platform where a crafter claimed to have had his "holster" design copied (stolen) yet I know another crafter who has been making them for almost 8 years when I first me him. Whose design is whose original design. I think we see something, consider some changes and tweak it to fit our artist needs. I agree that you should not depend on one product. Constantly challenge yourself to better your design and move forward. I am not in business with my leather items, but if I were one priority for me would be to stay ahead of curve especially with social media. You can almost bet that your design will be copied within a few days of posting pictures, so be ready.

Take a deep breath and move forward to your next best idea!

Greetings from Central Texas!

The Grain Side Up blog


#TheGrainSideUp

  • Moderator
Posted

Forgettaboudit. In the world market today with everyone looking to make a buck anyway they can, but mostly to take advantage of the US market; you have to use the same strategy that everyone else is using. Ron Popeil had it right. Develop the product in secret, produce a gazillion of them, and then blitzkrieg the market at a reasonable price. If your price is very competitive, your product may have legs (like the pocket fisherman), but it is usually the one and done paradigm. You take the majority of what there is in one stroke and move on. For the craftsman, pursuing legal action is a farce. If you go to court, and it will take a TON of money to get there, the defense will show 20 different whatsits that are similar, and your case is toast.

Sorry there is no better answer, but it is what it is,

Art

For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!

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