How do you handle copy cats?

[DinaLRosenberg]

In a competitive landscape how do you deal with other businesses copying your ideas? Do you call them out? Ignore? Create something new?

We've had a product go viral- and now we are seeing copy cats do the same exact thing- down to the wrapping! It's completely disingenuous and frustrating.

[DinaLRosenberg]

To answer my own question.... 

I decided to use the "copy cat" to my advantage... by creating content differentiating and educating our customers. 

Explaining about WHERE the items come from is important. A lot of times the copy cats are selling counterfeit goods. We make sure we show receipt of products from the publisher, explaining that it is how authors/illustrators get paid, etc.

[isabelle]

@DinaLRosenberg Curious to see the responses to this - I see so much copying on Etsy and I wonder how annoying it gets for the people who originally developed a product and then there were 9827349827 copycats. Do they report them? How does it impact sales? 

[DinaLRosenberg]

especially if you have a trademark or copyright!!

I see that going around like crazy.

[Lovewell]

What a great topic. 

We used to get fired up. I think we still do to some degree just knowing how much work we put into the creative process of our menus, designs, and event days etc. And if we've ever gained inspo from someone we always try to give credit! Because that's just truth! We would have never decided to do a Harry Potter Day until we met Ali from @sugarlab - And instead of competing we chose to collaborate and share business! 

We were listening to a podcast and they mentioned how people can steal your ideas, recipes, products etc... but they can't steal your vision. They can't duplicate YOU. 

So what we've done is to remember to stay in our lane and put our head down and create as if we never knew someone copied us or potentially might still do so. 

A huge thing too is when you post about the product or in your item description add depth of story! Explain why you created the item and your connection to it. That shows authenticity over someone just creating a product because they saw it somewhere else. They can't recreate YOUR story. They don't have the roadmap that you do. 

This is speaking back to ourselves too so please don't think we still don't get discouraged when we see this! Be encouraged that at the end of the day you know you did it honestly and let it fuel your fire to continue to create amazing unique items. 

[mksavage]

This has happened to us a few times, mostly locally. One example -- a couple years ago, we had a former employee start her own Farmer's Market stand and sell the same products we make -- down to the name, packaging, item description. At the time, it was really upsetting. We had spent years developing these recipes (vegan baking & donuts are not for the faint of heart!) and also really trusted this person. I drafted several messages to her, and I never ended up sending them. I decided to let it go, to focus on doing what we do exceptionally well, and see it as a form of flattery, I guess. The fight didn't seem worth the energy, and I felt like I needed to control what I could control. Now, two years later, she's not in business anymore, because it takes more than the recipes to build something successful.

[Lovewell]

This is so good. Hard… but how you handled it is beautiful and says a lot about you! 

[MudFire_Dex]

Yeah, we've had people copy us - then typically they close up shop or pivot to a different model like paint your own pottery because our model requires a lot of hands on business ownership and knowledge about granular level details about glaze chemistry and equipment repairs etc. and a lot of folks think a studio can run itself. A few months or years pass then someone new comes around and does the same. For perspective I  started talking to business owners in other places - Chicago for example has like 12 different ceramic studios. We came to realize that it was ok if someone else opened up. Ceramics is rife with influencer culture like all other pursuits these days and we are just going to worry about ourselves - focus on making our space the best it can be and like @mksavage said - The fight didn't seem worth the energy, and I felt like I needed to control what I could control. I can't control someone else's story and narrative nor their desire to copy. Unfortunately being a public space people come in - take photos and steal ideas - but they can't steal my 25 years in ceramic experience. I do know individual artists who sell ceramic work who have taken companies like Home Goods to court for directly copying designs but the lawsuits are expensive and if won don't net out into the gain/boon one would think. One person I know personally has sued over 20 different companies and artists over copyright infringement.

[mksavage]

@MudFire_Dex It's really interesting to see the copycats open, and then close. I obviously never want to wish ill-will on another small business owner, but I'm always amazed at how easy people think it will be. It is not easy, haha. It's hard, often ugly, and is a marathon (and totally worth it, but you get my point). You're absolutely right though -- no one else can copy the skill, awareness, understanding, care, etc. that comes from that many years of experience.

[Lovewell]

This!! 

[rtfulk]

We take great pride in our booth display, and we often have other vendors coming in and taking photos. Since we create many of our own setup elements, we don’t have to worry about it. However, there’s one vendor who seems to be constantly trying to copy everything we do. If we add a neon sign, they get a neon sign too. If we introduce new signage, they get the same signage. The only thing that really bothers us is their constant attempts to claim that they came up with it first. It’s become a bit of a game between us, trying to figure out what they’ll copy next.

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Wow. That would bug the heck out of me. Kudos to you for having patience and showing restraint. 

[Ladybower]

We have another cafe close by that has since copied our ideas for outdoor seating screens, menu items etc. They even changed the colours of their walls to closely match ours. We just decided that it would be advantageous for our business if we just do everything better than they do. This makes the other business look like a copy cat. 

[JK_Fiber_Art]

Interesting topic - as for other businesses copying our ideas and designs - can't say that has been an issue, it takes a great amount of skill, experience, patience and passion.   What's ironic are the customers.   Many years ago when we first started dealing with customers - they were great, respectful, appreciative and understood value - seems times have changed.   Now they are entitled and rude - I'll explain.  We look at someone trying to copy and remake our unique original designs as both a compliment and annoying.   People will actually come into our Gallery and say, "I can make that" or they say "I'm not here to buy anything, I'm just looking for ideas" and will try to sneak taking photos when they think we're not looking.  We just take in stride and ask them to come back and show us what they have made.  We actually had a few people come back and say, my item didn't turn out so well - (that's why we have a business and they don't).    We'll take that as a compliment !!  😉

[Donnie-M]

Out execute them.  I have faced this numerous times over the year.  The best thing you can do is show you do it better.  If you can't do it better, why are you doing it?  Flip it and reverse it.

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

This 100%. 🙂

[Lovewell]

BE BETTER. 100% yes. Let it fuel our creative fire haha 

[Markman10]

Yes, its a common thing. Simply analyze your competitor's strategies and check their strengths and weaknesses. Now, try to outrank them on their weaknesses.

[Doran]

I've had several "copycats" pop up after I've started a new path in my business.  I move on to the next thing.  Also, I noticed that most of them don't stay in business for more than a year.  When Covid happened and I turned my waiting area into a full lifestyle boutique to offset not being able to do facials a bunch of similar things popped up the next year.  Business was great for all of us during that year but with the economy slow down and rents quadrupling all but me and one other still exist.  I've noticed the same trend with other things I kind of trail blaze.  Like Hydrafacial-- everyone has it now but all of them are successful with it.  Market yourself as the best and train to be it and you don't really have to worry about the people that come after you.