Over a year ago, I started creating and selling artist mottle sponges. I know that copying is supposed to be a sincere form of flattery, but when your product is copied EXACTLY, is that ever ok?
I was very upset by this! Not that I think my idea was completely original, or that my specific patterns were anything special. But when someone else comes along, and replicates all of those things EXACTLY, and has researched my prices and made certain to undercut them just slightly, Is that an acceptable thing to do? And they put THEIR name on MY product! I spent a lot of time coming up with those patterns/designs to be reborn specific! I have had customers/artists screen shot this sites product and send it to me which is how I found out about it.
I need thoughts on how I should handle this. Should I go to the site owner and call them out? Should I just suck it up and move on?
If they had saw my designs/patterns and thought, how cool, I’ll come up with my own designs and make it slightly different, I would have be completely ok with that! In my opinion, this is really underhanded and unethical…it makes me really sad~
This makes me really sad! And I personally know how much time, money and experimentation you spent creating your method and exact designs. I don’t think it’s ok at all! I’m not exactly sure how I would approach it, I do know I would be upset, the fact that they didn’t even attempt to change the designs or make them their own in any way, even the packaging is exactly the same, 100% makes it theft in my opinion. I hope you get some good ideas on if or how you should approach it.
I really appreciate your support, input and ideas!
You always give me a nudge to help me move forward, and your unwavering belief in my abilities means more than you will ever know♥️
This is just so upsetting and hopefully someone can give me some clear direction on how to handle this situation.
I am not sure what I would do, but I would for sure be upset. Years ago I showed a technique that I used on a baby that I had painted and was sent a private message asking me how I did some of my details on that baby. I replied, shared my technique and the products I used, and thought nothing much of it. I was new and happy that someone even noticed my work. A few months later I became aware that she was selling tutorials from her website including exactly what she had got from me. I am sure many people besides me came up with what I did, so I do not claim to be the inventor, but to get it free from me and then sell it…not cool. But I never said anything. Part of the reason I guess is I was unknown and figured no one would believe it anyway.
It’s an awful feelings isn’t it? It guts me because that was MY work, time money, effort, and someone else put their name on it. It’s shameful that people can’t come up with their own ideas, and profit off someone else’s. I’m so sorry that happened to you too
In the world of reborn art, things get copied. Unless you have a patent on it, not much you can do. Susan Gibbs has had her baby bassinets copied. Now you see all variations of them being made and I was told one person had taken one of Susan’s bags and copied it exactly. I have made some bucket bags last year. Janan Duncan was the first person I ever saw to make wooden faux baby rattles. Now you see them all over the show. I have made them as well myself. Everyone sees a great idea and wants to jump on it. I am not saying right or wrong on this. Just that it happens all over.
I thought these were just tools reborn artists use, and often sell. I’m sorry you’re frustrated though. When did you start making them and did you ever share your technique behind a paywal? Or was the info shared freely? I’m pretty sure I saw Melissa George making these with a heat tool in in 2018 but I don’t have access to the videos anymore.
If you have a valid claim I would ask the other person if they’d be willing to collaborate with you or credit you. I would be nice about it. Since the holes are random I don’t think you have a legal case unless you can prove exact theft. I am not a lawyer.
I know I am not the first, not will I be the last to make them at all! It was just that they spent a great deal of time copying my exact pattern. If they would have changed it up a bit it wouldn’t bother me at all! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen something and been like oh cool! What if I added this or changed that? I would never practice to make the item exact!
Is it possible that they bought them from you and now reselling?
Yesterday someone posted a site with body recommendation. I never heard that reborn-making site, so I went to check it out. The first thing on the screen was a sponge set that looked like yours.
They also have Honeybugs pacies and BB kits, obviously they didn’t make those, so that made me think after seeing your post today that they just bough it from you.
I’m sorry this happened to you, people are just unethical, if they think they can make a buck, they’ll sell their “granny”!! Maybe you should make other sponges and DON’T show pictures of them. If someone buys a “new” set of your sponges and copies them, then I give up. This stuff is sad.
No… they did not buy them from me. I know anything that is hand crafted is subject to being “borrowed” What bothers me is that they could have changed it slightly instead of totally ripping of my design completely and they make it seem like it’s exclusively theirs!
I agree completely… there are no ethics in this world. If they had changed it slightly or varied the pattern, I wouldn’t have been upset… but not completely ripping off my work!
Your so right! Even if they had changed it slightly, it wouldn’t upset me at all! I know I’m not the first or last to make these, but taking full credit for something I made really ticks me off.
