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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or have I just been extremely naive?

183 replies

ClittyClittyGangBang · 07/07/2014 22:57

I have NC'd for this, think I might get flamed.

I sell handmade crafts and soaps, vintage bits and pieces and the odd piece of retro furniture. There are some shabby chic in there as well. I also sell chalk paint. At the moment I am based out of my garage and my kitchen and had been looking at a property for a while.

Moving into a shop will also mean my sister can have an outlet for her dressmaking and haberdashery bits that she sells.

Anyhow, a retail shop close to us became vacant months ago but no one was interested as it had been a really dodgy takeaway. We viewed and worked out that we could afford the rent between the two of us. The only problem was the refitting of the shop, so I approached a builder who I know personally for a quote for a strip out of the kitchen and counter and obligatory fish tank.

Anyhow, he was quite taken up with what we wanted to do. He listened to what we wanted and then gave us a quote which was a little higher than we had expected. We then approached the letting agent, imagine our surprise from being the only person interested to the shop had suddenly been rented out earlier that day. A change of usage notice was posted on the door, so I guessed it was going to be a shop of some kind.

Roll on a few months, and guess who is starting up a business in there selling all of the above? The builder's wife. Guess what she is selling? Exactly the same stock as we were going to have, she is on FB posting about all of her "vintage stock". Guess how they have done the decor? Exactly to our specification.

Am I right to be devastated or AIBU and this is just how people do "business"?

OP posts:
BakeOLiteGirl · 08/07/2014 16:58

Hi, I opened up a business on a business premises in January. I'm staggered by the amount of backstabbing, untrustworthy people who steal business ideas after I trusted them. Meeting others in my line of business I realised im not the only one.

I strongly advise never talking to anyone about any aspect of your business plan.

BakeOLiteGirl · 08/07/2014 16:59

Sorry forgot to say, it's the deceitful, underhanded nature that I have found gutting.

QuintessentiallyQS · 08/07/2014 17:00

"Karma" is a bad excuse to do nothing at all.

Never wait for Karma to do your bidding..

BeCool · 08/07/2014 17:03

Copyright subsists - it just exists when you create something, you don't have to claim it.

You might have to prove WHEN it was created though - so date stamped photos as evidence will do this. Photograph your work - develop new habits that will double up as evidence should you need it.

QuintessentiallyQS · 08/07/2014 17:04

who recommended you this builder? I would let them know what happened.

Pumpkinpositive · 08/07/2014 17:08

OP, that's awful. I think you've been spectacularly unlucky. He's probably not even a proper builder. Thanks Thanks

After 10 years of freelancing, my observation would be that most a lot of people will do whatever they think they can get away with. And even yet, I'm still surprised by how low some people will go. Shock

carabos · 08/07/2014 17:32

I think you've got a good positive attitude OP - even though you're in a shitty situation with shitty people. It always amazes me that people think its OK to do stuff like this. I get that no-one has a monopoly on anything, but to literally lift your ideas like that is Shock.

We had something similar go on in our town. A woman decided to open a beauty salon. So far, so what. But it's a small town, with lots of salons and she's very greedy and very lazy but had money behind her. So, she first, she tried to buy out her favourite salon. When they said no, she simply pinched all their staff by offering a lot more money and got those staff to take the customer contact list. She then did the same at the hairdressers. She even took the premium sole stockist rights by the simple method of offering those brands a much bigger cut of the take.

Bingo! Fully staffed, fully stocked business with a customer base on day one and the competition on its knees. The other salon took it to law but got absolutely nowhere.

Don't waste your time, energy and money on lawyers - just stay one step ahead and do what's right for you. I bet you're the one still standing when the dust settles.

SocialMediaAddict · 08/07/2014 18:25

Bide your time.

Karma!

CloverHeart · 08/07/2014 19:12

I think you should PM a couple of us the Facebook page. Then we can turn up at the shop on opening day and completely humiliate her congratulate her on making a fantastic deal with you to sell your unique and wonderful designs, ask her all sorts of questions while dropping your name and watch her squirm when she has to explain that, actually, she just ripped off your work entirely Grin

In all seriousness, you can see that people already have their suspicions about it and have shown this by getting in touch with you. Word of mouth is a powerful thing and once one neighbourhood gossip finds out it will be all over town.

Keep doing what you are doing and don't let it bring you down. Those who stand on the shoulders of giants fall off eventually Thanks

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 08/07/2014 20:09

Op - re the "her getting the refit at cost price" thing. Remember she isn't really.

Had her husband done the refit for you he would have received - say - £10k. By doing it for her and only getting - say - £3k he is £7k down. It's on his books not hers but their family is still £10k poorer than if they had done the refit for you.

spiritofthetime · 08/07/2014 20:57

PM some of us the link to her page. We can (primed by you) ask her a fuckton of technical questions about how she achieved the look on some of your her pieces. If any more pics turn up, report them to FB.

SquigglySquid · 08/07/2014 21:29

If she's copying your photos and designs, you can get her for copyright infringement. Send her a cease and desist. If she keeps it up, take her to court and show how she cut down your profits by copying you.

Toothytwo · 08/07/2014 21:34

Yes and PM us the link to your page too, you might get some sales. Honestly :)

sleepdodger · 08/07/2014 21:42

Business rates will not be her friend

smellyfishead · 08/07/2014 22:05

yes yes, whats the fb page called??

craftysewer · 08/07/2014 23:07

There is a FB page 'Paper Panda'. She is red hot on copyright, etc and it may be worth checking out her FB/Web page to see how she deals with things.

FFSFFS · 09/07/2014 07:50

I don't think the OP will be back...

PetraArkanian · 09/07/2014 07:53

Do remember to review her husband on things like Check-a-trade etc....

CloverHeart · 09/07/2014 08:02

spiritofthetime x-post!

Original poster
ClittyClittyGangBang · 09/07/2014 08:29

Hi, sorry for not getting back on yesterday, but I have been really busy taking down photos on my FB page.

I am going to be redoing all my pics with a watermark, and getting them all back onto a completely new revamped page in the next few days. I am also going to see a small unit at a nearby antiques and craft centre which is ready to go and more affordable and the footfall over the next six months will be much larger than the shop. There is wifi so I can be monitoring orders on my FB/Etsy and also enough space for me to be crafting and creating. The opening hours are 10am-5pm, although most people close at 4pm. Unfortunately, there is already someone over there running painting classes, so I am going to be focusing on "rainy day kits" side of things.

My sister is going away to this evening for a short break, I still really want her to be involved in the project with me. It may be a situation of where I just sell her products and she has no day to day involvement, but I really need her stock to give me the variation of products. Also, I don't want her to walk away on a wobble then regret it in a few months time.

So, watch this space!! Feeling so much more focused, positive and upbeat about the future and a huge amount of that is because of the input and comments from this page. It has really spurred me on, thank you all so very much.

XXXXXX

OP posts:
CloverHeart · 09/07/2014 09:08

It's really good to hear that you are feeling more positive today. reat idea about the revamp. Give your page and business a quick refresh and battle on through!

Keep up the good work and don't let this incident kill your passion. It is, after all, yours and not hers and she will likely get very bored in the long run....

.....and the offer is still open if you want me to turn up at the shop and coo over the fab designs she is selling on your behalf, asking how much profit goes to you etc etc ;)

MistyMeena · 09/07/2014 09:40

Your new plans sound much more likely to work well for you OP. I think it's easy to underestimate how expensive it is to have an actual premises, the utilities, rent, non domestic rates, insurance etc soon add up and you have to sell a heck of a lot of stuff to stay in business let alone make a decent profit. In your situation I'd be doing exactly what you're doing, have a VERY good website, sell small things online, and f you have to have a shop get it as cheap as poss in a very busy area to maximise potential. I guess that woman will last 6 months tops.

Balaboosta · 09/07/2014 10:36

Go, OP! That sounds like A Plan. Well done!

SavoyCabbage · 09/07/2014 11:14

That's really good. Refocus and concentrate on you and your own business.

You should share your new FB page with us and we will boost your 'likes'!

CloverHeart · 09/07/2014 11:18

^ Agree! The power of Mumsnet will help surpass her pathetic attempt at mimicry and may also get you a few extra online sales ;)

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