LET CONSULTING GROUP
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICE
The Deal Really Could Be A Steal
Author: Steve Chittenden
There are many ways to get a deal these days, but before you
give in to the temptation to jump on board thinking you are
saving a lot of money, consider things in perspective. If
someone walked up to you wearing a trench coat offering a deal
on an expensive watch, your instincts would tell you it is most
likely stolen. If you bought it anyway, you would be just as
guilty as the thief.
When you are dealing with the Internet, the guys in trench coats
can put up a respectable looking site and make themselves look
just like a fine jeweler. If their prices are about the same as
everyone else, then it may be harder to spot the frauds. When
they are offering an incredible deal, consider it not worth the
risk.
To make matters worse, endorsements from respectable sources
might not even be enough. As I write this article, the graphic
design industry has made a discovery that has them rightfully
outraged. The law is on their side too, so in the near future,
many unsuspecting businesses are likely to find themselves faced
with expensive lawsuits.
A major online logo provider seemed at first to be just an
annoyance to respectable graphic designers who create logos for
businesses. The company offers logos for rates that should make
anyone suspicious, but they managed to get some endorsements
from sources such as The Wall Street Journal. As it turns out,
many of the logos they are selling are stolen. There is mounting
evidence against them for trademark infringement and the buyers
can be held just as liable as the thieves.
The growth of the Internet makes this form of theft more common,
but also easier to catch. I am finding the content I create
being stolen more frequently. If I can help spread the word,
maybe we can help reduce the problem.
There is a growing trend toward outsourcing offshore for just
about everything. Manufacturers have struggled with idea theft
from offshore companies for decades, but copyrights and
trademarks are more easily enforced. Before you jump into a
great deal by turning to offshore outsourcing, intellectual
property rights should be one of your main concerns.
Suppose you had a web site developed in India (either directly
or through a company that uses offshore outsourcing), and
instead of creating original content, they steal it from various
sources and pass it off to you as their own work. It is an
unfortunate reality that offshore sources outside of U.S.
jurisdiction are also a breeding ground for all forms of
pirating.
When a copyright owner discovers your site with stolen content,
they, or their legal firm Dewey, Stickem, & Howe, will
contact you about it. Since prosecuting the offshore company is
more difficult, and the copyright owner may even be more irate
that you used an offshore outsource to steal their work, you
could legally receive the full brunt of their wrath.
Copyright and trademark infringement is not flattery to the
owners. Original work takes creativity, thought, effort,
research, money, time, and other resources. Stealing it is
easier, and buying from a thief is often cheap, but also risky.
These thieves are smooth con artists. They may appear very
professional, but it's because they steal from people who are
professional.
The Internet is a great place for the free sharing of
information. It is completely understandable that no business
owner wants to be charged too much for professional services.
Just be aware that sometimes the bargain doesn't just bite, it
will tear you to pieces if the one providing it is using
unethical standards.
About the author:
Steve Chittenden believes small business owners already have the
drive to succeed. His company, Creative Business Services,
provides carefully planned web design, graphic design,
writing, and marketing services as tools to help create that
success. Please visit www.cbscreative.com for
more information.
© 2006 LET CONSULTING GROUP. All rights reserved.