Copyright and how do they get away with it?

[Karen.]

A stall has been set up in the centre of our very busy shopping centre today. Now the centre is usually very expensive and also very fussy about what they will have in there. This stall today has appeared selling coasters. The quality of the print on most of them is awful, faded parts to the prints and some images are terrible quality - the colour on some is completely off as well. Now he is selling loads of football club badges on coasters, film, tv and music stars, car and bike logos and just about every other breech of copyright you can think of. I was seriously thinking of reporting him tbh.
One things that drives me mad is breaking copyright, why should they be allowed to get away with it? There are a several well known logos (mainly car and bike related) that I own a license to print and if I see them on there then I will have absolutely no hesitation in reporting him to the people I work for with these images and he will definitely find himself with a £50k fine, as one of these companies in particular are very hot on copyright

[JSR]

Unfortunately, unless he is reported, nothing will happen. We can only hope that he paid more for his stall than he made in profit given his poor quality products.

People do this kind of thing for one reason only - they're selfish. They rip-off others because they don't have a creative bone in their bodies and try to make a fast buck.

I don't infringe copyright for one very simple reason - I wouldn't want anything of mine ripping off, so I don't rip-off something of anyone else's. It's not the likelihood of being caught, or big fines, or summons, or legalities that stops me doing it. It's just the old adage - do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

People who purposefully, and with all knowledge and forethought, infringe someone else's intellectual property are the scum of the Earth. Right down there with nefarious hackers, thieves and pirates.

[Karen.]

I know what you mean. The two reasons I will not do it are: because I wouldn't want it doen to me and also because I think it look awful on your business. I would rather hold my head high and known that I am acting legally and as a business that can be trusted, not some illegal 'dodgy' dealer. With me it is also not the fear of being caught that stops me doing it and I turn business away almost everyday due to being asked to print items that we or they do not hold the copyright to.

Unfortunately this particular stall today appeared o be selling loads at £1.99 each or 4 for £6.

[jennywren]

I pay for a license and if there was a conflit with what I pay for and in the same town I would haved had no quelms in reporting them, to be honest if there was not a conflit I would not bother, thats sounds harsh but I have to look after what effects me, it your living and I would have reported him.

[Paul]

hmm... this subiect is ery close to me lately
this guy sells websites layout and include my templates for mugs Merseymugs.co.uk and I have a proof here http://www.mugsnprints.co.uk/
this guy never bought them of me

[GoldRapt]

Im lost here Paul,
I see loads of mug templates all over the web that match both sites.
How do you know which is yours please? How would I know that either site had copyright permission if I bought say a jonnie depp mug?

As for Karens problem....I apologise Karen but you are wrong, as a copyright purchaser you should read the small print whereby it should state that you have a DUTY to report copyright theft to FACT and the copyright owner.
Purely because it is their job to decide if it is legal not yours, if the stall holder is legit they will tell you its ok and you could sleep easy.
Apologies if anyone takes this any other way than "best meant".

[Paul]

how do I know? becose I have record os sold templates plus I contacted sellers as somone else... and they both propose me to sell MY OWN templates! one of them tryed to charge me more then I charge for them!

[GoldRapt]

Paul,
I wrote how would "I" know.
How are you protecting your original ideas?
When you sold your templates to this person did yu make it plain as to what they could be used for?
If your T&C's dont state that yout templates are not for resale then your T&C's need tightening up to protect your interests.
Have you written to these people via snail mail to complain?

[jennywren]

None of the big football teams give anybody the right to use their images, (only brand names) none of the big clubs at all, I was ask to wholesale to someone that did football stuff. if I do do his mugs coaster,ect the answer was no but he did find someone else to do it, I know that you do your own design and use the red and blues ect and not say Arsenal but call them gooners ect, but when ever I see football clubs I know it been used unlicense, and they cannot chase everybody and thats how a lot of people get away with and as GoldRapt say we have a duty but we would always be on the phone, but if its what for I'm license what I phone and leave it up them. The rest is not on my list otherwise the phone bill would be huge as its everywhere

[Stitch Up]

Copyright rip-offs or whatever you want to call it is here to stay, just take a quick browse around Ebay.

Yes, it's very annoying if someone rips-off your designs and, unless you've got deep pockets and lots of time to pursue litigation, after you've sent warning letters etc, I'd forget it.

I pursued a case on 'principle' once. I always remember my solicitor telling me 'principles cost money'. He was right, I won the case, it cost me a lot of money and I didn't get a penny back.


My advice, spend your time making money not chasing principles.