So you wanna be a cottage vendor

[hppyfngy]

There's a danger of echo chamber when you start quoting yourself.

Continuing to hammer away at this topic can only cause polarization.

Word.

I'm tired and more than a little bothered by this line of questioning.

Hope we can all live in peace with each other's endeavors but if it's business advice you seek, I think you look for an accountant and a lawyer.

I'm personally going back to the help your neighbor threads.

Cheers!
HFG

[ShadowAlpha]

Interesting thread.. I been away for 10 days & it might take me 10 days to read this.

-- ideas: (i'm not a lawyer) technically an idea is free. Until a complete publication is written describing the invention. However, I am not implying that it is ok to copy/improve on an idea without communicating with the person(s) who originally did had the idea, design, R&D.

-- Paul hit the nail on the head on many points. communicating with others (the designers & vendors) is a key factor. one example I can use from experience -- I sold memorabilia product at vendors shows for quite a few yrs. we would all get together before & after shows. Most had respect for each other. Many of us worked together.

Which is where my idea for ODTG came from - same as having a bunch of vendors at a show. I wanted to help the cottage vendors who wanted a web presence but not a huge project to manage - allowing them to focus on their product & customers. (thx to Katharina/MountainGoat)

-- To answer some of the original post -- in any self employed business - You need to enjoy what you do first. Be dedicated & passionate about what you do. Customers will see that and either like your product or walk away if you dish them a bunch of bear scat.

If your work is original you don't have to worry about infringements. I've been self employed for 16+ yrs. I've had some of the same customers from day 1. I think some key factors I have done from the beginning is collaborate, have respect for other designers/developers & communication. There's plenty of web site developers/designers/social networkers out there.... you dish scat, lack moral & communication you might last a few months.

-- AMEN Fronkey!

-- kayak Karl:

the one business i am surprised not to see is the cottage industry that works for other cottage industries. for example: just sewing small projects, packaging suspension kits, splicing amsteel, ANSWERING SERVICE , packaging in general like 1000 gutter spikes, duck taped, per 6 and put in envelopes , web sites, marketing to hunters, boaters, bikers etc.

Yup!

[oldgringo]

Continuing to hammer away at this topic can only cause polarization.

Word. Everybody needs to go hiking.

[Fronkey]

Everybody needs to go hiking.

Agreed.

It appears that every view point has been covered already and now we are just going in circles.

We all seem to agree that asking is the best way to go about it, however in the long wrong all we can do is whine about it if it doesn't happen. I know personally, I've said everything I want to say.

Time to leash up the pups and hit the trail.

Fronkey

[Murl]

It appears that every view point has been covered already and now we are just going in circles.

Since everyone's going in circles anyway, I don't feel so bad about hijacking the thread long enough to say that I had a good chuckle over this one:

Cottage vendors are everywhere and in many different niches. If it helps, personal experience of being deluded, very big time, is in formal dog attire .

I had no idea there was even such a thing as 'formal dog attire'. You'll have to excuse me while I do some intense Googling... I think I may owe my dog an apology!

[GT]

If I ever asked anyone to use their idea for profit it would include an offer of a percentage of the sales. Just Saying.

[stevebo]

Wow, this has turned into a can of worms! May I make a suggestion? I think part of this whole mess is a matter of expectations, and miscommunication. I cant help but think there is a simple way to handle this whole issue. What if everyone followed a couple of simple guide lines when posting------

1. when posting an idea, realize that if its on the forum, its public domain---fair game for anyone, for personal use or commercial. (if you have a problem with that, dont post it!--unless its patented or copywrited, you have no legal grounds to complain--just for the record, I dont like it anymore than you do, but its give and take, some people copy my ideas, and I get to copy theirs--its a transaction)

2. Dont use someone elses name on a product without their permission (professional courtesy)

3. The forum is about hammocks, not a venue for complaining that some one stole your idea etc etc-----if you have an issue with some one, contact them directly----take it out side!

I think if everyone is on the same page, alot of these problems will go away. The whole issue of ownership/ who came up with what first, is very murky anyway----were all inspired/influenced by some one!

[mountaingoat]

I have not read all the posts on here, but did read a few that may be addressing some of what I do. I first made some Mesh skins after someone asked me to make a set, like the ones in the DIY section. After that a few more people asked me to and I did the same ( for profit). I changed a couple of thing about how I make them because they seemed to come out better. I have not tried to take away any business form anyone else, and I don't really advertise what I do, other than my signature, but I don't post very often.
Even with my changes to the mesh skins, if anyone feels that I have done wrong by making these and selling them, I am open to consider it. I don't have any pre made and make them according to customer specs. I don't make much per hour, and this is a side job for me, as I have a full time job as a gardener.
I have always made things, from clothes to cards, from knitting to sewing to welding. I share my ideas freely and have sent hat patterns to anyone that wants to make them. Personally, I am not concerned about someone making hats just like mine and selling them, because I can't think of anyone knitting as fast and paying themselves as little as I do per hour. And if they do....more power to them, no problem here.
Cottage..... working late at night without anyone telling me I have to take a break every 2 hours, weekends and holidays, trying to move ahead a tiny bit by working hard....... that's why I came to this country and I appreciate the American spirit and the ingenuity very much. If I have crossed any lines, please let me know. Thanks!

[MarshLaw303]

I know I'm not the most active HF member but as a Vendor I have some opinions on this. I think other vendors get up in arms about what is being copied from them (like DIYers whose ideas get used) but forget about the the things they have borrowed from others. Two of the vendors that have posted on this thread about their designs being pinched have products that take directly from products made by other vendors (that were there first). I am 100% sure that permission wasn't asked because I am one whose ideas were used and one of my friends complained to me when it happened it to him for the other item i am thinking of. My friend sold the vendor one of his products and a few weeks later it went for sale on the guys site.

When I first noticed elements of my design being used by others without permission or acknowledgement I was pissed. But eventually I had to admit that features in my gear have evolved as customers gave me feedback, competitors introduced new concepts, and the DIY crowd tried new methods. I have been influenced by all of these things and though I try hard not to offer straight rip off products it is impossible to not be influenced by what others do.

When i first started selling quilts they were just like MLD (but crappier) and as it turned from a few quilts i made for myself but sold to something i was making to order i changed my design to make mine unique, similar as all quilts are 90% the same, but different enough to be truly my idea. When i wanted to change from sewing my cuben quilts to bonding them i found KARO baffles because they used much less material i could use tape with much less weight penalty. Did my use of this idea that i found here on DIY violate the work of others who brought this idea to the front, i don't think so, but you may. Was it wrong of Griz to make a cuben quilt with bonded cuben KARO baffles and show the world how to make what is essentially my product, I don't think so (i wouldn't like it if they went on sale, but i didn't protect it so who cares what i think). I think 95% of my effort is in sharing my knowledge with the community (maybe not here as much as on BPL) compared to me learning from them but the shared pile of knowledge leads to better products both made in homes and those made by vendors. If we stop sharing information we lose the advancements as a whole, not just in DIY picture shows but also in products made. Advancements in gear helps us enjoy the wilderness better and i am willing to share my info and occasionally see it in other shops to continue to be part of a learning community.

I love all you guys, even you (you know who you are)

-Tim

[DivaB]

I had no idea there was even such a thing as 'formal dog attire'. You'll have to excuse me while I do some intense Googling... I think I may owe my dog an apology!

Circles are fun some times. They break the ice when thing seem they could get heated. No need to google, just look at my bookmarks or here's a good one http://www.doggiecoutureshop.com/category_s/539.htm What can I say. It is another total niche out there. Some legit, some not even close to what they claim. But, it's like that every where you go.