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Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

In another thread, I opened up the discussion of whether or not to retaliate against a ex-employee, now opening an AZ account, and copying my hand made products. I don't want to duplicate that thread.

So, let's assume:

1. This other seller is indeed copying my items.
1a. Let's refer to this seller, I'm trying to make miserable, as UES (Un-Ethical Seller)
2. UES is new on AZ. Less than 3 reviews, and has copied 13 of my items thus far.
3. UES is rather low-tech.
4. I will tether my cell phone to my laptop, and obtain unique IP address.
5. I will create a new user/session in Windows thus having a clean footprint.
6. I will get prepaid CC at Walgreens.
7. I will create a new AZ buying account, using bogus street address.
8. I will buy a batch of products from UES, have deliver to a PO box, and then return them all as defective.
8a. I will leave neg. seller reviews and product reviews.
9. I will repeat doing step 8 and 8a, until UES either goes away, or AZ closes my shill account.

I'd like to try hard to not have this thread digress into:
"It's not worth the bother" or
"Just focus on your own business" or
"Copying your items isn't illegal...leave them alone.
Let's assume, I'm hell-bent on moving forward with this.

Question:
Is there an easier/more effective way, to make them miserable then step #9?
Also, I may simply purchase an AZ account up here, from a board member, rather than messing with steps 6 and 7.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I hate assumption.

Bad vibes, bad vibes.

:croc:

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I like it! :))

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

sounds like ALOT of time wasted :comp5::surrender::deadhorse:

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Your on the wrong forum for what your looking to do.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Your just not going to get a how to guide on how to take down another seller here no matter how justified it may or may not be.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Yes, go to another forum.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Just focus on your own business

It's not worth the bother

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

OP: I know you are upset, I would be too if an ex-employee of mine started re-selling my items. That said, there are more constructive and mature ways to deal with this issue.

In the time spent trying to take him down, you could be using that same time to work on your own business and actually make money. You can always get your money back, but your time is lost forever. Use it wisely.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Why not just strike a deal with the supplier of the products?

Surely you are buying a lot more inventory than the ex employee right?

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Yes, I certainly am much bigger than the ex employee.
The products are all "home made".

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Easy to feel that way, when your products are not being stolen....

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

This is indeed good, constructive, advice.
But, right now, my emotions have the best of me, and it's hard to look the other way, when I see my products being sold on AZ, by someone else. It's a very violating feeling.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I hope it gets better for you

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Me too.
I really thought there might be a "service" out there, that offers to "take down another seller", or at least "trash their reviews".

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Either would be illegal and easily detectable, which is why they aren't offered.

Just burn down their house if you're serious about getting even. :thumb:

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I would just talk to the supplier and let them know what is going on

I'm sure you guys can work something out

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Wasting your time -will never amount to nothing --in my opinion

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Might work with a USA-based supplier, but probably not with any Asian suppliers.

If this were my supplier they would sell to anyone who can meet their MOQ. Unless you're Apple or Amazon big I doubt you'll have much luck talking an Asian supplier out of selling to others. Even with Apple being a trillion $ company they have "leaks" all over their supply chain because of their Asian manufacturers selling their products out the back door.

I wasn't serious about burning anyone's house down, but I honestly think it would have more of an impact than any of this using a phake account to sabotage crap.

Just my $.02 lol

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

If it's easily detectable, then Amazon Ghost wouldn't exist.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

As I've pointed out before, these are "home made" items.
There's no "supplier".

Think of it like selling a uniquely designed magazine rack, or foot stool, or wooden puzzle....on that order.

"Going to the supplier", is not an option.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

We were talking about a "sabotaging service", not the Amazon Ghost book. Such a service would be unlawful and easy to detect. Which is why there's no such service.

That e-book is for making seller accounts, not for creating buyer accounts to sabotage your competition. Buyer accounts that exist purely to sabotage competitors are extremely easy for Amazon to detect and shut down.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Even "handmade" items are made from "supplies" so I, and I think Beautiful as well, were answering with the assumption that you are buying supplies from someone somewhere down the line.

I was just pointing out that it would be difficult to restrict who a particular supplier sells to.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I'm confused.
Isn't this the sort of thing sellers are complaining about on Amazon on a daily basis? Aren't Amazon sellers constantly complaining about Asian accounts being made by the hundreds, just to flood other accounts with counterfeit reviews?

If those are so easy to detect and shut down, why are they so rampant on Amazon? I'm not trying to be a jerk....just sayin'....

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

your not special. this happens to everyone including major corporations... no one wants to teach you how to sabatoge seller accounts for your own pointless revenge. move along and concentrate on your business. clearly your doing something wrong.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I’m confused....

The entire premise of your thread and why only he can copy you and no one else could is because of the unique supplier you have that only he also has accesss to.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Register a trademark.
File copyright infringement.

But really.. Your competitor might have another or several backup accounts behind his sleeve.
So when you're done with one - another one pops up.
Not really a viable solution if he's not doing something really 'bad'.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Are we still on this topic really?

I'm telling you, not is this only negative, but you aren't growing.
If all you think about it destroying others only because you can't compete it's really on you.

Yea, I know it's tough, but that's how it is. I'd take this opportunity to create something new and better.

Entrepreneurship is about growing and tackling issues that will come whether it's your competitor playing dirty or something else really.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Oh, ok, now I see why there's the confusion.
Yes, you are correct.

I do have a unique supplier of the raw material.
These "foot stools" are being made with rare, sustainably harvested wood, that can only be gotten from a handful of suppliers. I've also taken the time to figure out what species of wood these foot stools should be made from, to sell best, as well as what designs sell best. It's taken me over a year to figure out and learn the optimum combination.

Now this ex-employee swoops in, and because of their previous experience with me, they know exactly which stool to offer (design wise, and species of wood) right from the get-go, and they are offering them, undercutting my price.

My supplier of this wood has agreed to supply only me with the raw materials, but this ex-employee knows the other suppliers of the raw materials (they learned that thru working for me, also), and they are simply getting the raw materials from them.

In the corporate world, this is called theft of intellectual property, and an NDA
(non disclosure agreement. As well as a non compete) would have been required to be signed. That's where I messed up. However, I know they'll go away to "the Bay" (which I'm fine with) if I could just make their selling life on Amazon difficult.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

No one is going to tell you how to get another seller banned. Just not something that happens here

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

In another week the trademark would be ready and he'd be off AMZ.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Not sure about Amazon but I heard in other places, it takes more than one violation to get banned.
In an old thread here, a victim seller spent thousands in legal fees and lost six figures that year. The seller still didn't solve this copyright issue.

When the thief steals the original design, anyone will feel mad and stressful. Some people here probably don't have a popular original design got copied yet so you don't feel the pain.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

If anything, the lesson is next time you have employee then have them sign a non-compete contract...

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

That is a pretty good lesson to take from this

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

Could look at a $300 trademark as an unfortunate loss...

Or look at it as an investment to prevent lost sales, which sooner or later could be more than $300.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

definately register the trademark if possible (not sure if it is, for type of wood or a stool design if not really really unique)

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

So many lessons over the years in ecommerce. We only started Amazon this year and so many things you dont learn from videos, youtube, forums... I would imagine these are secrets people keep as they are expensive.

Re: Creating trouble for thief competitor
 

I would suggest that you have a brand registry