posted on April 13, 2004 11:03:49 AM new
A new customer has bought a couple of my patterns and requested a discount. I gave her my standard discount. I have several other patterns that she wants, but is losing the bidding on them. She wrote to say that she is on disability and "would I mind making copies of the patterns and sending them to her?" How would you all handle this? Not only is it again the law (copyright infringement), but if I did do something like this, why bother with an ebay business? I could just make copies and mail them to everybody!
[ edited by bizzycrocheting on Apr 13, 2004 11:04 AM ]
posted on April 13, 2004 11:17:44 AM new
What has being on disability got to do with it that she should ask for free copies.
I guess that's supposed to make you feel sorry & break the law for her.
It's not the right thing to ask someone to do.
Copyright infringement, that's the answer, against the law. Tell her no.
posted on April 13, 2004 12:09:03 PM new
I get at least 3 or 4 of these types of emails around the holiday times. They usually state that they are single moms or someone was laid off and they their daughter or wife would really love one of my jewelry pieces..Yada Yada. Yes I do feel terrible for people that are in this situation but I find that people that are indeed needy are to proud to ask for things for free.
You are a business person and Ebay is a source of income for you. A customer wouldn't walk into their local Walmart and ask for something free off the shelf, why should they think you would be so ready to offer your goods for nothing.
Buyers have got to get off the idea of Ebay as some sort of hobby for sellers and realize that it is a job, a business and we are not in this for fun.
I would explain that although you sympathize with her situation you prefer to give charity locally and you only deal in originals of your patterns.
posted on April 13, 2004 03:11:29 PM new
I think you know how to handle it. Suggestion: in your response declining her request, point out that such activity is against the law. Maybe it will make her think twice next time.
posted on April 13, 2004 03:44:27 PM new
Woe is me, Earthlink,$50.00 a month, electricity to RUN the comp,,? $20.00? TELEPHONE line!,,,,$20.00.....misc. $20.00...We fell on HARD times but we still maintain our on line fees.
posted on April 13, 2004 03:52:19 PM new
Thanks for the responses. I always think it's kind of nervy to ask something like this of a seller, but there are all kinds out there! I just needed a point in the right direction on how to word the letter so as not to lose a customer.
posted on April 14, 2004 09:01:36 PM new
What I do with insulting e-mail like this, it to use the brand new feature in most e-mail programs. I use the delete button and move on.
posted on April 14, 2004 09:22:30 PM new
You could always edit a few of the critical measurements, make a photocopy, and send it to her. She'll be so busy trying to alter the resulting mess, she won't have time to bug you again.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on April 15, 2004 12:35:57 AM new
Last year I bought some supplies from a seller.
Coincidentally she had a baroque horse pattern for needlepoint, which I could convert into beading.
I asked if she could copy it and would be happy to pay for copies, time, etc.
She was happy to do it and I happily paid $5 for about 4-5 pages.
Copyright for personal use of patterns is a little bit a finer point than a video, as the creator makes money on each sale, but my gal had sold the pattern and I wasn't interested in it as an embroidery pattern.
There is a concern in the UK that makes a pretty decent buck selling photocopies of knit and crochet patterns. I think there are several in the states.
I would copy it for a price.
Heck in the photo auctions there are LOTS of people who make a decent buck or two selling photo copies of instruction manuals. My Rollicord has one, and bless the seller who did it, because I'd still be trying to figure out the obscurities of film loading!
OTOH, now I have some great portraits...so I vote yes. And think people should pay for the copies.
J
posted on April 15, 2004 08:16:44 AM new
I don't think she was asking them for free but copies at a discount. The only thing disability has to do with it is probably she can't get out. Why do you need eBay? Because how would they find out you had patterns.
I make soap and when you bid and win soap recipes they are copies and furthermore they are ones sent in emails. In one auction I won there was over 57 pages to copy. If you prefer hard copies they will send those also but then you pay for postage. You pay for those and I am sure they are not original recipes from the seller. I don't see what the problem is. Also when you go to for example, bead classes, they have patterns taken from magazines and copied for your use and I am sure the patterns are copyrighted and I know they don't ask permission. If your patterns are old they are probably not covered by a copyright anyway.
posted on April 15, 2004 08:30:52 AM new
If I'm going to give away copies of the patterns that I'm selling, why would I even bother with an e-bay business? These are not "vintage" patterns, but are newer patterns with the copyright text on the bottom. I make my living selling these patterns. Making a copy of a manual so that you can work a VCR or some similar manual, is one thing. But when you are trying to make your living selling original patterns and someone asks for copies instead of bidding until she won the original, well, that's an entirely different scenario. For a continuing saga on this stuff, check out the thread "What would you do?" Seems she's getting even.
