How did or would you deal with this?

[Arial]

Hi!

Just been checking out my main competitor (as you do!)

Only to find that they are ripping off my website. :evil:

They have taken a picture from mine and are now using it in place of the one they previously had.
They have also copied word for word parts of my text (large chunks of it!)

Has this happened to you?
What did you do about it?

Arial

[Rob Holmes]

Hi Arial,

We have had this recently (not on MatrixxHosting.com but another business I own)

Firstly I contacted the owner of the business, but they did not make any changes to their site.

Secondly I contacted their web host - I am waiting for an answer back.

Then it's no more nice guy stuff, they'll be getting a letter from our solicitor and we'll go down the legal route.

Rob

[epiphany]

Can we have a link to their website to have a nosey? :)

[daveashton]

There are a lot of cases that have gone through various courts on this and hence it should be cheap and easy to prove.

Send them the 5 business day letter or we will...... and if you get no joy feel free to give me a call and I will put you onto a legal person who does this work based in Edinburgh.

PS is the company English or Scottish?

[intek]

Hello

Sorry to hear of your troubles, you can try and do a www.whoic.sc on the domain and find out who hosts the actual hoster of this web site ( the data centre) they may be able to help you if you have the copyright documentation to hand.

Its a terrible thing to happen, i have seen it a few times and cannot understand why it is done.

Best of luck.
Ben

[DuaneJackson]

If the host is a US company then sending a letter and fax under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act will work wonders and get it pulled in a matter of hours.

Let me know if this is the case, i can send you a sample letter.

[MichaelG]

First get a copy of their website - use an offline website reader to download a copy. Set them the file (zipped) along with your letter and state clear the content/pictures you believe to be copied.

Another thing you can do is find out their IP addresses - i.e. if they visit your website and block them from your firewall (I know this will not cure the problem) but its a start.

It's hard to stop this and sometimes pointless to do anything.

Or start a SEO campaign to get all their traffic ;)

Or give us their URL and we will all write to them - named and shamed.

If all fails - go knock on their doors.

[Arial]

Big Thanks to everyone for your advice, its been extremely helpful. :D


They are a US company.
After calming down slightly...I contacted them yesterday morning.Politely asking them to remove my content from the pages.Must say the "Politely" part was difficult :evil:
Also mentioned the fact that as we are the only two distributors for the same product,dealing directly with the inventor and owner of the Main Company. It would be advisable for them to remove the "STOLEN" content.

I`ve just checked back today and they have now changed the picture slightly...I`m happy enough with that!

No sign as yet of the text being removed, but I`m definately going to pursue that further.They are using the text in the press releases they are putting out.Possibly thinking I would`nt notice.

Dont see why, when I`ve put in so much work on this venture,they think they can just take what they want from my site and paste lumps into their own.

The funny thing is,had they just approached me and asked I would have let them use it :D

Will keep you all posted on any developments.

Arial

[SillyJokes]

Your approach is going to work.

I think that sometimes one can get very upset about things like this but that is a very negative mindset to find yourself in and effects the rest of your business day if you let it.

We once had our entire site ripped off, right down to the products sold, images and text. At the time we ranted a lot but now, a few years on that competitors website is no where and we are still growing in leaps.

If they copy, they have no imagination and won't win in the end. You just have to keep on being the better business in all areas and be confident that the red rage that veils your eyes when you see the offender will slowly ebb away.