People Taking Photos in Your Shop

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Have any of you ever had a competitor come to shop or send employees to take pictures of some of your items? If so how do you handle the situation?

[Dan Hintz]

I don't open my shop to the public (there would be serious insurance issues with all of the spinning tools), but I would handle it as a request for the perp to hand over the memory card while someone calls the police. They likely won't hand it over, and you can't exactly hold them until the police comes, but if you know what company the perp belongs to, there's an opportunity to sue them for infringing on your custom designs (assuming they use them), you can have a restraining order placed against them (it's private property), etc. Placing a sign in the window that says pictures, video recordings, etc. are strictly forbidden on the premises would help a lot in a court case.

You'd have to be hurt financially pretty badly to make most of the above worth it, but something to consider. Personally I would become very pushy to get that memory card back.

So what's the story?

[Rodne Gold]

You can tell them to stop or not allow them to take pictures , but at the end of it all it really isnt anyone different to coming to your place and seeing for themselves. If you let customers into your shop , then you are open to this type of "espionage"

We often get customers coming in and taking pictures of various items or ranges , we dont really care much if they are competitors as they could go to my website and see the same if not more..
It really also makes good business sense to go to your competitors operations/shops/showrooms if they open to the public and to see what they are doing and to get a sense of their pricing and method of operation , it will enable you to sharpen your operation and to react to their strategy and adjust yours.

It's not the same as you going thru your rivals bins , having a PI watch their every move and bugging their tele lines and intercepting their mail etc.
Every year or 2 , I take stock of who are my competitors , try to find out their range , their pricing , who they are doing work for , visit their websites and so on .. all done perfectly legally , albeit I wouldnt let them know I am a rival company.

I has a stall at an exhibition a while back , a marketing/marking thingy and I noticed a rival surreptitiously taking pics , I called him over and gave him a copy of my website and product range on CD and said he would find that much more detailed than a hastily taken shot.. my business and repeat customers are based on service and quality and seeing what I got etc wont help competitors in that department. If my competitors choose to steal my designs , so be it , we come up with new stuff all the time.

I also went to a signage exhibition 3 or 4 years back , and found one of the laser distributors there (not the brand of lasers I own) had a whole bunch of my products that had been made with my lasers and that were bought from me and were passing them off as output and products their lasers had made , still even had the gall to leave my stickers on some items... That I wasn't too pleased with and asked them to remove them forthwith.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

I have had a particular company that set up a booth at one of our downtown shows right in front of our shop, that was before we knew they exisit. This last couple of weeks they have sent in people that work for them to take pictures in our shop. I have tried to let go mainly because there really is NOT a thing I can do about it, but it is still bugging me. I have signs posted and that doesn't work, they still do it. If they would just do a little research they could come up with their own ideas without coping others right at their front door. There is more than enough business out there for all of us. People just need to have scruples (my big word for the day - haha), that is just my opinion. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Neil Pabia]

Last time I had that problem, I took their camera away and removed the memory card. I have zero tolerance for that sort of stuff, the least they can do is pretend they are texting while taking pictures.

[Rodne Gold]

How can you do that, isnt that theft?

[Neil Pabia]

On whos part?

[Jim Beachler]

Rodne, I have done the same as you. At the many art shows I do, I have seen people taking pictures of my products disguised as taking a picture of the person with them. I walk up to them and give them one of my flyers and tell them "All the measurements are in the descriptions, so it will make it easier for you to copy my ideas. And by the way, if you can't figure it out or get it done, you have my number and website to order one from me."

James, the next time they come in I think you should be very helpful and pose with the product and suggest better ways to take the picture and point out little details that they might have missed. Be overly helpful and they might be so embarrassed that they won't return. Kill them with kindness, even if they show up again. And if they do show up again, point out the new stuff to them and help them with the pics again.

As Rodne states, beating a competitor is through service, skills and relationship. My customers know they pay me a higher price than my competitors but they still come back wanting more. Customer service, skill and my relationship with them is what haves them coming back every time.

[Martin Boekers]

Look at it this way, you must be doing something right if the want to photograph it!

I get folks through all the time that take pictures, mostly because the one making the decision on
what to buy isn't available.

Many shop have an online catalog with their wares, I search the internet to see what others are doing
just as most do the same. I don't copy work, but I do get inspired by it.

I worked in custom photography years back in the days of enlargers and chemical processing. I used to
share my techiques with others all the time. I used to get asked all the time, "why are you giving away
your secrets?" my response was. The only secret I have is hard work. 99% of them won't take the effort
to do the extra work.

If they think that making something similar as yours will lead them to success, they don't understand
the process.

Now if they were taking pictures of areas outside your public showroom, that would worry me ( more of a casing your shop
instead of "stealing" ideas.)

I get work from people quite a bit, that bring in a product someone else did and want to know if I can make something
similar. So I do my best.

Most of what I create really isn't copyrightable or trademarked. It's not something revolutionary, mostly just assembled from
pieces.

[Chuck Stone]

Careful Neil .. you might get away with it because of your 'commanding presence' but there
isn't any law against them taking pics. And you can't confiscate anything, nor could the police.
It would take a court order

Post your rules so they can be seen before they enter and you'll be able to sue them
if they take pics. If they pull out a camera, ask them to leave and escort them out. Call
the cops if they persist. Trespassing is a misdemeanor. But touch them or the camera?
nope.. you'll be the one they call 'defendant'.

[Dee Gallo]

I keep a copy of the copyright law including the fees for losing and give it out to anyone who seems like they might try it and let them know it is not worth the $$$ to steal a copyright.

[Scott Shepherd]

Keep a camera handy yourself. Next time one does it, pull out your camera and take a photo of them. Once you have a couple of photos of them, it's time to take a ride to their shop, show the photos to the owner and ask them to please stop sending employees over to take photos of your products.

Or, grab your camera, get in the car, head over, stand in their place and take photos of their products.

I personally would do either one, and I'd be willing to bet it would be the last time you'll see them in your shop taking photos.

[Joe De Medeiros]

Keep a camera handy yourself. Next time one does it, pull out your camera and take a photo of them. Once you have a couple of photos of them, it's time to take a ride to their shop, show the photos to the owner and ask them to please stop sending employees over to take photos of your products.

Or, grab your camera, get in the car, head over, stand in their place and take photos of their products.

I personally would do either one, and I'd be willing to bet it would be the last time you'll see them in your shop taking photos.

I like it, this will certainly rattle their cage

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Keep a camera handy yourself. Next time one does it, pull out your camera and take a photo of them. Once you have a couple of photos of them, it's time to take a ride to their shop, show the photos to the owner and ask them to please stop sending employees over to take photos of your products.

Or, grab your camera, get in the car, head over, stand in their place and take photos of their products.

I personally would do either one, and I'd be willing to bet it would be the last time you'll see them in your shop taking photos.

I really liked this idea, at least now I can respond.

[Leo Graywacz]

How can you do that, isnt that theft?

You are allowed to photograph anything in the public domain. Inside your shop is not public domain, it is a private company. All you need to do is put up a sign at the doorway that any photographs taken can and will be confiscated and you are covered.