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Can a competitor copy your website business innovation?

by Byron2k12
6 replies
Lets say you spend weeks trying to come up with some innovative idea for your small retail site because you're just a small guy compared to big businesses and even compared to other individuals with big money to invest, so you do this to substitute for what you don't have so you can stand out a little and hope to get something back.

Now you come up with a few ways and spend a few months applying them by various means as it may be a big project involving delivery methods, selling methods, website display, offers on the site etc. Can a competitor or even another person considering doing up a website copy your innovation in all those ways if they find out about it through your advertising or other?

Why i am asking is because i need to know if there is anything in place to protect an individuals endless hours of trying to stand out so that some other idiot or company can not just copy it without doing any work.

Thanks a lot if you can point me in the right direction.
#business #competitor #copy #innovation #website
  • Profile picture of the author cello
    In this case, it can be difficult to protect your ideas. The other company shouldn't copy your code, but ideas are ideas, and can't be patented. It's hard, but just keep innovating!

    But you DO have an advantage! As a small company, it's a lot easier to make changes. You're a lot more agile than any "big companies." It's not as easy to copy someones well built site as it may seem, so go for it, and just keep it up. You'll be able to grab an edge over your competition, as long as you're always looking for new ways to innovate.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Unless your idea is patentable (and it doesn't sound like it is) there is not much you can do to stop others from replicating it.

    You can do either of two things.

    1. You can sit there and worry about what 'might' happen and as a result get nothing done yourself.

    2. You can push forward and accept that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If someone wants to replicate what you are doing then it means you are doing something very right. Don't waste time worrying about those things you can't control. Just keep pushing forward and concentrate on being better than the others.

    That way it won't matter who copies your ideas.
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    • Profile picture of the author connorbringas
      If you patent your idea you are safe, if you dont its anyone's game. Just make sure before you expose your idea that you benefit greatly from it.
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  • Profile picture of the author brentb
    Sorry, your idea will get stolen. Trick is to come up with the next good one quickly so that when you are finally copied, you are on the next big thing and your competition is still behind.

    Innovation is something many overlook and as companies grow they get lazy and lose innovation. Even Google has this problem, that's why they go around buying companies and poaching talented individuals who are innovative.
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  • Profile picture of the author Byron2k12
    No matter what question you ask on this people are able to give you a great answer. Yeah i see now there are ways you can try protect work of this nature and as said up there even if it's not guaranteed, there's no point sitting around worrying, just better off to go and do it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tina Golden
      Originally Posted by connorbringas View Post

      If you patent your idea you are safe, if you dont its anyone's game. Just make sure before you expose your idea that you benefit greatly from it.
      You can't patent an idea.
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