Is It Inspiration Or Is It Copying?

Let's face it, finding new products to sell is hard, and whether you are a new seller or an old pro who is drawing a blank on new ideas, it's natural to want to see what our competitors are selling, and we often use that as a jumpstart to our own product creation.  Believe me, I get it and while it's completely natural to look to your competitors for inspiration, it's important to remember that copying their work is not only against Etsy's rules, but it's also generally considered unethical. 

When it comes to finding inspiration from competitors, it's important to understand the difference between inspiration and copying. Inspiration is taking an idea or a concept and making it your own by putting your own unique spin on it. It's a natural process that helps entrepreneurs and creators to come up with new ideas, improve their existing products, or find new and unique ways to market their products.

On the other hand, copying refers to reproducing someone else's work exactly or very closely, without giving credit or obtaining permission. This can include copying a product design, a product description, or a marketing strategy.

it really isn't ever necessary to copy your competitors, in fact, doing so actually hurts you're business. the truth of the matter is that when everyone begins to copy each other on Etsy or any other marketplace, it can have a negative impact on sales. This is because when multiple sellers are offering the same product or design, customers have a wider range of options to choose from and may be more likely to choose the seller with the best price or the best customer service.  It often then becomes a race to the bottom, which nobody wants.

Additionally, when sellers copy each other, it can make it harder for customers to find truly unique and one-of-a-kind products. This can lead to customers losing interest in the marketplace and shopping elsewhere, resulting in a decrease in sales for all sellers.

Furthermore, copying can also lead to a devaluation of the product, as the value of the unique creation is lost and the product is perceived as widely available. This can decrease the perceived value of the product to the customer and can decrease the willingness to pay a higher price.

Trust me on this friends, I have seen it happen over and over again.  In fact, it has happened too many times to count in my shops.  It goes like this: A product that was selling amazing, starts getting copied and then copied again and again and over time, sales decrease and nobody makes any money, essentially making that product obsolete.

There should never really be a need to do this, in fact, Etsy is all about creating unique and hard to find items, making it the ideal place to shop when you want a personalized or unusual product that you can't find everywhere else.

Moreover, if Etsy were to find out that a seller is copying others work, the seller may face consequences such as warning, suspension or even termination of their account. This can harm the seller's reputation and will make it difficult for them to continue to sell their products on the platform.

So let's all help each other out!  How do you find inspiration for your products?