Anyone else experinced this?

Traffic Thiefing!
I own a store, which been around for couple of years now ( not as popular as some of the big known names but im doing ok ...) I get many many Instant Messenges and note cards about new malls ..new shopping places etc every week that are offering to be invited to them. I dont have many outside store out there, simply because it takes so much time to set up different locations with new updated stuff, and I usally decline those offers.

The other day I got an offer, was Imed by someone that claimed to buy alot of my stuff in the past and told me she/he loved it and that she was starting up a mall and needed some things to be put up in her mall to help her started.asked me if I would be interested in putting some of my stuff up there since my designs were one of her favorite designs, I said yes Id do that for her (I had time on my hand to do that at that time) and I went and told her Id put up a vendor for now on, and come back and decorate the booth later.

Then later on I decited to decorate the booth, and realized that I had forgotten to make myself a landmark, but no biggy I had her on my friend list because she added me on it at that time when I put my vendor up. I went to her classified tab and saw her mall name there and teleported to there, but I noticed she had her mall name and with my main store name (inside these), no other store names in that at all, just mine, and I noticed her classified add was same priced as mine ( which is rather high).

I know her attension is to direct people that know me as designer to her Mall instead of my store. And my traffic has dropped and hers has gone higher ( I checked when I set up my vendor).

From know on I know I wont set up any of my stuff to new malls etc due to this, but I was wondering if this is a known issue to some of the older designers than me?

best regards,
Hotla Hoodoo (sorry if I messed up in english, english is not my native language)

Traffic isn't all that important. Visibility is -- and she's giving you some extra visibility, with her classified. Give it some time. Hopefully she'll have other vendors soon: competition is good for sales.

Just make sure you have a landmark to your main store in all your products, as well as a landmark giver. Also, make it clear in your classifieds and in your picks that your place is the main store -- that way, people who want to see the whole range will go directly to your store.

I've found that most of the external vendors I've set up didn't get enough sales to pay for themselves so I've pretty much given up on them to concentrate on my main store.

If you want to drive traffic to your store, it might be a good idea to put a LM giver in each of your vending locations and only a limited selection of your designs. I've heard on other threads that alot of shoppers don't actualy buy from malls, but they do look around them to find new designers they like then visit their main stores.

Vale

I"m in a couple malls where my name is put in with their descriptions I dont mind. I put a landmark with the booth etc and I find a few small booths helps get me known better. Its advertising I dont think she is stealing traffic though I just put "main store" in the description of my add and my land parcel and point out that there is more items at the main store then in the satelite stores. It works (sometimes too well). I started new line and put up the introductory box thinking it would take a couple of weeks before it got moving and by then the rest of the items would be done and available at the main store..low and behold I got an IM 24 hours after the introduction box was up in a satellite store if they could be directed to the area in the main store where the rest of it was.. ooops..

So you will find it does helps not hinders just make sure to put a landmark directing them to the main location

edited in after: *looks two posts up * um sorry for repeating you word for word lol that's scary hehe

Traffic isn't all that important. Visibility is -- and she's giving you some extra visibility, with her classified. Give it some time. Hopefully she'll have other vendors soon: competition is good for sales.

this isnt about that tho...she is using my store name behind her mall name to pick up people to find my store which will direct them to her mall matching my classified payment to hers and adding my store name behind her mall name to attrack people to come to acting like this is my store

If you want to drive traffic to your store, it might be a good idea to put a LM giver in each of your vending locations and only a limited selection of your designs. I've heard on other threads that alot of shoppers don't actualy buy from malls, but they do look around them to find new designers they like then visit their main stores.

Vale[/QUOTE]

its not about traffic to my store really I do fine ..its how this person did this..she is stealing directtions to my store the way she is doing this people search for my store name and come up with her mall name with my store attached to her mall no other stores even tho there are other stores there (unkown stores like I said before)..puplishity?..I was there before her..she has a lil mall and asked me to put up my stuff ...because she just started her mall and has claims to have shopped from me for long time..thats the problem im facing

Withdraw your vendors and ask her to remove your name I guess is the only other solution unless you explain to her that she's basically leeching off your name otherwise not sure what else to do hehe

I did take my stuff back just havent asked her to take my store name yet (just found this out) but I think rest of sellers need to be aware of this...and check back on the places they set up anything anywhere...and keep checking

its not about im worried about about driving traffic to my store I am doing fine like I said its this person how she did this and is matching my fee on classifieds which is not cheap and using my store name behind her mall name now even tho she has more stores there (very uknown)..drawing my customers to her new mall or new people that been told to search for my store... selling her produce etc...hope someone sees my headache instead of defending the person...look me up in game and see my store name and search and figure what Im talking about ..its a mess for me anyway

haha hiya okay when i went to upload I looked up your store name and I assumed it was in the keyword listing but its not she is calling the mall by your business name basically which is kind of a no no.

Hopefully she will take the name down when you ask her. It make sense to list you in the keywords along with all the other stored opening there of course saves you money but the mall should be the malls name and not yours which is what she did. So yeah she kinda needs to remove that hehe or someone is gonna think its your store when its not.

yes thats what I meant and was trying to say..thank you so much for identify my problem I was about to borrow a sledge hammer cuz I felt noone was listening to me..thank you!

I think its shameful how some people have to use others to build them selves up, its called low self esteem. they say imitation is a form of flattery, however where business is concerned shes not imitating she is deliberately saying she and you are associated (very closely) i may add, which is piggy backing business off of your name instead of her own lorals.

To me this is very wrong, i started out in second life in sept 05, and have worked and worked and not relied on anyones name to get where i am... granted im not large by any stretch of the imagination, and i have had help from some of the best inthe business learning designs, but i would no more try to steal from them then the man in the moon, if anything i do different ideas then what the mentors i have make, or put a spin or a twist on an idea, i dont like people who steal from others, and in my opinion thats exactly what shes doing, using your name, your reputation, to build herself and her mall up instead of doing new ideas of her own to make her mall unique and draw people to her.

Its a cryin shame that there are people in second life that dont have the fortitude, or the imagination to make it on their own that they have to copy and take someones name and reputation.

All i can say is i sure hope she doesnt do anything to tarnish your reputation hotla, you are one of the great designers in my eyes, and i look up to your ideas. and I hope your customers know what are your designs and that using someones reputation deserves a good swift kick in the pants, not to mention a possible boycott untill such time as she changes her add, and gives u a public appology for what she has done.

thanks for always being an inspiration and stay just as u are hotla.

lol sorry i'm "old" and stuff but I do persist and am also glad you didn't use the sledgehammer I need all my brain cells

I meant I was gonna destroy my pc not you ..LOL

thank you ...I contacted lindens about this but ofcourse im on my own..but with your post I dont feel like I am alone no more..thank you so much for this reply...makes me feel im loved for once AND thank you wilhelm!

Not a great way to conduct business I agree, but unless she was selling your whole inventory, I don't think it will hurt you too much. Personally when I started here i went to all the Malls. When I bought something form a vendor or shop, I always took a LM to their Main Store. Now I hardly visit the Malls, I just go to the designer's stores directly. Still it was not a classy move on the Mall owners part. Also I NEVER look at traffic numbers, even if they were valid, they are still subjective. Just because a ton of people pop into a business, if they don't use the service or buy the products, the numbers are meaningless.

Not a great way to conduct business I agree, but unless she was selling your whole inventory, I don't think it will hurt you too much. Personally when I started here i went to all the Malls. When I bought something form a vendor or shop, I always took a LM to their Main Store. Now I hardly visit the Malls, I just go to the designer's stores directly. Still it was not a classy move on the Mall owners part. Also I NEVER look at traffic numbers, even if they were valid, they are still subjective. Just because a ton of people pop into a business, if they don't use the service or buy the products, the numbers are meaningless.

she was selling my traffic ..in classifieds matching my prices using my name..confusing buyers from my store to her mall ...using my name to get her mall up in the ladder..traffic or not ..she was trying to direct people to her mall that were looking for my store simple as that...and yes it shouldnt matter down the line but it does when it takes few people to realize wait a min this isnt the store I was directed to...etc .etc,,, search for this store and they come up with this one ..which is wrong store..its wrong whats she is doing simple as that.

it would hurt me if she keeps up matching me with price I pay for the classifieds with her using my store name as well. its only obviouse why.

If they would remove the traffic numbers - the whole problem would go away.

If your upping her overall business at the cost of sales - ask for a kickback I guess.

I mean either that, live with it or else move your store out.

Of COURSE the mall owner is using your name to build their traffic. Thats what malls do , they want the good stores in them. Why would they want all Iffy quality stores? They want top notch designers so they can brag who they have in their mall.

When your the top designer of those you dont get much of a benefit. But if your one of the other store renters you sure do. Theoretically could help nearly everyone through mutual location.

Mall owner does not but store name of already succesfull store behind their mall name to advertize! and only put one store name behind there..look it up dear...its simple..look up my name and see the name of my store and search for my store in classifieds...and see whats happening!..im NOT new at designing ..she is new at starting a business...thank you very much!
first time Ive seen anyone put a store name right behind their mall name..when they have many other stores there! please check it for your self!
I have seen where they put names in descriptions tho.,..but never in the mall name itself ..and only favor one store name when there are more in the mall...its very obviouse whats happening..

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Last edited by Hotla Hoodoo : Today at 01:41 PM.

*smiles wryly* You know, by simply withdrawing your items, you've given her a slow spiral drop, if she's using your store name. Might I make a further suggestion in that you put a landmark giver in your main shop and a notecard that states that you have no other satellite stores and that anyone else with your store's name is not going to carry your designs? (I am assuming from the first post that this was your only 'mall' store.)

This should reduce the confusion of your return customers.

no I have had other stores..booths..but not many ..I have some out there still .and I dont wish to have more..I am busy enough..this one will be my last for sure...and why should we have to or should I have to defend myself for having some out there?..I feel like im the bad guy for having some out there and this person is ok to do this to whom ever?

No your not the bad guy in this

The mall owner should be willing to change their ad. But if they wont they wont. =/

Its just the fact that they are using your store name to increase their business - Is not a surprise - is all.

thank you ..I wasnt trying to open a can of worms here either..I simply was wanting to tell others what to watch for also ..along with venting what happend to me..is all...hope this atleast will teach somone a good lesson.

You did what you could do in the situation. In general sometimes you can only worry so much about the other guy in business, and concentrate on what you can do to improve it. You'll go farther and sleep better.

Uh yes I think I understand now. That seems very dodgy, and you're right to have removed your products from there. I'm sorry this has happened to you