Some praise and a little vent..

[accents4you2]

I totally love to see new companies opening up with amazing and creative ideas. It is also great to see companies take an idea and add their own twist to it...but (here comes the vent), I don't understand (or at least I don't like) when new companies, can't come up with their own innovative idea and have to copy another company to where they are practically duplicating it..yet calling it their own. They copy the product, the incentives, specials, the price of the kit, etc. etc. Really? I know imitation is the best form of a flattery and that unless there is a patent it is legal, but sometimes it just seems unethical. And there are more and more companies doing it...Ok...vent over.

I know sometimes ideas are thought of at the same time, just one company gets it out there first...but sometimes, like in the ones I'm talking about...they copied..

Am I looking at this wrong? I'm open to trying to see things differently...

[hercharminglife]

Which companies are you referring to, so maybe I can answer better. You can pm me.

[cabimom]

One example that comes to my mind would be Origami Owl ( a very unique idea) and South Hill Designs. In my opinion those 2 companies are exactly the same and SHD copied OO.. Then there was Jewel Kade and Bcharmed, again same "innovative idea" for a product ( although JK is a much better product line in that particular case). So I totally get what Accents4you2 is saying.

BTW, I am not a representative of any of the above mentioned companies. Just an observation.

[mariglynn]

Before Origami Owl brought their lockets and charms to home parties and called them a "living locket", a wholesale company called Memory Lockets & Charms was selling them online. I received a locket and some charms as a gift Christmas, 2009. You can buy wholesale from Memory Lockets and they now have sales kits if you want to sell their lockets and charms as a wholesaler.

I get what accents4you2 and cabimom is saying but sometimes its not always as it seems.

[Erica Chaves Sandwall]

Originally Posted by accents4you2

I totally love to see new companies opening up with amazing and creative ideas. It is also great to see companies take an idea and add their own twist to it...but (here comes the vent), I don't understand (or at least I don't like) when new companies, can't come up with their own innovative idea and have to copy another company to where they are practically duplicating it..yet calling it their own. They copy the product, the incentives, specials, the price of the kit, etc. etc. Really? I know imitation is the best form of a flattery and that unless there is a patent it is legal, but sometimes it just seems unethical. And there are more and more companies doing it...Ok...vent over.

I know sometimes ideas are thought of at the same time, just one company gets it out there first...but sometimes, like in the ones I'm talking about...they copied..

Am I looking at this wrong? I'm open to trying to see things differently...

Am I right that you are compare Initials Inc and Thirty One. Here is my opinion on this not one company can say that they had it first unless you been in business for over 40 yrs. Everything has been copied from the high end to the low end. The only way to keep it yours is to patent it(costs a lot of money). What is the point to discuss this as 1 person might like your brand and another person might hate it. I think every company has their unique take on everything. If you look at all the direct sales companies over the years every single one has copied from each other at one time.

[littleshamrock]

I agree with a couple of the above posters-the lockets and charms have been around for a while. With that being said, I was with OO and am now with SHD, and can say that these two companies are going in totally different directions.

As far as Thirty-One and Initials, Inc is concerned, I think they both have unique products, and don't see each other as competition (I know they are, I'm just sharing an opinion, here). Thirty-One has more organizing/utility items, and Initials, Inc has more bags and travel items. One person could have a party with each company and get totally different things.

I guess my point is that, even if two companies start off very similar, as time goes on, they will carve out unique niches for themselves. I don't really think that anybody has to worry too much about being with a company because it was first to have something.

[Luv4mykids]

I have been looking at different companies in hopes of joining one and I noticed a few of them branching off in multiple directions. Take for example the candle company that now sells chocolates. The jewelry company that has just as many totes, purses, pouches as the company that only sells that kind of product. The kitchen utensil business that is getting more and more into food items. I wish these companies would choose one main products line and be good at it and not try to be all things to all people. I am not saying they shouldn't have a few items that complement their main stay but the lines are getting blurry between companies and what they consider their 'main line' of products. Just my observation.......

[lisabathome]

I think companies are just trying to appeal to a wider audience with the other lines... but I am happy that mine is sticking to one - it makes it easier for me to focus on that one area and represent it very well.

[mariglynn]

Look at how many people sell for 2 or more different party plan/direct sales companies. And it's not just the people who don't have downlines that are doing this. I think companies have seen this trend and are now adding different product lines to keep people "in house" and not force them to choose between them and another company. I love that Celebrating Home has added Penelope Ann. It gives our Designers the ability to choose to sell from both catalogs or specialize in just one of the lines. Each of these lines complement each other. Our fundraising division is a highly successful venue and we have quite a few Designers that are Fundraising Specialists in addition to selling at home parties. I was with a wonderful company for many years that used this concept and I loved it! With CH, I'm back to my roots