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Jac-Q-LynHi Girls and Boys
Just a word of warning, that it has been brought to my attention that a bear artist has contact one of my bidders from ebay on one of my Featured Listings to offer them their new released bears. The only reason they have been found out is that the bidder was not a bear collector but was purchasing as a gift for someone else. They had been into my shop in Leek, and seen the item and were told it was on Ebay as we spoke, she went home and put a bid on the item, however the bidding went too high for her. I am rather upset about this as the bidder has contacted me asking if I have been passing her information on to someone else, which is a defnate NO. She has reported this lady to ebay, I have emailed this lady to state that she should not be contacting bidders to gain herself a mailing list, basically she is going off my Featured Plus listings and getting a mailing list free of charge. I have also said I do realise it can be hard to find buyers for bears but it is totally wrong to do it off the backs of others.
I would just like to point out to any collectors out there that if you are on my mailing list, I have not passed your information onto anyone else, if you do receive email notification from out of the blue from someone you have not subscribed too then this might be the means they have used to gain your information.
I have now had to do all my listings as PRIVATE, what a sad state of affairs when a member of this group has to stoop so low.
I would like to say that this email is not intend to cause trouble, but too make it clear that I keep my collector information as personal and for my use only. You are all probably aware this was going on but just hope this is a little reminder that it is still happening today even with ebay making private bidding over £100/$200, this person caught this bidder at below the £100 bid.
Best wishes to all.
Jacqui
MerBear OriginalsAre you saying a member of this group is the one who did that? 
I seem to remember a similar instance a year or two ago. Too bad.
Marion
Jac-Q-LynHi Marion
Sad too say Yes.
Hugs
Jacqui
Little Bear GuyHi Jacqui,
I have to agree that this is just a sad situation, it takes a lot of hard work to build up a collector base and get together a mailing list. It sounds like someone is just trying to take the easy way and does not want to have to do the hard work of doing it for themselves.
Trust me if someone had emailed me and wanted me to buy their bear over yours I would tell them where to go, the fact that if I was bidding on one of your bears it is because I fell in love with it. It would be hard for me to just say oh ok I'll start bidding on this other bear by this other artist.
I love your bears alot they have such great character and workmanship, keep up the great work and I am sorry to hear that someone has done this to you but I think by posting it hear you have let your collectors know what is going on.
Big Hugs
It's disgraceful..and presumably they might be making similar bears to yours too which adds insult to injury...
If I didn't have a good eBay following and didn't fiind eBay a good way to sell my bears I would stop using it because there are so many people out there ready to jump on the backs of other artists who work hard to establish themselves. I had an incident pointed out to me only last week by a good friend who wasn't sure whether she should tell me. I know my bears aren't stand alone unique in so much as they are sweet faced bears ..but I do try to keep moving along with my designs and keep collectors interested. So when I put a bear on ebay that does well and someone else immediately jumps on my design even down to picking the same auction template and practically an anagram of the name I just used I am left scratching my head....
Don't get me wrong I am not unduly concerned about this type of 'inspiration' but the thing is we all work hard to keep our heads above water and I for one can't get my head round why some people think it's fine to just jump in like this without any of the groundwork.
Some might argue that targetting potential customers is a legitimate way of growing a business..in this case I think the only legitimate way of getting customers attention is to do really great designs which inspire the customers to want to buy...not because someone who makes similar bears gets in touch and says..'look at my bears'..or because they make their auction look just like someone elses....
I am sorry it happened to you!!!
Jac-Q-LynI know in business you have to be on your toes, and at every corner you learn something new, but this takes the biscuit. If this is the extreme this person has had to go to generate sales for her work, perhaps she should ask herself why she has had to go to these lengths to get sales. I agree Ellen it is sad that we have to go down the private listing, but I am now listing everything as private, except for my bear making supplies.
Thanks Bearguys for your kind words I was a bit worried about putting on this post, but thought in the end it might make others aware.
Jenny, I agree with your comments, it is hard to keep moving on, its so easy for some people just to try and copy, it just shows me they have little imagination and eventually they will trip up. Mailing lists are valuable and private not to be given away free, I like you have worked at this a long time and have tried to get my name out and about which has not been free. I just hope the person who I am referring too gets to read this post and finds an alternative method of generating sales, instead of using us as a stepping stone.
It frightens me, that on this occassion I have been made aware, but I wonder how many more instances of this go on, not just with me but others who Feature their bears. I say Featured as this is a more high profile way off selling and is an easy target.
Sorry to go on, promise next time I will post a lighter note.
Hugs
Jacqui
Jac-Q-LynHi Melanie
I know exactly what you mean, I send out my mailing shots as BCC Blind carbon copy, so nobody nows who else has had the email, totally private. So nobody can contact my subscribers. Gosh isn't like being Top SecretLOL! Its like working for MI5.
Hugs
Jacqui
p.s good luck with the new baby!
Jacqui you aren't ' going on'.... :hug: :hug: I think this is very important and something we all need to be on our guard for.
It is an industry where people need to know that there are others who are quite prepared to step on others to get ahead...either by blatantly copying designs or by this type of underhanded trading...
I know business is business and all that but somethings are below the belt... :hug: :hug:
BruinwerksAs I think I said when Bobbie was going through something similar with someone's lapse in judgement and common sense, I like to believe that people do things out of ignorance not out of malice (although I admit in this case, I would have to really really want to believe it.... 
)
I just can't believe that someone would think this was somehow OK to do this and they wouldn't get found out or that their TACKY ploy to gain sales would be successful. I guess this is a good lesson for all of us.
So so sorry this happened to you... did the customer believe your explanation?
I hope you have a better day today!
Cheryl 
Jac-Q-LynHi Cheryl
I too like to look at the good in everyone, but am finding this one a bit of a bitter pill. However the lady concerned was understanding and told me she was glad she mentioned it as it could have caused me a lot of damage. The laughable part of this is this lady is not even a member of my mailing list.
Hugs
Jacqui
Posts: 3,540Thank goodness your customer contacted you over this. Just think how much damage would have been done if she'd kept mum about it?
As for the rest ~ etiquette and manners!! They have to be learned and when the internet hit, everyone suddenly thought whatever was posted was 'free for the taking'. Utterly wrong 
But they have to be taught all over that its wrong.
Jac-Q-LynHi again
I agree Debbie it is not free for the taking, this lady says that if you put your email address onto the worldwide web you are free game, desperate rings out here, apparently the member is using bravenet guestbooks as a way of obtaining email addresses, as she says bravenet allow this, to me this is not right as when I sign a guestbook it is me saying I like this persons work, not as an open invitation for all and sundry to put me on their mailing list.
As you can imagine this person has totally turned it around and is saying I cannot claim sole entitlement to my customers, well I think I will leave it at that point and ignore anymore communication with her as I would be hitting my head against a brick wall. I have brought it to peoples attention of what is going on, perhaps not just by one person only, so the lesson to be learnt is be careful.
Hugs
Jacqui
dusty attic bearsOhh Jacqui,
So sorry to hear you are having this trouble. I just wonder how many other bear artist have had this happen to them and never finding out.
Big hugs to you. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
MerBear Originalsno matter her reasoning - it is NOT morally right! She should be ashamed of herself but obviously isn't. Ethical people do not operate like that.
Marion
bears by beesley TMAwe Jacqui I am so sorry you have to endure this. I think others have had the same problem some time back. Hang in there Girlie. It will all sort it self out in the end.
Hugs Louise
I never realised that you could lift people off mailing lists and guestbooks....I always BCC all the names when I send an email to a group but now I use Groupmail for my mailing list you can't see who else gets it anyway..and I have a guestbook where I moderate it and delete any contact info..for collectors and anyone who thinks they might use my guestbook as a free advertising space ..it doesn't make it on to there now..I just delete it.
I have to say that's just way too sneaky.....
Jac-Q-LynHi Jenny
It is sneaky, this lady says Bravenet allows this to go on - well NO it does not, I have just logged into my Bravenet account and there is a section for reporting Bravenet Abuse - SPAMMING!!! they do not allow it at all so I have emailled them my complaint on how this lady is going onto all Bravenet Guest Books doing a search on teddy bear guest books specifically and going onto them, clicking on the envelope and getting the person who has written a comment email address (I did not know anything about this until she told me this is one of the ways she gets email address, not off auctions, talk about real cheek!)She says it take her ages but it is well worth it - YEP!!! FREE as well, let us do all the paying out and listing and get our customers (sorry apparently I can't call them MY customers they are everyones - but I thought if they bought from me an not her they were one of my customers - WRONG AGAIN) to sign our guestbooks for her to come along and get the info just like that.
I have told Bravenet that I will be removing my guestbook as this is not good enough, we go to the trouble of keeping the subscribers email address private on the emails we send out notifying of our new bears etc, but this makes it all a waste of time if you can get some information off there. I do delete advertising signings, but this is getting beyond a joke.
So my next advice is check out your guestbooks!
Hugs
Jacqui
think I better go back into my holeLOL
Posts: 1,836I've always done the BCC with mailing lists, it's incredibly important to keep that information private. People should opt in and then have the right to opt out easily.
In an attempt to solicit consumers/collectors probably more harm is being done to this business.... by spamming. It's unsolicited "junk mail". And although cheaper than advertising, probably not the best ways to get your name out there, as spam has a reputation for being mostly untrustworthy stuff infringing on privacy and space.
Once again I'm just sad that this is another issue involving members. Too corporate cut throat for teddy bear making 
:hug:
~Chrissi
edit: I was slowly typing and rewording (and stuffing a limb.....juggling 
) as you were saying the same thing Jacqui..... spam's not the way to go. Maybe we can turn this around and start listing the positive ways to build a mailing list or something?? Incentives that you can offer, guestbooks as shows, "share with a friend" offers, etc......
Jac-Q-LynHi Chrissi
I agree, I would like something positive to come out of this, at least a few ideas have come forward on how to protect your subscribers today, but next time can it be someone else and not meLOL 
Hugs to you all
Jacqui
Cleathero CreationsWell if she considers it all right to do what she is doing. It is all right for you to give her name to us. If she feels she is in the right she shouldn't have a problem us finding out who it is.
BruinwerksWell if she considers it all right to do what she is doing. It is all right for you to give her name to us. If she feels she is in the right she shouldn't have a problem us finding out who it is.
I'm really not a big fan of "outing" someone but if they truly feel that they are in the right on this then I think they should step forward and admit it.
So.....What do you think the chances are that that will happen????? 
Cheryl
ToadBriarThe important thing to me is the comfort of the customer. I always ask myself 'would I as a customer be put off by this behavior?' This one comes up as a strong 'yes' for me -it is pesty. I don't want to be 'targeted'. Hey artist, this is not the kind of word-of-mouth ya want!
I also look at it from the point of view of, I feel a comradeship with other bear (etc!) arists. I will congratulate them on a sale! I will swap promotional ideas with them, and so on - all the good stuff we do here!
What I will NOT do is play the bratty little sister - seeing another artist getting attention & sales, and come flouncing in with my own stuff saying "HEY over here - lookit mine toooo! Lookit mine instead!!" I don't want her taking my moments away, and I won't take hers away. We all will get our own triumphs and deserve to enjoy em!
It's hard enough making a go at being an artist; fellow creators don't need to be cannibalizing one another's customer base in that aggressive manner. It goes against the basic nature of what teddies ought to be about - and ya know I am not one of the snuggly members of the forum sayin that!
Cleathero CreationsI don't normally out people either. But I object to someone doing this very strongly. If someone else has put in the hard yards, spent time and money and everything else that ges into it i makes me cranky.
This is coming from someone who DOESN'T spend the time pushing themselves forward (family and all that) but to see someone cheating and then trying to say well they let me...
Well the internet lets you do a lot of things doesn't make it right.
Spamming in some countries is ilegal (Australia for one), It is annoying and frustrating.
And to whoever is doing this because I am sure they will read it DON'T STEAL.
If your bears are what people want they will buy it. If ithey aren't selling do hard yards and find out what it is they do want or spend your own energies and money and marke them properly.
I'm sorry. i'm cranky for people it is happening to, I am cranky for the people being solicited by this person unwillingly and i am cranky they are giving bear artists a bad name.
Shame on them.
FenBeary FolkHere, here Bronwen, I also was very shocked to realise this kind of thing went on in the bear world (by a few), I didn't even contemplate that this could and did happen and then to discover that it was a member of TT was shock number 2.
I can understand not wanting to out her but maybe she should be barred from here. I certainly think that some discipline should be metered out to show that we all do not want to be associated with this kind of behaviour :clap:
How awful!! I am sorry this has happened to you Jacqui and thank you for sharing it with us. It is quite worrying that this can happen to our collectors and wonder what the advantages are to having a guest book at all such as this Bravenet as people can e-mail me to go onto my mailing list should they wish to - also I am very careful with my collectors and make sure to BCC any of my mailing list customers and do not put anybody one who does not ask as people should not be pestered with spam they do not want.
Also it is sad but maybe with Ebay the way to go is with Private listings - I have not been in favour of this before but I value the privacy of any collectors or future collectors. Hope you can get something sorted out with this situation
Warm wishes
Pauline
