A sad day in the digiscrap community

[clarabear]

So, I was just made aware of a piracy situation and the store closure of Pretty Scrappy. Even though Oscraps is my home, as it is for many, I venture out and visit many sites throughout the community and think everybody should be aware of these types of things. Designers work very hard and it takes a long time for them to get their name out there and get a following before they are actually able to make some money at this. Then some horrible people come around and steal their products and designs. Then sometimes, even worse, a designer comes along and steals their designs and sells them as their own. That is the case here. The store Pretty Scrappy is currently closed because of this...because of one designer who thought she could get away with using other designers products and claiming them as her own. So, if you could join me in saying a prayer or sending some warm thoughts to all the designers, CT members, and customers who checked their e-mail to find out that the store was closed without any notice and have no idea what they are doing next, I think that would be great. The Sweet Shoppe has a post in their forums explaining how the piracy has affected them: http://www.sweetshoppecommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40842
It is pretty unbelievable and horribly sad. I wish there was a way to support them besides just making people aware of the situation. That is all I can think of. I guess if you know any of the designers at Pretty Scrappy send them a message of encouragement.

 

[faerywings]

Ugh- it is so awful... At first- I saw the similarities in the dr kit- and how much different can a "boo-boo" kit be? I know I have been in the O's gallery- thinking I recognized a kit- and it turned out just to be something similar. That happens, right?
But when they pulled out all of the stuff that had been stolen- just crazy!

 

[Bush Girl]

WOW! What a sad story. And I suppose this is one reason why I don't attempt to design myself as I'm really not sure I could come up with any thing original.

 

[sue.falstaff]

Yikes ... it's such a shame it ended up having to "go public" in this way, but I can understand the frustrations involved. It's a tough enough business to be in anyway, and to have to deal with this is awful!

 

[hondachicc]

ITA with you Chris....there are so many times that I see a page in the gallery and totally believe I know what kit it is and it's not...with the mega amounts of kits coming out daily, it is bound to happen sometimes...

BUT WOW!!!! The whole story there...handled so very poorly!!! and the stolen items...how can people do this to others...they work so hard and poor their hearts into it....VERY SAD INDEED!!!

 

[natesia]

ehh... there are similar situations with kits given for free... a lot of "designers" steal sb's items and give it as their own... that's terrible... I don't understand it... We (girls from SL) fight with these persons, because our items were stolen too... we check pages, and when we see our items, we report it to admins... somebody could say these are only freebies, but piracy is everywhere...

 

[helenh]

A great post to remind everyone of these issues Clara. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[LaughingSun]

it is truly sad that this has happened.

All the designers at PS and all over are in my prayers!!!

 

[clarabear]

A great post to remind everyone of these issues Clara. Thank you for the reminder.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I think this effects the community as a whole...not just a couple of sites. I have been on a couple of teams where the designers has had issues with piracy and have known other ladies whose designers have had piracy issues and it is horrible. This is a good reminder for everyone to read the designers TOUs to make sure they are following the rules of each designer.

 

[pajhnubhlis]

This is terrible and so sad. And as a newbie designer this really scares me. Thanks for sharing this Clara.

 

[LaughingSun]

I'm not sure what to do... I have a QP I created with a PS team collab... it really love it & it hasn't been released yet. I looked in the TOUs to see who was in on the collab but it doesn't say. guess I have to turf it?

 

[katg1006]

Wow...when faced with such examples...I am so shocked that they backed that designer. It was blatant piracy. Sad that people cannot be creative in their own right and must steal from others.

((hugs))) Thanks for sharing Clara!!!

 

[Ellen]

how sad this has happened , specially for the innocent bystanders like the real designers and the CT
I hope they find a new home .
Only yesterday I was looking at a kit somewhere on a U.S. site and saw it used background papers exactly the same as in a kit I bought from a French site .
Would a designer use 2 different names if she sold in 2 different shops??
do I report it to ???? I don't know where to go from here.

ps I've now discovered a 3rd designer with some of the same papers