

Ask HN: Other startups are cloning my startup - what should I do? - martian

As my startup becomes more successful I'm noticing that more of our competitors are wholesale copying our website. Page layouts, search features, registration flows, and business logic, to name a few. One site stole our tagline. Another posted on ODesk asking for developers to blatantly create a clone of our site.<p>Imitation is flattery, but I'd much rather this didn't happen.<p>Is there anything I can do?
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terrywilcox
Stop and be flattered, you're clearly doing something right.

If they're just copying you, continue to innovate. If one of them actually
manages to come up with a good idea, steal it.

Above all, realize that the idea itself is not sufficient. The value lies in
you, not the idea. You have to deliver a better product.

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adrianwaj
It's your opportunity to contact investors and present yourself as the
Category Creator prior to the copycats - one of AirBnb's investors said they
only invest in the category creator.

Clone them back - what are they doing that inspires you or you haven't thought
of?

Call them out on your blog.

Find where they are leaving comments around the web and call them out.

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troymc
It's good news to see people wanting to do the same thing, as it's a kind of
validation.

I can understand your being upset by the wholesale copying.

Sometimes the competitor can't actually deliver on what they promise: if you
contact them, you could offer them affiliate marketing fees for sending
traffic to your site (which presumably _can_ deliver on what it promises).

You can probably report the ODesk job offer to ODesk. Their policies / Terms
of Service probably include something like "Don't post jobs which constitute
intellectual property infringement."

Lastly, you could just be the best in your category, and beat your competitors
regardless of their shady tactics.

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martian
Thanks for the ODesk tip -- I'll check into it.

And I agree that the best way to win is to be the best. :-)

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aebit
Developing your marketing may help you make the impression (stake your claim)
that you _are_ that service- the others just echo your operation. But if
someone doesn't know to think of you first when they need your service, you're
easily usurped. Making a strong impression to your market matters as much as
tour technology sometimes.

Best of luck...

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otterley
It means the barriers to entry in your market aren't high enough. Seek a new
business model, or live with it.

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bond
Execute better than them and keep innovating to stay a step ahead...

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steventruong
1\. Ignore

2\. Focus on your what you're doing and innovate

3\. Market better and faster

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nerd_in_rage
URL please.

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rush-tea
If you have not patent your business models, there is nothing you can do. For
every Groupon, there is Living Social, and others... might as well keep
innovating, and stay ahead of competition.

I am not sure about your website because I don't see the link, but if it's
something you can patent, then you should do it, then you can sue. :)

