In the last couple years, there has been an increase in large companies stealing small businesses ideas and misleading their customers in the process. This unethical behavior is a great hindrance to these small corporations as they try to compete in the marketplace.
There are many ways companies have stolen small businesses ideas in the past. One of the many ways being companies who out right copy smaller businesses and classify their ideas as the company’s own. This concept is called “idea theft” and has gotten more and more common as the years have gone on. This etiquette is unfair and needs attention as these larger corporations are collecting royalties from others’ inventions.
One recent example of “idea theft” targets a list of brands located on Amazon. Recently, many have caught Amazon brands stealing things such as pictures, products, etc. As these smaller corporations continued to notice this issue, they decided to reach out to Amazon about their concerns. When Amazon responded they “heeded takedown notices and sometimes rejected them, even when listings clearly feature stolen photographs and artwork,” says buzzfeed news. Amazon also “often forces them to file complaints but the site does not ban flagrant repeat offenders from its marketplace. And even when the company does remove infringing listings, the same stolen artwork often crops up again elsewhere on the site,” says buzzfeed news. While Amazon continues to market off these unethical brands, individuals need to stop supporting these unjust companies.
Although small business prices may be out of reach for many, people need to understand that supporting these cheap fast fashion companies has no benefits. Since many of their products are cheaply made, the quality of their clothing will not last. Ultimately, spending the extra money would be a better investment. There are also many ethical small brands that offer reasonable prices. So comprehending these suggestions, when shopping next time online do your research on the company before funding their business.
