Quote:
Originally Posted by Krista512
now where does that law stop? like if i make a purse that looks like a name brand but not put the logo on it? or if i make a tool cake with a orange drill that looks like a black and decker, could i get in trouble for that? or if i do a cake with a white cat but a purple bow instead of hello kittys pink bow??? where does that law stop at?? dont want to get in trouble.
The rule of thumb I use is if an average person takes one look at a character and their first thought is the copyrighted name of that character (or name of the manufacturer for the purse example) then you need to get permission from the copyright owner. We require the customer to provide written permission from the copyright owner when they request a copyrighted design, but we make sure to have another option with a more generic design (possibly including licensed cake toppers, which do not violate copyright).
I can guarantee that you will lose some business because of this, since many decorators either don't know or don't care about copyright, but in the long run it's worth it to avoid potential lawsuits which can end up costing thousands of dollars or more.
Regarding your site, I recommend using more concise points instead of paragraphs, and your home page should include the most important information about your business front and center in large print: your phone number, the area you serve, and why people should order from you instead of your competitors.
