Just don't know what to do with that...

A "cake decorator" near me has about 85% of his Facebook album pictures that is not his own. Add to that, he always copied my ideas to and put it on his page about 1 week after me. We are both beginner and try to constitute a little businness. All the pictures on my site are mine and my affairs go well. So,  I think he is jealous.

If I contact the owners of the pictures (many from CakeCentral), I'm affraid to got more problem than I have now. This person always playing with the limits of acceptance. Sometimes saying in a little sentence that the pictures are not from him, sometimes not. Some pictures have watermarks, other don't. Well, he found a way to increase his popularity without effort. And unfortunaly, he knows that I'm the only one who know that he always have an eye on my effort to develope my business.

(There is example of what he does...)

Change his businness name for something close to mine

I announce that I have a new baby mold, He puts stolen pictures of cake with the same mold

I announce that I have a new workplace at home, He takes pictures of his "workplace" (his kitchen in fact...)

I announce a Valentine Day special with a specific name, he takes this specific name to announce his Valentine Day special.

I Create a new page on my website, he does the same thing.

and many others situations........

And all that are done few days after I did!

It is ALWAYS the same thing since 7 mounth!!! Always little things, but aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh!!!!

Think I need to take fresh air!!!! ahahahaah

p.s. Hope my English is not too bad!

Eventually his clients will see that he is not up to your standard, if he has to keep copying you. 

Kikiandkyle,

he don't copy my style, he copies my ideas of marketing. But he stoles MANY pictures from others (with a too high level for him)....

I forgot to ask my real question!! In my situation, do I contact the owners of the pictures...?

Hello and welcome Koccy...

Can you not block this person from your FB?

Better still - as hard as it may be - totally ignore him.

He no doubt gets great delight knowing that you look at his FB page....

And if you know that he has photos on his FB page that may have come from here....  then you can either alert the CC's via private message  or  give us a link to his FB page and let us see for ourselves.

Console yourself that if he thinks he can copy cakes that other people have created.... he will eventually come undone, when someone orders one.......... and they end up with rubbish....

Sadly there are millions of sites out there where peoples pictures are being used without our knowledge....

i even saw one of my pictures (watermarked) on two Russian Websites....

Lolll, i was quite chuffed to think they would bother.... and lollllll more when the description they had written was completely different to what i had written about my Cake.... 

Put your energy into creating new and wonderful cakes...and less energy into looking at what he COPIES.... you will be the winner in the end...

Bluehue

Bluehue...

you're right, I should simply (!) ignore her...(in fact it's a woman)

for the page....

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Martyne-Guimond-Conceptions-gourmandes/485889284761401?fref=ts

the only originals pictures are in the albums "Mes créations".... all others are not from her...

After looking at her page - I don't think you have anything to worry about.  Her work isn't up to par with the cakes she is posting pictures of.  She may gain some business by posting other peoples cakes - but if she is unable to provide the same quality cakes, she will soon get a bad reputation. 

kblickster and others,

thank you, it helps me to take a distance from the situation. Better to work on myself, it will be a more productive way. I needed to have a cake decorate advice and now that I have it, I'll ignore her.

I let the link of her site here if some girls (and boys) wants to get off some pictures.

I just saw your website.  Your cakes are beautiful!!   I wish I knew you when I was in Montreal...
 

Charmed, thank you!

For my website, I have to give a part of the credit to my Partner. We work together on all our cakes.

ADefinitely contact the owners of the pictures so they can report copyright infringement and have the pictures removed.

https://www.facebook.com/help/400287850027717/

I've had something similar happen to me when a local bakery changed her business' name to be like mine. The #1 thing I've done to set myself apart from all other bakeries within 100 miles of me is to aggressively become very good at what I do. It shows in my work (haven't updated CC photos in ages, so not a good representation; sorry). The other thing I've done is to produce some display cakes. When a potential customer comes to me they can closely see what I do, and easily know that my work is different than what they've seen elsewhere. And as for the other baker? People who go to her are probably not looking for my quality, and it would be a waste of my time and their's to consult with them. I wish her well.

handymama,

I think I already have the same solution than you!

Thanks to all! I feel better. :)

Koccy, while I totally understand how it is to have pictures stolen (mine were stolen several times too!), I noticed that the page you posted has pics of others under albums clearly titled "Inspiration". Maybe the business owner is trying to post picture ideas to inspire his potential customers about cakes that can be done. Of course, if someone orders, and the cake doesn't turn out just like the picture, the business will get a bad repute. Just wanted to put this out there......

fcakes,

It's why I said that the owner is always bordeline... It is "clearly" write "Inspiration".... but in many places, she say "Thanks" when someone congrats her Under the pictures.........

Also, having 85% of the cakes pictures as "Inspiration"......

If this person does not have a provincially inspected kitchen, then they should not be accepting orders for sale.

Assuming you have a proper license, you can quote the provincial regulation on your page and announce that you ARE licensed and inspected.

If this person copies your license statement, you report them to the provincial board of health.  THAT will teach them a lesson about this childish  stupidity.

A[RIGHT]Koccy ne t 'en fait pas j'ai vu les deux site et tu n as pas a te préoccuper tu es franchement meilleur[/RIGHT]

Koccy:

J'ai regardé les photos FB et photos de vos gâteaux. Les vôtres sont impeccables. Vous n'avez rien à craindre.

Ugh, inspiration albums are such BS! Your clients can look up their own ideas or ask you in an email. It's just shady to do that. Customers assume they are yours, cause they just don't read.

Ewwwww! And who wants to be scrolling thru those nice photos to be whacked in the face with a giant "insert crude word for male genitalia here". 

I also noticed the 'thanks' and 'you're so kind' under the inspiration photos, or another example where they advertise 'valentine's cake special coming soon' with photos of someone else's cake. Like I said, when people realize the baker cannot replicate the quality of the cakes they are using to advertise themselves, things will come swiftly crashing down. 

Your work is very well done!!  And I agree that between your level and her level, there is a lot of distance. I can imagine that it is very annoying to have someone copy your marketing strategy, no matter how different the levels of skills may be, but I don't think it's illegal or not allowable on FB either. Lots of people  do this who lack imagination, creativity or just skills to do it on their own.

I would just block her page so she can't see yours, I think it works this way?

cakefat,

there's no way to block definitly someone to see a FB page. It's so easy to have an account : a email address and a password and you can be who you want and see what you want that is public...