Stealing your website idea

[owesem75]

I know that there are so many people who have on-line business ideas but were actually not familiar with HTML and website development. Obviously, they will have to outsource the work to someone who could do the job. Now here's the problem - what if the person you outsource your work with admired the idea so much that after the work is done, he tinkered it a bit and duplicated your website becoming your instant competitor? Any one here experienced this predicament?

[paninini]

I don't think a company's success actually depends on the website and it's backbone.

The company success depends more on niche, plan, marketing and such.
Of course does a nice looking site does something, but that probably isn't what the web developer is going to steal...

Copycats shouldn't be much of an issue as long as your whole plan is better.
The whole plan, including future profits and such isn't presented on a website for sure.

[delusional]

With all the themes and frameworks today, a lot of websites look similar. I don't think this is copying, it's just using all the tools available. A lot of companies don't want to pay a lot for their website and this shows in the result they get.

[fredkawig]

Not yet. Well depending on the laws on your country I believe you can sue the competitor specially when your right was established legally. The problem is if your business and website has not gone through rights processing.

[Eagles910]

That s the risk you take when outsourcing. Besides every marketing technique there is saturated. It is very unlikely that you have a distinctly unique website. If this worries you then don't outsource.

[mikelouis]

If the idea has not patent right over it then anyone can do it. There is nothing much you can do about it rather than trying to find out their weaknesses and capitalize on them, to start with it is your idea so you can actually make it happen.

[alec]

Yes, this could happen but it's not as bad as it sounds. If the developer doesn't copy the thing someone else will once it's online, so why worry? The success of an online business is not given exclusively by the website or software. What matter most is your content, user base and how you run it. There are plenty of Facebook clones, Reddit or Tumblr clones but none rise to the level of the originals. In my opinion there's no need to worry. There are plenty of unique websites incorporating brilliant ideas out there that no one visits, proof for me that you need to worry about other things than someone stealing your idea.

[paninini]

Yes, this could happen but it's not as bad as it sounds. If the developer doesn't copy the thing someone else will once it's online, so why worry? The success of an online business is not given exclusively by the website or software. What matter most is your content, user base and how you run it. There are plenty of Facebook clones, Reddit or Tumblr clones but none rise to the level of the originals. In my opinion there's no need to worry. There are plenty of unique websites incorporating brilliant ideas out there that no one visits, proof for me that you need to worry about other things than someone stealing your idea.

My thoughts exactly.

Also, I don't really see someone copying code 1:1. I mean everyone needs to make their customizations for their needs.
Websites getting copied and very similar looking websites is also a thing we want somehow.

For example this forum could do "fancy" and put the logo in the bottom right corner instead of top left, but that doesn't make any sense to the user.
We actually want similar looking and acting sites in a way. When someone clicks on a logo (when it's clickable) they often go to the homepage.
That's something that grew that way, because lot's of people started to copy each other.

[idlecuriosities]

I think you can avoid this problem if you file the proper trademark or incorporation paperwork before you outsource your work. I think it would take someone of very ill repute to steal someone's business idea after agreeing to help them. You could also make it clear by having them sign a contract prior to beginning any work.

[samuel0785]

To overcome this you can ask for an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) to outsourcing company. If an outsourcing company provides NDA, then they will not disclose your information to anyone.