i'm sure its just about everyone, (especially those trying to keep something about themselves just theirs), when you feel like ripping down everything about yourself off the internet, when you find your images in places maybe they shouldn't... this happened to me yesterday on flickr when i discovered i could track where my images have been used, (eeks), turns out 89 domains have used my images, for who knows what.... obviously i'm sure its mostly very harmless, sometimes even flattering maybe?but, i have kids! i'm further annoyed with the way of online businesses, i mean it i just can't keep up, & this whole dumb branding which is the only way it seems of the online shop just ain't working so well for me, i see other businesses flourish on this & i can't either shake it off or "make it work". so maybe i should take a lesson from a past lovely weekended of mask-wearing, i would have privacy & no worries of branding oneself, har-har... no but really time to tear it all down? no not really, i'm just stamping my feet about... i will try harder!
the etsy sellerhandbook, here i come, err again!
That is pretty creepy that people have used your images elsewhere. I've read a lot of things lately saying "Please ask before you use my images on your blog," and so I try not to do it very much (unless it's from an Etsy listing or a promotional thing). A lot of my Flickr contacts make pictures of their kids friends only -- there are a lot of creeps out there.
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration with selling online. Believe me. When I sold vintage on Etsy I was always so frustrated because I didn't sell that much and because I could never get things as good as I wanted them to be, and because I was starting to get utterly consumed by it (I was going to thrift shops a few times a week, it was too much). I couldn't take good enough photos, I didn't like my banner, etc. It was such a disappointment. Then I would find vintage shops that sold like crazy and feel even worse! It usually seemed to involve the way the photos were styled more than anything. It made me realize that half the time when things are sold online what people are buying is image more than anything else; I've bought vintage dresses online because the girl modeling them was beautiful, only to have them look like total crap in the envelope I got in the mail. I actually started writing a blog post about this because I had to get rid of a coat I bought (for a lot of $$) from a popular Etsy seller because it smelled so bad no matter how hard I tried to clean it (and it was discoloured, which didn't show in the picture). Then I thought the post was too negative, haha.
I can imagine how it's even more frustrating when the things you sell are things you MAKE that are so deeply personal to you. I don't know what the secret is. Wish I did!
Not good!
ReplyDeleteI would suggest turning that privacy license on so that the general public can't save your pics or view your images in different sizes. Take that away from them!
i'm very frustrated that etsy selling, and blogging as well, is just one huge popularity contest more than anything else. in my opinion it's all about branding, pr and becoming one of the cool kids. i'm still in the very beginning phase of etsy selling and the pr bit is something i struggle with a lot.
ReplyDeletei agree with jlee, make all photos that isn't a part of your shop promotion not for save for the public.
I am having the exact same problem.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me how to track the use of your photos on Flickr? I really want to, but haven't been able to figure out how.
Your Account > Privacy & Permissions tab > Under Global Settings, there is the option "Who can download your stuff", "Who can blog your stuff", etc.
ReplyDelete