Advice, please? Someone has taken my business name.

The Vintage Vendeuse

The Vintage Vendeuse

VFG Member
I changed from another business name to "The Vintage Vendeuse" in March 2011 on eBay, the only site at which I sold my items. In total, I've sold true vintage for over ten years and have over 3000+ feedback. I obviously also post here under the VV name.

I've slowed down A LOT in the last couple years for personal reasons but now plan to get back in the saddle, so to speak. So... I decided to open an Etsy shop as well as resume selling on eBay. Unfortunately, I found someone took my name on Etsy only a few days before my attempt to open my account. Their personal name was listed so I googled them and found a FB business page under the VV name. I, too, have a FB page of that name. Then I went to register the domain name and found that she had also just taken that, as well.

This person runs another vintage shop with a different name and planned to use the VV name to sell her higher end stuff (she says). We've been in contact but basically, she's proceeding as planned.

Am I out of luck on this? I've never legally registered the name anywhere.
 
If she's only just registered it, can you make her an offer to buy it? I don't know if this is an option for you financially, but if it is, and no money has been discussed, perhaps she is willing and you can extend her an offer.

ETA: Another option is for you to register a variation of your name (with or without the "The" for example) and simply keep using it.
 
I'm sorry to hear that she won't sell, but you may want to grab that domain anyway for the small fee -- at least until you decide if you want to keep the name or not. If not, you can let it expire after a year.

Frankly, I think that without the "The" it looks better as a URL. It's shorter and easier for people to remember and type.
 
FallsAvenueVintageFashion said:
I'd buy the domain name as Laura suggested, if only to piss her off. :horny:
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gigglesmile.gif
 
LOL, Rita!
So far, I've been able to avoid getting nasty with her... but I HAVE been thinking about "haunting" her on her FB page, VV blog, VV tumbler, etc. She's gone all out and claimed the name everywhere... hence the reason she doesn't want to give it up. She's invested in the name now.
And a simple google of the name would have clearly shown my presence. I find her actions unethical.
 
VV (please tell me your first name -- I have a terrible memory and apologize), if you don't mind playing a bit of hardball, you can try contacting Etsy and telling them that you've traded under this name for many, many years, even though you've just registered on Etsy, and that this other person is infringing on your trademark. Which is the truth.

I would however, grab that domain first and point it to my Etsy shop, for a stronger case. They may not do anything, but there's always the chance that they will.

You'll want to write to [email protected]. She's only registered as a buyer under that name for the time being, so you may want to try this before she opens shop. And do so soon, since she now knows that there's a conflict. Good luck and don't be disheartened. Your name is worth fighting for, and if in the end it doesn't work out, then at least you've done all that you could. I hope you'll give it a try. :)
 
Very unethical but not surprising. It's why you have to buy domain names and even a few variations if possible plus create accounts in your name on all the major social media sites. Aside from an all out trademark, it's the only to protect yourself online. If you go ahead with VV only, be sure to include how long you've been selling online in your about us section so people will know you're the original Vintage Vendeuse.

cross posted with Laura - good advice there!
 
X-posted. I'm not sure why she is digging in her heels on this, since it's a new acquisition. In her shoes, I would flip that name for a tidy profit (sorry) and then move on and take on a name that 'no one' had. Unless my objective was to ride on someone's coattails. I'm not implying that she is, but her stance doesn't seem to be the wisest way of going about this, given all of the factors.
 
I keep X-posting, lol. Excellent advice Rita about registering and grabbing your name on all of the social media sites.

Donna, do you have your name on Blogger? If not, grab it now. Do you have a gmail account with that name? If not, grab it now. Do you have it on Zibbet? If not, grab it now.

It doesn't matter if you never do anything with these accounts -- you simply want to lock in that name in the most visible places if at all possible.
 
I registered the dot com with GoDaddy. I do have a gmail with it, too... without the "the" (I didn't want an email addy that was too long) and with a dot between the two words. I have no other web presence other than that already discussed: ebay, here, gmail, etsy (now), and FB. But FB would allow hundreds of VV's, just like I'm sure there's hundreds of John Smiths.
 
Here's a weblink from the GoDaddy help forums with info. on pointing your domain name. Otherwise, you may want to give them a call, and someone can step you through it over the phone.

http://support.godaddy.com/groups/d...how-to-point-a-domain-to-an-existing-website/

The Vintage Vendeuse said:
I have no other web presence other than that already discussed: ebay, here, gmail, etsy (now), and FB.
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That sounds great Donna. Looks like you have a lot covered already. Maybe you'll want to grab it on Zibbet as well since it's supposed to be expanding at this point in time, and it's free to register and keep a presence. Rita can help with naming all the important hotspots, since she's the social media guru. :USETHUMBUP:
 
Uhhh, not! But I can tell you Laura's absolutely right about grabbing them all now before that crackhead gets them. I searched for TVV on FB and only get one page showing and it's yours. Are you sure she has a FB page for that name? That should help you to get etsy to challenge her name on your behalf - would try that as Laura suggested.
 
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