Had I been paying closer attention, I might have read the name of the Classified first. "Juicy Main Store - SEXY SHOES & STILETTOS!!!!" obviously not what I was looking for. But I was kind of surprised that the listing came up on the search term Stiletto Moody, so I scrolled through the listing to find out why.
Here Are Screenshots of the Listing, and Profile of the Avatar who pays for this Classified.
![Stiletto Moody Search Results [2]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2387/2461821411_e69c22ef01.jpg)
![Stiletto Moody Search Results [1]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2058/2462652632_6934a41e86.jpg)
![Stiletto Moody Search Results [3]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2140/2462654424_0c3ed34095.jpg)
Now I may not be an ethicist, nor am I trying to stir up controversy (plenty of other people do that with more panache then I can claim), but I have read at least 2 posts on the GOGOLITA.COM blog, including one titled Stiletto Moody or.. Sasawe Capalini? where Gorgeous Yongho (aka GoGo) has made it clear that she is no fan of Stiletto Moody, her shoes, or her methods of creative collaboration. She actually tagged the post "fugly shoes". I say fine, knock yourself out, your opinion, you are more then entitled, etc. It is very clear that the Alt used to list this Classified "Juicy Littlething" is one and the same with Gorgeous Yongho, as the photos in the listing for the Juicy Shoes can be seen on GOGLITA.COM quite readily. Take a Look Here. My point here, is that if you have such a strong dislike for a designer, and are very public with this opinion, why would you include the name of that Designer/Brand in your own classifieds, unless you are trying to achieve more hits in search? Lots of people do it, including certain Key Words in your ad will definitely result in more hits (i.e. Sex, Escort, BDSM, hooker), but not only is the Stiletto Moody name copyrighted, but it seems highly unethical to me that you would use the name of a competitor to sell your own shoes, particularly when you have been so vociferously opposed to said designer.
The complete list of Key Words used in the listing appear below:
shoes, heels, pumps, stiletto, sculpted shoes, sexy heels, colors, rainbow, pink, model, couture, high heels, fashion, sculptie, sculpt, sandals, pumps, platforms, fetish, slingback, woman, ladies, couture, runway, hot, foot fetish, bdsm, hooker, sex, escort, stiletto moody, maitreya, quality, texture, storm schmooz, dela, shiny things, tesla
As you can see, several other top shoe designers in-world are also mentioned in the Classified. I am really curious to know what your thoughts are on this issue. Please feel free to comment, all comments will be posted unedited.
11 comments:
I don't think anyone should have the right to use anyone else's store name/avatar name in their ad's keywords without permission. If Gogo went around and asked all those designer's permissions for the use of their stores/avatar names, then more power to her... if not, I personally think that's HIGHLY unethical.
That's just my opinion, and I don't have any authority whatsoever, but in the past couple days, I *can* say I have lost a LOT of respect for Gogo for a) slamming other bloggers & it appearing on the feed, and b) now for this - using other designer's names/store names.
Not only is she catty, but now she's trying to ride the coattails of other designers? Not very classy at all!
any GOOD designer doesnt need to slam another , they should know they do good work that can stand on its one.
To try and STEAL other designer customers is nasty ans wrong.( cant call it anything else but stealing or she wouldnt have there names listed)
What everyone should do is pass on this info and avoid the shop - getting as many as you can to avoid it to.
Respect designers that put time into making SL fun for us shoppers and dont support this nasty behaviour
I saw those pictures and immediately recognized the avatar as Gorgeous. She didn't happen to buy her shape, did she? Someone may just be mocking her or downloaded the photos from her site.
It might not necessarily be her. However, given her recent articles I wouldn't be surprised if she was the one doing these sorts of things.
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Anonymous said...
Amazing... I saw her post on her blog and commented that she seemed a little incorrect in some of her statements and now here she is using SL brand names without permission....
Dishonest is the only word that comes to mind for her probable actions, and well done on this post.
May 3, 2008 9:48 PM
Comment Found On: http://vfashionaddict.blogspot.com official sister blog.
Princess Ivory said...
I don't have a real problem with her using "Sex, Escort, BDSM, hooker" as keywords, if she thinks those people are her customers. BUT, they would be searching using the keyword "shoes" or "heels" or "stilettos" if they wanted shoes. They would not be searching using the terms that describe their own trade. So that is obviously "stuffing the ballot box" type of advertising, and a misuse of the keywords. But to use the names of your competitors?? Well, that is just bad form. Very bad form. When a search like that comes up for me, that is a store I put on my "do not visit" list. So she is alienating her customers, at least her more discerning ones.
Princess Ivory
Comment Found On: http://vfashionaddict.blogspot.com official sister blog.
Anonymous said...
Using copyrighted names in your search is not only unethical and dishonest, it also against TOS and other legal constraints, I think gogo needs to go do some research before she goes completely off the deep end.
Good work on exposing this.
May 3, 2008 11:47 PM
Nice accidental sleuthing Mama! And good for you for posting this. I hate stirring the pot as much as the next gal but some things just can't go ignored and someone has to speak up about it. I agree with Tenshi (who by the way I think our grid is a more aware place with a blog like hers, drama or not) on wondering if someone did this to sabatoge GOGO. Though that would be a LOT of effort and money for a classified. I just hope she addresses this in her blog instead of ignoring it. Whoever did this is shady, plain and simple
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Anonymous said...
From her repeated attacked on Beauty Avatar which was proved false to Stiletto Moody, this girl has take shadiness to a new low. When I am searching for Tesla, I want Tesla. When I am searching for Shiny Things, I want Shiny Things, not some cheap-ass-wannabee-overpriced-as-all-hell pump. I think she owes all of those designers an apology for using them to boost her business. She needs to get traffic on her own merits and not the merits of others. I saw this used about her the other day but it still applies: bitch.
May 4, 2008 12:14 AM
I think thats so unethical you know, its kinda sad thats how she drums up her bisnusse.....
Comment Found On: http://vfashionaddict.blogspot.com official sister blog.
Anonymous said...
Update: She is guilty as hell. Notice that the keywords are now changed with the rival store names and designer names removed. Someone said this might be someone out to make her look bad. This would be quite a revenge plot. The avatar's creation date is 7/30/2007 and not only do they have a classified, their picks are filled with Juicy. If this was a case of revenge by a fake alt, that is a LONG time to wait to get revenge on someone and they would have had the prior knowledge that Gogo was going to open a store named Juicy in the future.
May 4, 2008 5:35 PM
Comment Found On: http://vfashionaddict.blogspot.com official sister blog.
Anonymous said...
I remember seeing her comments about Stiletto Moody and the fact that Stiletto basically hired people to make her shoes piecemeal. I would post links, but it seems that some old posts have been deleted.
From what I recollect, Gorgeous is friends with one of the people who were contracted to make the Stilleto shoes, and this person was peeved because, although they presumably initially contracted for what they thought their work was worth, they felt they deserved more money after the shoes started selling. Gogolita issued a few blog posts, where she complained about the fact that the shoes were copies from RL designers, that they were expensive, that they weren't Stiletto's own work, and also accused Stilleto was running a "sweatshop." (As an aside-- having worked in a charity that helped people who were forcibly working in sweatshops, I was insulted beyond belief that she would equate someone being pissed that they didn't hold out for more money to make sculpties to people who work in a sweatshop. Somehow, I find it hard to believe this person was virtually shackled to their computer making stuff for Stilleto. Some fucking perspective, please).
In any case, Gogolita also said that she had told her friend to start their own shop. Hrm.
Given the litany of complaints and drama re: Stilleto, I wonder if these shoes are Gogolita's own work or if she's teamed up with Stilleto's old sculptie maker. I mean, they are way expensive per pair (hello, hypocrite!), which usually means more than one person is getting fed. It would be just perfect, wouldn't it? Try to turn the world against Stilleto, only to do kind of the same thing.
May 4, 2008 6:36 PM
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