I don’t want this to be my first post but I just couldn’t help it. I know I already posted this on the forum but I just can’t stop ranting about it. Anyway, two years ago I set up an online store which sells stuff for women. The idea is to have a sort of tiangge online. It also featured “cyberstall,” a term my sister and I coined for people who wanted to have their own website but doesn’t know how. What we did is to help them set up their sites, help them have their own URL and they pay us monthly for the space they are occupying. I made this last 2003 if I am not mistaken.
I did a lot of advertising for that site. Newspapers, forums (PEX, GT, St Berlin, Bembang, Mukamo etc. etc.), e-groups, text brigade and believe it or not, even flyers. It became well known probably because I sold my products cheap. There were times when I’d go to a building in Ayala with a gym bag full of goodies (and I have my mom driver to thank for it). There were even some who’d go to the extent of reserving their conference room for me. Most of my customers are from Ayala, Alabang and Las Pinas. It was fun. There came a time when I was already getting orders from Singapore, India, Saudi and France. I don’t know how they learned about the site though. And then of course I enrolled my thesis and that’s when I decided to stop that site for a while with the intent of rebuilding it once I have the time. My customers knew about this so, the business never really ended.
Two weeks ago, I decided to buy the domain name again. Unfortunately while I was trying to buy it, I got this horrible message that someone took it already. I typed the URL and lo and behold!!! There it was! My old domain name! The name that I put so much work into! The name that was associated with my name for 3 years already! And do you know what else? They are also doing the “cyberstall” thing. It was bad and I was so heartbroken. You might think I’m overreacting but what would you feel when you put so much effort doing something, and you see someone else is taking the credit?
I will wrench his head from his shoulders - I will smite him where he stands - HE WILL RUE THE VERY DAY HE STOLE MY KINGDOM AWAY FROM ME! - Prince Charming
Ok I didn’t do the first two sentences but I was thinking about it. I wrote that site’s owner a letter and here is their reply:
Hi!
We were surprised receiving your email. First of all, We didn’t think that
www.*********.com was being used because it was available when we registered
it last March 2006
We understand your frustration but we have, and is still spending a lot of
our resources building and launching the site. On top of that, we already
have pending clients waiting for the site to be launched.
Had we known that someone is already using it, We wouldn’t have bought it
and instead, would have a different name.
We hope you understand.
Sincerely,
*********.com ( To add insult to injury, they even signed their letter with the url…b@stards!)
What they didn’t answer was when I asked them why they are doing the same service.
Anyway, I decided that this is not the end of the world and wasapers is right, “If you build it, they will come.” What did I do? I built another site. And I’m on my way to building another for my yuppie dad. I’m building a lot actually. I guess what’s important is that I did not wallow in my own private hell and sulk. [Okay yeah I wallowed for a little but that's healthy, you know?] Stealing my idea, and using *********’s name won’t stop me from doing what I like. I’m back…with a vengeance!! Bwahahahaha!!
I’m not going to mention the sites name anymore because I’m not that stupid.
Ok enough of this drama, watch out for my next post alright?
