What is passing off and how can it affect your business?
Essentially, passing off is when another business makes customers think their products or services are yours. This can affect your hard-earned reputation with your customers and with Google and even affect your profits – which no one wants.
If you haven’t encountered the term “passing off” before, don’t worry – it’s probably a good thing! Even if not though, it’s always helpful to be familiar with the basics of copyright law so that you can recognise the signs and act accordingly if you ever think you may be at risk of losing sales (or customers) due to “passing off”. At 21Digital, we’ll always keep in the loop on anything that could impact your business, so let’s take a look at how you can spot signs of passing off.
So, what is passing off?
Put simply, passing off happens when someone else uses a name or branding that’s too close to yours. This can confuse your customers and lead them to buy from the wrong business.
For example, if your business is called “Your Great Business” and you find a competitor using a name like “YourGreat Business,” customers might think they are buying from you, when in fact they are not. This can have a negative affect on your sales and your reputation.
What to do if you see passing off
If you find someone using your name or similar, let us know! We can help. Usually, the first step is to send them a letter asking them to stop using your name and to remove it from their ads. You can also ask them to add your name as a “negative keyword” so it doesn’t come up in their ads again.
Most of the time, this solves the issue, especially if it was a mistake. But if they keep doing it, you might need to contact Google or talk to a lawyer about your options.
Passing off can become a serious issue for your business if not addressed quickly. While it’s usually accidental and easy to resolve, it can still damage your reputation and lead to the loss of loyal customers if left unchecked. So, it’s always best to be vigilant, keep an eye out for any signs of passing off, and take action immediately if you spot something.
At 21Digital, we’re a multi award-winning agency specialising in lead generation and ecommerce, providing digital marketing services including web development, SEO, SEO, Google Ads, digital consultancy, social media marketing, and email marketing.Got questions about boosting your business online? Then don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts, and we’ll be more than happy to see how we can help!