Ask Marketing Experts search engine marketing forum

[goldcougar]

We've been thinking about comparing and contrasting differences between us and some of our competitors. Factual things like price, length of time till service is complete, ect.
Has anyone had any experience with this?
Is there any possibility someone could file a lawsuite against us for posting their name and comparing them with us?
Do we have to link to them or can we just say their name?
Do we have to ask them for their permission to post their name and information?

Thanks!

[7thDsites]

hi GC,

I've seen some folks do it and I really see no problem in doing so.

If you are merely stating the facts of what the competition offers you're not breaking any law, but if their name is trademarked they might ask that you not use it, which I think you would have to comply. As long as you don't libel them by making false claims about their services there should be no problems. Most likely they may never even find out; especially if you don't provide them a link...

As far as linking goes you can link to whomever you wish and even if they ask that you not link to them you don't have to comply; the official call on that in the past has been that it's your site and you can pretty much put whatever you wish on it.
Personally I think I would provide a Url instead of a link as it would be a very beneficial link to them and a loss to you. Some will say that you have to have permission from the competitor site to link to them, but that isn't true either and goes back to the above mentioned statement.

Hope that helps,

best,
john

[goldcougar]

Well, I kind of expect the worst to happen. We were thinking about doing this on one of our pay-per-click sites or one that ranked very well. I am certain that 50% of our online competitors read our site at least once a week, so they would see us comparing us with them. The things we would be comparing would be pretty cut and dry, we are the cheapest, fastest, and most accurate (all things factual). So, I would assume they would not like us having it there and would want us to remove it.

I guess the question at that point is do I have to remove it?
If I didn't, would they have grounds to file a lawsuite?

Thanks!

[admin]

[quote:c3cf9a557f="goldcougar"]We've been thinking about comparing and contrasting differences between us and some of our competitors. Factual things like price, length of time till service is complete, etc.
[/quote:c3cf9a557f]

Direct comparisons should be taken with great care. It is probably best not to name names, but use a certain distingushing factor instead. For example, Microsoft is always belittling companies such as Sun and IBM but they use marketing copy such as "stop using proprietary UNIX". I would use factual statistics, but leave out specific names.

[James Mann]

Hi I have just joined this forum and I am expecting great things from you guys and gals.

My opinion on comparing competitors is very straight forward.

If you follow "Do unto others..." you will not slam competitors but...

If you are tactful and respectful you can give comparisons that will make you the good guy.

I personally leave places that bad mouth others and their products.

I am 50 years young and have seen where commercials have been and where they are now and it bites big time.

If a product can not sell on it's own merit then maybe that product should be replaced with one that can.

Well that might have been more than my 2 cents.

Again I am looking forward to learning and sharing.

James Mann

[admin]

welcome James! You can expect great things from this forum. There are many good minds here.


[quote:d1299fbcfc="James Mann"]Hi I have just joined this forum and I am expecting great things from you guys and gals.
James Mann[/quote:d1299fbcfc]

we look forward to having you here.