Decals of auto manufacturers, copyright issues, etc

[misterdamian]

Hey guys, I was just wondering what legal issues, if any, are involved in plotting out decals of manufacturer names. For example, a customer has a ford truck and wants a ford decal. I can make him a Ford decal by drawing the Ford logo (or any other logo) in corel draw and plotting it out. I also want to sell them on eBay and maybe on my website when I get it. So do I have to worry about ford, the tampa bay buccs, ferrari, porsche, lamborghini, etc... suing me over it?


Thanks for any information.

 

[Inkfish Graphics]

You cannot sell them legally.

 

[learned the hard way]

Yes, you would have to worry about being sued. You could probably get away with selling them to individual customers, but putting them on Ebay or a website would be risky. Besides, everybody and his brother is doing this type of stuff. Use that new equipment to do something better than Ford, Chevy, Harley and Calvin decals. Look for opportunities to sell banners to local businesses. Sell one banner for $150 and you'll make as much money as selling 50 Calvin decals at $3 each.

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Trademark infringement is illegal. The auto manufacturers just do not have the time to worry about you promoting their products. On the other hand, fooling with Harley, or amy major sports organization (especially college ball) is asking for trouble.

The pro leagues and college teams sue on a regular basis. Promotional sales is a major source of revenue for them. The same applies for Harley.

Anyway you look at it, there is plenty of money to be made without giving the stuff away, and putting yourself at risk.

Where in Florida are you?

 

[2NinerNiner2]

You cannot sell them legally.

Period!

 

[Rhinoz]

Last time I spoke with a Ford Licensing Rep (in June of this year), this is their basic guidline:You have to show that you can sell $20k of their product a year and that you have to have $3M of liability insurance.

To quote learned_the_hard_way "Sell one banner for $150 and you'll make as much money as selling 50 Calvin decals at $3 each."

 

[jeroen]

Not legal
Some companies don't care or are to lazy to do be bothered
Others will... For example, anything Porsche related has been removed from brandsoftheworld.com

 

[Gino]

Welcome from PA.

If you want to stay in the sign business [on your own], don't sell any of the items you mentioned, unless you want to be working at the local jail making all the license plates you can do for free.

It's the same as making money. You can't make $20.00 bills and sell them for $5.00.

 

[misterdamian]

thanks for all the replies!


can i give them away for free?

 

[iSign]

The pro leagues and college teams sue on a regular basis. Promotional sales is a major source of revenue for them. The same applies for Harley.

...it's not so much the money YOU MAKE that bothers them... it's the money THEY DON"T MAKE that gets them after you, so giving them away free could take more money away from them even faster then selling them!

 

[Techman]

dotn sell that junk anywhere.. its a waste of a good cutter... Dont even make it,, ITs a waste of good electricity.. Let the lamers do it ,, and while they are wasting their time cutting that crap you get a good book about design and learn it,, Then while they are selling a few stickers each week you are selling 1,000 bux worth of work in one job.. you spend 8 hours doing that and make ten times what the lamers make all month..

don't waste yer time,, EVen My 17 yr old son knows the facts about stickers.. He wont even entertain the idea for his buds... he does nicer stuff. like special parking signs . at 30 bux a lick in about 45 mins he is making as much in one night with just two of his special parking signs as the other kids make all week at Mcjob..

There are sticker jobs you learn on,, and there are real jobs you marry...

forgetaboutit..

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

My 17 yr old son knows the facts about stickers.. He wont even entertain the idea for his buds... he does nicer stuff. like special parking signs . at 30 bux a lick in about 45 mins he is making as much in one night with just two of his special parking signs as the other kids make all week at Mcjob..

THIS is the very reason I've thoroughly enjoyed having 3 kids grow up in my sign biz. The 2nd goes off to UT Austin next week - thinking of EDGE printing as no more complicated than an MP-3 player. Hopefully, he'll end up an architect with a disdain for "hellvet med!". Youngest will be following in 2 more years, and she can run a sign shop now, and all equip. More than once, I've seen their friends get a very incredulous look on their face when I hand my kids their cash. It's been a cool perk.

 

[misterdamian]

that makes a lot of sense guys. thanks for the opinions and eye openers.

 

[Cadmn]

You cannot sell them legally.

I'm really pretty sure this should readYou cannot "Produce" them. It really doesn't matter if you sell give or throw them away.

 

[Lance]

There are sticker jobs you learn on,, and there are real jobs you marry...

Love it................ just love it.

Can I buy ya a beer Techman ?