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An Ethical Dilemma? Selling Something That You Can Get For Free
Copyright (c) 2004-2023 Willie Crawford
At least once a week, I have someone point out to me that a big-name information marketer, software "developer," or company, is selling something that is very similar to a product that you can get for free. They see something fundamentally "wrong" with SELLING a product or information that can be obtained for nothing... if you search in the right place. Often, they point this out to me because they just feel the need to protest something they view as somehow "wrong."
First of all, if you search long enough and hard enough, you CAN find free software that will do just about anything. Some very intelligent programmers create lots of software, which they happily make open-source, shareware, or freeware. These programmers do this for various reasons that we won't get into. These programmers will also give or sell you permission to modify their software slightly and put your own label on it. Is that "wrong?"
There are thousands of documents explaining practically any topic imaginable. The Internet makes it easier to tap into databases and find this information. Some people compile this free information that they find into reports or ebooks and sell it. Is that "wrong?"
After certain intellectual property has been around long enough, if the copyrights aren't renewed through various means, it may become "public domain." That means anyone may then have the right to publish or distribute this material without violating copyrights or intellectual property rights. Is taking an old book that belongs to the public and selling it as your own "wrong?"
Having been trained as an economist, I try to see things as they are rather than as they should be. In economic terms this is looking at things in a "positive" rather than a "normative" fashion. It just means looking at things with a scientific rather than a moral or ethical eye. I don't avoid the moral or ethical issues, but try not to judge others based upon my opinion.
So back to the question... is selling something that you can get for free "wrong?" Since we've already said that you can find practically any software or information for free if you search long enough and hard enough, the answer actually lies in why people will pay for the same "stuff" anyway.
Free does NOT mean without cost. When you buy branded software or repackaged information, the marketer is theoretically reducing your risk. The marketer conducted the research, and located a product that met a specific need, and then made the public aware of it. The marketer investigated dozens of pieces of readily-available software, perhaps modified it, and then "certified" it as capable of meeting your needs.
Another very big reason that the market is willing to pay for something that can conceivable be obtained for free, is because of the search cost. There is a cost of time, energy, and other resources, in investigating options. The marketer has invested that search cost and charges you for that service. Depending upon how you value your time, you may gladly be willing to pay for something that you could have eventually located for free... and then tested to verify that it was exactly what you needed.
Very often, a creator of intellectual property is not a marketer... and doesn't understand the finer points of marketing. So a terrific piece of software, a book, or an idea, just.... sits. A marketer with an above-average grasp of human behavior and psychology can step in, "repackage" that product, and the market will devour it. Should that product have been allowed to languish rather than some marketer stepping in, fixing the bad marketing, and profiting from it. If the product improved the lives of end users, who would have otherwise never noticed the product, then clearly the marketer is providing real value.
So, where is the dilemma? The dilemma is in the perception that the marketer selling a product that didn't cost him anything... or very little, is doing something wrong. It is purely a perception. However, whether on-line or off-line, people who locate "stuff" that the market wants, and charge for that "service" are clearly serving a need. If they weren't serving a need, then the market wouldn't pay for it.
The reality is that people have marketed information since the beginning of commerce. Both on-line and off-line, there are fortunes being made ferreting out information that the market wants, and then providing it. It's the PERFECT way to make your online fortune. Provided that the product is of the right quality, it should certainly not be considered a question of ethics. Doctors, lawyers, realtors, teachers, religious leaders... they all charge you for readily available information that they have "repackaged" and put their brand, or seal-of-approval, on.
When you're doing research, and you discover a product very similar to one being marketed under a different label, it IS very eye opening. However, it is not generally a matter of ethics (in my opinion). It's no different than an off-line supermarket selling the identical product side-
by-side for two different prices. Often the store brand is made at the same factory, with the same formula, as the name brand product. They are sold side-by-side for different prices. The higher price is justified by the brand identity and "certification" that goes along with that.
As an Internet marketer it is important that issues such as this be studied. Many people who start businesses on the Internet have never run or studied how brick and mortar businesses operate. This article is an attempt to fill in a bit of that missing training... or at a minimum - create discussion :-)
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Willie Crawford is a corporate president, published author,
seminar speaker and host, tele-seminar speaker and host,
retired military officer, karate black belt, master network
marketing trainer, and lifetime student of marketing. He shows
people how to actually generate substantial income on-line
using very simple, easily modeled systems. An example of
such a system that you can study and duplicate is at:
http://ProfitMagician.com
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Top-Level Category: Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Willie Crawford
How To Have An Endless Stream Of Highly Qualified Free Leads (Part 2)
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2011-07-26 |
Word Count: 854 |
Page Views: 5272
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
In part-1, I mentioned how to publish on Kindle to create
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generators.
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Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2011-07-24 |
Word Count: 675 |
Page Views: 5234
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 1.86
Do you dream of having so many customers that you can be
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Follow The Experts Who Do What They Teach
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-11-02 |
Word Count: 897 |
Page Views: 5539
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.40
As I'm sure that you realize, not all online marketing
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Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-10-28 |
Word Count: 1200 |
Page Views: 5033
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 1.17
All online marketers eventually realize that a steady flow
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How To Earn An Online Living As A Writer
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-07-27 |
Word Count: 373 |
Page Views: 5033
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 1.17
Since 1996 I've written over 1600 articles. These articles
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Your Internet Marketing Virtual Vending Machine Route
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-04-13 |
Word Count: 1456 |
Page Views: 5202
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 2.75
When I'm being introduced at seminars and tele-events, the
emcee often points out that I have over 1600 websites. This
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So, let me enlighten you.
A False Economy I NO LONGER Practice Do You?
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-03-15 |
Word Count: 676 |
Page Views: 4971
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.40
Many of us go out and buy some of the best software and
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My New Top 10 Free Website Traffic Generation Methods - Part 1
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-03-10 |
Word Count: 885 |
Page Views: 5612
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 1.20
In 2008, I wrote an ebook that revealed my most effective
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The End Of Dumb Affiliate Marketing
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-02-09 |
Word Count: 921 |
Page Views: 5077
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 1.20
One of the saddest things that I witness day after day is
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Are Your Websites Secure Or Is The Back Door Wide Open?
Written by: Willie Crawford |
Distributed: 2010-02-02 |
Word Count: 722 |
Page Views: 4592
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.50
One of the topics that all of us online business people are
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Written by: Jeb Maxwell |
Distributed: 2010-01-20 |
Word Count: 595 |
Page Views: 4757
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 1.25
Ann Arbor, Michigan is the home of the University of Michigan, a
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Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
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Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5927
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
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Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 718 |
Page Views: 4397
| Votes: 14 |
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Word Count: 563 |
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If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
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simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
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Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5363
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
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are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
1569 Unique Ways To Get A Free Lunch
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3624
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Everywhere you turn - T.V., Radio, magazines, or the Internet,
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3907
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Your novel is finished, you’ve had it edited by a professional Editor, and you’ve done the rewrites. What? You haven’t had an editor edit your work yet? This is a must. There are many editors advertising in Writer’s Digest.
NEVER Reply to an eGroup Post!
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 5158
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 4955
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Pain between the shoulder blades, or any pain for that matter,
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There are a multitude of possible causes of pain between the
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 4435
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 0.75
Bearing in mind the fast pace of business today and the
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TAKING RESPONSIBILITY - LIFE'S BIGGEST QUESTION
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Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 13810
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
When did Americans stop taking responsibility for their own
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Distributed: 2004-09-14 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6588
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
High thread count bed sheets, often called percale, are much
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Distributed: 2005-12-01 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6331
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 0.50
During my twenty-three years in management, I dealt with
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Here are my suggestions for muzzling the motor mouths:
Better Than Botox is there a Safer Substitute?
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Distributed: 2005-09-08 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6227
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Women since time immemorial have always looked for ways to
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Written by: Ivana Katz |
Distributed: 2005-03-29 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6197
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
You are very excited!! You have finally created your own
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Transform Your Work Area into a Homey Environment
Written by: Ted Roberson |
Distributed: 2006-02-24 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6031
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 1.25
Nothing enables one to think and work better than a comfortable
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Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5927
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
Father's Day started. In 1909, Sonora sat in a church in Spokane,
Washington listening to a sermon expounding on the virtues of
motherhood. But, as she sat there, she thought about how special
her own father was since it was he who raised her after the death
of her mother.
Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2004-05-03 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 5650
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.50
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we
need to make is that your products and services will change
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marketplace.
Building your Credit to get a Mortgage
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5363
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
not sure if your credit is good enough to get a mortgage. There
are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
7 Tips to Hiring a Good DJ for your Party
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 563 |
Page Views: 5306
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.36
If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
for days and years later, hire a good DJ to run your music and
light show. Hiring a DJ can actually be fun. Just follow these
simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
party.
Highest Ranked "" Articles
Finding the Adventure in Travel Again
Written by: Helen Bergstein |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 718 |
Page Views: 4397
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.64
If you want to experience adventure at every level of your next
trip, you need to go beyond the usual resorts and places to stay.
If you're like most travelers, personal safety remains a priority,
especially in today's world. A growing number of savvy travelers
have found the perfect balance between adventure and comfort.
Freedom- or Burden of Choice?
Written by: Patsi Krakoff |
Distributed: 2004-09-30 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 1100
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 2.57
Everyday decisions have become increasingly complex due to the
overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.
A trip to a typical supermarket reveals enormous choices such
as 85 different crackers, 285 types of cookies, 230 varieties
of canned soup, 80 different pain relievers, and 360 kinds of
shampoo. Does this improve the quality of our lives?
Building your Credit to get a Mortgage
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5363
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
not sure if your credit is good enough to get a mortgage. There
are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5927
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
Father's Day started. In 1909, Sonora sat in a church in Spokane,
Washington listening to a sermon expounding on the virtues of
motherhood. But, as she sat there, she thought about how special
her own father was since it was he who raised her after the death
of her mother.
Testimonials and Reviews Increase Your Real Sales Potential
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2006-02-10 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2934
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.00
The one essential ingredient for online success in
any endeavor is gaining your prospect's trust.
7 Tips to Hiring a Good DJ for your Party
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 563 |
Page Views: 5306
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.36
If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
for days and years later, hire a good DJ to run your music and
light show. Hiring a DJ can actually be fun. Just follow these
simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
party.
Ann Arbor, MI Offers A Lot Of Year-Around Family Fun
Written by: Jeb Maxwell |
Distributed: 2010-01-20 |
Word Count: 595 |
Page Views: 4757
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 1.25
Ann Arbor, Michigan is the home of the University of Michigan, a
leading institution of higher education. Ann Arbor is a wonderful
place to visit. The University is co-mingled with the city and
greatly expands the cultural places and events available in the
area.
How to Decorate Your Home on EBay
Written by: Pamela Cole Harris |
Distributed: 2005-09-14 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2162
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 1.20
If you are on a budget (and who isn’t?), a wonderful place for
find home decorating accessories is auction sites like eBay. But
before you go a’baying, here is some advice...
The "Proprietary Blend" Nutritional Supplement
Written by: Will Brink |
Distributed: 2006-02-10 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3514
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.60
In a nut shell, I went onto cover each of these common marketing
terms that are used to sell supplements to unwitting consumers
and explained each in detail as to what I view as their common
misuse within the market place.
Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition
Written by: Will Brink |
Distributed: 2006-02-24 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2324
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.60
Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, seeks to explain
seemingly incompatible aspects of various theories. In this
article I attempt to unify seemingly incompatible or opposing
views regarding nutrition, namely, what is probably the longest
running debate in the nutritional sciences: calories vs. macro
nutrients.
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