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I am not a lawyer, so I don't know that I am qualified to comment on the legal issues. I can say that this does make me upset at Trader Joe's, and I will be co

I am not a lawyer, so I don't know that I am qualified to comment on the legal issues. I can say that this does make me upset at Trader Joe's, and I will be considering where else I can spend my money. They could have worked with this guy, eventually set up a Trader Joe's in Canada, and then offered to let this guy run it. That would have been better for their brand, in my view. I care about what companies do. Costco hires employees and treats them well. It pays above average, and it hires and keeps on people with disabilities and injuries, even if they can't do everything someone else can do. It makes me feel good to shop there. And it's employees are loyal, hard working, happy and friendly, and they have less pilferage then other stores. This idea that a company has a duty to be a dick is silly. Companies should care about their brand, and about being a good corporate citizen.

CobrastanJorji 9y ago
I totally get what you're saying, but if you're a business about to open in a new country, and you have to choose a manager for your first location there, would you pick some random businessperson or would you pick a guy you've banned from shopping in your store who's been sneaking into your Seattle stores in a wig and fake glasses in order to sell in Vancouver with inflated prices? Because I'd totally pick the random guy.
- al452 9y ago
  I'd totally pick the person who has already shown extreme enthusiasm for my products.
  - sjwright 9y ago
    And has proven to be able to sell these products profitably.
  - nebabyte 9y ago
    It really depends upon the person, as I'd never want to go into a business partnership with someone who's just as likely to try and undermine or countermand me later over opinion, but yeah, my inclination would be to at least interview the guy.
    - sjwright 9y ago
      How does his opinion differ, really? Everything he's done indicates that his desire was to operate as closely as possible to the Trader Joes formula as he could. He has proven he can operate a successful business. At the very least I'd give him a franchise to run.
- uniclaude 9y ago
  Well, if the guy with a wig proved he could grow a business selling my products in my target market, and is connected to a large base of potential customers, no I should totally not pick the random guy. Good luck finding someone more motivated.
  - anigbrowl 9y ago
    Trader Joe's own staff are already highly motivated because they're paid really really well. The reason they don't set up in Canada is not lack of motivation, but that as a chain they'll have to get all sorts of products certified as suitable for sale. Most countries have strict rules about the import and sale of fresh produce or meat. Trader Joe's doesn't want to open a store that doesn't carry a full line of products, which would damage their brand. As a small store owner this guy was able to skate on all that regulatory overhead.
    - lsiebert 9y ago
      I expect there are logistical reasons that make it more cost effective to expand within the continental US for now.
sillysaurus3 9y ago
So it's okay to mimic stores, down to riding on their trademark? It's probably best to think of "What if someone cloned my favorite game and called it a slightly different name?" People had big problems with what Zynga was doing.
- anigbrowl 9y ago
  Yeah I'm not buying these arguments either.
- icebraining 9y ago
  When they don't exist in the country, yes. Likewise, if my favorite game had georestrictions prevents its sale in some countries, I'd have no problem with Zynga selling clones for those countries.
  - sillysaurus3 9y ago
    So make your own game, with your own name. Make your own store with its own name. Don't try to tread on the name of others. It's unethical.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - icebraining 9y ago
      Claiming that actions are unethical without providing any argument is unethical.
- Profragile 9y ago
  Would you have a problem though if they paid you what you ask for for every sale they made? That is what Pirate Joe's was doing.
- ribosometronome 9y ago
  When you clone a game, the original game makes no profit. Pirate Joe's gave TJ's full profit.

CobrastanJorji 9y ago

I totally get what you're saying, but if you're a business about to open in a new country, and you have to choose a manager for your first location there, would you pick some random businessperson or would you pick a guy you've banned from shopping in your store who's been sneaking into your Seattle stores in a wig and fake glasses in order to sell in Vancouver with inflated prices? Because I'd totally pick the random guy.

al452 9y ago
I'd totally pick the person who has already shown extreme enthusiasm for my products.
- sjwright 9y ago
  And has proven to be able to sell these products profitably.
- nebabyte 9y ago
  It really depends upon the person, as I'd never want to go into a business partnership with someone who's just as likely to try and undermine or countermand me later over opinion, but yeah, my inclination would be to at least interview the guy.
  - sjwright 9y ago
    How does his opinion differ, really? Everything he's done indicates that his desire was to operate as closely as possible to the Trader Joes formula as he could. He has proven he can operate a successful business. At the very least I'd give him a franchise to run.
uniclaude 9y ago
Well, if the guy with a wig proved he could grow a business selling my products in my target market, and is connected to a large base of potential customers, no I should totally not pick the random guy. Good luck finding someone more motivated.
- anigbrowl 9y ago
  Trader Joe's own staff are already highly motivated because they're paid really really well. The reason they don't set up in Canada is not lack of motivation, but that as a chain they'll have to get all sorts of products certified as suitable for sale. Most countries have strict rules about the import and sale of fresh produce or meat. Trader Joe's doesn't want to open a store that doesn't carry a full line of products, which would damage their brand. As a small store owner this guy was able to skate on all that regulatory overhead.
  - lsiebert 9y ago
    I expect there are logistical reasons that make it more cost effective to expand within the continental US for now.

sillysaurus3 9y ago

So it's okay to mimic stores, down to riding on their trademark? It's probably best to think of "What if someone cloned my favorite game and called it a slightly different name?" People had big problems with what Zynga was doing.

anigbrowl 9y ago
Yeah I'm not buying these arguments either.
icebraining 9y ago
When they don't exist in the country, yes. Likewise, if my favorite game had georestrictions prevents its sale in some countries, I'd have no problem with Zynga selling clones for those countries.
- sillysaurus3 9y ago
  So make your own game, with your own name. Make your own store with its own name. Don't try to tread on the name of others. It's unethical.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - icebraining 9y ago
    Claiming that actions are unethical without providing any argument is unethical.
Profragile 9y ago
Would you have a problem though if they paid you what you ask for for every sale they made? That is what Pirate Joe's was doing.
ribosometronome 9y ago
When you clone a game, the original game makes no profit. Pirate Joe's gave TJ's full profit.