Rant by: AprilBoutiquing.com is a blog written by myself and Erin, two kindred fashion spirits who adore the boutique shopping experience. Our main goal is to bring much needed attention and online exposure to local boutique businesses in the Orange County area. We publish reviews of boutiques we love and promote their various events in the hope that we will help these small businesses remain in their vital role in the retail landscape.
Okay, sorry to sound cliche...but all of us trendsetters know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...true....but give a girl some credit. Today we found out we have been knocked off! Not in your standard, "G" instead of "C" Coach bag kind of way...in a full blown, didn't even bother to change a thing kinda way. How rude!
Here's the deal - Freedom Communications, the large Irvine based company who owns The Orange County Register as well as over 25 other newspapers and various TV stations and online publications, recently launched a new website called
orangecounty.com. This site launched April 10
th and covers all things
OC. A welcome and long overdue destination that serves businesses and charities throughout Orange County, by offering event calendars, restaurant reviews, concert information etc. We were contacted yesterday by their product manager, Kris
Heineman to talk about a possible partnership featuring boutique reviews from boutiquing.com....only to realize - they were already using our stories, without crediting us as the source, or licensing the content. Forgive us for the Legally
Blonde moment...but we have exhibits:)
Exhibit A
Mi Place Trunk Show -
Read ours hereWhat we discovered on
orangecounty.com:
Exhibit B
Chelsea Monroe Couture Debut -
Read ours here.Screen grab from
orangecounty.com:
As I said before,
boutiquing.com is a blog written by myself and Erin, we have no advertising, the reviews are NOT paid for, and we have developed this blog in an effort to help give reliable and
relatable inside views into the Orange County boutique experience.
Orangecounty.com is a corporate owned website with
many paid advertisements and sponsorship by Fandango, and the ability, one would hope, to write and think for itself. So, why the need to steal content? We are more than happy to spread the word about the
boutiquing spots you shouldn't miss...but if you are going to use our content, we expect the credit. At this time we have chosen not to respond to
orangecounty.
com's request for a partnership, because we feel their actions breech not only ethics, but trust...We are dedicated to bringing our readers the most accurate version of our experiences...and we ALWAYS give credit and links to our sources....and we weren't even journalism majors! We wonder how many others are being knocked off to make this company look good? There are three instances in which
boutiquing.com was
plagiarized by
orangecounty.com... Coco Chanel made the wise recommendation of taking ONE accessory off before you leave the house...
orangecounty.com - will you please take off THREE?
For more information on
boutiquing.
com's mission
CLICK HERE.See Freedom Communications' response to this post.