Do You Think It Is Bad Business To Copy Another Sites Concept?

[Lee]

By that i mean, when one affiliate program copies the concept being used on another site, not the actual site design, domain, etc, etc but rather the niche being used, especially when there is really only 1 or 2 sites in the niche presently?

Im actually stuck on this right now, on one hand i would LOVE to have a site for this niche on one of the new programs i am working on but on the other hand, I know how i felt when everyone started copying the DILF concept after we launched the first site.

The only difference here being the site niche im looking at replicating has been around for several years but nobody else has actually touched this niche yet, im guessing because they either dont understand how well it will sell or, because they dont understand the actual niche itself.

Your thoughts, do you think it is fair game to copy a niche of an existing site or do you think that is somewhat sketchy?

Regards,

Lee

[Bec]

I'd have to say it's fair game. They get the distinct honor of saying they are the oldest site for that niche on their tour now.

[Kushiel]

Country singers don't get upset when there's a new country singer heading to Nashville.

[DrChango]

every niche started somewhere, and I'm gonna take a wild guess and say this niche doesn't sound ultra-specific (it's not like you're copying some other site's Latin-tranny-midget-BDSM-gangbang-with-avant-garde-Korean-electronica-soundtracks formula.) If it's a niche that will sell, odds are someone has talked about it online long ago in a chat room or message board, and surely hundreds or thousands have already fantasized about it.

I'm with Bec, they get the prestige of being the first, but that doesn't give them a monopoly.
Have at it, Lee, and keep us all posted on your successes with it--I'm confident you're going to do a bang-up job and make it a "household" name in ways those other cats couldn't even imagine

[HunkyLuke]

as long as you are not stealing design, content, copyrighted names, etc, then its totally fair game starting a site in a niche that you see is not crowded and has a good market -- actually I would even go as far as to say it would be a good business move to offer a site in an in-demand niche that is under served.

[sunfunbill]

Nothing wrong with making a site based on any niche. It's not like anyone has a copyright on a niche! Indeed if your the first one to make a site about a niche, you know damn well it's only a matter of time before there are others. Go for it.