Is it unlawful???

[lance]

I just started working for a small local store that has been in business for 28 years, and who is building an e-commerce site. The storeowner wants to copy the exact design of another much bigger national website including page set-up, design, font, menu formats, etc. I know that it would definitely be illegal if we were using their images (which we aren't), but is it illegitimate to use the things such as I have mentioned? It all started out just taking idea from this other site, but it has grown and grown to the point that yesterday I heard her yell at the web designer "I want it to look EXACTLY like so-and-so’s site except blue instead of red!".

Surely, it is not morally right to exactly use someone else total design, but is it unlawful.

[copperfield]

Copying ideas is no problem as far as I know. But copying materials like trying to rip off the other sites templates is all illegal. If u are creating a site from scratch but using the same concept as the other one, then there must be no problem.

[tauras]

If the bigger company has copyrighted their site then I would say it is risky to copy their site....

[ih82lose]

I would say it is illegal. If nothing else you can expect to be sued by the larger company whe nthey find the site. Most large companies have a legal department, and they (the legal department) are always looking for things to do to justify their existence.

[Zafar Ahmed]

IMO there is nothing wrong to pick up ideas or patterns. Copying images and other stuff can be a problem though. Sometimes customer insists to have such stuff but probably they don't know the results which they would be going to get with someone's own development. You should motivate them through slides or a plan.

[andylewis]

Hi,
Definitely illegal, you can use his site as your ref site to make your own, modify and edit each and everything from his site to make your own site.
Andy