An Open Letter to Eric Ducharme, aka "The Mertailor"

[Merman Chris]

Eric;
I am posting this here both because I know you obsessively read about yourself here, and also because I want everyone to know what petty bullshit you are involved in now. I was informed about your posting on your Facebook page regarding “knockoffs that cost $1000” and clearly this is aimed at Shell and I and our new tailmaking venture. While I am not surprised that you would throw a tantrum in public about another person entering this business, I am indeed surprised at the depth of your ignorance and childishness, even now. This is to address your snark.

First off, we are in no way a knockoff of you. We have completely different techniques in how they are made. It is up to the individual customer to decide what they prefer. Choice, Eric, is important in any market and competition is always healthy. Perhaps an economics class would help you understand this fundamental principle. Second, you cannot make a comparison because you are touting your latex model while ours are silicone. Apples and oranges, so not only is your statement incorrect, it is completely based on a false premise. Third, with us the customer designs their tail; this is opposed to the “off the rack” choices you offer. Again, this gives the customer more choice, but you seem to not be a big fan of choice. Perhaps this is why so many of your customers get their orders in colors other than they actually asked for, as was the case with our order from you….twice even. Additionally, ours are custom hand-painted and in no way resemble anything that you have to offer.

Finally, allow me to be completely honest with you Eric; there is a great many people out there who simply do not like you. In fact, they hate you. They do not like your personality, the way you treat your customers, the way you treat your former friends you have used and thrown aside, and they do not like how you do “business”. We started making our own tail without any intention of doing it professionally; we simply set out on it based on one reason alone: you could not offer what we were looking for. We wanted to be free of you, to do as we pleased. We were mermaid enthusiasts before you were even born little man, so being dependent on you could no longer be an option. Quite a good number of people followed our project and the requests for us to make tails came rolling in. We decided to meet these requests because unlike you, we actually like the people out there in this community and decided it would be good to help meet the demand for a tail while giving people the choice to decide who they would go to. Again, simple economics. Get the lesson yet?

I do not expect you to actually grow up, shut your mouth, and simply tend to your own business. I have seen how you behave and your inability to behave professionally many times, and would never expect a different reaction this time. It’s understandable, young and naïve as you are. If this is how you choose to conduct yourself, well, that’s your choice. Enjoy.

Chris LaPointe
Mermaidshelly.com

[OrcaMatt]

Don't worry, I'm keeping track of how many beers I want to buy you if I ever get out to that side.

[Syrenia]

You really do have a way with words, Chris. You definitely got your point across without being rude.
Definitely following this thread. Good luck on your, endeavor. Will it change how *certain people* act?
Probably not. But hopefully it will inform others on how *certain people* do business.

[MermanMatty]

Chris,

The fact that you think he obsessively reads about himself on here, is just amusing! EXTREMELY amusing!

(Just fyi using vulgar language doesn’t emphasize you point it only undermines it because it makes you seem illiterate and juvenile, just for future arguments you try to instigate.)

And referring to your claim at Eric’s Facebook status, how do you know Eric was talking about you. In all reality Eric wasn’t referring to you when he mentioned those “knockoffs” in his Facebook status, but the fact that you think it was either means you’re vain or you think your product is a “knockoff.” That choice is up to you.

And if your post isn’t a tantrum I don’t know what is, and pertaining to another person joining the business, I believe he welcomes it because it allows his work to shine even brighter, competition is welcome.

And what ignorance are you referring? Ignorance is lack of knowledge, what knowledge did he lack? And in what way was he childish?

And you are correct, you are not knockoffs, your tails are unique and special in their own way. And yes, taste and choice does come into consideration when making their decision of tail purchases. Competition is important, it makes everyone work harder to improve themselves and their business. I’m positive his understanding of Economics are well suited, hence him being in business for so long and having his business still in full bloom.

And Eric is in no way trying to persuade or pester people into buying his Latex tails, he is open to customers buying whatever they prefer or are able to afford, he understands the economy and knows that not everyone can afford silicone tails.

That is admirable that you go so above and beyond for your customers. Eric’s tails are far from “Off the rack” he gives options such as color, fluke design, and other custom features like tattered dorsal fins. So in ways he is a fan of customer choice.

If you received a tail that was not to the specification that you ordered why did you and Shelly not call and ask for Eric to take back the tail to change the color, I’m sure he would have been much obliged.

And the fact that people do not like or even hate him does not in any way affect him or his work. There will always be people that do not like you, it’s the way of the world. I’m sure there are/were people that don’t/didn’t like you. That’s just life, and if people HATE him because of a tail or one experience meeting him, but that is not a very stable argument. If they do not like his personality, the way he runs his company, or the way the treats his company then they should not associate him at all. End of story.

It makes sense that you started an identical business because he did not offer what you were looking for, and so you could do as you please. It’s good to have a lifetime hobby such as being a mermaid enthusiasts, but Eric is anything but a “little man” he has not been a little man since he was about 11 years old when he started making tails and making his own dream come true.

And I am glad that many people are following you and supporting your endeavors. It makes me happy that another person can succeed in their dreams of “mermaiding.”

And I’m positive that Eric has no personal opinion of anyone in the “Mermaid Community”, he may have a professional opinion but that is a different discussion, and even if he had a personal opinion of people in the mermaid community it wouldn’t affect his ability to produce tails for customers.

And pertaining to “I do not expect you to actually grow up, shut your mouth, and simply tend to your own business. I have seen how you behave and your inability to behave professionally many times, and would never expect a different reaction this time. It’s understandable, young and naïve as you are. If this is how you choose to conduct yourself, well, that’s your choice. Enjoy”, Eric is FULLY capable of shutting his mouth (since he loses arguments to me ALLLLLLL the time J lol) and tending to his own business, and behaving professionally when it is needed.

So please, next time you feel as if you are being personally or professionally attacked please just take a few minutes to call Eric and ask him if you are the person he is referring to. But “if this is how you choose to conduct yourself, well, that’s your choice. Enjoy. “ J

Matthew

[MermanMatty]

Nothing I said is meant as a personal attack and I am not trying to "defend" Eric, I am only providing/correcting information where it is needed. I did not intend to offend or disrespect anyone in any way. If I have done so, I apologize.

[Merman Chris]

Apology accepted. Iona, please remove posts as you see fit, as it is my last wish to make your life more troublesome *hugs*