question about hair shops

[Airway]

I've noticed over the course of several months that I'm seeing duplicates at a few hair stores.  Even the models in the photos and marketplace listings appear to be the same.  Yet all these stores have different names.  I've noticed similar things with some other products like shoes. 

Here are some examples of what seems to be shops carrying the same hairs.  There may be others.  This is just what I've come across.  

Karin Lane

Beautiful Dirty Rich 

Edelstore

I'm hoping someone can explain this to me.  Are people just copying others' designs and selling them?  How do I know whose design I'm really getting?  Or does one person have multiple stores with different names?

[Griffin Ceawlin]

Hard to say. Could be resellers who bought a business-in-a-box, or they could be copybotted, or they could just be similar designs. In the case of one of your examples, at least three other stores are selling some of the same hairs (and using the same graphics in their ads).

See this thread for a similar discussion.

[nikita Jefferson]

If it is in SL and not MP then you are seeing affiliate products, many creators offer affiliate programs and split the sales.

Many hair creators do that as well as clothing creators

[Airway]

Thank you for the replies. I see this both in world and in the marketplace.

[Nalates Urriah]

With mesh products some people make a base mesh which they sell as a text or Blender file. They include a template. This allows people to upload the mesh and show as the creator. They can use the template to texture the item.

It is hard to know if something has been copybot'd or otherwise stolen. If you know the original creator, check with them. Otherwise buy from vendors you know to be reputable.