Hi all, I'm setting up a webshop, and we will have a lot of products with description. Can I copy these couple of lines from another vendor or should I alter it in order not to be punished by search engines for duplicate content? It just a few lines like these: "Sony Ericsson W902 goes beyond music and gives users everything they need in one pocket-sized stylish device. Downsize your bag, free your pockets and leave your music player and camera at home - use the premium W902 phone to play your favourite tunes, snap those precious moments or watch crystal clear video on the bright, scratch-resistant 2.2??QVGA display."
This description, for instance, give me 9 hits on Google.... http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...y+your+favourite+tunes,+sna&btnG=Search&meta=
You should write your own product descriptions to make the content as unique as possible. This will also help you develop your own "style" as a product vendor. For example, you could alter the product description above by listing specific features of the product and closing with a few words about its style, functionality, etc.
I agree. Copying and pasteing and just changing a few words around isn't enough to make your content unique. Write your own descriptions, its a lot of work at the start but worth the effort.