Question:
I run an online business and I run it myself. I don’t always like my name on the internet so sometimes when I communicate online with clients, I use a different name that I made up, and a different email that I made up to match that name.
Sometimes I also answer clients with an answer like, “I will consult with my team and get back to you” or “I must ask my manager first” as if I am an employee in a firm. This is effective if they ask for a discount, for example. Or if someone doesn’t like a “company policy” that I have, it’s much easier to respond to them as if I was an employee and not the owner.
In reality, however, there is nobody here but me. My wife helps me for maybe 3 minutes a year when I ask her for her opinion about something business-related, so perhaps therefore it’s OK to say I have a team, and she is my “manager.”
My question is are these practices acceptable?
Answer:
It is permitted and it is not considered fooling the customer. The reason is because this is a standard business practice, and people understand that this is the way that people run thier business.
Sources:
R’ Y. Cahen shlit”a
