After my other long post will make this quick...do you have to ask a merchants permission to do a texture pack on their product if you don't use their templates or guides?

Yes. Even if you want to make a postable freebee, you should talk to them, because they should have a by-line (not necessarily an endorsement) on the product.

If you purchased the product & want to create a texture pack for the item thats great. It would be courteous of you to to contact the merchant. The merchant may know of other packages that will be released that could save you some time & effort to avoid a simular theme. That merchant may also help you & provide you with valuable suggestions that could make your package.

Armorbeast, From a legal perspective FrenchToast is in error. There is no legal requirement for you to seek permission, or even contact, someone in order to make a texture map. Technically it's not even necessary for you to own a figure in order to make a texture map for it. That's why an original texture is a stand alone item as opposed to a derivative work. Now with that being said, personally I feel that contacting someone whose figure you want to texture is always a good idea. No0t only, as ivyroses mentioned, you can find out if they, or someone else is already working on a similar project but since they created the figure they can possibly give you some help because they know & understand how the figure is cut up. besides it's just good manners to ask first :-)

Well good,the reason for my concern is that my friend didn't even think to ask and other merchants basically say you should contact the original creator either for permission or assistence if you intend to sell the item.With all the chaos that results from copyrights and infringements,my first reaction is to find out first and make sure before you go putting your foot up your ass crossways with no way to get it out beyond cutting it off;P But in any case,I totally agree that in respect to good manners its always best to contact the original merchant...but my friend sometimes acts impulsively and already got a mutual friend in trouble regarding the use of a texture base so I was worried that it could be a repeat of that all over again.

well i have talked with some of the more prominent clothing merchants out there, and none of them require permission.. and all even offered help with anything reguarding me making textures for their outifts, including promotions.. it benefits them. I had 2 people buy an outfit just so they could test cause they wanted the textures.

Well all I can say is that getting the info before you start a project is always best and from a viewpoint of courtesy one should contact the original merchant...may have lost one friend during recourse intended to help but made another in the process who had just done the same thing and was grateful for the help I offered him because no one else even would and one of his items had a copyright issue that another established merchant here told him not to worry about~I may not be a merchant,but I only get involved with people I care about or who need help that no one else seems willing to offer.Thanks for the gc bud...went to good use I assure you:)