Using my text & my ebay name in a competitors listing

Contains_Mild_Peril

I checked eBay's rules on "Keyword spamming", and unfortunately, it would seem that the rival's ethically questionable practice is permitted.

Example allowed:
In the description only, sellers are permitted to compare the item being offered to one other similar product, so long as the listing is not misleading in any way as to which company made the item offered.
Example:

"This vacuum cleaner does a much better job at cleaning ground-in dirt than Acme brand vacuum cleaners."

It does seem odd that this is allowed, while perfectly innocent examples are not. I recently had a listing removed for using the worrds "Fight Club" to describe the style of a leather jacket. Many sellers refer to particular celebrities and/or films when describing clothing styles, and I don't see any ethical problem with it, but that's eBay for you.
Incidentally, do you get much business advertising wedding photography on eBay? I'm based in Dumfries, Scotland, so unless you're in my neck of the woods I'm unlikely to be a direct competitor!

milliejon

From what I have read, I don't think he's got a link to you, but would this help?

Click on listing policy breaches, then on inappropriate links and credits, links to sites to solicit Ebay user IDs.

Let me know if this helps, because it's useful for future queries like these.

I too report those misusing Ebay. It needs to be cleaned up, there are far too many people getting away with inappropriate listings! The buyers get caught up in it and then Ebay gets a bad name.

PINGA14

My sister and I have had 2 auctions of ours completely copied in every detail.
Both times we reported it to ebay and they dragged it out so long the auctions were over before they replied.
They then said there was nothing they could do.
I have lost all faith in Ebay when it comes to copying auctions and ads

deecy

Thanks for the replies

By the time ebay replied to my original text copying complaint he had ammended his text to the latter format and ebay saw nothing wrong with it, he also added my question - to ask him to amend his text as he was in breach of my copyright - to his listing and then answered in a cocky putting me down type of way - I complained about him using my company/ebay name in the amended listing and have had a reply saying they will look into it - this time I added a screen shot to the email just in case they dragged their heels and the offending lines had been removed.

He hasn't copied photographs - for a photographer that would be the ultimate sin, he has used his own, I think, but he obviously hasn't got the brain power to make up his own listing, design a template, describe and sell his service without using other peoples words.. and he has spelling issues which, when there is a spell checker on ebay is just plain lazy.

I don't seriously think anybody would look at his auction and be deterred from looking at mine, it is backhanded advertising for me - but the nerve of the guy gets me. His product seems of less quality than mine - less though out anyway, his feedback is private and at 88.9% - mine is 100% - I really shouldn't be worried, but somethings just p*** me off

deecy

Just checked his listing and got this:

This listing (#7622309723) has been removed or is no longer available. Please make sure you entered the right item number.

If the listing was removed by eBay, consider it cancelled. Note: Listings that have ended more than 90 days ago will no longer appear on eBay.

HEEEEEE HEEEEEE

Sugar_Coated_Owl

Deecy I know that you are annoyed but after reading through this thread I don't think you have anything to worry about. You seem the better seller here with a higher quality product/service to sell. If this other eBay seller is copying parts of your auction listing and mentioning your eBay ID then it's obvious that they are jealous/evious of you. On a more positive note, if people do come across his/her auctions and see your eBay ID mentioned they are bound to take a look at what you have to offer I'm sure very few people would buy a wedding package from an eBayer with just 88.9% feedback rating anyway, I certainly wouldn't.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

Cool his listing got removed. That's great news

smartie1976

You could also comment in your listings something which could deal with this.
Maybe "Any reference to my (product) in other sellers listings is down to their own jealousy, as they are unable to offer the superior quality and competitive price of my (product), and are trying underhand tactics to get custom".

shelly

deecy wrote:

Just checked his listing and got this:

This listing (#7622309723) has been removed or is no longer available. Please make sure you entered the right item number.

If the listing was removed by eBay, consider it cancelled. Note: Listings that have ended more than 90 days ago will no longer appear on eBay.

HEEEEEE HEEEEEE

Nice one, glad it got completely removed. Maybe he'll think about it next time.

Becles

deecy wrote:

He has now changed his listing to mention my company/ebay name in his listing as in:

"why choose Smith Photographic when for £280 you can get..."

Just wanted to say, I recently had some people at my house giving quotes on replacing the banisters with spindles. One gentleman asked where I'd got his number from and I said the ad in the local free paper. He then proceeded to slag off the various other companies listed, and told various stories about them letting customers down, ripping people off, and how he'd had to pick up the pieces.

That put me right off using him as he spent more time slagging other people off than selling himself to us.

In the same way, if I was looking for wedding photography, the phrase quoted above would put me off too.