We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Seller copied my listing ... Ebay pulled it!!
bluedog
Posts: 502 Forumite
Call me sad, nasty or whatever, but I'm really very happy with Ebay!
It took me ages to write a particular listing as it was a vintage item, a bit quirky of itself, had a few flaws, although it was in good overall condition or I wouldn't have tried selling it. I wanted it to be simple and accurate so potential buyers could see what they would be getting. If anything, I over do it where flaws are concerned so include loads of photos and indicate which ones to see flaws in so buyers can see for themselves.
Anyway, it got close to the end of the auction and something made me have a look to see if there were any similar items of the category and how much they were selling for - I don't normally do this. There were only 6 in the search, of which one caught my eye. When I looked at the item's page, I was totally gob-smacked as the seller had clearly copied and pasted my listing information, from the title to angles I'd taken photo's at and even the starting price! It was the bottom bit that got me though as they'd written something along the lines that theirs was in excellent condition and didn't have the x, y, z flaws "typical of items like this" .... the very ones that mine had! Then at the bottom they'd written "I'm an honest seller" blurb. Well, it was that which got me in the end. They'd been happy enough to blatantly copy my listing, then take a swipe at my item and then called themselves honest - so I hit the report button.
It took them over 24 hours, but Ebay pulled their listing and the email said they do not like this sort of thing being done - mine had sold by then. :T Up to now, I've not usually been overly worried about people borrowing/using bits from listings before, but I felt that on this occasion, it was a direct hit and the seller possibly hoped that it would pull buyers away from mine, especially as there weren't many listed of it's category. It's made me think again about whether I'd report things like this in the future if I found it happened as blatantly again - and I definitely will. Copy or use bits by all means, but not at expense of another seller or their sales is my opinion now.
It took me ages to write a particular listing as it was a vintage item, a bit quirky of itself, had a few flaws, although it was in good overall condition or I wouldn't have tried selling it. I wanted it to be simple and accurate so potential buyers could see what they would be getting. If anything, I over do it where flaws are concerned so include loads of photos and indicate which ones to see flaws in so buyers can see for themselves.
Anyway, it got close to the end of the auction and something made me have a look to see if there were any similar items of the category and how much they were selling for - I don't normally do this. There were only 6 in the search, of which one caught my eye. When I looked at the item's page, I was totally gob-smacked as the seller had clearly copied and pasted my listing information, from the title to angles I'd taken photo's at and even the starting price! It was the bottom bit that got me though as they'd written something along the lines that theirs was in excellent condition and didn't have the x, y, z flaws "typical of items like this" .... the very ones that mine had! Then at the bottom they'd written "I'm an honest seller" blurb. Well, it was that which got me in the end. They'd been happy enough to blatantly copy my listing, then take a swipe at my item and then called themselves honest - so I hit the report button.
It took them over 24 hours, but Ebay pulled their listing and the email said they do not like this sort of thing being done - mine had sold by then. :T Up to now, I've not usually been overly worried about people borrowing/using bits from listings before, but I felt that on this occasion, it was a direct hit and the seller possibly hoped that it would pull buyers away from mine, especially as there weren't many listed of it's category. It's made me think again about whether I'd report things like this in the future if I found it happened as blatantly again - and I definitely will. Copy or use bits by all means, but not at expense of another seller or their sales is my opinion now.
0
Comments
-
The same thing happened to me, when I listed a painting.
A day or two before my listing ended, I had another look to see if there were any other paintings by the same artist. There weren't, but somebody had literally copied my entire listing (including the artist's name and the dimensions) for a painting that clearly wasn't by the same artist, or the same size and clearly was nothing remotely like my painting.
After I notifed Ebay, they pulled the listing.
After my listing ended, I had another look, and would you believe it, the same seller had copied my entire listing for their painting AGAIN and listed it again!
I notifed Ebay again, and they quickly pulled the listing again.
Third time around, the copy-cat seller wrote their own, brief listing: "Oil painting, very nice, very big" :rotfl:"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
...If you can fake that, you've got it made."
Groucho Marx0 -
I was selling a boxed itmemlast Christmas, it was one of those difficult things to photograph so I had taken a great deal of care in my listing . My item although brand new had a slight amount of damage to the outer box, which I highlighted and mentioned in the listing.
Several sellers stole either the photos or the description, some took both. Some removed the bit about damage (but left the photos showing it) and others just put the lot in, damage as well. I kept reporting and then within an hour the search went from 14 or so items to just mine. They would relist again, I'd report again and then they would disappear.
At least one seller got NARUD as I think he ended up trying to list using my photos and description three or four times.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
Ebay pulled one earlier today I'd reported yesterday.
The other seller was a biggie too - 24000+ feedbacks - but still happy to link to my photos and cut and paste my listing.Who made hogs and dogs and frogs?
0 -
bylromarha wrote: »Ebay pulled one earlier today I'd reported yesterday.
The other seller was a biggie too - 24000+ feedbacks - but still happy to link to my photos and cut and paste my listing.
Actually one of my imitators was a huge power seller, I assume by stealing other peoples images and descriptions he frees up more time to keep listing. Blooming cheek.
Even now if i look for that item there are still people using my text, I assume they took it back to turbolister. I deleted my images though so a lot of them had blank image files for weeks after I sold all my items.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
Actually one of my imitators was a huge power seller, I assume by stealing other peoples images and descriptions he frees up more time to keep listing. Blooming cheek.
Even now if i look for that item there are still people using my text, I assume they took it back to turbolister. I deleted my images though so a lot of them had blank image files for weeks after I sold all my items.
It's annoying isn't it? But the nature of the beast I guess...Who made hogs and dogs and frogs?
0 -
Even now if i look for that item there are still people using my text, I assume they took it back to turbolister. I deleted my images though so a lot of them had blank image files for weeks after I sold all my items.
You should have changed the photo links to something a bit more unsavoury
0 -
What a fantastic idea! :think:heronfolder wrote: »You should have changed the photo links to something a bit more unsavoury"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
...If you can fake that, you've got it made."
Groucho Marx0 -
heronfolder wrote: »You should have changed the photo links to something a bit more unsavoury
I used to change the pic to one that stated...."this pic (and description) was stolen from ebay user ???????. If you would rather buy from a seller who can be bothered enough to take their own pics (and write their own desc.) then please visit my shop!!"
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:0 -
i hope nobody takes my descriptions, lately ive been designing the listing in powerpoint and uploading it as a photo to photobucket
0 -
People have stole many of my listings on eBay too. eBay are usually quite good about pulling them; it is copyright infringement after all.
I had some dude hotlinking my pics from my website so I changed the image to show a HUGE advertisement for my site instead of the pic he thought he stole.
May people are content thieves on eBay.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 355.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.7K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.8K Spending & Discounts
- 247.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 605K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.8K Life & Family
- 262.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards