Goodbye everyone after 24 years on eBay - I'm done and here's why...

[spin007]

I've been selling on eBay for 24 years, started in high school. I'm leaving because I sell authentic items and I have notified eBay that there's a seller who listed items using the word "like _ style" with blank being the designer name. I used the reporting tools mid Nov 2022, and then followed up three weeks later. I've since spoken to 6 ebay reps, had it escalated, and they still REFUSE to remove the listings of a seller who is clearly violating listing practices and selling items that are NOT made by the designer they have listed in the title.

It boggles my mind that eBay spends lots of money on advertising "authentic" items only then cuts into my business by allowing sellers to blatantly break the rules. I did my part by notifying them 6 times and the listings are STILL UP! I'm officially done with this greedy, ancient site that allows some people to do whatever they want but make a point of removing my listings if I make a mistake. So long and won't miss you!

[onefootflipper]

You have only have 20 listings and each one of them seems to be for a totally different brand and you likely have 500 competitors selling the real thing competing against your for each one of those, why are you concerned with what some bootleg seller is doing, whatever they are doing wrong will bite them eventually.  

[spin007]

I deleted a lot of my listings before posting this because as I said I'm leaving. I sell authentic items of a niche jewelry brand and this "bootleg seller" is cutting into my business (as I already stated)  I think it's funny that the only people who reply always seem to be siding with their corporate overlords, lol. I appreciate you taking the time to reply but you seem to have missed my point. Take care.

[femmefan1946]

While eBay will not act on the accusations of a single member, they will (and have) acted when there have been complaints from multiple members.

If the designer's name is being used without their permission, you should contact the designer (or trademark holder).

They can then react through the VeRO program, which was set up just for this.

You are  not wrong, you were just not following the appropriate path.

And the real company, whose name is being besmirched, has better lawyers than you do.

[ebooksdiva]

Unless you’re a VERO member and those items are your intellectual property, reports from one person eBay won’t do anything , they may have just shrugged it off as a competitor attempting to out the competition. And if they do take some sort of action. They aren’t going to inform you of the outcome. Leaving for that is up to you. Best of luck. 

[fern*wood · Accepted solution]

It seems like the mere fact they used “like” or “style” would be enough for removal even without proving authenticity.  Early in my selling days I had an item removed for using “like” new in my title.

[stainlessenginecovers]

So making $0 is better? You are not the official 'rep' for xyz brand, so of course, as a 'competitor' of these sellers, your 'reports would be ignored. 

[maxine*j]

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@spin007 wrote:

I've been selling on eBay for 24 years, started in high school. I'm leaving because I sell authentic items and I have notified eBay that there's a seller who listed items using the word "like _ style" with blank being the designer name... 

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How is this seller a threat to you, if you are selling the real thing?  Your customers are not going to fall for dodgy listings, copies, or prices too good to be true, surely.  

Yes, it's a listing violation, but so what?  After 24 years of selling here, you surely have established your own customer base, buyers who want authentic merchandise and good customer service.,  Take care of them and don't spent your time and energy policing this vast site.

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[spin007]

Thanks for replying and I appreciate this suggestion - will do!

[hartungcards]

Let me see if I have this right.  You're leaving because you sell "authentic" items, and there are other people who are selling items that aren't "authentic?'  This one goes in the Hall of Fame.

[spin007]

I won't be making $0, I'll take my biz elsewhere. Ebay is not the only game in town and quite frankly they take too much in fees to be so lacking in enforcing authentic items only - like they advertise all over the internet. I don't have to be an official anything to be upset about them picking and choosing who they allow to keep selling fakes and who they ignore. There's no sense that their rules are being applied across the board and that's the main problem.

[lakefor94]

Trying to control what others are doing is a tough path.

Diversity in sales is a key. Take what eBay provides and get the rest elsewhere. 

[spin007]

"Your customers are not going to fall for dodgy listings" - you have no way of knowing that. Appreciate your taking the time to reply but it seems you missed my point - if I or you create a listing with the word "like" in the title, it would be removed so why are they - after over two months of my following up - still allowing this seller to keep these fraudulent listings up? It doesn't follow their own policies.

[itsjustasprain]

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@spin007 wrote:

I've since spoken to 6 ebay reps, had it escalated, and they still REFUSE to remove the listings of a seller who is clearly violating listing practices and selling items that are NOT made by the designer they have listed in the title.

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When they refused to do so what exactly did they tell you?

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@spin007 wrote:

I'm officially done with this greedy, ancient site that allows some people to do whatever they want but make a point of removing my listings if I make a mistake. So long and won't miss you!

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Okay. Bye!

[spin007]

Thanks, eBay! Appreciate that you totally missed what I was saying, lol.