undercut by knock offs

[pegasus32]

I sell Victoria's Secret Panties. There is a relatively new seller that is selling the same panties but they are definitely knock offs.  First off,  this is from their description " I purchased these from outlet distributer so these are '2nds, and the labels have been partially snipped. However, all embellishments are fully intact, and no significant defects exist. The garment tags have been de-labeled by me to prevent store returns. Factory 2nds are new products with either a minor stitching error, slight discoloration, or a small fabric imperfection reinforced at the factory."

Victoria's Secret never sells any panties without tags attached. They come in the sealed plastic bags with tags attached. The only time you have a Victoria's Secret panty without a tag is when it is part of a panty set. Secondly I was searching for wholesale Victoria's Secret panties when I stumbled across the vendor they got them from. They are sold on AliExpress for $6.40 . The seller even used the same exact photos that were in the AliExpress site.

I tried to notify ebay in the 70 characters allowed. I identified the ebay seller said they were selling knock-offs  and gave them a link to the AliExpress ad. Finally I said look at the background. The background was exactly the same as the AliExpress ad. in the AliExpress ad the panties were sitting on a white fur with a brass dish a newspaper article and a flower in the background. That is definitely not a coincidence that the pictures on eBay were exact. 

I had hoped eBay would do something about this, but they don't seem to care.  There is only so low you can lower your prices to stay competitive. These fakes are selling at prices I would have to pay so it is just impossible to compete. Please does anyone know what can done? 

[djvp53]

Well, I reported it too so maybe eBay will act on it faster. I suppose you could also report it to Victoria's Secret. I suspect a takedown request from the intellectual property owner itself will get eBay to take action faster than we can. Happy Holidays!

[pegasus32]

I was thinking about notifying Victoria's Secret. Another thing I noticed as well , was that the panties were only sold in sizes M, L, XL and also they had the same exact size chart as AliExpress  listed in centimeters. Should I email or try and call Victoria's Secret?

[dhbookds]

Generally, ebay won't pay attention to reports like these....as the reporter has "no standing" to show he knows anything......especially if the reporter is a competitor.......  Otherwise, we could all report competitors to knock them off......

A report by Victoria's secret will get instant action.............you will have a much better chance reporting to them to get something done........

[stainlessenginecovers]

I'm confused. If you can sell these on eBay then they are NOT something that is 'protected' by VS. Therefore, they won't care. I see they sell their items at Macy's for example.

Also- 2nd's for items are sold all the time and they label is 'snipped' (not removed and the seller stated they were snipped). There are 2 types of tags. Sewn in and then the hanging tag with price. The seller stated the 'label is snipped' and then they removed the 'other tag' (which is what they mean)

Ross, for example, sells all types of things that were at one time in a Macy's etc. so they all 'cut' or 'snip' the sewn in tags. 

[1tuna]

ebay does little to counterfeits except to say they are prohibited

I specalize in selling lecoultre or Jaeger lecoultre watches

there are a large number of fake lecoultre club watches up for sale on ebay

all of them are from India and represent 98% of the total watches listed

there are currently 216 lecoultre club watches listed and not more than 6-7 of them are genuine

 these are remanufactured trash from India with 1972 era generic automatic movements housed in new cases with fake dials and bezels

I have reported them for years and nothing is done

ebay talks a good game but its all talk and never any action

they should be ashamed of themselves but they turn a blind eye to it instead

@pegasus32 

[pegasus32]

thank you

[pegasus32]

How frustrating. How can you compete on such a high ticket item. eBay should require authentication on this item.

[pegasus32]

It is one thing to sell the actual authentic item that you purchased on a sale, and another to sell a complete fake,  knock -off and claim that it is genuine. These fakes from China do not have Victoria's Secret store tags with UPC and MRSP. I have to put in the UPC to sell a ball of yarn but not Victoria's secret panties. 

[katzrul15]

It may seem like they are your competition, but VS buyers know their products. 

If the deal is too good, there is likely a reason.

I don't play in the race to the bottom either, so I don't care who "undercuts" me.  Always someone a few pennies cheaper with a bot program revising prices constantly.

Reporting usually does nothing.

Focus on you, your wares and your customer service.  Millions of Sellers out there - focusing on one who is selling fakes detracts valuable time you need for your business. 

[soh.maryl]

Not saying that that seller is right or wrong.  But seconds aren't the same thing as counterfeits, at least in my mind.  They are still made by the same manufacturer but inspectors have discovered that they have small flaws although none that would render them unwearable.  And doesn't that seller state in his listing that they are seconds, signified by the snipped tags?  

[dhbookds]

It is one thing to sell the actual authentic item that you purchased on a sale

No guarantee what you are buying, even something from the own brand store, is authentic.....  Court case not too long ago on a buyer that was buying the brand at the own brand store.......and then returning fakes......which were accepted.........and which went back on the shelf.....

[nanniestreasurechest]

Victoria Secrets is manufactured in Vietnam, United States, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and China.  So just because these seconds are coming from China doesn't necessarily mean they are counterfeit.   I have to agree with @soh.maryl that seconds doesn't mean counterfeit.   The seller plainly states they are seconds and the tags are snipped.  As a buyer I would have no problem purchasing from this seller.   Selling seconds is not illegal.    Years ago, when the USA manufactured more clothing, I worked in the clothing factories.  Seconds were always packed up and sold to other venues.  Sometimes even the factory would have a sale on the seconds and open it to the public. 

[duffy4444]

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@pegasus32 wrote:

How frustrating. How can you compete on such a high ticket item. eBay should require authentication on this item.

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@pegasus32:

    If eBay does nothing (which is likely), the best thing you can do right now is modify your listing to emphatically state yours are genuine, and that some other sellers MAY  be selling seconds (don't name them). This way you take the high road, and buyers who only want the genuine article will appreciate it when they see your listings.

    I use similar wording on some of my genuine new old stock Avon plates and figurines, that some other sellers may also claim are new even without original packaging or pulled off their shelf and the dust blown off before listing them online. Works well to keep my sales up.

Cheers, Duffy

[maxine*j]

Why do you think they are fake?  Why can't they just be seconds, as the advertised, with the clipped tags common to seconds?  A Chinese supplier of such makes sense, given that much of VS apparel is manufactured there.

As for the stock photos being used, you use  stock photos, as do many, if not most, of the other sellers of VS stuff, so far as I can see.  So, no issue there.

You can contact VS, if you care to, but it doesn't seem to me that the company goes out of its way to protect its brand;  if they did, sellers such as yourself would probably have heard from them some time ago.  VS doesn't appear to even be an eBay VeRO member.

As for competition, people who are shopping for inexpensive seconds, with imperfections, and with cut/removed tags, are not your customers, anyhow, are they? 

Katzrul said it best:  Just concentrate on your own listings and sales and customer service and you'll prosper -- and without developing headaches or ulcers.  🙂

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