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Inability to confirm authenticity confusion
Summary: kayak4love shares their experience of selling a piece of designer jewelry through eBay, where the item was returned due to authentication issues. They express confusion over how their listing was labeled as violating eBay's Counterfeit policy despite being initially marked as 'unable to confirm.' kayak4love plans to appeal and is concerned about their seller reputation, questioning eBay's process and lack of transparency. inceptions responds, suggesting that brands like Tiffany & Co. may have flagged the listing, leading to its removal by eBay.
A piece of designer jewelry I sold was sent through eBay’s authentication process. I was notified they were unable to confirm authenticity without any further explanation or additional information. The authenticator cancelled the sell and the item is currently en route back to me. At this junction, I was only disheartened because I feel the customer was surely disappointed and I too, for the loss of a satisfied client. But moving forward, I decided to have the piece appraised, authenticated and then relist, knowing the piece to be genuine. I would just need to locate a specialist familiar with this particular brand. Side bar, I currently obtain certification from third-party authenticators for items known to be highly reproduced or vandalized, e.g., Tiffany & Co.
So far, I felt that all is amendable.
Then, I received an eBay message informing me, "We had to remove one or more of your listings for not following our Counterfeit policy. We have credited any associated fees, except for transaction fees for your sold listing(s). Items removed for this policy cannot be relisted. Please ensure that your future listings are for authentic items only. This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence. This came to our attention through automated detection."
I appreciate I have the option of an appeal, which I will definitely be pursuing upon receipt of my piece. My confusion though is, when did my listing elevate from "unable to confirm" to counterfeit, even if screening was accomplished via automation. Unable to confirm can have a plethora of meanings: unable to find a current, comparable piece, rarity of production, no historical cataloging of all manufactured items, to name a few. I understand GIA experts are responsible for this process and I myself, a GIA graduate in both Diamonds and Pearls, have firsthand knowledge to the curriculum they offer in regards to stone identification and metallurgy, not luxury product verification. Therefore, one's inability to confirm authenticity or verify a counterfeit are two very different spheres: one, you have inadequate or unattainable information to validate and the other, a proven knock-off.
It's appalling I have disappointed a customer, in addition to a black cloud now hovering over my pristine, 18-year seller reputation. But then, to send a message suggestive of counterfeit peddling without offering verification and subsequent penalty of unreimbursed transaction fees and the impossibility of item reformation is unjust.
So, with this foundation of information my questions are why?
Why is no information made available to the seller as to the failure or inability to authenticate?
Why is an eBay message rapidly generated for violation of their counterfeit policy, when in fact, item was NOT deemed counterfeit?
Why is relisting not available if item can be authenticated by a luxury jewelry specialist?
Why is a sensitive issue handled via automated detection / artificial intelligence not flagged to have human review prior to subsequent messaging which can be misinterpreted as seller sketchiness?
Why are transaction fees not reimbursed for expert inability to confirm versus held for counterfeit validation?
Respectfully submitted,
kayak4love
kayak4love
OP2 days agoThank you so much for at least replying, although it didn't actually address my concern. I completely understand NOCI violations as a retired jewelry designer and am 100% on board with protecting one's property. To give background, I've been selling jewelry on eBay for 18 years. I choose sustainable, precious metal pieces that can easily be refinished and enjoy a second life. This confounding situation is all inclusive to 1 transaction.
I sold a necklace requiring authentication
Carlsbad was unable to verify (since the piece is not currently manufactured, maybe they didn't find enough info?)
Carlsbad canceled the sell, returned the piece to me and refunded all transaction fees (because of inability to verify?)
At the same time of this cancellation, eBay message appeared with a Counterfeit policy violation of the same piece. So, it was not flagged until AFTER the GIA folks were unable to verify authenticity. (Side bar, I have 2, 40-year GIA certifications and NOTHING in the education programs deem anyone qualified to authenticate luxury brand, ONLY analysis.
No information has been forthcoming as to why my piece generated this violation, just that it did, and cannot be relisted.
The piece tests positive with a Niton DXL Precious Metal Analyzer, JSP silver nitric acid solution and neodymium magnet. All hallmarks, stamps and specialty tags are present and appropriate to branding: description of size and weight corresponds to multiple jewelry store listings of an identical piece.
At this point, I cannot save the sell or my customer's trust and confidence. As above, I also cannot relist a necklace which is in fact authentic. I only want to glean knowledge as to WHY my listing was tagged AFTER the sale and what information prompted the infringement so as not to repeat. I have reread the eBay policy and find no deficit in my listing.
As a follow-up to my original post, my appeal was denied shortly after submission: I fear also handled by automation, so where is there recourse?
inceptions
Mentor3 days agoHi @kayak4love
Tiffany & Co. as well as many other brands are members of the VeRO program and scan the site for counterfeits. If Tiffany reported the listing to eBay, eBay was required to take it down.
Below is an AI response that describes specifics about Tiffany & Co.:
kayak4love
OP3 days agoSadly, over 10 days and counting without a Mentor response.