Will eBay ever crack down on Chinese SPAMMERS
Summary: neworleans_43 expresses frustration over finding genuine Apple USB-C cables on eBay due to misleading titles from sellers, particularly those using terms like "original" and "For Apple" to describe generic products. The participant criticizes eBay's search algorithm and AI filters for allowing these items to flood search results, making it challenging to find authentic products. Several other participants suggest buying cables from authorized dealers or using specific search strategies, although neworleans_43 finds these methods time-consuming. Discussions also touch on personal experiences and recommendations for buying non-authentic, cost-effective alternatives.
There are millions of USB-C cables out there, but I need the Apple one because generic ones can damage your iPhone. So I search for these 3 words: ORIGINAL APPLE USB-C. As you guessed, over 10,000 results of generic cables with "original" in the title... But they're all generic. 🙄
MANIPULATION:
This is a huge problem. These shady Chinese scammers KNOW that we are searching for original cables, so they INTENTIONALLY put original in the title, and flood the results, hoping that we might mistake their cheap garbage. They then duplicate 1,000 identical listings and bury the real Apple cables down on the 10th page. This is not a mistake, this is their strategy and they do it thousands of times per day.
"FOR APPLE":
There is nothing original about these. They are generic cables and they are listed as "Unbranded" in the item specifics. Some of them are listed as "For Apple". Have you heard of a company called For Apple Inc.? I haven't.
IT'S ILLEGAL: To claim your chargers are "Apple compatible" without an MFi certification. Apple does not license unbranded cables. Without this sticker, they are fraudulently deceiving customers, endangering the public and stealing from Apple. (Anyone without the MFi badge claiming to sell compatible chargers should be banned immediately banned from eBay)
FILTERS ARE DONE:
We can't even rely on filters anymore. Thanks to eBay's AI "autofill" feature, millions of sellers list items using whatever senseless filters eBay suggests to them. And because eBay doesn't warn sellers to double check the details, they just trust that eBay got it right. The result is billions of items being placed in the wrong categories and listed with the wrong tags.
So on top of the shady spammers who are manipulating the search results, we now have to deal with an AI poisoned database. I have seen literally dozens of legitimate MFi certified Apple chargers listed as "For Apple". 🙄 And why would they do that instead of choosing the Apple brand? Because the AI recommended it. And if I exclude those results, it will also exclude the real Apple chargers... Why? Because eBay's AI suggested everyone use that tag.
Also, why is Samsung even an option? I asked for ORIGINAL APPLE USB-C, not Samsung. It's because that's an option that the Chinese spammers added. They're just checking every box to get more views. They don't care what you want, they're going to exhaust you into submission until you buy their item.
Will eBay ever do anything about these SPAMMERS?
They misrepresent their products
Manipulate the search to be first
Flood the first 20 pages with the same item
Fake AI pictures of other products.
Low price Bait & Switch using variations (List a TV for $500, but the remote for $5 so your results will appear first)
Look, sometimes I want cheap Chinese knock-offs, but this is absolute chaos. It's like a more devious version of AliExpress. The seller knows what I'm looking for and dumps piles of garbage on me that I explicitly said I do not want.
eBay needs to take firm action against these scammers. Delete their listings with "original" and "For Apple" and give them a warning. I used to report sellers who infringed the rules, but I stopped because eBay has never taken action on any of them. They are manipulating the search engine and they get a way with it!
gone.c-33
·3 weeks agoSome things shouldn’t be purchased at a flea market (eBay is essentially an online flea market).
If you want a higher quality cable, look for a name brand from a real store (and not their 3rd party sellers).
Meanwhile I’ve been using dollar store cables with my iPhones since the 3GS and they’ve all lasted up to 6 years or more.
mudshark61369
·3 weeks ago@neworleans_43 ,
Twice you posted
"I want THE CHEAPEST BRAND NEW ORIGINAL IPHONE CABLE"
If you are shopping using the Price: Lowest first filter you are going to see the Chinese knock off items first. If you blow off the search suggestions that have been offered, you will continue to get the same results.
Which is more frustrating and time consuming, responding with excuses to those trying to help you or continuing to use the same searches and getting the same results?
eburtonlab
·3 weeks ago · EditedIf you want a genuine Apple product, there are strategies you can use to help get what you want and to avoid generic, unbranded or knock-off items.
One possible staring point: a US-only search for genuine apple usb-c and exclude unbranded:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=genuine+apple+usb-c+-unbranded&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1
Another possibility is to find an example of a genuine Apple part and search for the exact part number if you know you want a specific part:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=%22MQGH2AMA%22&_sacat=0&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=10
Or you can try searching for items that explicitly include MFI info if you want licensed results:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=genuine+apple+usb-c+mfi+-unbranded&_sacat=0&_sop=10
None of these techniques is perfect -- you will likely miss many genuine items that are labeled a little differently, and you may still wind up seeing some knock-off items that are listed as if they are genuine, but you can certainly narrow down your search to a few results that are much more likely to include genuine results that can be identified as such by careful examination.
neworleans_43
OP3 weeks ago · EditedI know the strategies. They are time consuming, exhausting and often filter out the exact thing you are looking for. Furthermore, eBay limits your search-string to 100 characters, I think, so I can't even use all the includes and excludes that I need.
I don't just want any iPhone charge cable, I want THE CHEAPEST BRAND NEW ORIGINAL IPHONE CABLE
Ebay needs to pick up the ball and punish these scammers. They hve never once punished them. NEVER.
eburtonlab
·3 weeks agoIt likely took far longer to compose your original post or to report a single seller than it would have taken to refine your search.
A well-defined search actually saves time and effort compared to combing through thousands of unwanted search results or having to deal with potentially returning a knock-off item and then getting a replacement.
kensgiftshop
·3 weeks ago"I want THE CHEAPEST BRAND NEW ORIGINAL IPHONE CABLE"
All you're going to find is cheap Chinese knockoffs.
Go to an Apple store.
grann-4629
·3 weeks agoI don't think the Apple cable is much better than the knock-offs at 3x the price.
lady_madonna
·3 weeks ago@neworleans_43
Precisely why I avoid purchasing from Ebay sellers located in China.
Hopefully you took advantage of Ebay's Money Back Guarantee for buyers so that you could file a Return Request due to "item doesn't match description" in order to receive a full refund.
ryry-jj
·3 weeks agoUmmm...doesn't Apple only allow authorized dealers to sell the real thing? Go to an authorized dealer or an Apple Store...anything else would be counterfeit or non-authorized, or not new
ma-647837
·3 weeks agoI agree @neworleans_43 (are you the original New Orleans, or a knock-off?) you should avoid the illegal knock-offs as already noted, to buy a legal knock-off.
janet9988
·3 weeks agoThat is the reason why illegal knock offs exist.
Just go buy it in the store.