Use of Keywords: Am I Going Crazy?
Sorry for the vent, but I’m so annoyed. I was searching for a specific name brand (vintage - no longer in business) of European napkin to replace one that got ruined of a set. There wasn’t a single authentic one in any listing - every single listing uses “X†brand “style†in the listing title. So, here I am wasting my time searching fakes instead of actually finding what I want. What’s worse is that, after my patience ran out, I started reporting listings for “search manipulation.†All I got was (AI) “We looked into your report and didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy. †Wait, what? Didn’t this used to be an automatic auction end - I think that they called it keyword spamming back in the day. Does this mean that it’s OK to say any old thing that isn’t true - like the whole Schreiner bologna people like to claim. Should I have selected trademark infringement or something else instead? I just want the dang napkin. Thanks y’all.
dream*peddler
·10 months agoI'm afraid you can in certain instances. Here's what A I had to say:
"Yes you can use “in the style of†in your eBay listing title—but with a few caveats to keep it safe and effective:
✅ When It's Allowed
Descriptive Use: It’s fine to say something like “Necklace in the style of Miriam Haskell†or “Bracelet in the style of Taxco silver†if the item is not made by that brand or artist but resembles their design.
Avoiding Misrepresentation: This phrasing helps clarify that the item is inspired by or similar to a known maker, without claiming it’s authentic.
âš ï¸ What to Watch Out For
Trademark Sensitivity: If the brand name is trademarked and you're using it to boost visibility, eBay may flag it if it seems misleading. Always pair it with clear disclaimers in the description like “not signed†or “not attributed.â€
VeRO Risks: eBay’s Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program protects intellectual property. If a rights holder believes your listing implies false association, they can report it—even if you’re being careful."
So I don't think you can use "In the style of Tiffany" since they are a VeRO rights holder, but you can use it in many other cases. Hey, I never said eBay isn't confusing ðŸ˜
hardrhymer76
·10 months agoThere used to be humans reading and following up on reports of search manipulation, but those days are long gone. The AI they use now doesn't make those kinds of decisions based on a title and a set of photos.
There's nothing your peers here can help you with in regards to policy enforcement -- rather only to try to help you find the dang napkin.
hardrhymer76
·10 months agoHow many results are we talking about? Did you try adding terms like "Vintage", "Authentic", "Original" or "Genuine" to your search query? You can do it all at once by adding:
(vintage,authentic,original,genuine)
...to your search.
If there are sellers of the napkins you're looking for, it's there's a good chance they're aware of the problem and added one or more of those terms in hopes of finding buyers.
mscurl
OP10 months agoI get what you’re saying, but my point is that why is eBay allowing keyword spamming? Unless it’s a big name that will get them sued, they just don’t care anymore. The onus should not be on me to figure out how to search for something authentic, it is on eBay to enforce their own policies.