Think eBay should hire these three guys to find who those dreaded rascals are and given them a good spanking or lesson -they always got their man(s) or women(s).
I had another seller copy my detailed listing for a scarce antiquarian book. It was a blatant, word-for-word ripoff. And it was especially irksome because we had the only two copies of the book for sale anywhere online.
So, I sent him a note from this posting ID that said I was in the market for the book, but noticed that his listing was identical to that of another seller. I politely asked who copied who and said I didn't want to buy from a thief.
Seller never replied to my message, but he removed all of my wording from his description within a few hours. Small victory, but the moral is that people will gladly steal online, but they don't like getting caught.
I, too, find it rather annoying as I spend lots of time taking and editing photos. I spent a fortune on top of the line photo equipment recently. That way I could take stock photo worthy pictures of some items that do not have manufacturer photos. Only for another seller to steal my hard work. You used to be able to submit a VERO complaint when someone stole your photos. I did it a few times when I only had a website and was not using ebay.
@chapeau-noir wrote: "I think it's kind of funny that someone might want to steal my amateur hour photos. But I also miss the days of hot linking."
I remember when sellers used "Bubba" and "Free Shipping" and some other hot links in retaliation to someone who stole their photos. It sure got those photo thieves attentions quickly; whether it made them stop, who knows? Other sellers thought it was funny but eBay obviously didn't think it was funny.
Beware that there are those esp. foreign, who copy or steals listing photos!
@ozarkauctions
Ok, we have been "warned."
Now what?
FWIW, my assumption is that only an imbecile would do such a thing. After all, the image is of an item that is in MY possession. The imbecile may have a similar item, but by definition, it is not the same as mine, so the imbecile will be advertising something that, technically speaking, he cannot deliver. Depending on the item in question and the observational powers of the buyer to whom the imbecile sells, he may or may not get an INAD.
This sort of seller is to my mind an imbecile even if he is a drop-shipper of sorts who merely uses other eBay sellers as his source of inventory. In which case, the imbecile has given me free advertising and helped me make a sale. And in the unlikely event that the imbecile sold my item for a few cents or even (heaven forbid!) a few dollars more than I was asking in MY listing (which, in the particular categories in which I personally sell, is unlikely for a host of reasons), he's still an imbecile because he's spending valuable time on eBay making chump change, in contrast to my margins, which (for the old and desirable items I sell) typically hover in the 500% to 800% range.
Is this sort of activity wrong and immoral? Sure, and welcome to the real world. Earthworms do not treat their fellow earthworms the way human beings treat each other.
But of all the incomprehensibly stupid policies eBay has put in place here for sellers, allowing others to use pirated photos and text is, in my opinion, among the more benign.
More to the point: it also would be next to impossible to enforce such a no-copy policy -- unless eBay wanted to hire thousands of additional employees to manually arbitrate disputes. In theory, AI could do the job, but it would have to comb through a billion listings, rendering impracticable this sort of time-sensitive task.
(The only downside I can see in the drop-shipping-imbecile scenario is that someone with such a primitive mindset might be difficult to deal with should there be a snafu of some sort, like a weather-related delay in shipping, which could lead to negative feedback for the seller from whom the imbecile purchases.)
Question for the real experts here: If the drop-shipper-moron purchases an item from me, and then removes HIS OWN duplicate listing (the one that used my images), will I be able to visit his store and see that he has in fact ended said listing?
It is early and it is fully conceivable that I may be missing some aspect of the evil you are suggesting. If so, please let me know. Thanks.
I think it's kind of funny that someone might want to steal my amateur hour photos. But I also miss the days of hot linking.
I still have "thong guy" and "return policy guy" images at hand to post, I tried posting "return policy guy" here a couple of years ago......it was moderated within a few seconds.
It is a well known fact that "people well lie a little (or a lot), cheat a little (or a lot) but always will be very sincere about it." Kinda' like speeding, tailgating, running red lights or just plain ole stealing, etc.
Yeah i hate this!, If a seller doesn't do their own work they should not be allowed to sell, Sellers that do the work spend hours doing so & then some lazy blank comes along and says oh i like that i think i'll use that, Just plain WRONG.
Yeah i hate this!, If a seller doesn't do their own work they should not be allowed to sell, Sellers that do the work spend hours doing so & then some lazy blank comes along and says oh i like that i think i'll use that, Just plain WRONG.
AGREED.
At one time, it was a reportable eBay policy violation to use another seller’s pics or text, but it’s been years since they made that change. Now they encourage sellers to use the resources in their catalogue that were borrowed from multiple seller listings. (Any time a seller lists an item, (as stated in the UA) we sellers grant our permission for its use in the catalog.)
I find it contradictory that the current written policy’s first sentence still mentions sellers should use their own photos and verbiage, but in the very next sentence it states to go ahead and use any material from the catalog. It reads thus:
“You should take your own images and videos and write your own descriptions.
You may also use the images and product details from the eBay product catalog. This content is provided by eBay customers and third parties, and can be used by all sellers for additional product informationâ€.
aeparts1
·1 year agoWhen I sold on this account I included a large card with the AE Absolute Equip color logo in each & every picture I posted to a listing.
I never had anyone steal one of those pics.
I would also include Absolute Equip in a few places in the description: Absolute Equip is happy to offer this widget......
That seemed to help reduce description theft.
inhawaii
·1 year agoOh no!
What should I do?
johnrj1226
·1 year agoThink eBay should hire these three guys to find who those dreaded rascals are and given them a good spanking or lesson -they always got their man(s) or women(s).
lux.ra_14
·1 year agoI had another seller copy my detailed listing for a scarce antiquarian book. It was a blatant, word-for-word ripoff. And it was especially irksome because we had the only two copies of the book for sale anywhere online.
So, I sent him a note from this posting ID that said I was in the market for the book, but noticed that his listing was identical to that of another seller. I politely asked who copied who and said I didn't want to buy from a thief.
Seller never replied to my message, but he removed all of my wording from his description within a few hours. Small victory, but the moral is that people will gladly steal online, but they don't like getting caught.
simply_toyz
·1 year agoI, too, find it rather annoying as I spend lots of time taking and editing photos. I spent a fortune on top of the line photo equipment recently. That way I could take stock photo worthy pictures of some items that do not have manufacturer photos. Only for another seller to steal my hard work. You used to be able to submit a VERO complaint when someone stole your photos. I did it a few times when I only had a website and was not using ebay.
catjewels9876
·1 year agoKind of makes me wonder what would happen if you tried to purchase the item from the other seller if the item is not that expensive.
pickapaper
·1 year ago@chapeau-noir wrote: "I think it's kind of funny that someone might want to steal my amateur hour photos. But I also miss the days of hot linking."
I remember when sellers used "Bubba" and "Free Shipping" and some other hot links in retaliation to someone who stole their photos. It sure got those photo thieves attentions quickly; whether it made them stop, who knows? Other sellers thought it was funny but eBay obviously didn't think it was funny.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@ozarkauctions
Ok, we have been "warned."
Now what?
FWIW, my assumption is that only an imbecile would do such a thing. After all, the image is of an item that is in MY possession. The imbecile may have a similar item, but by definition, it is not the same as mine, so the imbecile will be advertising something that, technically speaking, he cannot deliver. Depending on the item in question and the observational powers of the buyer to whom the imbecile sells, he may or may not get an INAD.
This sort of seller is to my mind an imbecile even if he is a drop-shipper of sorts who merely uses other eBay sellers as his source of inventory. In which case, the imbecile has given me free advertising and helped me make a sale. And in the unlikely event that the imbecile sold my item for a few cents or even (heaven forbid!) a few dollars more than I was asking in MY listing (which, in the particular categories in which I personally sell, is unlikely for a host of reasons), he's still an imbecile because he's spending valuable time on eBay making chump change, in contrast to my margins, which (for the old and desirable items I sell) typically hover in the 500% to 800% range.
Is this sort of activity wrong and immoral? Sure, and welcome to the real world. Earthworms do not treat their fellow earthworms the way human beings treat each other.
But of all the incomprehensibly stupid policies eBay has put in place here for sellers, allowing others to use pirated photos and text is, in my opinion, among the more benign.
More to the point: it also would be next to impossible to enforce such a no-copy policy -- unless eBay wanted to hire thousands of additional employees to manually arbitrate disputes. In theory, AI could do the job, but it would have to comb through a billion listings, rendering impracticable this sort of time-sensitive task.
(The only downside I can see in the drop-shipping-imbecile scenario is that someone with such a primitive mindset might be difficult to deal with should there be a snafu of some sort, like a weather-related delay in shipping, which could lead to negative feedback for the seller from whom the imbecile purchases.)
Question for the real experts here: If the drop-shipper-moron purchases an item from me, and then removes HIS OWN duplicate listing (the one that used my images), will I be able to visit his store and see that he has in fact ended said listing?
It is early and it is fully conceivable that I may be missing some aspect of the evil you are suggesting. If so, please let me know. Thanks.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoI think it's kind of funny that someone might want to steal my amateur hour photos. But I also miss the days of hot linking.
bashort
·1 year agoME to, very fun
slippinjimmy
·1 year agoI still have "thong guy" and "return policy guy" images at hand to post, I tried posting "return policy guy" here a couple of years ago......it was moderated within a few seconds.
johnrj1226
·1 year agoIt is a well known fact that "people well lie a little (or a lot), cheat a little (or a lot) but always will be very sincere about it." Kinda' like speeding, tailgating, running red lights or just plain ole stealing, etc.
pastimpressions
·1 year agoThe platform also deems it acceptable to take another seller's item description & copy/paste it verbatim.
Some invest a great deal of time and effort in composing text and/or photos.
There are no intellectual/creative property rights on this platform.
This even includes watermarking original creative content to inhibit copying/theft.
Not allowed.
Again. Lazy. Unethical. Unbelievable. Acceptable.
You have to accept this if you accept being on this otherwise wonderful platform.
Seek to differentiate yourself in other ways.
They can take your photos, they can take your text, but they can't take you.
Be You.
pastimpressions
·1 year agoNot a fan.
Find it lazy.
Deem it unethical.
However, it is completely allowed on this platform.
House rules.
meme6253
·1 year agoYeah i hate this!, If a seller doesn't do their own work they should not be allowed to sell, Sellers that do the work spend hours doing so & then some lazy blank comes along and says oh i like that i think i'll use that, Just plain WRONG.
fashunu4eeuh
·1 year agoAGREED.
At one time, it was a reportable eBay policy violation to use another seller’s pics or text, but it’s been years since they made that change. Now they encourage sellers to use the resources in their catalogue that were borrowed from multiple seller listings. (Any time a seller lists an item, (as stated in the UA) we sellers grant our permission for its use in the catalog.)
I find it contradictory that the current written policy’s first sentence still mentions sellers should use their own photos and verbiage, but in the very next sentence it states to go ahead and use any material from the catalog. It reads thus:
“You should take your own images and videos and write your own descriptions.
You may also use the images and product details from the eBay product catalog. This content is provided by eBay customers and third parties, and can be used by all sellers for additional product informationâ€.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/images-text-policy?id=4240#:~:text=our%20full%20policy-,Images%2C%20video%20and%20text%20policy%20overview,Rights%20Owner%20(VeRO)%20program.