Why are sellers allowed to use an image instead of a photo?
Summary: A participant raised a concern about sellers using images instead of actual photos. The discussion involved multiple responses, with several participants engaging in the conversation, but the content of the responses is not provided in the data available.
I'm looking at books, mostly "used" but also some "new".
My question is this - since photos are required to post a listing, why are some sellers just adding an image that isn't a photo of the item? Some of them are even images that say "photo not available" or "photo of cover not available" and that is the only so-called photo attached!
Buyers can't tell what they're getting when the photo isn't there. Some books have lots of printings, and the covers change over the decades.
I suppose I shouldn't be upset that some sellers are skirting the rules here - my own offerings will certainly sell faster (with the many photos I attach) than listings with no actual photo at all. I guess it is the sheer gall that some sellers exhibit in flaunting the policies, which baffles me. I just don't understand why this is done, or why it is allowed. Some of these sellers have large numbers of positive feedback and have been here for years!
5357johnc
·2 months agoThis practice is not suppose to be used on secondhand goods
I am finding especially in the photographic section that Chinese and other sellers are saying this is not a description of the actual item
So what are you buying it could just be rubbish
Wake up eBay and stop this practice
chapeau-noir
·8 months agoI'm an avid book buyer - keep doing what you're doing with your book listings and don't worry about the others- all things being equal, you'll sell more than those lazy sellers with placeholder images or one lousy dark photo.
m*and*l*sales
OP8 months agoThank you!
tarotfindsandmore
·8 months agoYou're not going to get banned for slipping up. You'll get banned for blatantly violating policies, repeatedly. You'll get banned for fraud, theft, and other offenses that involve the law.
Seriously, relax and focus on building your business. You have lots of competition that, like you, follows the rules. Those are the folks you should be paying attention to. Look for successful sellers and emulate what they're doing if you want to stick around and succeed.
No one cares about this photo stuff. They're not your competition. 🙂
m*and*l*sales
OP8 months agoThank you for understanding and being kind.
stainlessenginecovers
·8 months agoWha Wha What?? An Image IS a Photo.
Websites, like books, have 2 things ON the pages
Words
Images
m*and*l*sales
OP8 months agoWhat I'm saying is that some of the "photos" are nothing more than the image that shows up in the symbol by my name, or the one by your name, in these posts. They aren't photos of the item. They're images. So they count, and AI can't tell the difference, but they aren't helpful to buyers at all.
luckythewinner
·8 months agoWhy are sellers allowed to use an image instead of a photo?
Because with 1.5 billion listings at any given time, eBay's policy enforcement is not always comprehensive, timely, or accurate.
And even if it were ... eBay's policy generally says they *may* take action regarding a policy violation, and the policy generally gives a range of *possible* actions without promising any of them will happen.
eBay enforces the policies it wants to enforce, because eBay owns the site and eBay sets the rules.
kibble-net
·8 months agoPro tip: Spend more time worrying about your own sales, instead of what other peoples' photos look like.
m*and*l*sales
OP8 months agoI'm not worried about what other seller's photos look like, exactly.
Firstly, I'm trying to see if other folks have the same item for sale as the one I'm thinking of listing. If there are 80 of the same thing already, I'm not likely to bother adding mine to the mix, especially if none of them are in the "Sold" grouping. If there are only a few of my thing, and they have a history of selling, I'm much more likely to take the time and effort to list mine.
Secondly, I'm a rule follower and it drives me nuts to see others who seem to circumnavigate by finding a loophole and take the easy way out. I'm trying to compete here, and when the playing field seems unfair, my feathers get ruffled. I know life isn't fair, but I try to adhere to the policies and it aggravates me when others don't.
I root for the small business owner. I want folks to succeed. I have given constructive helps to a few sellers who had really horrible photos on other sites where I shop, to help them show their things better. I've been addled by technology and I understand that it isn't always easy to get good photos. So to that extent, I do care about other sellers' photos.
I know I need to let this go, but I was hoping for some explanation as to why. I guess sheer volume is the answer. I fear that if I slip up, I'll get banned - and yet, others seem to just do whatever they want. Must be my age speaking.
By the way, I don't think I need to spend any more time worrying about my own sales. They're fine. But thanks for the Pro tip anyway.
helpdesk_24x7
·8 months agookay that is not working some time plase wait and watch 18332976290
helpdesk_24x7
·8 months ago18332976290
tarotfindsandmore
·8 months ago"Photo not available" sometimes means the pic file is corrupted and won't load for some reason, so I wouldn't get too bent about that. Not sure about the other, but whatever the case, it's a complete waste of your time and emotion to put more than 30 seconds of your time into this. Report the listing, and let it go.
There are hundreds of thousands of shifty sellers from all over the world on the platform. They always get found out eventually. Sometimes it takes a day or two, sometimes it takes years. Whatever the case, you've got better things to do. The time you're spending worrying about this is time you could be spending sourcing, listing, and selling. Time is money so use your time wisely. 🙂
dhbookds
·8 months agoIf buyers don't care about not having a pic of the book, they won't buy..... Since some of the huge booksellers don't use them.....one would presume there are enough buyers who don't care to make it profitable. Some use pictures, but state that it is a stock photo and not necessarily a picture of the book that will be sent.
So the answer seems to be enough buyers don't care about having a picture to make it profitable to list without one. These sellers are throwing up 100's.....1000's of listings and the time/cost involved to picture each just isn't worth it.
klhmdg
·8 months agoIt is done and allowed because the photo of No Photo available is still a photo and eBay doesnt police listings.
Even if they did they would use AI -
AI cant tell the difference between a photo of a book or page or nothing.
Im not sure the seller is even skirting the rules.
I have not seen any rule that says you can only post real photos of the item listed.
I know I would not buy an item without a photo of the item Im buying and Im sure many others wont either.
There are bigger fish to fry than photos of "no photo"