Duplicate listings?

[jonescurt20]

So I was looking at animation cels and illustrations and was wondering if anyone could explain this situation...there are several instances where multiple sellers have the exact same item listed. For example, these two listing is are both for the same signature and illustration by Monkey Punch. I assumed at least one had to be a copy and I messaged them about it. Sellers say they don't know why others are using the same picture in their listing but theirs is an actual signed illustration. Both of these have a good feedback history. Again, there are several instances of this with different sellers and items. What's the deal?

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[ittybitnot]

.there are several instances where multiple sellers have the exact same item listed

@jonescurt20 

Though I am not familiar with this sort of product, there are various explanations for this in general.  eBay now allows copying and using the photos/text from any listing that is already on eBay.  This could mean one guy is just "lazy" and is using the information from another.  Or one person is selling "vapor" and does not have the product at all and will likely ship a box or rubber bands to a location in your Zip Code to satisfy the eBay bots a delivery has been made. 

In the case of "new" products, many people just snag photos off the net and use them, or if drop shipping, have permission to use 'stock' photos from the supplier.  This you have multiple "look alikes" for the same thing.  

If this is a "one of a kind" type item, one of them is likely fake.  Or it is the same person using a different ID for each. 

Google Lens is a good tool, which will show you the same thing is also for sale on Mercari and Yahoo (Japan) etc.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

I'd be very skeptical about the first listing, since it has no item specifics and is listed in the wrong category, whereas the seller of the second item seems to know what they are doing.

[jonescurt20]

So this particular item is for sale on Mercari. Is it perhaps the same seller just listing on multiple platforms? I'm not very familiar with Mercari. Is it a legit platform?