Another seller has used/stolen my photos for their listing!

[rubyandwilliamonline]

Hi, my first time using the eBay Community - hopefully some of you will be able to advise me and point me in the right direction. 

Unfortunately I have discovered another member has screen shot images from my listing to use on their own listing. I have found this very frustrating as I spent money, time and effort in taking good photos of actual items I have for sale.

I do appreciate that other sellers will be selling the same items as me and at different prices, and I can understand that a lot of the images will look the same when using manufacturers images, but to search, find and steal my photos from my listing and upload to your own is rude, uncalled for and downright lazy!

Anyhow does anyone know if I am allowed to include my business card in the back ground of my pictures or tucked in next to my items to show my logo? I am aware that watermarks are not allowed any more but would this be classed as a watermark? 

I have tried to contact eBay direct to ask them this but I can't seem to find a contact link that actually lets me make any contact, hence my new found eBay community ! 

Also so I have reported the stolen images to eBay but am yet to get a response. 

Thanks for reading!

[stoneledge]

Message the user who used the photos and let them know they are your photos and ask them to please remove them.  I did the same and the seller removed same day.  Give the seller some time to remove.  If that doesn't work, you can report the listing to eBay.

FYI your photos from eBay can wind up on google photos, etc. by natural means and people can find them there. 

eBay is going to ban watermarks soon so the business card thing may also be prohibited in the near future. 

Also eBay is going to claim ownership of any photos sellers take and upload in the near future.

[mega-ma-roo]

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stoneledge wrote: 

eBay is going to ban watermarks soon so the business card thing may also be prohibited in the near future. 

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Adding the business card has been prohibited for a while now:

https://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/picture.html

Not Allowed:  Adding additional text, artwork, or marketing to photos

[vintagecraze50]

Tell them they are using your copywrited images , that usually works.

[perfumeandpharmacy]

This has been happening to me on a regular basis for years. I've stressed out about it, reported it over and over again, and sent numerous messages to those who stole my pictures. ...Then I finally decided to give up and ignore it...it's just not worth the hassle and aggravation to try to deal with thieves. Ebay has never done anything about this problem and probably never will. I'm counting on karma to take care of them sooner or later....they will reap what they sow.

[tripper101]

In 2018 watermarks will no longer be allowed in ebay photo's.  Using others photo's is open game.

[nowthatsjustducky]

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@stoneledge wrote:

Also eBay is going to claim ownership of any photos sellers take and upload in the near future.

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That is not entirely accurate.  No one is giving up their copyrights on their own pictures to eBay just by uploading them here.  If that was true, then I would not be able to legally reuse my own pictures on other venues after I remove them from here.

All that is likely happening is that we are granting eBay the privilege to use our images as needed, short of making prints of them to resell.  You will still own the rights to your own works.  The no watermarks thing is because of a "mandate" from Google for items showing up in Google Shopping.

[nowthatsjustducky]

Also, not all images are copyrighted by the seller.  After all, if I had a print of some piece of art that I did not create, I only have copyright on the picture of the print (and perhaps not even that since it likely would not be considered an original work, but a derivative work of the original).  The artist still holds the copyright on the actual art.  The seller can't give eBay ownership, because it is not his to give away.

[rubyandwilliamonline]

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not the only one. I think I will message the seller and let them know I know they have used my pictures and hopefully they remove them!

[rubyandwilliamonline]

Thanks for reply, think I will just have to try my best to ignore the thief and accept I can't add my business name to picture. 

[the-book-monster]

I have seen lots of photos of items, where other things are also in the photo... like in the background....
If you have a business sign in the background when you take the pic for example.... how is that wrong or against policy? You are not adding anything, it is simply the backdrop.

[d-k_treasures]

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@rubyandwilliamonline wrote:

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not the only one. I think I will message the seller and let them know I know they have used my pictures and hopefully they remove them!

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Are you opted into sending your photos to the ebay catalog? If so, anyone can use them.

And soon, everyones photos will be in the ebay catalog and the opt-out gone from the settings.

[rubyandwilliamonline]

I did wonder this. For instance if I photographed a clothing item on a hanger with my business logo on the hanger is this acceptable?

[rubyandwilliamonline]

I have no idea! Seems I still have a lot to learn.

[castlemagicmemories]

Have read that they consider this going against the spirit of the rules.

This from a blue explaining it.