Another seller steals my ideas, words and pictures

[nightingalesshop]

I have been in the natural soap business here on eBay for years.  I've paid my dues figuring out what works and what doesn't.  There are many soap sellers on eBay and we all stay in our own lane, being unique from each other.  I  refer customers to others if I don't have what my customers want.  A  new soap seller (about a year) came on board and has been stealing my words, set up, and picture ideas.  When I finally got fed up I contacted eBay about it, they suggest I message her nicely.    I did...and it Backfired!   She does not play nice in the soap playground and it's been hell ever since.  Now every time I make a change to move far away from her (I've been working around the clock to change everything so I can be different)   she makes similar changes, and now she even ridicules my soaps in her listing.  She has undercut the price and now I'm losing business.  I can't compete with all my costs.  (Im not sure how she's making any money with all the fees eBay has???)  I'm certain other soap sellers are getting pretty upset too.  Recently I had to take several weeks off because covid hit our family, which made things even worse.  In fact, we just lost an extended family member to it.  It's been a really rough time. This small family business is my livelihood and I'm so discouraged.   ... I guess my question is...... Is there a way to block a seller from seeing your listings so they no longer can steal ....and torment? What else can I do????

[cynthealee2]

@maxine*j 

2 different things...

Watermarks add things to the photo's tag thingy that comps read, and google rejects those.

A card or distinctive background is part of the picture and as such is not caught by the bots.  

Just make sure it can NOT be cut out if they download the pic and then try to crop it out.  Make a circle like card where the soap or items sit on the circle with your name around the circle... no matter how they crop it, some part of YOUR company name then appears with a simple crop.  Now if they go so far as to pro edit everything out give it up, and just go on with life.

This only stops the pictures from being copied... it doesn't nothing for the text, and set up of her listings though. 

@nightingalesshop 

My suggestion to the OP would be to branch out, and wait her out.   Can you add something like candles, wash cloths, towels, baskets, different shapes and sizes, perfumes, oils, soap holders, handmade bags for the soaps stuff like that to your store??? and wait her/him out.   These type of sellers tend to crash and burn after awhile.  

Try your local dollar tree for the towels, wash cloths, soap dishes, baskets, etc for a cheap addition to the soap sales without breaking the bank.   You'd be surprised at the quality you can find for 1.00.  You can also try things like Alibaba, oriental trading, and the like but order small quantities and check the quality before mass buying something that looks good in the photo's but is cheap looking and easily broken in real life.

What ever you do, do NOT stoop to her level ie make comments about her stuff on your listings. or even mention the theft of your listings etc.

[tracy-r]

ebay should close them down cosidering

[divwido]

Do you make you products or buy them?

If you make  them, you could spend a chunk of money on an attorney to try to copywrite your product.

But if you buy them you have no recourse.

[nightingalesshop]

Thank you for all your suggestions!!!!

[moondogblues]

A suggestion also, but I would not show the bar of soap with the scrubbie thing.  You don't say soap not included til the very bottom of the description and this could lead to a SNAD.  Other than that love your items and your prices are very reasonable.

[moondogblues]

Love the Bath Bombs!

[blacktopautoparts]

What you can do is have a lawyer send them a cease and desist letter for using your images, descriptions, etc. Once they get that they should stop or if not, then they know they can get sued.

[cahue-20]

In your photos, could you hold them or display them with your own smiling face? 😀

[disorderlieder]

yeah I said it was banned... rules here make no sense, I couldn't even write the word Havana in a listing but its ok to let other sellers impersonate someone

[classynottrashylingerie]

FYI…..watermarks are not allowed AT ALL. Part of eBay policy

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/picture-policy/picture-policy?id=4370&st=3&pos=4&query=Picture%20...

[kh-jean]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.