Authenticity Verified

[joesaysbuyit]

While on eBay tonight, I noticed eBay now lists Authenticity Verified as a search option at the bottom of the search sidebar. I would like some thoughts on this new feature. I understand the benefit of authenticating expensive items such as handbags, clothing or watches. However, I see some issues with this feature. I feel the average consumer is going to think that anything not verified must be fake because when you give the option of verified or not, people will automatically only want something verified. They won't know that not everything is verifiable or needs to be. Case in point would be antiques/collectibles. That brings me to the second issue with this feature: If you check the box, and the category contains generic collectible items you wouldn't or couldn't verify, you will get zero search results. You would have to know enough to not use this checkbox for every search. Seems like more confusion for consumers. I also feel like this is a pandora's box because whenever you have a yes/no option with data, you then have to police how each item gets labeled. This could be especially difficult when you have a category filled with verifiable and non-verifiable items. Who will make these decisions? How will sellers be affected? Some things to ponder...

[behgre_0]

I know for a fact part of the "authenticated" items are fake

[v7bbn_0]

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@behgre_0 wrote:
I know for a fact part of the "authenticated" items are fake

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Of course, we're not even speaking of truly unscrupulous sellers here... 

It happens all the time, sellers convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt of a lie they're perpetuating. 

If you ever want to see it in action for yourself just ask any flat earth believer.

[arun7500]

Just another feel good measure, just like that little button that says ' report this buyer. ' A simple SNAD will rain on any parade about authenticity.

[moms**art**window**]

Another dumb idea no doubt,i noticed to in art paintings and nodded my head clicked on it nothing came up ZERO i thought exactly as you,i have some buyers ask me this on little known artists i am polite and one i wrote that asked me after buying this i am not including a few things i told them why i thought it was a good (comparisons auction results) painting :" i suppose anyone can say somethings fake or real, see it all the time with self proclaimed internet experts and people will always have opinions art is subjective,,no most of the paintings we have don't have COA nor do most paintings being sold any place on reasonably affordable priced art on any venue, we rely on our eye and been told that we have a good eye for art.
kindest regards" END it did come with bio and incredible oil framed it was $200 free shipping my cost $50 to ship(no problems with buyer after that but eBay is creating an environment to Prove a negative (Evidence of absence is evidence of any kind that suggests something is missing or that it does not exist)(that is counter intuitive to be fake anyway why would someone fake a little known artist ) sometimes and of course there are few artist even the listed artists dealers go by comparisons auction results that have even have a bio here or any auction any place some have writing on back some signed etc etc.with arts collectibles antiques it's naive to think that COA can't be faked anyway anyone can say an item is fake or real it's why it's fake or real that matters duh,i see these self proclaim internet experts screw up perfectly good art pieces and then i look to see what they are expert in one was an expert in 400+ subjects completely PHONY FAKE EXPERTS CREATE FICKLE IN MARKET ALL THE TIME he said things like "it is widely accepted it is generally known to be etc etc" not one fact!!Also i see sellers selling prints as paintings or signed prints that are only a printed signature etc. etc. buyers need to trust the dealers eye check auction results if they are that concerned ask the collectibles community before buying,some buyer confuse dealers with Galleries (a gallery has living artists they represent and maybe a few unrelated paintings that they are selling but mostly direct from artist, if you ask when you buy from a gallery you can get a photo of painting in artists lap best COA there is.But a dealer will have a wide variety most artists are dead signatures can be unreadable and bought from estates that the previous owners are deceased this IS THE SECONDARY ART MARKET BY DEFINITION few paintings will have provenance to put in simple terms i ate eggs for breakfast" I DID NOT SEE THE CHICKEN LAY THE EGG BUT I ASKED THE OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT DID HE SEE THE CHICKEN LAY THE EGG? HE SAID YES SO I KNEW I WAS EATING REAL EGGS THEN" does anyone see the absurdity here? COAS are expected and buyers are keenly aware to get top dollar for PICASSO DALI you get the picture i don't expect the restaurant to give a verification on my eggs but i might on $2000 dollar an ounce Russian caviar.Well thanks for posting this thread i've had my say it's a dumb idea.

[oldwestgold]

As a dealer in coins for over 45 years, I find this redundant at least for coins.  eBay has already a policy in place for coins, especially expensive coins, by requiring them to be certified and encapsulated by a few of the eBay approved third-party grading companies, such as PCGS. So when I view listings from other dealers/sellers with the authenticity verified designation of a certified coin what do the sellers of these same certified coins do that do not have this? Buyers are to assume that even though a slabbed and certified coin may not be genuine if not having eBay's new AV program?  How stupid. And just how does eBay pick and choose which seller receives this new AV designation.  I sure don't know as I called eBay to find out how to receive this new AV designation and nobody could tell me how. It is just another feel-good program that only confuses potential buyers. eBay should have begun to realize by now that there is a limit of program options they can advertise on a given listing before buyers finally get overwhelmed.   As a seller and buyer, in my opinion, eBay has surpassed this limit. Example on one listing, Authenticity Verified, Top Rated verse Top Rated Plus verse not rate, etc.  A seller having to play catch up with all of these never-ending selling options gets exhausted with eBay moving the cheese constantly. I know I have as I have been selling on eBay since 2000. The tiers that eBay continues to create for sellers to get optimal listing search views is disgusting. The only thing that they continue to do is create lost in productive time for sellers along with seller frustration and buyer confusion.  Of course, eBay continues to create more customer service drones after requiring new hires have a partial to full lobotomy. I have proven the inside and outside "experts" at eBay wrong over and over in all cases that I have experience directly with them. Expert opinions are a dime a dozen. Thanks for your posts and have a great day if you read this.  And I should know what great posts are as I am an expert in them.

[goodluckselling]

@joesaysbuyit  Just wanted to ask you a question.  What kind of item was you searching for when you saw the sort option for authenticated option?

When an item is authenticated on eBay the approved sellers for the items are the seller not the owner of the item.  The owner of the item will be sending in there item and if accepted the owner of the item will get paid when the item sells.  If the item is not accepted it is returned to the owner.

Good Luck Selling!

[southern*sweet*tea]

https://www.ebay.com/s/itemauthentication/buyer

[joesaysbuyit]

This sidebar search option appears on every search. Maybe that's the issue here. The buyer will always want to check for authentic items and the search results will then be zero. Also, does the buyer really know what this term means? If they get zero results, they may say, "Well, I guess eBay doesn't have what I want so I'll go to Etsy or Amazon."

[justagirl12]

I’ve said the same thing. Who will buy from a seller that doesn’t have the “authenticity guaranteed” notation on their listing. No one because they’ll assume it’s not authentic. I ended my listings because of this. I’m not willing to sell a $2000 item only to have the buyer question me as to why ebay doesn’t say it’s authentic. Ebay shot themselves in the foot over how they decided to roll out the authenticity program in my opinion.

[justagirl12]

And just how does eBay pick and choose which seller receives this new AV designation.

Ebay picked their personal favorites. I know this for a fact. And I also know at least one of them mixes some fakes in whether they realize it or not. 🤨

[gracieallen01]

ebay already had an 'authenticity guaranteed' program in effect - for everything.  They have their money back guarantee program.

COA's are a dime a dozen.  Look on line - you will find a whole lot of places where you can find a program to print up all you want.  Then take photoshop and 'pretty them up'.  Selling 'expensive' or 'exclusive' is big business and the people who know what is real or not, don't come cheap, seldom work for min. wage or in 'production-line' settings.

[justagirl12]

THAT’S not what we’re referring too. You might want to re-read. We are referring to a nice big red wavy banner that eBay authenticate has on all of their listings as well as their favorite sellers listings. Nobody’s talking about a certificate of authenticity. 

[gracieallen01]

Oh, sorry.  I still don't see anything in the OP about a wavy red banner.  But, if it is any consulation, I did make the error of just hitting 'reply' after reading your post, rather than going back up to the OP and hitting reply there. I will try to be more careful in the future.

I sincerely apologize.

[castlemagicmemories]

You see it on the Boards frequently. Threads about how my authenticate item was removed, and they are positive it is authenticate. Then the posts roll in stating it is not.