eBay

fahrenheit · ‎05-14-2017

Any thoughts on sellers using your image for their primary listing photo? I asked the seller to remove the image and all I got was a reply telling me to get a life! Well, eBay is my life, and I do what I can to protect it from ignorant idividuals who work against eBay policies. I called eBay with no success. I reported the seller to the VeRO program and have not heard back . It's been 3 days. The images are still up. Can someone shed some light on this process? John

readabouthorses · ‎05-17-2017

I looked at the FAQs for the Summer Seller Update and it just says starting in August 2017. I did not see an exact date.

Starting in August 2017 I plan to start listing my magazines as lots of 2 or 3 or 4 magazines. Good luck finding another seller who wants to use my photos who will have the exact same issue dates! LOL

emerald40 · ‎05-17-2017

@fahrenheit wrote:
Any thoughts on sellers using your image for their primary listing photo? I asked the seller to remove the image and all I got was a reply telling me to get a life! Well, eBay is my life, and I do what I can to protect it from ignorant idividuals who work against eBay policies. I called eBay with no success. I reported the seller to the VeRO program and have not heard back . It's been 3 days. The images are still up. Can someone shed some light on this process? John

Are you a VERO member of that product. That is the only way ebay will listen.

Soon ebay is going to be putting all our photos up for grabs.

That is why I watermark mine. Yes, they can crop it out but most will not want to take the time so they move on to someone else.

a_c_green · ‎05-17-2017

@copper.boom wrote:
AC- I've seen it mostly when I post things like CDs, Books, Electronics, Small Appliances. You enter a product identifier then the catalogue populates with images, product details, etc and you can choose whether to use that info or not.

Oh, okay, thanks... I take it that, at minimum, your item has to have a UPC code...? Otherwise I don't know how they could even begin to compile a list of photos matching your item. Since I'm selling only vintage stuff, I guess that doesn't affect me. (I do have other sellers occasionally lifting my photos or descriptions anyway, but at least eBay isn't giving my photos away directly...)

copper.boom · ‎05-17-2017

@a_c_green UPC or MPN. Even if you don't know your code you could start a listing for... I don't know... Samsonite luggage and a bunch of items would appear for you to choose from.

If you have NOS items with identifiers then I am sure eBay is looking to add them to the catalogue at some point. But vintage with no identifiers? I can't imagine they have started a database for that... tying items together only by brand/type? I think you are clear.

I don't see it out of the realm of possibility for the future though. Look at some of these dishware sites, like Replacements. There is a lot of vintage there and they use (their own) stock photos. Based on mfr, pattern, item. I could see eBay trying to do something like that for vintage down the line and using our images & product info to fill the catalogue.

a_c_green · ‎05-17-2017

@copper.boom wrote:

I don't see it out of the realm of possibility for the future though. Look at some of these dishware sites, like Replacements. There is a lot of vintage there and they use (their own) stock photos. Based on mfr, pattern, item. I could see eBay trying to do something like that for vintage down the line and using our images & product info to fill the catalogue.

There is that, yes... although I think it would still only make sense for New Old Stock items where a stock photo could more-or-less accurately represent what the seller actually had (and I'm not getting into image ownership rights at this point).

If it was a used item, then I'd think it would be a bad risk for a seller to use a stock photo, as well as for a buyer to purchase (without seeing the actual item condition). Seems like you're just boosting your chances of a NAD dispute if you're not showing the actual (used) item that the buyer will receive.

copper.boom · ‎05-17-2017

I completely agree. That doesn't change the fact that people sell Used here all the time using MFR or eBay Catalogue stock photos. 😞

So while it wouldn't make sense to use a catalogue photo for pre-owned vintage, I could see it happening. People often make decisions out of laziness rather than common sense.

stuff4divas · ‎05-17-2017

@fahrenheit wrote:
Good news! The VeRO program acknowleged the image violation and removed the listing in question. At this time it's not OK to use another users's image without permission. Nice to know. My thanks to everyone for their input regarding this matter.

That's GREAT news! Lovin' your CAT!!

I don't know how eBay can allow others to use our 'personal' photos as opposed to 'stock' photos since the personal photos would not be of the actual item being sold other than by the original seller???

rolenboy01 · ‎05-17-2017

You know what I don't like? Being accused of using someone elses picture when I take all my own.

blackstarsurplus · ‎05-25-2017

I missed this in the update. Thank you. As a seller who puts time and effort into our photography and often have it stolen, this is an awful policy update to learn about.

blackstarsurplus · ‎05-25-2017

We'll be in the same boat. We're one of the few surplus sellers taking time to photograph items properly. Now our competitor can also use them? Unbelievable.