Counterfeit Listings Out of Control

[corp_surplus]

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but nonetheless  here I am. Why is it that sellers are allowed to sell counterfeit products with virtually no recourse for buyers? You take any item that is popular, search for it on Ebay and you will get more counterfeit Listings than authentic ones. This is true with lithium batteries, vaping coils, solder flux, toys, you name it. The reporting system is abysmal and even if it was robust, the fact that sellers can create 100's of accounts and peddle the same wares from each one ensures that their counterfeit product will continue to ship even if they are forced to remove a listing from one of their accounts. The sad part is, most people won't even realize their item is counterfeit and will never buy that brand again, which hurts the company that actually makes a quality product. EBay could force sellers to become verified and limit each person to only ONE LEGITIMATE ACCOUNT so everyone would be privy to all the feedback the seller has received instead of switching accounts whenever their name gets tarnished. I guess it's not in Ebays' interest to limit the number of accounts a seller has because they collect a fee regardless if the item is real or not. The ones that get hurt are the buyer and the company whose product is being counterfeited, or "cloned" as one seller put it, as if the word "clone" makes it any better.

   If I were to open an e-commerce store advertising genuine products and sending counterfeit ones instead, I would be charged with mail/wire fraud. Why isn't this happening to any sellers on Ebay and why does Ebay not put REAL MEASURES in place to prevent this type of fraud? 

[southern*sweet*tea · Accepted solution]

It's a problem everywhere, not just here. Amazon is rife with fakes. In fact, the only counterfeit that I've ever received I bought from Amazon.

Ebay does not police their listings. They depend on buyers to file the proper cases. File the item not as described case, the seller pays return shipping and you are refunded. You don't lose your money. The only way you can lose your money is if don't act on the case and escalate properly if the seller doesn't send the label. You should NEVER, EVER have to pay return shipping out of pocket for a not as described item, no matter where the seller is located.

If you see items that you think are fake, the best thing to do is contact the rights holder of the item. THEY are the only entity Ebay will listen to. If you see fake Nikes, report the listings to Nike.  If Nike CARES, they'll have Ebay pull those listings. Same thing goes for any branded item. Ebay takes down listings immediately if they are contacted by the rights holders. They will NOT pull them if they are only contacted by buyers. Too many sellers would report their competitions wrongfully for selling fakes when they really weren't. Too many buyers would report sellers for selling fakes, when the items were actually legitimate.

[corp_surplus]

Thank you. I accepted this as a solution, although I don't agree that this is the best way to go about it lol. I wasn't aware that the seller had to pay return shipping when the item was not as described. I still think sellers should be restricted to a single account because even if a manufacturer has a particular listing pulled, they have the same item listed under many other seller accounts.

[lasantino]

the problem is, with the items you listed as being rampant with fraud, are mostly commodity items.... 

I think by now most consumers know that generics commodity items are "good enough" if the savings is enough..

when it comes to high dollar or highly precision required items,, I think that's where consumers really get mad..

Buying from CHINA,, is akin to what EBAY was 15-20 years ago,, buyer beware..

[cooltronix]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

You should NEVER, EVER have to pay return shipping out of pocket for a not as described item, no matter where the seller is located.

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I love that idea. But "not as described" can be tricky, it's not as easy to implement as it looks. To give an example, color on a monitor or on a picture can be quite different in real, or under different light.

But generally I agree. Specially when seller offer the wrong item, and then best they do is offering a discount for the wrong item. Or they drag it on till the buyer dies naturally. 

[ohnojoey]

I found this article about counterfeits and other ebay issues,  very revealing.

The Counterfeiters part is a scroll down almost half way.

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

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@corp_surplus wrote:
Thank you. I accepted this as a solution, although I don't agree that this is the best way to go about it lol. I wasn't aware that the seller had to pay return shipping when the item was not as described. I still think sellers should be restricted to a single account because even if a manufacturer has a particular listing pulled, they have the same item listed under many other seller accounts.

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@corp_surplus

Notwithstanding the 'Money Back Guarantee' remedy:

Whats your thoughts [ethics based] on returning Counterfeit items... to relist again?

[patd3283]

Interesting article Joey and so true, sadly.

[corp_surplus]

You're right. Higher ticket items would definitely upset people more. And to be honest, I don't even mind counterfeit vape coils for the most part because they are 1/2 the cost and work almost the same. However, that doesn't make it right, nor does the original manufacturer being infringed upon get any profits when they put in all the R&D and advertising. That seems to be the way China operates now. At least they could put in the description that the items are quality "clones" for half the price and let the consumer decide.

[corp_surplus]

I think anyone listing "clone" products should have to say so in the listing. The original manufacturers pay big bucks for R&D and advertising and these counterfeiters are trading on their name for free.

[corp_surplus]

I've always wondered how they ship so cheaply, and this just upsets me more about the whole counterfeit situation!

[gracieallen01]

Unfortunately, you can't just stop with the blame only on ebay.  ebay is just supplying the numbers that the investors, and the street, and the interested parties want to see - and want to see increase.  It keeps ebay going, it keeps the street happy, it keeps the e.com industry happy, it keeps the rich, happy and powerful industry barons appeased.

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

But how much do you think someone who is ripped off by the supply of counterfeit items cares about the Corporate welfare?

@corp_surplus

That doesn't address the question, mate.

Return to vendor of sham items?

[gracieallen01]

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@phono_0490xxxxxx wrote:

But how much do you think someone who is ripped off by the supply of counterfeit items cares about the Corporate welfare?

@corp_surplus

That doesn't address the question, mate.

Return to vendor of sham items?

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Quite probably, not one iota of a fraction of an infinitesimal inclination of an inkling of a thought.  Unfortunately, that one person doesn't have the clout that the Corporate community carries, when it concerns their welfare.  And, it has been that way since well before the time of the advent of the business guilds and the trade unions.

[Anonymous]

I just asked a Chinese seller is the Sony battery that Sokd at Sony for $49.99 same as you selling or it is a counterfeit! He just wrote me back that it is a fake counterfeit battery .The readonje did not lie I told him if I buy it and it is a counterfeit you have to pay return shipping . I reported him to eBay but ques what he is still selling the same item as there are hundreds of sellers selling the same one half are US sellers and the rest are from China . There are many other items same counterfeit but eBay doesn’t care anymore old good days at eBay for us seniors are gone as they used to ban you for good . But all eBay is after the money they don’t care . The other day I bought a charger for Xbox one x controller when I plugged it in after five minutes I smelled something was burning looked around and saw the charger is on fire so I jumped on it unplugged it and through it out of my house through the window . Tons of items are not UL Approved fake cheap stuf made in China specially electric that can burn your house and if it does who is responsible for that . I am mostly buying from Amazon as if a seller sells you a counterfeit item he is gone for life , bye bye Charlie they are great about it that’s why they are very successful and he is the #one in the world . I think that one morning will wake up and eBay will go bye bye . Can you wonder how many sellers are gone specially the old good sellers . Today I removed over 15 items because of an Asian girl that was trying to educate me talking to me like I was rubish in front of her and hangs up on me . I told her I will remove all my listings but she did not care and flipped me off . I was very mad as they have very untrained people mostly Asians talking to you as you are an employee of eBay it’s not the first time that happens . I have 4 items listed where I will sell and not ready to list any more till eBay puts there act together and teach these $8.00 an hours employees how to talk to sellers at the same time I am a buyer . I just came back from a mission overseas and reopened s new account in 2012 but o have been selling on eBay since I was s kid today I am close to 70 years old . Suck a low quality customer service they have . Takes to a supervisor to complaint and for a double charge for my deliver of $24.06 twice one at 11.50 and the second at $11.52 and was assured it was refunded but so far nothing on eBay nor PayPal so I opened a dispute at my bank . Now you have to watch each transaction for none paid and delisting an item you get charged unless you go to month to date sellings and delete the item that wasn’t sold . I trusted eBay in the past but from today on I do not and have to watch each transaction before I pay my bill every month . But hole that I will minimize my sales to 1-4 items maximum and all the rest will be at Amazon a very respectable place very honest . Looks to me like eBay is getting a lots of gangsters and you get nowhere . I really had a lots of fun in the past but now no more . But I care less I am a winner they lose a few each day .last thing is I have been getting many low balers real losers that keeps buging me with messages harassing me for the items and pricing and talking to me real bad so when I called and waited for 39 minutes on the line I got that Asian clerk that went against me where she said yes they write you bad words and then you answers them she goes you should not . GOD THE FUNIEST THING EVER LIKE SHE SAID IF YHEY SLAP YOU YOU SAY THANK YOU . Not sure where they get this type of people why bother calling to report then it comes against you she went and send me a violation but I really care less . She can go to where ever I will from today on egnire because eBay has one bad thing you can block people but there nasty messages still gets to you . Thanks to the Asian clerk I terminated all my listings posted on Amazon and so far in the first hour sokd three items with no haste . Thanks for reading hooe they will post this as they remove them usually and post the once they like that will not say the whole truth about eBay and there clerks .