Got an eBay Vero violation for showing a close up picture of the items tag????

[thevintageparadise]

So i posted an item a few days ago (it is hidden now so you can't see it) but it was a Build-a-Bear workshop bear from the Hudson Valley Renegades minor league baseball team.

Shortly after listing it I got a Vero notification about Logos. I used both the Build-a-Bear and the Hudson Valley Renegades Logo in the main photo. I totally understand the complaint, I revised the listing, took the first image out and waited to hear back. They said once again that the listing is in violation with no real explanation.

I called customer service and the rep told me i am not allowed to show close up pictures of the tags because the Build-A-bear logo is on the tag and it's copyrighted and I can't show the back of the tag because the Hudson Valley Renegades logo is also copyrighted.

I have never heard of something so asinine - I'm not allowed to show close up photos of the item I am selling???? To make matters even more ridiculous the tag on the back is ripped (so obviously I want to show that in the listing) the rep told me because the ripped tag shows their copyright I'm not allowed to show it.

Has anyone else had this issue? I'd understand if i was trying to sell a bear I personally made and slapped a Build-A-Bear patch on it but this is an item that THEY made

[brightlightbookseller]

That sounds like an abuse of the VeRO program.  Did you contact the representative for whoever filed the complaint, though, or just eBay customer service?  eBay can never do anything about a VeRO claim, only the company that filed it can lift it.

[brightlightbookseller]

This reads like an AI bot... the random spam link confirms it to me.

[thevintageparadise]

LOL it looks an awful lot like the responses from ChatGPT

[thevintageparadise]

I only spoke to the customer service rep who was frankly kind of nasty about the whole thing - I'm wondering if i can just blur the logos and keep the photos and just write in the description that some of the photos are blurred due to eBay policies. It just seems ridiculous, neither brand is on the Vero list either so I don't know which one is the company that filed the notice.

[brightlightbookseller]

Don't even try to do anything to the listing.  The notice you got saying it was taken down will have had an email address from the company that filed it (they don't have to be on the VeRO list, that's just a list of companies known to participate, but any company can file).  That email address is your point of contact, the only one that can help you.  If they don't respond, then you can eventually go back to eBay and say they didn't respond, and it should be reinstated, but usually they will respond.

[pjcdn2005]

I think that there is more to it than what customer service told you as that doesn't make a lot of sense.  But if it was an actual Vero violation you should not relist it unless you get permission from the rights owner that complained out it.  Is there an email in the VERO notice so that you could contact them?   

[thevintageparadise]

So I hadn't checked the actual email until just now - I was just going off of the alert I got on eBay. It is in fact Build-A-Bear that filed the claim. I haven't re-listed anything, the eBay notification just says the listing needs attention and to revise it and they will look it over and if it passes whatever their test is it will be visible again.

The customer service rep said I cannot show a close up of ANYTHING that has the logo on it, I show close ups in all of my listings, especially to show defects. I am going to blur the BAB logos and see what they say - it that isn't good enough for them I will just remove the pictures of the tag and note that ripped tag in the description. However I feel like A LOT of people don't even bother reading the description which is super frustrating as I spend so much time writing them!

[bonanza125]

Yes I have heard of it as well as others. This is a common complaint. There is a copyright on that product. They don't want you selling it on Ebay. Stop trying to list it. You have many items up for sale. I highly doubt you want to risk getting suspended for continuing to try to list this.

[brightlightbookseller]

Ignore what eBay told you.  They're probably wrong, as is common for the CS reps.  Just email Build-a-Bear using the email address in that email and deal with them, not eBay.

[brightlightbookseller]

Copyright protects against copying. Not reselling owned items, which is covered by the First Sale Doctrine.

[bashort]

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@brightlightbookseller wrote:

Copyright protects against copying. Not reselling owned items, which is covered by the First Sale Doctrine.

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Absolutely

What the OP describes is nothing other than Vero abuse.  Unfortunately the system is totally stacked in favor of the rights owner and all they have to do is cry "copyright infringement" every time someone tries to resell one of their items and they can get it removed.

[bonanza125]

True I don't disagree with you however with that copyright they can complain to Ebay about selling on its platform and it gets removed. I have had multiple listing removed a few times during the years. Basically they want licensed dealers to sell there products on Ebay even if resold. A lot of folks don't get that Ebay is not a yard sale where you lay out what you want to sell and just get rid of it. It's a platform for businesses to do transactions. If you aren't licensed to sell a certain product it then can get removed. I had used items removed because of this.

[az93]

If it was listed as used/pre-owned, they should have left you alone. Listing things as brand new can cause problems.

[fern*wood]

That's what I was wondering.  Was this listed as a used item?