Items taken down as counterfeit incorrectly without the ability to prove they are in fact authentic

[skincare_addict]

Hello, 

Please can someone give me an advice on what to do. Since January about once a month I have a random item that is removed as counterfeit. This is not a vera warning, it is not coming from the company that manufactures the item, it is coming from eBay themselves. Every time it happens I chat or call and ask how I can prove the item is authentic with receipts. The associate I speak with say I cannot prove it, and can only tell me not to list the item again. Sometimes they make up random thoughts like that item is not allowed to be sold on eBay even though I have sold many in the past and there are thousands and thousands of other listings.  I was told that it was possible that other sellers are actually reporting my items so that they do not have the competition. One associate said that is not some thing they would take a listing down for, but the last associate I talk to said yes I also have the opportunity to report items. Almost like he was saying I could do the same thing. Regardless apparently now I have reached the limit of “counterfeit” items, and they put my account on hold for three days. I am so frustrated. My items are not counterfeit. I have no ability to prove that they are authentic. And nobody at eBay will help me including calling, chatting, And discussing the issue with eBay for business on Facebook messenger. I am so frustrated at this point that a company would allow this to happen to a seller who has done absolutely nothing wrong, and give no advice or help on how to resolve the issue. So it will just continue to happen until my account is suspended. HELPPPPPP. 

[skincare_addict]

Correct I have never tried to relist the items. Each warning was a new item. I think it’s happened 6 times so that must be the magic number for a 3 day suspension.

[lepke1979]

---

@skincare_addict wrote:

Correct I have never tried to relist the items. Each warning was a new item. I think it’s happened 6 times so that must be the magic number for a 3 day suspension.

---

Is it the same brand? Or random?

Same brand can also be other brands within the company. For instance, L'Oreal, Maybelline, and NYX.

[skincare_addict]

I’ve already contacted EBay for Business the second time it happened based off some google advise. I was very hopeful for help but they said the same thing as the people I chatted and called. Don’t relist, no receipt proof will remove the mark from your account, And we can’t give you further information on the removal because it would allow users to circumvent their policies. So basically they couldn’t even tell me why it was removed or what I did to cause it to prevent it from happening in the future. I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong. I think it’s either another seller reporting me or some bot that looks for certain things and just automatically calls them counterfeit. 

[skincare_addict]

All sorts of makeup & skincare brands. The ones that have been removed were Lancome, Dior, Valentino, & Jecca Blac. However I have at the same time had other listings from those same brands and continued to sell and list items of those brands. It seems very item exclusive, like that one thing was targeted but I have no idea why, nor will EBay tell me. Maybe the lawyer letter would be worth a try. I really do feel targeted and I am allowed no recourse. 

[frodobagginskennedy]

WOW.  If you are getting random things taken down as counterfeit with no rhyme or reason and are on your 3 day suspension level I would be very very worried your account is in imminent danger of being completely and irrevocably suspended....as in forever. 

Your next takedown will be a 7 day suspension and the one after that will be permanent. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

Or you'll get a permanent suspension without any warnings, like a recent high profile YTer.  I would not mess with it, quite selling those brands, unless you want to lose your ability to sell, completely. 

[ckimodog]

I'm so sorry.  I know this is frustrating for you. You've got an awesome shop.  3 days will go quickly.  I can't believe it's May already.  Stay positive.  All the best.  

[m60driver]

---

@skincare_addict wrote:

I sell all skincare/makeup items. 

---

That niche of "beauty" products has long been an issue with even small brands claiming false counterfeit items and having Ebay pull them down.  What I had pulled was a very obscure brand, none of the women in my family were familiar with the name, but they pulled down a listing for a small lot of sample size bottles claiming them to be counterfeit as if a counterfeiter would fake small travel size containers.  The issue is not counterfeiting but that these products have astronomical profit margins for the producer and so they will lie cheat and steal to get product taken down by Ebay.  Resistance is futile so now I avoid the category.

[bbravo65]

...China sellers can list thousands of counterfeit goods on eBay...

...double standard...

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@skincare_addict wrote:

What I meant is they will not let me, they have no interest in my receipts. They said I cannot prove authenticity and sending in proof will do no good. I have proof, EBay has no interest in looking at it and resolving the issue. 

---

I wonder where you'd get receipts for free sample fragrances. I've got samples (though not in the quantities you have) at various department stores but they're free and they don't give or offer receipts! 

I also wonder how you're able to get samples in the quantities you have. 

My guess is that my concerns are the same red flags ebay sees. 

[skincare_addict]

100% agreed. 

[skincare_addict]

Yes one of my items was Jecca Blac which I also have never heard of. Nobody would counterfeit a brand when nobody even wants the authentic one! I had it listed for $6.99 and that was one of my removed as counterfeit. So silly. 

[skincare_addict]

Aren’t we supposed to be bringing people up in this community and not down??? If you have nothing helpful to say you can keep your comments to yourself. Everything I sell is pictured in my order history…EVEN the samples. If EBay cared to look at my orders I would provide them receipts and photos of every single item I list. The question here is why I am not allowed to show them my proof. Karen’s not needed here, thank you! 

[luckythewinner]

---

---

Please understand that this response is based on your initial post and the extremely limited amount of information it contains: 

Every time it happens I chat or call and ask how I can prove the item is authentic with receipts.

A receipt does not necessarily prove that an item is authentic. It simply shows that someone sold it to you. 

 I was told that it was possible that other sellers are actually reporting my items so that they do not have the competition.

Who specifically told you this? Because based on what has been posted here, unsolicited reports from anonymous eBay users generally do not appear to result it listings being removed. 

The associate I speak with say I cannot prove it, and can only tell me not to list the item again.

You have given us no information about the item that eBay is removing. Is there a common category / theme /  brand, etc. to these items? Or are they randomly taking down a bicycle one week and a phone book the next week? 

[omgitlightsup]

I find tons of counterfeit items on eBay, and when I report them I always get some boilerplate response like "we have investigated your claim and found that the item is authentic."

I really don't know what to say about your problem because it's the opposite of the problem I have with eBay. It may not be the best venue for trading commonly-counterfeited items. In addition to actual counterfeiting, you've also got sellers using counterfeit reports against each other.