@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:
I honestly think (and I hope I'm right) that this Safety Shop act type stuff will turn out to be a hill that neither party wish to die on.
If Americans allow this one to slide by and lose their rights to do what they will with their OWN legally obtained property, it's game over for the USA imho.
Well I'm not a supporter and have already barked at my political representatives about it in many differing angles. Unless others do, this Trademark amendment may well pass. It has significant bi-partisan support so neither party "Die on that hill" as you remarked.
Counterfeiting has been going on since Caveman "Ugg" got a nifty looking rock from Caveman "Oog" who told him it was rare and precious. Ugg gave it to his lady, "Ooola" to consummate their loving monogamous relationship know as marriage today. How could Ugg have ever known Ooola knew better punching him the jaw whilst holding the rock ushering in the Dentistry profession. To this day that particular incident still sits before The Supreme Court as all that remains is part of a jaw bone with a rock fragment imbedded in it. Just can't make this stuff up see?
All funsies aside there's validity'dity on all sides of this equation. The current Border, Ukraine, Israel and Trikes for Dogs legislation plastered everywhere this week has a cost of $118 Billion smack-a-roo's yet its claimed global counterfeiting is $200 Billion annually just to give some scope to the numbers. Ouch. A mere 20% or less of that in you're pocket you could likely buy eBay, no kiddin'.
Counterfeiting happens all over the place at points of sale, not just here at eBay in fact eBay is far more progressive in trying find solutions and fend it off than pretty much any others including Mamazon. Layman think well, "Its China!" and yeah, China is top the list but not the only one, counterfeits are produced all over the place. Russia, Mexico, other Asian territories, Germany on and on and there are resellers all over the globe including right here in the USA. Its not like every single item in every single shipping container can be looked at for authenticity, not unless American's care pay like 500% more for any imported anything they care buy.
I am 110% in agreement than impugning on citizens rights via Trademark amendment is WAY off. Just WAY WAY WAY off. So let's see, if you care sell online even on Craigslist to some local thats a NO because its online yet, Pop's Yard Sale, Gizmo's import store, Goodwill, Thift, Flea Markets, Used tire shops on and on are immune? Huh? If I can't sell my used Goodyear tires online why can Bob's used tires sell them in danged store!!!!! Seriously! That's just one little example... Oh let me see, I cant sell my Playstation five games online that I BOUGHT at Gamestop in the store YET Gamestop CAN sell them in their store or online and I can even trade them in at the store. Huh? WT-HUH?
Counterfeiting requires a multifaceted approach IMHO that creates a mutually beneficial environment to stakeholders as I said in prior message as well as the nation(s) pursuits of manufacturer of such items.
Yes, that's big tasks but pays off for everyone as counterfeiting is not going to stop should the public online marketplaces be regulated. Nope. Its going to spread like pounding a mallet on nests of fire ants, the stuff will appear in shops all over the globe online and off and the counterfeiters will use digital advertising to drive it making for a MUCH MUCH MUCH larger mess that becomes IMPOSSIBLE to mitigate.
But see that's not the all of it my friend... Oh no. Wrapped up in this not so nice tidy bow of Shop Safe is retail online and off arbitrage. Yes, I've seen the umm, not too thoughtful statements of "Well, its just big business greed!" by resellers who clearly dont understand anything further than their own wallet until or IF it were them.
Black Friday comes along, its a consumer event but there are resellers are snarfing up deals to make money on reselling. Meanwhile consumers are denied getting items and angry at the retailers for what the reseller did. Maybe I wanted that Playstation Five and a handful of discounted games, I'd also planned on getting a TV at Best Buy too but know what? Since I cant get my PS/5 nor even the games because resellers snarfed it all up, I'm going to get my TV at Walmart. Have a nice day. Not a fictional event, there is ALLOT OF IT.
New hot toy comes out, mom goes get one all gone... Resellers snarfed em' up and selling them online for far more than they were at Target.
Walmart runs a sale on this or that, resellers on it. X-Box Two comes out, MSRP $399 but the hounds are all over it, now if I want one I need pay $800 or wait for Microsoft's manufacturer to produce more by which the resellers will snarf again and again until either enough $800, $700, $600, $500 dollar consumers dry up or the company is FORCED to produce such mass as to service the $399 MSRP FORCED into that production by resellers. Am I missing something? Just one example, there are THOUSANDS of them and consumers get the shaft.
So which is greed? Microsoft selling the X-Box Two at $399 or the reseller denying consumers product unless they pay $800 stuffing $300+ in their pocket?
THATS A PROBLEM. Now if you had a retail outlet and managed get 50 Widget "X" in stock and you've told customers, "Its coming!" only to have them snarfed by me buying two, my lady buying two, my neighbor buying two folks 10 blocks away doin' same thing and you're customers are DENIED and you loose those customers whilst me and mine are selling what you were limited in price points to but we're peddling em' at 400% markup... Be happy about that? These are realities.
Sellers think in a bubble and take no responsibility (most anyway) beyond that of their own wallet them care scream and howl when it comes full circle.
It's not eBays, Mamazon, Mercari, WhatNot etc's fault and the ABOVE Arbitrage is WHY so many consumers see resellers as parasitical. They are being DENIED what they care buy at manufacturer/retailer pricing and availability due to people who "Beat them to the register" for personal profit and gain. Care less if Johnny get his Playstation Six for Christmas or that Suzy get the latest whatever, Hot Barbie items... Care less.
Tell me I'm lying.
Here all these companies involved including eBay, Mamazon, WhatNot etc are looking at getting slammed potentially out of business or at least as they knew it due to sellers who care source in retail.
"Its all about making the bucks" but if in making those bucks it hurts big business retail, manufacturers, consumer retail shoppers well care less right?
There's the BIGGER problem and that is wrapped up in this legislation. It can fly undercover of counterfeiting, big problem but not the only one by any stretch.
Now certainly can't have manufacturers, retailers slap all that arbitrage crud all over the public can we?
"What do you mean I can't resell the Laptop I bought 10 weeks ago for my college kid who turns out doesnt need it..." That ain't gonna fly real well.
Yet! "We are doing this to protect consumers from counterfeit products, price gouging and availability of products to consumers..." on and on all sounds nifty thrifty to average consumers.
UNDERSTAND something here and I've said it again and again, eBay would like nothing better than every single transaction to be perfect. Don't even need feedback, don't need VERO, no need for returns on and on. Sellers are the problem be that counterfeit items or items they are snagging in retail arbitrage online and offline.
Now interestingly enough, if a seller happens to be taken by a buyer well... All hairs stand on end right? But the fact Junior was denied his Playstation Six which I profited $400 on, and had say eight of them, $3200 well that makes me a smart guy right? Like I didn't just BAKE those buyers or 10 mothers who wanted whatever, "My Little AI Pony 3.0" for their daughters paying me $120 versus the $40 it was at Target where I got them huh?
Did I steal from them? Well, not in terms of took their money and delivered nothing or whatall... But I took advantage of them just as bad buyers take advantage. Two wrongs seldom make for rights but to many a reseller they do! The retailer, angry customers denied product, the consumer having to pay far more than they would have... Two wrongs but the reseller, "Oh no, its a right" see my wallet?
Manufactures and retailer dont care about the yard sale resellers, the flea market sourcing resellers, the wholesale buying resellers... None of that, they care about those who are using them for personal profit and destroying their retail presence and consumer public.
Now the question comes to bare of how to deal with retail arbitrage and actually its pretty simple. It's two fold and part of it in as far as I know has at least been discussed and that's new form of barcodes which literally capable of showing sourcing information. The other is change of law basically in that of, "If someone is engaging in arbitrage than cannot resell for profit. If I buy a Playstation Six for $399 at Best Buy I can sell it for $399 on eBay. Anything other than that and proofs of purchase gets my eBay account suspended permanently and reported. So I'm not going anyplace else and doing it AS WELL AS some nice fine that makes it stick *IF* I am a reseller aka: Buying and selling for profit.
Now that I've given such a pointed and "REAL" post I do need to say, views are mine not that of others or other points of sale. I need to say that I truly feel sorry for these places, eBay, Amazon, Mercari, WhatNot etc because its not their doing. They exist as businesses that provide opportunities to both resellers and consumers yet are ALSO the victims of the abuses and that's not right. Its completely unfair 110% and that is why I am very against this legislation. Instead of punishing the mass government, manufacturers and retailers need deal with the problems.
Dealing with counterfeits requires a mutually beneficial environment for all stakeholders to actually RID counterfeiting in big fashion.
Towards arbitrage, simply not allowed or change the paradigms. If a consumer pays $800 for a Playstation Six and is able to show its a current product, they were gouged the Point of Sale is taking the difference and refunding the consumer and not the fees. Done. There will be no money to make on arbitrage thus it becomes negated as another concept of point.
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albertabrightalberta
