08-05-2021 02:53 PM
Aaarrrggg! I realize that you can select the "sell similar" button and use someone else's listings as a guide for creating your own. But there's some Schmo seller out there who has copied my entire listing verbatim - even copied all of my pictures - and is basically using a carbon copy of my listings as his own. About six of them (for items we both seem to have). It's absolutely infuriating!
As I understand things, eBay allows this sort of thing, but I've never seen someone plagiarize the entire listing. I'm basically working for him!
Thanks for letting me vent...
Solved! Go to Best Answer
08-05-2021 06:58 PM
Apparently, unless you actually own the copywrite registered and all formal, anybody can take any bodies listing photos, and use them. Again, one must be extremely careful with this . One reason I do not like it is that people can look like us, but there are definately NOT US, with our extremely good rep. Then folks can confuse our rep with their rep and contact us mistakenly. That is messy stuff. People who sell generic name brand can get away with that fairly well but still, it is better to be set apart, in some way by varying your offerings.
08-05-2021 07:00 PM
100 percent agree to this solution.
08-05-2021 07:02 PM
Ebay really needs to stop this practice. It is not a good thing as it can cause a lot of confusion, bad sales, returns, not as described, flaming mad buyers, etc etc.
08-05-2021 07:19 PM
Your photographs are copyrighted the moment you press the shutter. You don't need to do anything. There are extra protection in registering them, but that isn't realistic for most of us. But, it probably doesn't matter, here is how eBay gets around it:
9. Content
When you provide content using our Services (directly or indirectly), you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, sublicensable (through multiple tiers) right to exercise any and all Intellectual Property Rights you have in that content in connection with our provision, expansion, and promotion of our Services, in any media known now or developed in the future. To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, you waive your right to enforce your Intellectual Property Rights in that content against eBay, our assignees, our sublicensees, and their assignees in connection with our, those assignees', and those sublicensees' use of that content in connection with our provision, expansion, and promotion of our Services.
You represent and warrant that, for all such content you provide, you own or otherwise control all necessary rights to do so and to meet your obligations under this User Agreement. You represent and warrant that such content is accurate. You represent and warrant that use of any such content (including derivative works) by us, our users, or others in contract with us, and in compliance with this User Agreement, does not and will not infringe any Intellectual Property Rights of any third party. eBay takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any content provided by you or any third party.
08-05-2021 07:43 PM
Your items are showing in his listings unless he has 'sponsored' all items.
So, just beat his price and 'sponsor' at 1%; your items will show in his listings so you may get the sale.
08-05-2021 08:05 PM
Sell items only you have (one of a kind).
Problem solved.
08-05-2021 10:52 PM
@mygrneyesf wrote:I did send him a message - he had the audacity to offer to sell me his stock! I can't report him because I don't think his conduct - reprehensible as it is - actually violates ebay policy. Just boils me in oil!
I had a run in with someone who was a serial copier of my listings a long time ago. He clearly bookmarked my store for that. I messaged him and politely said the whole spiel. At first he played dumb and claimed they weren’t copies of my listings/photos. That he created up them himself. After calling him out on his bluffs, he finally started to speak more candidly admitting to his theft but ended with “Come try and sue me then.”
08-05-2021 10:55 PM - edited 08-05-2021 10:56 PM
The user agreement you accepted when joining eBay trumps all of that.........
When you create listings you give eBay and its members permission, through our user agreement, to use your images, videos and product details. Your content may be added to the eBay product catalog, and may be used by other sellers in their eBay listings.
You may contact the member and ask them to remove your image or text from their listing if it is not part of the eBay product catalog.
08-09-2021 05:15 AM
Include a watermark in your photos. Use your user ID, and put it in a place where it would take a lot of time to remove it.
08-09-2021 05:47 AM
I Have been going through the same B.S!, It should not be allowed!, Title Should Always Be Changed!, Falls On Deaf Ears!
08-09-2021 05:48 AM
Not true on eBay your images not copyrighted in the world of eBay unless eBay Vero Department essentially says so
08-09-2021 05:50 AM
You would still have to get it copyrighted for eBay Vero to care
08-09-2021 05:51 AM
Most sellers will run for the hills and immediately delete a competitor seller photo by simply emailing them to remove the picture.
08-09-2021 06:07 AM
Not sure about elsewhere, but in Texas, you can sue. A close friend of mine currently has a lawsuit filled in Texas because someone stole several of his entire listings. Also has a lawsuit against ebay for allowing it to happen.
08-09-2021 06:51 AM
Tried that - no luck