Picture thief

[2debsadorables]

I am very frustrated. I have spent 24 years shooting my own pictures. Then someone comes along and  just steals them. My work. My investment.  I know I can watermark,  but I think that is ugly to do and takes away from the item. I  have even had my pics stolen and then the seller watermarks their store name right across the item itself. I Is there a board somewhere to post the sellers that steal?

[krazzykats]

No.  Do not name and shame on the boards.

[krazzykats]

Images, videos and text policy | eBay

[krazzykats]

Listing your item with details from our catalog | eBay

[lakefor94]

Does not bother me unless they use my pictures AND undercut my prices.....

[onefootflipper · Accepted solution]

Worrying about this won't make you any money. Pursuing this won't make you any money. Even if you could get the photo taken down, which you can't, the competition would not be eliminated and you still would not be making any money from it.

The ebay agreement also specifically allows other sellers to use your photos, descriptions and details. You can ask the other seller to remove the photo but they don't have to take it down, and you do NOT want to ask them, that can convert a nothing issue into someone who is actively out to sabotage you.

Just keep being great at what you do and don't worry about this issue. 

[hollysfinds]

Unfortunately ebay allows this to happen. 

They didn't use to allow it in the past. 

Just because someone CAN do some doesn't mean that they SHOULD. 

I think it's unethical for sellers to do that. 

Ebay used to require a seller to have a picture of the the actual item in their possession. 

In my opinion it should still be that way. 

But of course my opinion counts for nothing with ebay. 

[rosachs]

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@krazzykats wrote:

Images, videos and text policy | eBay

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Just to clarify - the eBay Seller's Terms Of Service Agreement allows eBay to include our pictures and product details in their catalog, and then allows other sellers to use the images and details in the eBay catalog in their listings.  But it does not indicate that sellers can use images and details from other sellers... only from the eBay catalog.

Then there is that catalog itself.  I've only ever seen a catalog entry (ePID - eBay Product ID record) with one image only.  Not dozens that you can choose from, not a set like you might find in a retail mail-order catalog or on a retail website.  Just one image.

So sellers can use that one single image and include the catalog item details IF eBay has a catalog entry for that product (based on UPC/ISBN or keyword matching).  But only eBay can use a sellers images and details, not other sellers.

Or did I miss something?  It's been a while since I read the entire Seller TOS.  I wonder if one of the AI bots could read and translate the TOS into understandable bullet points.  Something you could scan in a minute or two and get the 'general idea' of what you can and cannot do.  (I'd love to try this with Project 2025, but I'm afraid that might break the bot or drive it insane)

-Bob.

[roccotacodad54]

   Yes it is a deplorable thing for them to do but common. I have even seen a listing here on Ebay with pictures and opened another window to research items by the same maker and found the exact same pictures on another site (in a collection, not for sale). This item was quite uncommon and more than likely one of a kind. 

   Needless to say I didn't bite. I also noticed the listing was gone a day or two later. I don't know if someone got scammed or Ebay took it down or what. I do know that if I see duplicate pictures (not stock but appearing to be homemade)  since then I tend to shy away from both listings so I see your concern.

   I agree watermarks are ugly but.....?