eBay

economy_ini · ‎03-08-2018

I posted for sale a coupon and added emojis in the title. These emojis happen to be the same ones used by another seller selling the same item. I got a message from that seller (attached) asking to remove my listing.

For the record, I did not copy the emojis from his listing. I got the emojis from emojipedia.org

I do not see any problem with this and plan to ignore the other seller's message, as this just seems to me as selling competition (my price is lower than his).

My item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/152929390382

His item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/183090338792

I just wanted to ask and get other people's opinions on this matter.

lookng2015 · ‎03-08-2018

I'd write back and let them know (after you remove yours) that emojis etc in titles are against EBAY POLICY

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

View Best Answer in original post

mg152 · ‎03-08-2018

I wouldn’t worry about it.

Patricia
eBay member for 25 years

lookng2015 · ‎03-08-2018

I'd write back and let them know (after you remove yours) that emojis etc in titles are against EBAY POLICY

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

retrose1 · ‎03-08-2018

I'd tell them that ebay thinks it's ok because they came when you hit the ebay tool - Sell Similar.

If they report you, they put their titles on the radar.

(*Bleep*)

a_c_green · ‎03-08-2018

Part of me would want to reply and tell the other seller to pound sand, but ignoring is probably best. Their complaint is a bit of a stretch anyway, as you have more emojis than the other seller, and your title is not a direct copy of theirs (such as what you can get via Sell Similar).

Do people search with emojis anyway? Seems to me like they're a waste of title space. You might be able fit more search terms in there in place of the emojis, which seem to be only eye candy that would attract browsers of the category rather than buyers actively searching for that product.

chrysylys · ‎03-08-2018

@economy_iniwrote:
I posted for sale a coupon and added emojis in the title. These emojis happen to be the same ones used by another seller selling the same item. I got a message from that seller (attached) asking to remove my listing.

For the record, I did not copy the emojis from his listing. I got the emojis from emojipedia.org

I just wanted to ask and get other people's opinions on this matter.

My opinion is that you need to remove or edit your listing to comply with policy:

"It's against our policies to do anything that manipulates the search or browse experience. This applies to all parts of a listing (see our JavaScript policy for more information). For example, the use of superscript, subscript or other special characters (e.g. ™, ♥, ½) in the title, subtitle, item specifics, or other fields is not allowed."

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/search-browse-manipulation-policy?id=4243&st=2&p...

Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.

darleemilfor-0 · ‎03-08-2018

Personally I wouldn't buy from either listing because all that cutesy junk is the turn off

economy_ini · ‎03-08-2018

Thank you all for the replies! Good to know that it is actually against eBay policy to display such emojis.

Reference: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/search-manipulation.html

I have now done the right thing and removed the emojis from my listings.

mallontown · ‎03-08-2018

@chrysylyswrote:
@economy_iniwrote:
I posted for sale a coupon and added emojis in the title. These emojis happen to be the same ones used by another seller selling the same item. I got a message from that seller (attached) asking to remove my listing.

For the record, I did not copy the emojis from his listing. I got the emojis from emojipedia.org

I just wanted to ask and get other people's opinions on this matter.
My opinion is that you need to remove or edit your listing to comply with policy:

"It's against our policies to do anything that manipulates the search or browse experience. This applies to all parts of a listing (see our JavaScript policy for more information). For example, the use of superscript, subscript or other special characters (e.g. ™, ♥, ½) in the title, subtitle, item specifics, or other fields is not allowed."

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/search-browse-manipulation-policy?id=4243&st=2&p...

why is it that ebay will not enforce its own policy on this matter.

It's another unlevel playing field issue and ebay does not care about its own rules as long as they are getting their cut.

Many people have reported a these issue with ebay taking no action.

"If you found my reply useful, please give it a Helpful.

If my response assisted in resolving your question, please click Accept as Solution."

nana-nana-boo-boo

nowthatsjustducky · ‎03-08-2018

@economy_iniwrote:
Thank you all for the replies! Good to know that it is actually against eBay policy to display such emojis.
Reference: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/search-manipulation.html

I have now done the right thing and removed the emojis from my listings.

And if you are feeling particularly feisty, you can then log into another account, perhaps a buying or posting i.d. if you have one; and report the other seller's listings for search and browse manipulation. Sounds like they deserve it for trying to claim "ownership" of the very concept of emojis in a title.

Laugh with me...

Mua-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! 😄

If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

-- Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #80

rixstuff · ‎03-08-2018

Two things:

1. Emojis still screw up many search engines which may make your item hard to find.

2. You might want to read the fine print on those coupons because most say they are not to be sold. BK will NOT be pleased with you.

nowthatsjustducky · ‎03-08-2018

@rixstuffwrote:
Two things:
1. Emojis still screw up many search engines which may make your item hard to find.
2. You might want to read the fine print on those coupons because most say they are not to be sold. BK will NOT be pleased with you.

1: Agreed

2: So what? If eBay isn't shutting down those listings and actully reselling them is not illegal (just stating such in fine print does not make it so), then BK can suck it.

If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

-- Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #80

chrysylys · ‎03-08-2018

Send that link to the other seller and explain you corrected your listings due to policy and not due to their threats.

Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.

chrysylys · ‎03-08-2018

@emerald40

Did you see this thread? It was you that was after the heart seller, wasn't it?

Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.

a_c_green · ‎03-08-2018

@mallontown wrote:
why is it that ebay will not enforce its own policy on this matter.
It's another unlevel playing field issue and ebay does not care about its own rules as long as they are getting their cut.
Many people have reported a these issue with ebay taking no action.

I think I'd feel more strongly on this issue if someone could at least explain how emojis in the title have any effect on "search engine manipulation" in the first place. All they are are oddball Unicode values bringing in a glyph from a special font or something like that, aren't they? If the search utility isn't trying to do an alpha sort or something like that, I don't see how an emoji is going to have any effect on searching for the actual words in the title, beneficial or otherwise.