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Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

I would like to see the practice of using the American flag to show that the seller is in the states should be stopped. When you look at a ad and see the flag, you immediately think the item is US  made like you normally see in any box store. It is deception at its finest in my opinion. By rights, EBAY should require a line for "Country of Origion" on every item sold other than used. It makes for a more informed buyer. It would help with buyer disappoinment when buying an item and recieving a foreign made piece of garbage that is a copy of a quality made US item.

Message 1 of 25
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24 REPLIES 24

Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

I couldn't agree more.

 

However, with over one BILLION listings, I don't know how Ebay could enforce it.  There is a country of manufacture in the item specifics, but sellers aren't required to use it, and even if they were, there's  nothing to stop one from lying about it.

 

It's just as bad, if not worse, elsewhere.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.


We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell
Message 2 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@kuble wrote:

I would like to see the practice of using the American flag to show that the seller is in the states should be stopped. When you look at a ad and see the flag, you immediately think the item is US  made like you normally see in any box store. It is deception at its finest in my opinion. By rights, EBAY should require a line for "Country of Origion" on every item sold other than used. It makes for a more informed buyer. It would help with buyer disappoinment when buying an item and recieving a foreign made piece of garbage that is a copy of a quality made US item.


What good would that do? A lot of production for major brands is in china, india, sri lanka, viet nam, etc., especially for clothing and shoes.

 

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"
Message 3 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

I hate when they use the flag to try to con buyers into thinking that they are a U.S.-registered company, when all they have here is a warehouse.

 

When I hear the phrase, "Buy American," I think of more than where an item is  manufactured.  I think it should represent supporting U.S. (registered) sellers. 

 

When I see that flag on the first photo, you can almost bet it is a seller in China or other Asian country trying to con people into thinking something that is not.  Unfortunately eBay abets them.  That is why you will never see a filter to filter out Non-U.S.-registered sellers. The filter for item location is useless.

 

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent” ― Madeleine K. Albright

Great! 45.8% down over the same time last year with 2x+ items listed. Are you impressed? I'm certainly not!
Message 4 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

When I had my brick & mortar store, the American Flag was on items that were "designed" in the US, and manufactured in China.

Message 5 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@llllady wrote:

I hate when they use the flag to try to con buyers into thinking that they are a U.S.-registered company, when all they have here is a warehouse.

 

When I hear the phrase, "Buy American," I think of more than where an item is  manufactured.  I think it should represent supporting U.S. (registered) sellers. 

 

When I see that flag on the first photo, you can almost bet it is a seller in China or other Asian country trying to con people into thinking something that is not.  Unfortunately eBay abets them.  That is why you will never see a filter to filter out Non-U.S.-registered sellers. The filter for item location is useless.

 


when all they have here is a warehouse office address

 

Fixed that for you ..

 

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"
Message 6 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@d-k_treasures wrote:

@llllady wrote:

I hate when they use the flag to try to con buyers into thinking that they are a U.S.-registered company, when all they have here is a warehouse.

 

When I hear the phrase, "Buy American," I think of more than where an item is  manufactured.  I think it should represent supporting U.S. (registered) sellers. 

 

When I see that flag on the first photo, you can almost bet it is a seller in China or other Asian country trying to con people into thinking something that is not.  Unfortunately eBay abets them.  That is why you will never see a filter to filter out Non-U.S.-registered sellers. The filter for item location is useless.

 


when all they have here is a warehouse office address

 

Fixed that for you ..

 


 

What would I do without you?  😉

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent” ― Madeleine K. Albright

Great! 45.8% down over the same time last year with 2x+ items listed. Are you impressed? I'm certainly not!
Message 7 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@llllady wrote:

@d-k_treasures wrote:

@llllady wrote:

I hate when they use the flag to try to con buyers into thinking that they are a U.S.-registered company, when all they have here is a warehouse.

 

When I hear the phrase, "Buy American," I think of more than where an item is  manufactured.  I think it should represent supporting U.S. (registered) sellers. 

 

When I see that flag on the first photo, you can almost bet it is a seller in China or other Asian country trying to con people into thinking something that is not.  Unfortunately eBay abets them.  That is why you will never see a filter to filter out Non-U.S.-registered sellers. The filter for item location is useless.

 


when all they have here is a warehouse office address

 

Fixed that for you ..

 


 

What would I do without you?  😉


Many people have asked that question ... Smiley LOL

 

Some like to substitute 'with' for 'without', though ..............

 

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"
Message 8 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@d-k_treasures wrote:

@kuble wrote:

I would like to see the practice of using the American flag to show that the seller is in the states should be stopped. When you look at a ad and see the flag, you immediately think the item is US  made like you normally see in any box store. It is deception at its finest in my opinion. By rights, EBAY should require a line for "Country of Origion" on every item sold other than used. It makes for a more informed buyer. It would help with buyer disappoinment when buying an item and recieving a foreign made piece of garbage that is a copy of a quality made US item.

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

American flag should be for items made in the US only.  Not for items imported in.


What good would that do? A lot of production for major brands is in china, india, sri lanka, viet nam, etc., especially for clothing and shoes.

 


Message 9 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

By rights, EBAY should require a line for "Country of Origion" on every item

 

There is such a line in Item Specifics.

 

At one time our Canadian Office of Consumer Affairs had a programme promoting the use of a maple leaf logo on Canadian made goods. It was very popular and Canadian manufacturers (even the branch plants of US and British firms) used it extensively.

 

But a Conservative government took office and closed down the department.

Message 10 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

It appears it's where the seller is located that's your issue, not whether the item itself is made here?

You just check the seller location instead.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley
Message 11 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

Look up federal regulations for labeling goods Made in the USA, and you might be surprised to learn that Made in the USA doesn't necessarily mean that.

 

What's your definition of Made in the USA?

 

Assembled by children forced to work in horrid working conditions with "foreign" goods and then shipped to the USA?

 

Assembled in the USA with "foreign" goods?

 

"Assembled" meaning put a tag on it that says Made in the USA?

 

What's the line for you?

 

I don't see this as an issue while we are living in the midst of a dystopian reality show in the USA!

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. ~ Anais Nin
Message 12 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

I proudly fly the American flag on most of my listings to signify that I am an American seller. I began the practice after September 11, 2001, to honor the victims of that tragedy. I want buyers to know that I live, work, sell and ship orders from the U.S. It does not matter WHAT I sell. Much of my inventory (antiques and collectibles) was made in the U.S. but I also sell Steiff dolls and toys made in Germany and Austria, postcards printed in many countries, dishes and figurines from Japan and some goods made in Canada, England and elsewhere in the world. I purchase most of them right here in the U.S., with the possible exception of a few items I may have acquired from Canada. The product's "country of origin" is clearly specified in the Item Specifics when it is known. Occasionally I do sell new items, notably books published in the U.S. that happen to be printed in China. The publishers are American, therefore the books are not "imports." Bottom line: Please do not confuse the location of the seller and/or product with the manufacturer's location. ~~C~~
My Glass Duchess
Quoting Mom: In polite society, "hey" is for horses.
Message 13 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.

Thanks for your reply! It should be required in every item that is new. It would be very easy to require by making it a manditory line in the ad by making it so it has to be eneterd or you cant proceed with the listing. As far as EBAY having to enforce it, they dont. Thats what feedback is for. If a seller lies, then they get bad feedback. Its enforced by the buyers, just like the other complaints are handled.

Message 14 of 25
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Re: Using the American flag to sell foreign goods.


@*eponymous* wrote:

Look up federal regulations for labeling goods Made in the USA, and you might be surprised to learn that Made in the USA doesn't necessarily mean that.

 

What's your definition of Made in the USA?

 

Assembled by children forced to work in horrid working conditions with "foreign" goods and then shipped to the USA?

 

Assembled in the USA with "foreign" goods?

 

"Assembled" meaning put a tag on it that says Made in the USA?

 

What's the line for you?

 

I don't see this as an issue while we are living in the midst of a dystopian reality show in the USA!


That ended a year ago.

 

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"
Message 15 of 25
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