VERO Scam.

[abtactical]

A couple of days ago I got a notice that eBay had shut down one of my listings due to a VERO violation.  I'm copying that email (redacted) to the end of this post.  So a couple of things come to mind:

a) I had this listing running for literally over 2 years and had history on it of over 5000 sales (I do realize this is irrelevant IF I was violating said policy)

b) This listing was created through Auctiva, so I still have all the verbage and pictures used in the listing.  I went back and looked and nowhere in this listing is any brand name mentioned nor are there any brand names used in any of the photos, no logos, etc.  

c) When you searched the term bore snake, my listing was almost always the top listing that came up via ebay's search engine because we had so many sales on it and almost 100% positive feedback on this item.  We averaged selling 10 or so of this item daily.

d) we even went so far as marking "does not apply" in the MPN fields because these are generic items and I'd guess there are hundreds if not thousands of sellers selling them on eBay.  

All this leads me to believe some seller out there was just **bleep** or jealous or just found some way to get listings closed and has complained to eBay that we are violating their brand names when in fact we are not.  I am getting ready to call eBay and complain, but I will not be contacting this seller as eBay has suggested.  I can't even believe this is a thing tbh.  Some seller lies and gets my listing shut down and I am supposed to contact them to get it turned back on?  I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this.

We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our VeRO Brand Name Misuse Policy. You may not use brands names in your listings if the product isn’t manufactured by or compatible with that brand

What activity didn't follow the policy

More specific details are provided below.

What you need to do next

Please ensure your current and future listings follow this policy.

What is the policy

- Your listing was reported by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for using their brand name inappropriately. eBay’s Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program offers intellectual property owner(s) a way to report listings that they believe infringe on their rights
- Brand names cannot be used in listings if the product isn’t manufactured by, or compatible with, that brand. You may use "compatible with", "fits", or "for" before a brand name, if the item described is specifically designed to be compatible with the products of that brand
-- Using a trademark owner's logos without permission is not allowed.
- If you believe a mistake has been made, you will need to contact the rights owner directly. If the rights owner approves your appeal, please have them contact us directly to reinstate your listing(s)

You can send an email to:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

How this affects your account

Because you may not have been aware of this policy, we're sending this notice to educate you about it and ask that you follow this policy in the future.

- Listings that didn't follow this policy have been ended. 
- We have credited all associated fees except for payments processing fees and the final value fee for your listing(s). 
 
Listings that don't follow this policy in the future will be ended.

Why we have this policy

This rule helps to ensure that eBay users trust our marketplace, and comply with the law.

More information and help

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/selling-policies/intellectual-property-vero-program?id=4349

Listings not following policy

114077316234 - Gun Rifle Pistol Rope Bore Snake Cleaner Cleaning Tool Kit Boresnake

We appreciate your understanding.

Thanks,
eBay

Please don't reply to this message. It was sent from an address that doesn't accept incoming email.

[mam98031]

Boresnake is a Brand name.

Hoppes spells it Boresnake – it is their one word Brand name.

https://www.hoppes.com/boresnakes/

So when you put those two words together it appears it does form a brand name at that point and likely what is causing you issues.  If that is the problem, you should be able to list it again as long as you don't put those two words together. 

Ebay won't get in the middle of a Vero thing.  But you could look at the seller that you were told to contact and see if they are actually the Hoppes company.

[7606dennis]

Once a rights owner files a VERO complaint you need to handle things directly with that rights owner or the one claiming to be the rights owner.  

[47acc_37]

VERO is a mistake that has only allowed corporations to abuse a system. This nonsense has been going on since no-talent Lars Ulrich cried about imagined losses from MP3s & every company got whiny about stuff like this. Just another way they can control & bully the individual.

[7606dennis]

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@47acc_37 wrote:

VERO is a mistake that has only allowed corporations to abuse a system. This nonsense has been going on since no-talent Lars Ulrich cried about imagined losses from MP3s & every company got whiny about stuff like this. Just another way they can control & bully the individual.

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Actually, I believe the VERO program was set up to keep eBay from getting involved with legal issues when a seller either intentionally or inadvertently infringes on the intellectual rights of someone.  Frankly, I can see the legal necessity for a company like eBay to have such a program.  Of course, the rights owner can still sue the seller for infringing upon their rights.  After all, the owner of those rights has the right to protect their property.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

”…Some seller lies and gets my listing shut down and I am supposed to contact them to get it turned back on?…”

The only way to reinstate the listing is for the rights owner to contact eBay to withdraw the complaint. So why you say you will not contact the seller who owns the rights, that is your only recourse.

For such a lucrative item, that you have had much success with, contacting the right’s holder makes the most sense, since this has little to do with eBay. By law they must comply by removing the listing.

Sorry this happened to you. Below is the link to the policy governing Vero issues on eBay. Good luck.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/selling-policies/intellectual-property-vero-prog...

[iterumvintage]

I had a VERO violation myself today relating to a jacket I had listed. Unbeknown to me the style of jacket is a brand name, even though it's not the actual brand. It was the style I was picked up on.

Whilst I don't remember the exact listing it was something like 'Mens <Brand Name> <Style> Jacket Medium 'or something along those lines. Not a problem if those are the rules.

However, I've just done a search for the same style jacket and there are 10,000+ items listed. One of these sellers has 100,000+ ratings so not just a single jacket like me. What's going on here?

[glgenterprise]

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@7606dennis wrote:

---

---

Actually, I believe the VERO program was set up to keep eBay from getting involved with legal issues when a seller either intentionally or inadvertently infringes on the intellectual rights of someone.  Frankly, I can see the legal necessity for a company like eBay to have such a program.  Of course, the rights owner can still sue the seller for infringing upon their rights.  After all, the owner of those rights has the right to protect their property.  

---

The problem is that VeRO is not well administered. I dealt with a VeRO complaint for an item in the original packaging. Except when I contact with the link listed, it was some company that apparently scans for VeRO for a bunch of different companies and it took forever to get anyone to answer me. All they asked for was a receipt for the original purchase. Which of course since I buy out old inventory I did not have. The kicker is the original company in question does not even appear on the VeRO list. It was a low dollar part and not worth the hassle of trying to relist, but I had to fight tooth and nail to get the VeRO violation off my selling account. It took over a month to get it removed.

I understand the necessity of protecting eBay from extended legal proceedings for intellectual rights protection, but the way it is not uniformly enforced or even policed by eBay is ridiculous. When I pointed out to CS that the company in question was not even on their VeRO list, they had no explanation.

[luckythewinner]

All this leads me to believe some seller out there was just **bleep** or jealous or just found some way to get listings closed and has complained to eBay 

VERO reports are not likely to be the whim of "some seller out there". They come from intellectual property owners or their designated representatives.

A VERO report is a Notice of Claimed Infringement (NOCI) under the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act (OCILLA) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and is filed under penalty of perjury. 

I am a member of VERO and represent a couple music artists and it was not a trivial process to get set up. 

[fab_finds4u]

Maybe a  Bore Snake is a copyright name by Hoppe's and calling  a bore cleaning rod or bore cleaning tool a bore snake that is not made by Hoppe's is synonymous with calling a tissue a Kleenex or a gelatin dessert Jello when that's not the brand. 

[goldrushfinds]

I got a VERO violation message just today. I am beyond angry. It was for an old Polo Ralph Lauren Men's Jacket. It has already sold, but now I am left with an account restriction due to this condition. I called Ebay and they could not tell me the exact reason for the violation. Is it illegal to show a picture of the logo? Are they claiming it was a fake? Does this mean I can never list an item of used clothing again without being in fear of this happening again? How can a company have control over what I do with a used piece of clothing I bought with my own money. If some member of the public bought a Polo Ralph Lauren shirt 20 years ago and now sells it on Ebay, are that at risk of being accused of a VERO violation. This whole thing is just stupid.

[ldcarter59]

I had this very thing happen to me today. Same exact wording as your email/message. Obviously, I don't know "who" reported you, but in my case, there is no such company selling on eBay. I cannot find the seller they say reported me.

In my case, I AM an Authorized seller for the product. I purchase wholesale from the manufacturer, have been selling my product for over 10 years and have sold about 1000. This is total **bleep**. I don't even know where to go with this!!

In the past, many years ago, I had a VERO case. It was a company buying from the same company as me and they didn't want my competition so they reported me. I never got resolution on that one. eBay does NOT stand by their sellers. The other seller who reported me was nasty and mean when I spoke with them. I just listed my products again, put my own brand name on them (about 20 products) and haven't had a problem with that since.

[mam98031]

@ldcarter59 

Vero warnings don't just come from other sellers on Ebay.  So it is unlikely you will find a seller responsible for reporting you.  They come from the Company / Corporation for the product.  And Vero violations are not always correctly issued.  But extremely hard to fight.  Ebay can't resolve it for you it has to be the company that had the violation issued.

Look at the email you got more closely.  There should be an email address for the Company that used Vero to send you a violation.  If for any reason they isn't, then you should contact Ebay for that information as you do have the right to have it since it is the only way you can get a Vero Violation removed.

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.