eBay scum of the earth

[Jeffrey06 2]

So, who all have noticed someone else taking your pictures, and listing the same thing with the EXACT same sizes and undercutting you on ebay?

I found this guy (or girl) today on there that has listed EVERYTHING that I sell and everything is identical. Even down to the fonts I used. Pretty sorry if you ask me..

Rant over I guess.

[Guest YHC]

Hey that was me!! 

I know it sucks, and the best thing you can do is watermark your images. Its not full proof but at least they would have to spin the time trying to clean them up to use. If they are using your description to the letter then you can file a complaint to eBay. And they can see whom posted first to tell that they are coping.

[bamafan2277 50]

We have had a rash of that here before with stuff posted here on the forum. If it's a ebay only member taking your photos and stuff I would definately put a nice big watermark and also notify ebay so they can take their listings down

[tinaski 11]

i would get a hold of ebay they will stop auctions if you can prove it is yours and they will take it as far as kicking him off or a while

[tinaski 11]

whats the users name everyone here can email him and fill up his box so it will slow him down and cant do too much ---ooooo i got some nice big 10 Gig + files that would fill up the inbox

[odokie 8]

I know how you feel, I had a "friend" stab me in the back a few years ago when I was selling a different type of item on ebay.  She started selling what I was selling and then copping the style of my auction and then using my pictures.  This hurt!  Need less to say we are no longer friends.

Send us the link or auction number, we should be able to figure out if it is someone who frequents this forum.

[Jeffrey06 2]

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=stickers550&ftab=AllFeedback

That be (it).

Yes, I'm selling a lot that is truly copyrighted, but, a lot of mine is custom down to the font on a lot and he picked off almost anything that I sell a lot of by just going to my listing and viewing the sold history.

As you can tell, going less than a month ago. Notice the last feedback, quality isn't very well, surprise!!!

I continue to remain 100% and plan on it.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Sooooo   am getting this right?  Your complaining because someone else is ALSO selling something that neither one of you should be selling in the first place?  BECAUSE it actually belongs to SOMEONE else?  If you are using any part of a copyrighted logo, It doesn't matter if it's shaked, stirred, or thrown up in the air,  and lays on a design.  It is not yours to sell.   Get  real.  I run a very successful decal business with over 1400 designs and not one, decal is a copyright,  because you don't have to sell copyrights  to have a sucessful business.  You are just begging for a lawsuit by numerous companies.  Can you really afford that?  I love it, when people complain  about others, when they are even guiltier.  

[Jeffrey06 2]

Sooooo   am getting this right?  Your complaining because someone else is ALSO selling something that neither one of you should be selling in the first place,  BECAUSE it actually belongs to SOMEONE else?  If you are using any part of a copyrighted logo, It doesn't matter if it's shaked, stirred, or thrown up in the air,  and lays on a design.  It is now yours to sell.   Get  real.  

I knew that was coming..

No, thats not it. It's the fact that every single listing I have. They have copied me to the exact way down to the sizes.

I have a lot of custom stuff that is mine, I was simply stating that fact out. The other I could care less. 

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I could copy those sizes also, I can make any design any size I want, and sell it, If in fact it is legal to sell it, in the first place.   That is legal.  but  selling copyrights is not legal. If you do not have permission from the original owner.   And if their ad is word for word the same, they cannot do that.  Have you you reported it?   But they can change words around and be similiar ,  just not word for word.  There is report this item,,  copying my listing or pictures,  then you copy and paste their ad,  and put the item number of your ad that they copy and pasted from.  

[tinaski 11]

if you make it (original) then you have it copyrighted it doesnt have to be registered for you to be protected - you just have to prove that you did it first

but if he is doing everything your doing then there is alot of stuff that neither one of you should be doing - just be lucky that you havent had a complaint on you yet - HONDA - FORD - ducks unlimited - and so on

most of the items i saw could be remade and sold very easy - and no one owns - you cant complain if you don't protect your self 

we started out doing copyrighted material - will never do that again after all the problems that makes - so now were very profitable and have learned so much more than to take someone else's  work and re do it (and we sleep beter at night too )

 

[midwaste 4]

SD is right, I went through all 5 pages of the impostors items, and there were maybe one or two that aren't flea market standards.  I'm guessing you could find hundreds of sellers selling the same Honda, hunting and knock-off auto logos.

A guy I know designed and manufactured some parts for performance diesel trucks and was selling them on ebay.  Another guy stole the idea, changed it slightly (it wasn't patented anyway) and started selling them for $50 less.  A price war ensued, with both of them essentially stalemating at almost $200 less than the original selling price.  However, he went from selling 30-40 a month to selling 100-150.

Are you guys really getting ~$13 for a 3.5x24 windshield decal?  Hell, I might have to toss my name in there!  J/K 

[bamafan2277 50]

Another thing I would do is they are using just a plain ole .jpg

When I plan to start selling decals on Ebay I will be doing a actual photo of the decal either on glass or black foam board so the customer can see the actual decal. When I was purchasing decals before I bought my cutter I wanted to see the real thing not some low quality .jpg of the artwork.

Then with you own custom photos you can watermark them easlily and have real proof with Ebay that they are yours.

[haumana 1,220]

How is it that these guys that are selling (clearly) copyrighted fonts and/or logo item aren't getting banned?  And they're selling this stuff for a decent buck!

[ff-extreme 6]

You can turn them in and once in a blue moon ebay might ban them, but ebay makes tons of money off these people so dont look for any crackdown until ebay gets sued from one of the big boys for allowing them to be sold on their site.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

the company being stolen from, has to report it to EBAY....  because they are the owner . 

[fargo_182 0]

The old, someones stealing my stolen artwork gig eh?

Let's file this under KARMA, shall we.

[lwsimon 1]

You guys will probably hate me - I trawl eBay looking for niches that sell well, get ideas from what is selling, then spend some time developing higher quality, unique designs.  Then I'm pricing them at or slightly higher than whomever is selling well now.

It's rough, but that's business.  I have no ideaif I'm competing with forum members, and i don't do copyrighted stuff online.  You're asking for trouble.

[tlzimmerman 11]

You guys will probably hate me - I trawl eBay looking for niches that sell well, get ideas from what is selling, then spend some time developing higher quality, unique designs.  Then I'm pricing them at or slightly higher than whomever is selling well now.

It's rough, but that's business.  I have no ideaif I'm competing with forum members, and i don't do copyrighted stuff online.  You're asking for trouble.

Dats the biz.....honestly as long as you are making your own artwork from scratch, that doesn't resemble the original, and the phrases aren't trademarked...there is nothing you are doing that is wrong.  Its free market and competition, and its what the country was built off of.

This is also the reason I stay off ebay, and the vast majority of my work is custom and one off.  Sure I doubt I sell near as much as those on ebay, but at the end of the day my store is pretty unique and I have some semblance of not being ripped off.  Heck though if someone took my idea, and made a new decal with original artwork and same idea that sold better than mine...well I have nobody to complain to but myself...because I should have done the original design better, or maybe its time for a refresh. 

To the OP...yes its wrong that they are using your exact designs....but considering you are using copyrights and trademarks.....its pretty hypocritical to complain about it, plus on alot of the stuff if they change the font even...its completely legal, and there are 1000 people out there making that stuff.

[Booper 2]

Welcome to the World Wide Web and the 4 or 5 billion people out there ready and willing to rip people off. (including yerself apparently LOL!)

[SterlingSigns 0]

eBay has a policy called Vero (Verified Rights Owner).  The owners of the copyright police eBay and if they see an infringement they have the capability of canceling the auction.  eBay does not want to cancel any auctions because they make a killing off of these people.