Ebay......sales?

[SJL]

How they get away with that is beyond me, i got banned from ebay for 2 weeks for selling stickers that said strap-on instead of snap-on for copyright as i used the same text.

[AdamB]

How they get away with that is beyond me, i got banned from ebay for 2 weeks for selling stickers that said strap-on instead of snap-on for copyright as i used the same text.

Tell me if I'm wrong (sure someone will) but I don't think ebay will go "looking" for copyright infringments as there are far too many and ebay get their little cut for everything sold. If, however, someone notifies them due to copyright anomolies in an item then they then investigate.

That's what I think anyway .................... so people like this seller will continue to sell unless - a. someone gets an item that their not happy with and complains to ebay and mentions the copyright issue - b. the copyright police track them down ................... or c. a direct competitior doing the same stuff instigates an investigation to remove the competition.

Either way, the seller has no fall back excuse or plan as we all know .................... skating on thin ice is the term I would use!

[Kaz]

You're right Adam, ebay don't police their own site, they depend on others to report infringements and breaches of copyright.

If no report is forthcoming, the item stays.

It's about time ebay did more to protect their buyers by having someone actively policing the site for them, it would help to restore faith in an ailing site

[AdamB]

It's about time ebay did more to protect their buyers by having someone actively policing the site for them, it would help to restore faith in an ailing site

I know Kaz but think about it for a minute. ebay is a business that is very viable and brings in a very healthy profit for what is in fact a 'cyber notice board'. They don't hold any stock, don't have any stock levels to check and don;t do any donkey work (i.e posting and distatching the items). 99% of sellers are happy buying this kind of thing so why police something if no one complains about it, and this is where the cash lies and makes ebay head and shoulders above the rest (on a business plan point of view).

[Lee]

it is still annoying though when you are struggling to be competitive.... Tell me though, in the case of a football mousemat, why cant you design something in a clubs colours, using their font etc, but not duplicating the logo etc.... would that be ok?

[phoenixalpha]

Nope. Wouldnt be ok. Football teams have very strict regulations, and it just isnt worth even thinking about it. Even the name is restricted.

[John G]

Give him a few days or a week and it'll be pulled - its just too close to the mark and i'd say more than skating on thin ice.

[Lee]

Nope. Wouldnt be ok. Football teams have very strict regulations, and it just isnt worth even thinking about it. Even the name is restricted.

But surely if you use the word "Liverpool" for example over a football backdrop? How can they restrict the name of a city?

[Kaz]

Adam

The problem is, ebay want to be Amazon, by getting rid of the small sellers and keeping the "big" boys, so to speak.

Why do you think so many of the outlet sellers are sill there with their poor FB and DSRs? Cause they get special dispensation from ebay.

Ebay have got together with an american fashion designer who is selling items on behalf of ebay, and that'll just be the beginning

[phoenixalpha]

But surely if you use the word "Liverpool" for example over a football backdrop? How can they restrict the name of a city?

Its to do with the connection to football. If you were to just have a mousemat with liverpool and it having a red colour backdrop - that's ok - but as you soon as you put a football near it it's to do with Liverpool FC. Lawyers will become involved and it'll be more hassle than its worth. It's best just avoiding it in the first place.