eBay

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-03-2021

To anyone currently or planning to sell Dr Seuss books, please be warned. There was a seller on dot com that had a listing ended by eBay. See attached from news. (6 as per this story)

https://globalnews.ca/news/7671590/dr-seuss-books-racist/

-Lotz

reallynicestamps · ‎03-03-2021

Seems a bit previous.

The six titles are not being reprinted by the publisher because they are frankly racist. Dr. Seuss was quite left wing for his time, but times change. He even apologized for some of his early works before his death in 1991.

tyler@ebay Has eBay added any Seuss titles to their list of items that are not allowed? The only children's title I recall is Little Black Sambo, and those more for the illustrations than the story.

femmefan1946 · ‎03-04-2021

I read one of those complaints.

The seller had received seven FB as a seller in the past year.

The only item she had for sale was this:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/jane19761/m.html?_trksid=p3692

A hardcover copy of "Mulberry Street" one of the titles that will no longer be published.
It's not banned the publisher just decided not to print any more copies.

The price on this widely available book?

$650.

I suspect the complaints are fake, either like this person, to sell something at a vastly inflated price to "own the libs", or to make a fairly stupid political point.

The National Post, which is mostly read by adults, rather than preschoolers, printed the offending pages (it's not the whole books just a few pages) and they are ones I would have skipped when reading to DD forty years ago.

denjug · ‎03-04-2021

FYI...my listing was just pulled 'scrambled eggs super'. 7 day auction. up for 1 day, and already hit $100 cdn. i'm a 300+ FB seller.

needsmorerobots · ‎03-04-2021

Was your on .com or ca when it was pulled?

tyler@ebay · ‎03-04-2021

@reallynicestamps wrote:

Seems a bit previous.

The six titles are not being reprinted by the publisher because they are frankly racist. Dr. Seuss was quite left wing for his time, but times change. He even apologized for some of his early works before his death in 1991.

tyler@ebay Has eBay added any Seuss titles to their list of items that are not allowed? The only children's title I recall is Little Black Sambo, and those more for the illustrations than the story.

Hi @reallynicestamps - we are continuing to evolve our Offensive Materials policy to prohibit items that are discriminatory or portray negativity or stereotypes based on race or ethnicity.

As part of this effort, we will be removing the six Dr. Seuss books pulled from publication at the request of the author's estate due to offensive text and imagery.

Tyler,

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-04-2021

tyler@ebay wrote:
@reallynicestamps wrote:
Seems a bit previous.
The six titles are not being reprinted by the publisher because they are frankly racist. Dr. Seuss was quite left wing for his time, but times change. He even apologized for some of his early works before his death in 1991.

tyler@ebay Has eBay added any Seuss titles to their list of items that are not allowed? The only children's title I recall is Little Black Sambo, and those more for the illustrations than the story.
Hi @reallynicestamps - we are continuing to evolve our Offensive Materials policy to prohibit items that are discriminatory or portray negativity or stereotypes based on race or ethnicity.

As part of this effort, we will be removing the six Dr. Seuss books pulled from publication at the request of the author's estate due to offensive text and imagery.

Tyler is there either an official or unofficial list where sellers can confirm what is on eBay's offensive text database? Something like that would be most helpful. Currently all a seller can or usually does is check to see if other similar items are currently listed.

-Lotz

needsmorerobots · ‎03-04-2021

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
Tyler is there either an official or unofficial list where sellers can confirm what is on eBay's offensive text database? Something like that would be most helpful. Currently all a seller can or usually does is check to see if other similar items are currently listed.

-Lotz

Lotz. I couldn't find books in the listing unless it's under some other title.

https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/prohibited-restricted-items?id=4207

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-04-2021

@needsmorerobots wrote:
@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
Tyler is there either an official or unofficial list where sellers can confirm what is on eBay's offensive text database? Something like that would be most helpful. Currently all a seller can or usually does is check to see if other similar items are currently listed.

-Lotz
Lotz. I couldn't find books in the listing unless it's under some other title.

https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/prohibited-restricted-items?id=4207

Not positive but items of that nature may have been noted more specifically in the Prohibited list pre MP. I've also seen mentions from time to time in the dot ca/com discussion with a seller learning the hard way and finding out by accident.

I discovered some of the ins and outs of this a number of years ago during the process of listing a vintage, highly collectable Kipling book. The edition I had included a reverse symbol that looks very similar to something from German history. Including a photo of that image is not recommended.

Kipling chose the XXXXXX as a personal symbol because of its ancient Indian connotations of good luck and well-being ...

All becomes part of due diligence when listing anything that could be potentially controversial on eBay. Research, research, research!!! But as stated in my previous post, having something to reference would be most helpful to many sellers.

-Lotz

needsmorerobots · ‎03-05-2021

Yes, but if ever the list were to grow, only so much research one can do before you throw your hands in the air in frustration. It would be like reading custom rules and regulations on Canada Post.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-06-2021

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-06-2021

Not sure if this is an apples to apples comparison but if someone owns a book...any book, this means first off, they are no longer permitted to read it and secondly, if they so choose to sell it or give it away for that matter, they are not allowed to?

And if a book was written a number of years ago and gets dark grey listed(PC just to be safe), does it truly exist or only in the twilight zone? Insert associated music here!!!

It will soon be getting to the point where one will be questioning their judgement on EVERY listing they go to create.

-Lotz

brettjet38 · ‎03-06-2021

1984

teenytrinkets · ‎03-06-2021

Agreed...

I read this book called "The Last Librarian" where in a dystopian future, all physical publications were destroyed, and those they approved for digital storage were "edited" to promote complacency. I don't see the current PC cancel culture being any different...

jolp_emporium · ‎03-07-2021

Soooo... Do I list my copies or not? 😬

I see so many selling so fast for so much!

Don't want my account flagged either though, I just want to sell an item that there is obvisouly a huge demand for currently! What to do? 🤯

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-07-2021

@jolp_emporium wrote:
Soooo... Do I list my copies or not? 😬
I see so many selling so fast for so much!
Don't want my account flagged either though, I just want to sell an item that there is obvisouly a huge demand for currently! What to do? 🤯

According to Post 3, 6 Dr Seuss books are on eBay's naughty list. If you choose to list on eBay or any other online platform you are doing so at your own risk. If you have a good quality local used book store (Deals in collector editions) you may want to try there. Entirely up to a stores descretion if they plan to continue to sell. Some may even offer sell on consignment with fee charged if your item were to sell.

-Lotz

reallynicestamps · ‎03-10-2021

Was that Puck of Puck's Hill? I had that one up for years a long while back and finally donated it for lack of interest.

One of the reasons the Seuss Estate was willing to let those six (of some 30) titles go out of print was that they just don't sell any more.

Remember Pearl S Buck? Any Louisa May Alcott beyond Little Women? Warwick Deeping? PC Wren?

Not the only reason, but it made the decision easier.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-10-2021

@teenytrinkets It wasn't PC culture that banned Is That You God It's Me Margaret or Catcher in the Rye or Everybody Poops.

The National Post actually printed the offensive pictures. Look them up and make up your own mind about whether they are appropriate for children in a multi-cultural society.