How come eBay doesn't listen to complaints?

[deltone]

There is a seller on eBay who is continuously selling bootleg dvd's. I've reported him at least 8 times and yet he continues.

The dvd's are so obviously bootlegs and yet eBay lets them stand. This guy is selling all 7 dvd's on once for $19.95 which is barely more than what one should sell for. He is killing me and many other honest sellers by doing this and eBay ignores my complaints.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? I've even reported him to Guthy-Renker, the distributor of these dvd's but I guess they don't do anything about it as this has been going on for months. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[ospreylinks]

Call the cops instead. Let them deal with the fraud.

Jeff

[vchong2000]

Hello Deltone:

try this out:
http://www.recol.ca/

may be work.

victor ^_^

[shooger]

"How come eBay doesn't listen to complaints?"

It costs (effort and money) to listen, and doesn't provide anything in return. It's a very poor investment to listen.

[deltone]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Well, they answered me. Seems they don't care. They told me to report this person to the manufacturer. Doesn't seem to matter that the person is obviously bootlegging dvd's.........as long as the manufacturer doesn't complain, ebay won't do a damn thing about it. Go figure.

[shoplineca]

I wonder what would happen if the press got a hold of that statement.

Can you imagine the following headline "EBay tells Power Sellers that it doesnt have a problem with people using their auction venue to sell contraban!"

[deltone]

Ya, really. It just doesn't make sense. I mean ok, the guy doesn't put in the auction that the dvd's are bootleg but that doesn't mean a darn thing.

First of all he sells one dvd which contains all 7 of the dvd's on the one. The manufacturer doesn't even have all 7 on one. He sells it for $19.95 and the truth is that is what it "used" to cost for just one dvd, until this guy and others flooded the market with their bootleg ones. They are obviously bootlegs but eBay doesn't care.

[ospreylinks]

This really drives me nuts as well. As someone who has had an auction pulled by Ebay because the manufacturer didn't want their logo to appear in the listing, even though it was an authentic item, and then to have Ebay turn a blind eye to your request....

I am with Malcolm, contact your local newspaper and have them write a story, it will undoubtedly be picked up by the wire services and broadcast throughout the nation and beyond in no time...... however make sure your facts are correct before doing this.....

Jeff

[www-labels4less-com]

The problem is that Ebay can not verify that the item is a knock off. It is the buyers word against the sellers. If the seller stated that it was a bootleg then they would probably cancel the auction.

The fact that these are so cheap does not mean much. Canada Post is selling packs of 5 unopened video's that often sell for under $5.00 . Many people sell things for real cheap.

In your case it is probably true but still...Ebay can't prove it.

[deltone]

Oh, it's definitely true. The manufacturer doesn't make them with all 7 on one dvd so there is no question about it. Even with the guy's feedback.......although it's 100% positive (no negs) you can tell from some of the comments regarding the quality etc that these are copies.

What p*sses me off the most is I have 2 negs for selling bootleg dvd's and I didn't even do it. LOL I have never ever made a copy of a dvd. I don't even know how as I don't have the required software, or whatever it is that is required. Oh well, life goes on.

I doubt that eBay even emailed the guy to ask him if it's bootleg. Over a year ago I was naru'd. I was selling exercise tapes (a different manufacturer) and I included pics of the tapes. They were NOT copies. Anyhow, all of my auctions were pulled due to VERO infractions but they didn't tell me exactly what the problem was.

I assumed it was one particular thing (I forget what it was now......a few quotes or something in my auction from the jacket of the tape) so I changed that and relisted. BOOM, they were cancelled and I was naru'd. Took me a couple of weeks, and much correspondence with the manufacturer to find out the problem was that I had a pic of he video jacket. She finally agreed to let eBay unsuspend me and I was able to relist but could not include a picture of the item..........even though it was my own pic. Go figure. Now this guy is MAKING COPIES of the dvd's which is against federal law, and eBay does not a thing.

Of course why would they.......think about all the listing and FVF's they're making. What a crock.

[ospreylinks]

Well, if the same logic holds true as per post #8, the Ebay shouldn't be pulling any auction as they cannont verify manufacturers claims regarding copy-right or other claims, yet many of us have had them pulled.

Jeff

[shooger]

That's right. Tons of listings are pulled, based on the word of whoever reported them. They're feeding you a plate of BS when they tell you they can't pull a listing.

[systemagic]

I don't quite agree that eBay doesn't have an economic incentive to contend with this problem. This one seller, pedaling one illegal DVD featuring 7 normal DVDs, is undermining several legitimate sellers whose final value fees would significantly outstrip those made from the one bootlegger. Multiply this by his other auctions, and other bootleg sellers over time and eBay is losing real revenue. And that's just DVDs. There's a whole world of Rolex and other up-scale copies that render significant final value fees a fraction of what they would be otherwise. It would be worth their while to have a body of people trained to contend with this specific problem. I expect they will in time but it must be hard to keep pace with their rate of growth.

Is it possible to do as they suggest and identify the suspect auction to the manufacturer giving them eBay's contact info?

Or, if the manufacturer establishes a dialogue with eBay, and becomes a seller themselves, will they undermine all the other current sellers more heavily than the bootlegger?

[deltone]

You make some VERY good points sytemagic!! It's so true. I've not even bothered listing much of anything lately and this is one of the reasons. I'm going away for 10 days (tomorrow) so that's another reason, but I've actually lost my zest for selling these past few weeks because the items are not selling for what they should so I figure what is the point. I was hoping they'd pull this guy's auctions, and then things would get back to what they were and I'd get rid of the ones I have and find another product to sell but no such luck.

I get the feeling my days around here are numbered. So much for the old "level playing field" as it's impossible to compete with crooks.

[thebidwatcher]

With all due respect, deltone, the "level playing field", complaints about other sellers infractions, bootlegging etc on eBay is a waste of time. You did not get to be a power seller on your good looks - no one has seen your face - remember? You did so on your work.

For any seller you are complaining about, there are possibly hundreds you do not know about, worldwide. With the millions of sellers and listings, who knows what lurks out there? For about a year now I have read your posts here and on .com and you often say, "my days are numbered" etc.

Please join a group off this board for power sellers and get encouragement, ideas, friendship and support to help figure out how to make your business grow. So many people here are in the same boat. Fussing over some schmuck who bootlegs CD's is not worth your energy.

As for eBay, they have many masters, some who pay thousands to advertise, list and function. Unfortunately they cannot and will not appease everyone. Such is business. I would move on and concetrate on folks who care about ME. Obviously lots of folks here do.

If you are into silver at all, I invite you to join silverlovers, my discussion group, to start - we are the friendliest of them all!

Lisa

[carly@ebay.com]

Hi Deltone,

Could you please email me the details on the auctions you are referring to for bootlegged CD's, and I will have someone look into them. I can escalate your complaint and find out why the auctions have not been cancelled. I am sorry that you have not received an answer from eBay. My email address is carly@ebay.com.

Thanks,
Carly