Seller using same photos for multiple listings of vintage items

[kimberlymccabe]

I won an auction yesterday for a *supposedly* rare and unique vintage textile. Today I noticed that just minutes before I won the auction the same seller listed another textile described in the exact same manner with the only difference being the length is a couple inches shorter on the newly listed item. The thing that has me feeling very uncomfortable is the fact that they used the *exact* same photos on both auctions. It isn't a case of similar photos but rather the same photos. Now I'm wondering what I'm actually going to receive in the mail. Am I going to get what was shown in the photos or? I just contacted the seller and brought the issue to their attention, I was polite and not accusatory, but I am worried. Is there anything in particular I should be doing or saying or should I simply wait and see what shows up in the mail? This wouldn't bother me nearly so much if the cost of the item had been less. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[reallynicestamps]

with the only difference being the length is a couple inches shorter on the newly listed item.

• Or he could have two pieces of fabric one 40"x 50" and one 40" x60" (for example, I don't know the lengths that were offered.)

• If he was buying fabric in a thrift store, it would not be surprising to find two lengths being sold together.
• Or two identical pieces separated and sold separately.

• Or if the fabric were being sold to quilters or doll clothing makers, he could have cut the fabric because he thought the shorter pieces would sell faster.

You could follow up your post-sale email, with another asking if you could buy the second piece and get a discount on shipping, if you need more fabric. Or make a Best Offer on the second piece.

Reusing a picture that shows the fabric pattern doesn't seem like a problem to me. I use the same picture for all my mint postage packets of a given value and the contents of those are much more variable than being slightly different lengths.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'kimberlymccabe',

<<...the same seller listed another textile described in the exact same manner with ... the *exact* same photos .... Am I going to get what was shown in the photos or? >> 

It is not at all unusual for a seller to have more than one length of a fabric to offer for sale.  And since the pattern, fiber content and appearance are exactly the same, - in this case the difference being only "a couple inches", - there would be no point at all for a seller to take different pictures and then have to upload them and create a new listing.  It is far easier for the seller to use the same pictures and choose "Sell similar" when relisting the remaining pieces.

As you know, the photos of the fabric itself will not 'prove' the length.  

So you can be quite sure you will receive exactly what you bought and paid for.  And yes, if you want the second piece, see what you can work out with the seller.  

If ever you do not receive an item that was described in the listing, perhaps you have seen this ebay 'help' link explaining what to do and when to do it:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/item-not-received.html

For now, however, I wish you joy of your beautiful new fabric.