Copycat sellers

[rocketscollectibles]

Someone copycated a variation listing i had for a while. He did not even bothered adjust anything. Took my title word for word. Literally copy pasted my personal description. If it would be a generic listing i would not mind but here that's a worked and personal one. That's dirty competition and so lazy. This seller will steal me sales by stealing my work. The only thing he did not took is my photos, and probably just because we don't have all the same variations. 

Anything we can do to counter that?

Worst thing is that it was one of my sources. He backed out dealing with me. Then i see that. He don't even know i'm the person he copycated (i use 2 separated accounts to buy and sell). Cringed when i saw it. Lost a source, gained a competitor, and he steal my work. That's tough. 

[mrdutch1001]

Life is tough...

copycating has been ongoing on eBay and other selling sites for more years than I can remember...

Sucks to have this happen, but short of asking the other seller to remove said offending listing, exactly what do you expect eBay to do? 

[ricarmic]

I have also had folks stealing my pictures and using them for their own material for many years now.

It is super frustrating, because same for me, it can take me up to half an hour to lay things out and take the pictures (for one of the big lots which is what folks like to steal).

I console myself with the belief that it won't last for long as the buyers for 100% sure will not get what is in the pictures from the seller.....

Having said this though, I haven't noticed any of my pictures scattered about for some time.

[rocketscollectibles]

Contacted eBay and they suggested to contact the seller. Not sure how it would be possible. It's too frustrating to contact without being too agressive. Those kind of sellers clearly don't care.

Basically there is nothing we can do. They say that in rules, by listing, you agree to share your listing details. You need to be copyrighted to be able to take down this pratice.

I feel like the only thing i could do is change my listing, which is even more frustrating. I noticed a 50% drop in views on it. It's obvious it's because of it. The only thing he has different is photos, in the algorythm we're 2 duplicate listings. 

Lesson of today, do not work too much your listings, anyone can steal them. 

[ricarmic]

I had people moreso in the past than present copying my wordings, and my picturing techniques, but as you mentioned this stuff isn't really protected.

Anymore my listing details are very sparse (since nobody really reads them anymore) and I think most sellers won't commit the time it takes me to set up similar stuff to what I sell the same way, but there are some!

[mrdutch1001]

yes it is a fact of life that anyone can steal your photos , steal your description, but if you truly are concerned about the photos, watermark them! I have been using watermarked photos for many of my items for many years now...It does not protect the photos from someone stealing them, but it certainly can look ridiculous and/or very obviously stolen when used on another seller's listing!