Chinese seller with 15 Ebay IDs and 1000 items lists 15,000 times

[dp_30]

I recently discovered 15 Chinese Ebay IDs who are "collaborating" by submitting multiple listings for the same items at the same price.  Their store database is almost identical and sell nearly 1000 of the same items. Technically they have 15,000 Ebay listings and this is all through one company or individual which puts my honest, paltry 65+ Ebay listings in the lowest ranking on Ebay's search engine.  Their user IDs are fake and are purportedly selling from Sydney, China, US and Germany.  In some instances, even the Ebay user IDs have been created on the same day and the same physical location in Sydney!  They tweak the photos and headings, use JPGs instead of product descriptions to avoid the Ebay BOTs but are still silly enough to list these duplicate items at the same price.

My sales for February have been significantly lower and although this is traditionally by low season, I can't explan the drop in my "bread and butter" items.  My listings were near the top of search listing a few weeks ago and have dropped to about 20, even though my prices are competitive.  I could move my item to other online selling sites and use the fees I would ordinarily pay to Ebay to pay for additional advertising for my website.

These guys are seriously undercutting my business as they are selling similar products and I will need to close my Australian Ebay store if Ebay does not address this.  I realise that 15 sellers and a potential 15,000 listings is just a drop in the ocean, but it's my drop.  I see this happening everywhere on Ebay and have asked the US discussion boards for their advice.  In the US, when a seller is banned, their IP is also banned but this is not the case in China.  Sadly, these sellers will reregister as soon as they are removed.

I submitted very comprehensive evidence to them on 2nd March 2016, called a "human" today and they said I'll have a response in the next 24~48 hours.

I'm sure the media would be interested.

[collect247]

Good luck in your endevours but the Chinese are allowed to do what ever they like as they are ebays pride and joy.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Trading without being clear about location was against the rules the last time I looked. That's what you can push as a complaint with eBay if you have proof. Otherwise, if they are shipping the items, then they are trading honestly as far as I can see. Some traders do have warehouses in Sydney, and might have stock here too.

There is nothing stopping you or I from opening up multiple stores selling similar products at similar prices.

If the IDs are created for the purpose of fraud (non-delivery, substitution, etc.) then eBay should act but probably won't...Chinese sellers get away with a lot. They are big business.

I understand your frustration but eBay is a global playing field. Unless they are breaking eBay rules, there is nothing to be done about competition from China.

[phorum_junkie*]

They are probably not the same seller, just all the sellers who buy from a particular wholesaler who allows them to use their catalogues to make their listings which is why they all look pretty much the same.

[ourphonecase]

Yeah, too much assumptions to make. Nothing will probably happen unless OP has concrete proof. If it were me, I would never dob someone in. That was something I did when was 7 years old.

[davidc4430]

lets hope you have a win with ebay with this, i for one will be watching in 2 days time for your thread update claiming victory over the chinese. then we can let the USA know how its done.

[ourphonecase]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

lets hope you have a win with ebay with this, i for one will be watching in 2 days time for your thread update claiming victory over the chinese. then we can let the USA know how its done.

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In the history of like never.. besides I have never been able to convince eBay with logic... I believe its so hard to persuade them with assumptions.. There is nothing concrete that will make them sure to delete and either way it will be a useless crusade  because people will always find ways around it.

[247newdeals]

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@ourphonecase wrote:
Yeah, too much assumptions to make. Nothing will probably happen unless OP has concrete proof. If it were me, I would never dob someone in. That was something I did when was 7 years old.

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One reason people find it so easy to rip other people off and do harm to others is because of attitudes like yours. Do yourself and others a favor and ditch the criminalised attitude that was made to protect criminals and if you see someone doing something wrong man up and do something about it.

[247newdeals]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

lets hope you have a win with ebay with this, i for one will be watching in 2 days time for your thread update claiming victory over the chinese. then we can let the USA know how its done.

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Somehow I doubt it EBay.au is very much a market place for the Chinese I was going to buy a garlic press and even something as simple as that it is hard to find a seller who is Australian I think I will just grab one from the local supermarket at least they employ Aussies (even though I doubt much of the profits stay in Aus)

[dp_30]

It's a grey area the Chinese are exploiting.  It appears as an global umbrella company with item locations in Australia.  However, when several of the 15 participants register with Ebay in Australia as new members on the same day and in the same location, list the same items at the same price with tweaked photos and descriptions, it leaves them open to scrutiny.