Listing Descriptions

[blueedgecrafts]

When listing products for sale on eBay, do you use your own unique descriptions, or do you borrow them exactly from online stores? I only ask as I found a seller who has taken text exactly from our online store. I created the description - we always try to use original descriptions. I'm astounded by her reply that it's her own text - when it's exactly the same - how can that be? I know great minds can think alike, somehow I don't this is the case here

I do remember this seller from a few years ago as she stole one of our online store pictures and claimed it was her own when challenged. When I showed her the original, she backed down and took the time to take her own picture and removed ours. It's a little bit cheeky don't you think? Not to mention lazy - I don't spend my time thinking up original stuff to have it used without my permission.

[chameleon54]

I've had the same problem a few times with sellers cutting & pasting my descriptions. I hav'nt worried about it as they have been private sellers with single items. If they made a habit of it on multiple items I would certianly report them as it breaches ebay listing policies.

[blueedgecrafts]

Well, now I get a message saying she's too busy to take down her listings and that they are her own words, which is utter rot. Also, threatens to report me to eBay for harassing her. Also, accused me of being a bully, plus she's had a solicitor friend to look it over - yeah right, any solicitor wojld say that from the details of her listings they are exactly the same - our website date stamps when items are input so we know when we did the details.

I have emailed eBay with the details, not sure what to do now, it isn't a few listings this is a business using our descriptions directly from our website. Wonder if she's done the same to other store owners or other eBay users. Seems like she's the big bully who gets angry when she's outed. 

This is one reason why I don't list on eBay, it seems to let people get away with this type of stuff.

[chameleon54]

The ebay email thing has never worked for me. If I want something done, I always phone customer support as I find a real person a bit more responsive than a computer. You dont always get the result you want, but the success rate is a lot better than the email thing. Make sure you have the copied listing item numbers ready &  read the policy relating to your complaint and keep reinforcing that the cut & paste pest is breaching the particular relevant policy. If you look like getting side tracked go straight back to the policy. If no success from first call centre staff member ask to speak to a supiviser and ask them to REMOVE the offending listings.. Good luck.

[blueedgecrafts]

Thanks Chameleon, I'll ring them on Monday, I get the luxury of having the weekend off which is how I stumbled across this.

I do understand that people get bit embarrassed and angry when caught how, so maybe I could have handled it differently. Although, going by our last copy from this same person, the result was so similar. Why not just say "Oh yeah, sorry, I did copy you, can I use it still?" Then, I could have said no instead of having to report them. They now run the risk of having their account suspended.

[bsal6160]

one word for our complaint "petty"

[blueedgecrafts]

lol, yeah they are rather aren't they?  No originality, just good with click and paste, very petty. Thanks for the comment 😉

[casaudio]

I don't understand. You are aggreeing all this is petty but you continue to waste time on something that is going to be hard to proove.. You don't have any listings so how can you say this person has copied yours? You would have to proove that it is your own wording and how do you do that?  I don't think you have a leg to stand. The text isn't exactly the same and if you need these words to describe a particular product I don't this seller has done anything wrong. I would be very carefull in calling this person a lier and stealing, they are pretty deframatory comments and may get you into trouble. If I was you I would move on and not get so petty on the little things. Especially when you don't sell on ebay I don't see how they are going to support you.  

[blueedgecrafts]

I think you should look up the word plagiarism, read the rest of this topic and fully try to understand what has actually happened before commenting. My online store has these items listed, I wrote the text and the eBayer has just copied it exactly from my online store. It is against eBays rules to use descriptions which are not your own.

Added to the fact is that this person took one of our pictures and used that too. eBay did get them to remove the picture and tey took the time to take one of their own. It isn't hard to understand that if you copy someone else's work, and you get found out, then you should either remove the text or face the consequences. 

I have to admit to being a bit factious in agreeing with the last poster who thinks the whole thing is petty. As I said, I haven't sold much on eBay since joining in 2001, that doesn't mean it isn't wrong to copy another persons work and claim it as your own. I do have proof that it is my text, so I can PROVE it, our website has date stamped the items when they were listed, that should be proof enough that the text is copied exactly from our website. 

I will move on as soon as they remove the listing with my text.

[thecatspjs]

It would annoy the heck out of me too ....

But .... at some point as sellers we have to take some responsibility and action in relation to trading practices such as these.

I personally would get my solicitor to prepare a letter on my behalf demanding the removal of offending text within x amount of days.  I would send it to the seller and I would send a copy to eBay. 

The solictor cost could be a possible tax deduction as it directly relates to business activities.

[blueedgecrafts]

I am looking at that option, another option is to see how many they have sold and charge them a fee for every one they've sold using my descriptions. That might deter them in the future. The easiest thing for all concerned wold be for the seller to admit they have taken the text from our website, remove it and say sorry. I doubt that will happen though.

Either that or amend their listings stating that they have removed the text borrowed from us - that would be even nicer 🙂