Seeing Fakes, Angry Traders Confront EBay: Will Tiffany Force eBay to Change?

[bargainbloodhound]

At first, Ms. Rogers thought she had snagged a great deal. But when the jewelry arrived from a seller in Rhode Island, her well-trained eye told her that all of the pieces were knockoffs.

Even though Ms. Rogers received a refund after she confronted the seller, eBay refused to remove hundreds of listings for identical "Weiss" pieces. It said it had no responsibility for the fakes because it was nothing more than a marketplace that links buyers and sellers.

That very stance — the heart of eBay's business model — is now being challenged by eBay users like Ms. Rogers who notify other unsuspecting buyers of fakes on the site. And it is being tested by a jewelry seller with far greater resources than Ms. Rogers: Tiffany & Company, which has sued eBay for facilitating the trade of counterfeit Tiffany items on the site.

If Tiffany wins its case, not only would other lawsuits follow, but eBay's very business model would be threatened because it would be nearly impossible for the company to police a site that now has 180 million members and 60 million items for sale at any one time.

full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/techno...9ebay.html

[mandy]

A related article:

Let the Buyer Be Wary: Tips to Spot Knockoffs

Counterfeit goods are rampant on the Internet, and buyers using online auction sites like eBay are especially vulnerable. Artwork, jewelry, designer accessories, autographed sports memorabilia and other collectibles are popular among counterfeiters.

full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/techno...yside.html

[jezebel]

eBay refused to remove hundreds of listings for identical "Weiss" pieces. ]It said it had no responsibility for the fakes because it was nothing more than a marketplace that links buyers and sellers.

Then why does it have an anti-fraud department with 1,000 workers?

[sneakymagenta]

CONTEST

Who is right?

1. New York Times 60 million items
2.  Medved 14 million items
3. Matt Halprin, eBay Management, 5 million items

Answer correctly and you'll get an authentic rare replica Tiffany cubic zirconium diamond necklace and a rare genuine gold colored knockoff Rolex. 

[Kristijntje]

CNBC Video (4 min 48 sec long): Could knockoffs knock down eBay?

note: video requires Microsoft© Internet Explorer 6, Microsoft© Media Player 10, and Macromedia Flash 7.

A related editorial:

Would it even be possible to manufacture a sterling silver chain bracelet, let alone one from Tiffany's, for $19.50?

Trying to hunt for a hard-to-find item or save $20 off retail value is one thing, but thinking that you're going to find everything you ever wanted for thousands of dollars less than what you'd normally pay is ridiculous.

There's a difference between being bargain-savvy and being foolish.

If you're willing to gamble with your money on the chance that you might find the one honest eBay seller who wants to give away their $300 item for $30, don't blame eBay when it turns out your faith was misplaced.

full article: http://www.asuwebdevil.com/issues/2006/0...ons/695491

[mandy]

Another article.  This one contends the Tiffany V. eBay battle will have far reaching consequences for the entire ecommerce industry.

A lawsuit against eBay filed two years ago by Tiffany -- a high-end jeweler whose prices are based as much on its brand name as on quality and craftsmanship -- is moving forward and is expected to go to trial by the end of this year. The Tiffany suit joins a number of earlier legal filings against the popular online auction site. In this particular case, eBay is accused of facilitating the sale of counterfeited Tiffany products, thus violating the jeweler's trademark. The outcome is likely to have broad implications for the entire e-commerce industry

"The question is, does eBay have an affirmative obligation to make sure what is going on under its own roof is legitimate?" This is an issue that has ramifications for all online service providers, not just the online auction community, said John F. Delaney, a partner at New York-based Morrison & Foerster.

full article: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/KG9K...erce.xhtml

Another related article:

EBay Trademark Suit Is The Real Thing

...the company charges that eBay facilitates and participates in counterfeiting and trademark infringement of Tiffany's trademarks.

The suit comes at a time when online auctions top the list of online fraud complaints, at 12 percent, according to information from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

According to Tiffany, trademark infringement and counterfeiting in the United States exceed $200 billion annually, with around $30 billion worldwide, or 10 percent of the total counterfeit market, trafficked online.

full article: http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/3581936

[mandy]

Related article on the backlash that eBay supporters have directed against the woman who spoke out against fraud on the crime-ridden auction site.

Jacqui Rogers says she wasn’t looking for 15 minutes of fame when she took on counterfeit jewelry vendors who were selling their wares on eBay. But after last Sunday’s Times story, the 53-year-old Josephine County woman has a new appreciation for the power of the press — or more specifically the backlash it can unleash against do-gooders.

"This is about right and wrong and eBay sheltering criminals," Rogers said Wednesday.

"I’ve been called a vigilante by lot of eBay sellers," says Rogers. "Some of the stuff they’ve said — both sellers and buyers — will blow your mind. It’s all because we’re rocking the boat, trying to get eBay to follow through on their promise to take care of people."

full article: http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2006/.../02biz.htm

[dnc_ont]

[quote author=mandy link=topic=2403.msg8781#msg8781 date=1138961654]
Related article on the backlash that eBay supporters have directed against the woman who spoke out against fraud on the crime-ridden auction site.
"I’ve been called a vigilante by lot of eBay sellers," says Rogers. "Some of the stuff they’ve said — both sellers and buyers — will blow your mind. It’s all because we’re rocking the boat, trying to get eBay to follow through on their promise to take care of people."[/quote]

OMFG.  Are people REALLY smoking THAT much crack these days?!

[xppman]

Crack and feebay 
go hand in hand.

Sorry but I love to see their reputation going down the tubes.

And ebay wonders (behind closed doors mind you)
why people are going away.

There are so many gaps they could close and
things they could do to roll back the site.

For instance:
Imagine how many dial up users could get in if all
the over bloated carp was removed that now makes it just
about impossible for those who will not wait 2 minutes for a page to load.

They went bye bye...

Another thing:
Imagine how many of us would stay and help promote ebay a little
if ebay was not such a one sided deal?

I mean I would have no problem listing more if they had no problem
allowing me to also refer people to my dot com on the ad space I PAY FOR
instead of being so worried about me making a sale and them not getting a cut
every time.

One more for the rant:
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
All this multiple ID's for one person is where the biggest problem lies.
Lax registration polices in order to make a buck will be their undoing as well as PP's.


They choose not only to NOT close the gaps.
They broaden them with every move they make and they
continually alienate it's paying customers in so many
ways that they can go nowhere but down from here IMO.


The important thing to them is making money for them PERIOD.
Buyers being scammed by their own lax registration polices is of no concern
just like everything else that is wrong with the site.

I KNOW if Goggle would get off their butts, and get this payment thing going
and tie it to Goggle base and spend a few mil. on an advertising campaign .

eBay would be a virtual ghost town almost overnight.


I read that there are now over 10 million listings on Goggle Base.

I'm ready to sign up for the payment platform and I wouldn't
even mind if they decided to charge a small listing fee
on the base after it got popular.

Just DON'T make the same mistake ebay did and tell me
what I can and can not do with my Ads on your server.

Let me run my biz my way and stay the hell out of it.

[sneakymagenta]

Let me run my biz my way and stay the hell out of it.

:action033: