New eBay Rules May Stop all Sales of Lower-Priced Art

[mandy]

A newly enforced regulation at eBay, the undisputed king of the Internet auction scene, has wreaked havoc with the business of at least one member, and it could have an unimagined effect on a segment of the burgeoning art-at-auction market, if uniformly enforced.

Everyone realizes that a fair percentage of the art offered at Internet auctions is incorrectly attributed, bears questionable signatures, or has other problems that would make its purchase a dubious investment, but to halt those sales eBay has taken steps akin to killing an ant with a sledgehammer...

On January 19, eBay abruptly ended ten art listings of seller Michael Leaveck of Washington, D.C., ...his listings were pulled for “Abusing eBay” and directed to a new regulation, Code of Conduct for Selling Art on eBay.

full article: http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/articl...ct0506.htm

[bargainbloodhound]

The main problem for sellers with eBay's rules:

“I, like the vast majority of the independent art sellers and collectors on eBay, trade in artworks in the range of less than $500. Any certified appraiser or ‘Expert’ qualified to do an authentication charges $250 per item at the very least.

The other problem: the usual eBay problem of an unLEVEL playing field when it comes to enforcement of its policies.

[stardust]

My God, what next?  And why would they choose to pick on a stellar seller?  I guess a competitor turned him in -- didn't like his success or some such thing, prolly.

Sheesh.  These ebay people are such blithering idiots.  It's mind boggling that such rules can be made up and stupidly enforced occasionally.

[iron_chick]

So eBay doesn't feel they have any obligation to try to slow down the tide of knock off Tiffany (Prada, Spade, insert other expensive brand here) goods being sold on the *venue* but they do feel the need to any reputable dealer selling even lower priced art work have it professionally appraised. 

Why not require a certificate of appraised and authentication for all the "Dooney and Bourke" purses (insert other expensive brand name item) being sold on the *venue*?  (Is that how you spell it?  I actually own one but it's not handy!)

Or for that matter, the computer goods - require an appraisal to show that the XBox Box actually contains an XBox? 

[stardust]

It's absolutely insane.  I'd like to turn in all the European and Chinese art dealers who are killing our US market with their *low-quality* factory paintings and calling them original.  Also those same paintings that are being made to look old, and being called *antique*.  Gawd.  Ebay is employing some real idiots.  :blinkie:

Actually the title of this thread should read:  ...will stop the sale of ALL art....

[bargainbloodhound]

...will stop the sale of ALL art....

You don't think sellers will be willing to spend $250 to get a $100 painting authenticated?  :twistedevil:

It's mind boggling that such rules can be made up

After several years on eBay I've come to expect idiotic policies...the policy team needs to come up with a constant stream of new policies to justify their team's existence.