What recourse do people have when buying counterfeit goods on eBay?

[mandy]

To find out what recourse people have when buying counterfeit goods through an online auction, we purchased five designer items on eBay, the leading auction site, at bargain prices for goods sellers advertised as being authentic: Chloe and Fendi handbags, a Gucci wallet, Tiffany earrings and a Burberry scarf. Finding the items was easy -- a search for any designer's name turned up dozens of results, with prices ranging from as little as 10 percent of the retail price to as much as full price. We picked the listings with the best deals from sellers who had mostly positive feedback and who guaranteed the authenticity of the products.

Though our sample was small, four of the five products we purchased turned out to be fakes. (We couldn't determine the authenticity of the fifth one.) We then followed eBay's recommended course of action: First contact the seller, and then file a formal complaint with eBay itself...

full article: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06180/702121-96.stm

[iron_chick]

We picked the listings with the best deals from sellers who had mostly positive feedback and who guaranteed the authenticity of the products.

Though our sample was small, four of the five products we purchased turned out to be fakes. (We couldn't determine the authenticity of the fifth one.)

wow.  :o

[xppman]

EBay said that experiences like ours are rare. "I don't think that (the test) is representative," says Chris Donlay, an eBay spokesman. "Given the amount of trade that happens on the eBay platform, the large, large, majority of transactions on eBay are satisfactory for both sides.

Right As if Chris Donlay is going to tell the "TRUTH" about the rampant fraud on scambay.


They profit handsomely from it.

Goes right back to the lack of positive VERIFICATION
of it's sellers on the site.  :

[amy]

the lack of positive VERIFICATION of it's sellers on the site.

One of the side effects of excessive Kool-Aid drinking is a belief that limited verification works (eBay). 

BTW, one of the warning signals that  someone's excessive Kool-Aid drinking has led to an overdose and that they need immediate medical attention is a belief that "no verification is necessaary, 'Trust' will save us from scammers" (wagglepop) 

[xppman]

eBay feels the same way but their motto is.

Trust us... WE are the ones making all this money on the frauds so
STFU or we will Pink Slap you right outta here. 

[bud]

If they would have bought more items the percentage of bogus ones would have been higher.
xpp, have you visited any anti-PP boards today? A very interesting developements has occured.

[xppman]

If your talking about CAPPS yes. I saw her paycheck.
Is that it?