Retailers want Congress to require eBay auctions to list serial numbers

[Kristijntje]

Retailers and police called on Congress on Thursday to require online auction sites such as eBay to post the serial numbers of items for sale to help crack down on gangs of professional shoplifters.

The Internet auction sites should also provide more information about high-volume sellers of goods, they said.

Both Democrats and Republicans on a House of Representatives Judiciary subcommittee said the issue is ripe for legislative attention, noting the retail industry loses more than $30 billion a year from organized theft...

full article: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technolog....html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[amy]

I'd like to see Target try to list the serial numbers for every product they sell.  :  If I have 500 (identical) iPods in stock I create one listing and the customer receives the one that is at the top of the pile in the warehouse--there is no way I would (or could) create a separate listing for each individual iPod or update the serial number displayed on the listing page every time an item sells.  :

[BellisimaJ.]

If I have 500 (identical) iPods in stock I create one listing and the customer receives the one that is at the top of the pile in the warehouse--there is no way I would (or could) create a separate listing for each individual iPod or update the serial number displayed on the listing page every time an item sells.  Roll Eyes

Seems reasonable. I would think that enactment of this proposed legislation would seriously hurt mid-sized and large businesses the most. eBay can't be very happy about it.

I'll be surprised if this goes anywhere.

[bargainbloodhound]

I'd like to see Target try to list the serial numbers for every product they sell.

:ditto:  without a serial number I have no way of knowing whether or not these multi billion dollar retailers are selling stolen merchandise on their websites.  (finger directed at the Fortune 500 in general).

SMALL Retailers said a critical issue is that MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR RETAILERS Internet auction sites are required to provide seller information only to law enforcement, not to SMALL retailers' own investigators.

I agree that's a problem.  My investigators have been unsuccessful in their attempts to get WallyWorld to divulge how much their suppliers pay their sweatshop workers in China. :twistedevil:

[BellisimaJ.]

I agree that's a problem.  My investigators have been unsuccessful in their attempts to get WallyWorld to divulge how much their suppliers pay their sweatshop workers in China. twistedevil

[maggie777]

The Internet auction sites should also provide more information about high-volume sellers of goods, they said.

High volume sellers generally aren't the ones who try to keep their identities hidden.

[bargainbloodhound]

[quote author=maggie777 link=topic=16748.msg65930#msg65930 date=1193695584]

The Internet auction sites should also provide more information about high-volume sellers of goods, they said.

High volume sellers generally aren't the ones who try to keep their identities hidden.
[/quote]

That's exactly what I was thinking.  High volume sellers are usually incorporated businesses (and have legal business names as opposed to made up business names like sockpuppetsdumpsterfinds) and are fairly easy to track down.

The source of high volume sellers merchandise would also be easy for law enforcement to verify (as opposed to the merchandise of someone who is selling dumpster finds) since they are buying from suppliers and their suppliers require EINs and State Tax ID numbers.

I think Target et al's singling out of high volume sellers is an attempt to stifle competition rather than an attempt at reducing the sale of stolen goods (similar to the way many companies abuse VERO)

[sneakymagenta]

I think Target et al's singling out of high volume sellers is an attempt to stifle competition rather than an attempt at reducing the sale of stolen goods (similar to the way many companies abuse VERO)

Ding ding ding ,we have a wiener winner!