Sold a bag, new seller copied/pasted my description--do I contact her or report her?

K.Z.

K.Z.

O.G.
Jun 25, 2008
19,666
13
#1
I sold a bag last weekend and today it was listed with new photos but with my description copied and pasted. I would never use descriptions or photos without permission, plus it's a violation of fbay rules. We left each other positive feedback. She could've asked me... Do I contact the seller and say something to her directly and risk her getting pissed and filing some bogus claim with PayFoe? Or do I report her to e`bay and probably risk the same thing? I don't know....what do you think?
 
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#2
Ugh! ive had this happen to me before, I contacted ebay and two days later they wrote me saying they werent going to do anything about it. I contacted the seller myself and told them to stop using my description, that it took hours for me to come up with the crap i write and to take it down before i reported it. Needless to say the seller took it down, without ebays help!
 
#3
It happened to me twice and was fixed (once with pics for one item that I wasn't even selling! They stole a pic from either here or myspace. The second with my description that I sat there writing for about 20 minutes, I was so descriptive). Both times I just reported it directly to *bay...I didn't want the sellers to mail me some email with attitude, KWIM? And who knows if they'd even take it down anyway. But then the third time, this seller had copied nearly everything about my auction, from the layout to the wording about contacting me if under 10 fb, smoke pet and child free home, etc. I reported it once and *bay said they couldn't do anything about it because my auction was posted after hers. UM NO. So I contacted them again with at least TEN different auctions that ended in the beginning of the year, showing how she copied my wording and *bay said there wasn't enough proof that she copied me. OMG that made me mad. I never contacted her b/c it would be awkward since she's a TPFer and had purchased something from me in the past but still. It's the creepiest thing when someone is copying so much from you (including purchases). BUT, enough on that tangent.

Anyway in your case, since you know the seller, I'd contact her first and just say, "Hi, I noticed you copied my description without my permission. I'd appreciate if you would do so in the future" yadda yadda. Of course, the wording will depend on if you're ok with her using it after she has your permission or if you want her to write a new one.
 
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#4
:police: REPORT HER!

There is a link at the bottom of all listings...contact them asap!

I would not contact her though!

If you want to pm me I will aso report for you.

Hope you watermark your auctions?
 
#5
To me just seems really petty! You did do a transaction with her and she obviously isn't happy with the bag and is using her own pictures, yes it would have been nice if she had asked but ya know some people just don't use a brain at all. Look on the bright side at least she didn't bother you about returning it!!

Not like some random seller who just came accross and took your info. If there is something in the description that is not accurate then I would report.
 
#6
I'm super nice to sellers and buyers I deal with and very G.I. about paying immediately when buying and not bugging the seller needlessly; shipping the bag immediately when selling and contacting the buyer during each step of the way; I couldn't be more decent. I have used photos from other sellers ALWAYS asking for permission and letting them know I'll understand if they say no, to not worry, etc. What is so hard about sending a quick email to ask? To take it without asking is mediocre and kind of class-less, IMO. Plus, fundamentally, it is stealing. So I'm not happy about his situation at all. If she had asked me first, I probably would've said OK and asked her to change the font and color I use--that's all. But she didn't ask, so now the answer would be NO.
 
#7
Firefly32 said:
To me just seems really petty! You did do a transaction with her and she obviously isn't happy with the bag and is using her own pictures, yes it would have been nice if she had asked but ya know some people just don't use a brain at all. Look on the bright side at least she didn't bother you about returning it!!

Not like some random seller who just came accross and took your info. If there is something in the description that is not accurate then I would report.
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Actually, she's a powerseller, so I knew she would turn around and flip the bag--and for a hefty profit. She got a great deal with me price-wise and transaction-wise.

My descriptions are very detailed and, as a writer, I take my time with every single word I write. I spent an hour on that one.

I'm definitely doing something about it. What I don't know is whether to just report her (is it worth it, will fbay pull the listing?) or to contact her--which could be OK if she's cool about it, says sorry and revises her listing OR could piss her off and lead to a confrontation that could've been avoided. So I'm wondering which way I stand a better chance to get my description off that listing.
 
#8
Either way she is going to know it was you, so do what you feel most comfortable with. I guess contact her since it bothers you so much, I have a feeling is what really bothers you is that she is gonna profit more from it. Contact her and maybe she won't even say anything and just revise her listing.
 
#10
the issue is not the relisting of the item.

the issue is she is stealing your pics and decription and that is against the rules

why should the seller profit from the fruits of your labour?

its not on!
 
#11
Firefly32 said:
To me just seems really petty! You did do a transaction with her and she obviously isn't happy with the bag and is using her own pictures, yes it would have been nice if she had asked but ya know some people just don't use a brain at all. Look on the bright side at least she didn't bother you about returning it!!

Not like some random seller who just came accross and took your info. If there is something in the description that is not accurate then I would report.
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totally agree here!
 
#12
Firefly32 said:
Either way she is going to know it was you, so do what you feel most comfortable with. I guess contact her since it bothers you so much, I have a feeling is what really bothers you is that she is gonna profit more from it. Contact her and maybe she won't even say anything and just revise her listing.
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I dont necessarily think that this is the case, what Op is saying is that It is her own personal writing not just
8x5x7 but her own personal spin on the description and it took her alot of time and effort to do so, so it is unfair for someone to just copy and paste what to her an hour or more to do, out of sheer laziness. I would be peeved too.
 
#13
Firefly32 said:
Either way she is going to know it was you, so do what you feel most comfortable with. I guess contact her since it bothers you so much, I have a feeling is what really bothers you is that she is gonna profit more from it. Contact her and maybe she won't even say anything and just revise her listing.
Click to expand...

I'm not bothered by her listing it at a higher price because (a) why should I? I try to make as large a profit as I can whenever possible; (b) because I had listed the bag at the exact price she listed it, and it didn't sell; I needed money pronto so I went lower to sell it asap--that was my choice. Buying and selling is a hobby for some and a business for others. That's cool. What I don't like is the stealing part--it probably took her 5 minutes to prep that listing because I spent an hour on it.
 
#14
as I already mentioned.......

just because you buy an item it does not give you the right to copy the sellers description and pics- THEY ARE COPYRIGHT! You bought the bag not the listing!

Here is why:
i1) the pics and description are copyright!
2) its against feebay rules to use other sellers pics and description!

its not hard to understand!
if you want to sell use your own pics and description!
do not steal them from someone else!
 
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