To politely let eBay sellers know they're selling fake bags

[PenelopeQueef]

I love Mulberry bags, but the older styles which they no longer produce. I treat myself to one now and again, usually selling one I no longer use to pay for it. Consequently, I spend far too much a little bit of time on eBay looking at bags. When I do, I'm amazed by the n umber of very obvious fakes for sale. Most of the time it seems pretty clear that the seller is unaware the bag they're selling is fake. In the past I've reported the fake bags to eBay, only for them to do nothing about it, and some poor sod ends up spending hundreds on a fake bag.

Just recently, as well as reporting, I've sent a very polite message to the seller saying that I'm so sorry, but their bag is fake. I'm always very respectful and supply links to authentication sites so they can confirm. It must be horrible to get a message like that, but I feel like I can't sit back while an unsuspecting buyer loses hundreds of pounds and eBay does nothing. Nine times out of ten, the seller is grateful that I've made them aware and the exchange is very friendly, and they end the listing. Sometimes, they ignore the message completely, and occasionally, I get a very nasty, abusive reply (most recently I've been called a troll with no life by a woman who insists her bag is genuine, even though it's not even leather!). I have a thick skin so it doesn't bother me much - the fact that this horrid woman is conning unsuspecting buyers does, however.

Question is, AIBU to do this - I do sometimes feel like I'm stickybeaking but I've unwittingly bought a fake before after saving for months, and I know how heartbreaking it is. Also there's the very dodgy ethics behind fake designer goods (one could argue that a bag costing hundreds is ethically questionable anyway I guess, but that's not the issue here). As I say, I'm always very polite and never accuse sellers of anything, and always make it clear I believe them to be genuine sellers who are simply unaware that their bag isn't real.

Should I carry on, or just leave it to eBay who do sod all?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Meh. They're just bags.

Who cares? Why bother?

I expect the person selling is well aware.

[MadisonMontgomery]

You should definitely carry on - imagine if some poor person has saved up for a bag and ends up buying a fake, they'd be gutted.

[JinkxMonsoon]

Don't message the seller - I'm sure plenty of them are more than aware that they're selling a fake.

eBay is awash with Mulberry fakes and it always has been, so I don't think there's much point trying to fight it really.

[MadisonMontgomery]

But yes, I don't believe these sellers are innocently selling what they believe is genuine - surely they know where they bought the bag for originally?

[harderandharder2breathe]

Surely people know the risks of buying on eBay and if it matters to them they should be making sure it's legitimate

I dunno if I would do what you do, it could be seen as busybody although I don't think that's true in this situation

[snubs]

You absolutely should let them know and, whereever possible, potential buyers too. Just because "loads of people" do something, in this case sell fake bags, does not make that something right or acceptable. I personally would like to thank you for trying to make a difference, even if it is just a teeny tiny drop in a vast ocean.

[Piscivorus]

Carry on. Some years ago I bought a Louis Vuitton bag off eBay which was described as genuine but clearly fake when it arrived. The seller was unhappy despite me providing evidence (she refused to accept it) and, although she accepted it back, I was out of pocket on postage and she then resold it as genuine.

[Clutteredmess]

Definitely let them know - I put something on which I thought was genuine. I was contacted by someone advising me of this and I removed it immediately.

[DreamingofItaly]

I'd let them know. I thought EBay had a strict no fakes policy? I recall a year or so ago trying to sell a pair of louboutins that I bought from eBay as genuine and eBay removed my posting for them being fake! I couldn't believe it!

You should def report to eBay too. Go get 'em. You're a one woman crusade against the fakers!!

[VimFuego101]

I don't believe the sellers don't know they're fake. Report them to eBay or the brand.

[Doinmummy]

Report to Ebay but there's so many selling fake stuff they probably can't keep up with it .

Otherwise it's a case of caveat emptor

[acasualobserver]

You need a new hobby.

[ABloodyDifficultWoman]

eBay simply can't keep up with the number of fakes on the site so you can sit and report all day long and all that happens is sellers relist the fakes on a very short listing and usually over the weekend when there is less chance of eBay being fully staffed and able/willing to investigate.
The sad truth is that if you want a guaranteed genuine designer item then your best bet is to avoid eBay altogether.

[springwaters]

Mmm. Are the experts the lovely purse forum?

I bought my 1st mulberry bag in 1990 from Liberty. I have a few- tend to be more unusual ones.

I listed one on ebay. Bought from Liberty by me, never been out of my possession. In about 1997 mulberry kindly provided me with a spare part as it was lost when trying to get 2 babe sin to the car in a busy supermarket.

Was emailed by some ebay user and asked for more pictures of the label and tags. naively I sent them

Was then emailed by some woman saying it was fake because the purse forum said so. I then looked at the so called "experts'' on the purse forum

Bollocks. Total bollocks.

I had the original email trail with mulberry and the response to the picture that i sent them of the bag in 1997 trying to get the replacement part.

[ApostrophesMatter]

They're only bags and worth whatever people want to pay, whoever makes them.