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Original poster

Someone's copied bits of my listing on ebay.

132 replies

SophiesDog · 30/07/2015 20:39

Very similar item and not very common in the UK, mine's been on for less than a week and has a lot of watchers.

Theirs is a worse version on at a fifth of the price, but similar, and they have basically stolen about three different long sentences I have used to describe mine, and bunged them into their description.

I have sent a friendly message saying 'nice item, did you mean to copy bits of my listing word for word?!' Best wishes, etc.

Bit nervous now...but honestly how hard is it to write your own bloody description?

OP posts:
Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:02

I have a hold of myself thank you. I was pretty annoyed but far more annoyed with the sarcasm and nastiness from some people on here.

I had a message back from the other seller which included a rather grudging apology and explained that they aren't a frequent seller (nor am I but still) and hadn't a clue what to write so copied what was 'around'.

I can see why they did it but it still seems a crap thing to do - mainly because I wouldn't do it to someone else.

Anyway I will leave it be - having pointed it out that I'd noticed, and the fact they haven't sought to deny it, means that they are aware people realise when it happens and it might put them off doing it again.

Thanks for the supportive comments.

OP posts:
Tryharder · 31/07/2015 08:07

Did you put a copyright on your listing?Wink

It's not that I think you're unreasonable but I just can't understand why you would even give this headspace or why you even bother reading other people's listings.

It's eBay not the Pulitzer Prize or your final exams at Cambridge.

southeastastra · 31/07/2015 08:12

op i think there's an ebay topic, less full of tits

my first ebay listing someone stole the picture and description Grin i reported it was pulled job done.

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:13

I read their listing because I am looking for a similr item to replace mine, and this popped up in the search so I had a look as I am interested in these items.

I think ebay holds automatic copyright a bit like MN does of the stuff we put on here.

I care because I wrote the copy they have used, and I think it's quite good, and well written, and the listing gives you an idea of what the seller is like as well as the item, and so people will read their listing and think 'Oh that's funny' or 'that's good' and buy their item based partly on that, and not realise that it's just copied and pasted from someone else's item.

It's not fair, is what I am trying to say. It's exactly the same as plagiarism albeit in a different context to an exam or a novel. And it's wrong for the same reasons - they are, simply put, making money, or making themselves look good, out of my writing.

OP posts:
Changebagsandgladrags · 31/07/2015 08:16

So what is it then? Something that rusts and needs a long description.

Is it a ship?

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:17

massive dildo.

OP posts:
Roussette · 31/07/2015 08:20

Sophie I totally get where you are coming from. It does depend what the item is and what sentences they have pinched but it is a cheek!

I had something like this happen (not Ebay, not selling anything) but I had taken a lot of time and effort to write something long out and someone pinched the whole blardy lot and pretended it was theirs! (more of a book blog thing). How dare they! My critique was long and good, don't just copy what I've written and pretend you wrote it! When I write things, it is me and personal, my humour, my way of writing etc.

I'm not an Ebayer Sophie, I have no idea how it works on there. Personally, if it were me I would change my copy to reflect that my item is the real deal and make yours even better in some way. But bottom line is, I get where you are coming from.

Cabrinha · 31/07/2015 08:22

They ALWAYS rust.

I do think it's a massive over reaction though. The very definition of sweating the small stuff. I understand why you feel it's cheeky, but still - it's just not a big deal.

WorktoLive · 31/07/2015 08:25

EBay is a selling platform not a creative writing competition.

If there is more than one item that I want, I will pick whichever is the cheapest, closest if collecting, or from which seller looks most honest and reliable.

The quality of the written prose in the description doesn't really come into it as long as it doesn't appear that the seller is trying to be dishonest.

Overly complex or 'try hard' descriptions would probably put me off and if it's a commercially available item, I would independently verify any pertinent details anyway.

swallowed · 31/07/2015 08:31

But lots of people copy the descriptions direct from the manufacturers website!

So I don't see any problem in copying it from them. It enables me to access the site, if I didn't copy the descriptions I wouldn't be able to sell anything...

Seriouslyffs · 31/07/2015 08:32
Grin I hope you get a good price and some sleep
19lottie82 · 31/07/2015 08:32

The quality of the written prose in the description doesn't really come into it as long as it doesn't appear that the seller is trying to be dishonest.

It may not with you, but it does with most buyers, and that's a proven fact.

19lottie82 · 31/07/2015 08:34

So I don't see any problem in copying it from them.
Maybe you don't, but it's still copyright theft and against eBay's T&C's

if I didn't copy the descriptions I wouldn't be able to sell anything...

Really? You couldn't spend 5 minutes typing out your own?

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 31/07/2015 08:37

I would have thought that it's perfectly normal to take your lead from someone elses description of a similar item, especially as a novice seller. If it describes the item. Although I like to think I'd have had the intelligence to change it around a bit.

Glastokitty · 31/07/2015 08:41

Totally fucking bonkers!

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:43

'If there is more than one item that I want, I will pick whichever is the cheapest, closest if collecting, or from which seller looks most honest and reliable.'

and you establish this how? Either from feedback (fair enough) or from the way it is written. You can tell an awful lot from someone's tone and language on ebay. Humour, detail, punctuation all combine to give an impression of honesty or otherwise.

'The quality of the written prose in the description doesn't really come into it as long as it doesn't appear that the seller is trying to be dishonest. '

Yes - exactly. You can tell when someone is trying to be dishonest by how they write. Andwhether you have the same outlook, similar sense of humour, similar approach to selling and communicating.

it's really critical to a purchase, for me, especially of an expensive item, that I like a description and the way it is written and what that conveys about the seller.

I recently bought a different item which had a great description and I knew from that exactly what sort of person had owned it, how seriously they had looked after it, and their whole ethos was pretty discernable.

It makes the difference between a nervous purchase where you're not sure if you will get what you've bought, and something you know will be utterly fine to the point you're willing to pay by bank transfer.

(helps if you can google the seller as well!)

So it matters. A lot.

OP posts:
RealityCheque · 31/07/2015 08:51

Wow Sophie. That last post!!!

Are you actually serious?

Do you really think that folk look for 'humour' and 'tone' etc in product descriptions when buying other people's used shite? Utterly, utterly bonkers! Grin

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:53

Er yes. It's how I do it and I think it's probably relevant to a lot of serious buyers and sellers.

Why wouldn't it be? How do you judge a person's honesty or otherwise? How you perceive them matters - or do you just buy stuff without thinking about that?

I've 100% feedback over more than a thousand transactions. I think I've learned a thing or two by now!

OP posts:
swisscheesetony · 31/07/2015 08:54

Fuck me. This changes my shopping habits forever!

Next time I'm searching "jeans size 18 8", I will read the descriptions and award critique. Why on earth do people do wordy descriptions? "No holes" is good enough "suitable for a cruise" makes my eyes just roll out of my head and across the floor.

As an aside OP, if you're seriously good at copy - turn it to your advantage and cash in. It's a special skill and not all of us have it. When I need to write copy (eBay listings/international best selling children's books) - I'm like the proverbial monkey at a typewriter.

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:55

and I don't think most people consciously look for those things, I think much of it is subconscious. That doesn't mean it doesn't take place.

OP posts:
Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 08:58

You don't need a wordy description for a pair of jeans. You might want one for a car, or another large expensive item.

You have to tell the story, give as much information as you can. Otherwise you just get an enormous series of questions form people asking about the stuff you haven't covered. Which gets tiresome!

You might as well cover it all at once in the public domain, not seventeen times in private message format.

OP posts:
RealityCheque · 31/07/2015 08:59

Comedy Gold!

Any chance of a link to one of your listings OP? I would love have the opportunity to see a 'proper' description.

WorktoLive · 31/07/2015 08:59

I just look for a clear photograph and description of the condition (does it work, age etc).

I don't want to be the seller's friend. And once feedback has gone past about 50 or so,it is fairly irrelevant anyway. 100, 1000, a million, who cares.

ShortandSweeter · 31/07/2015 09:00

I'm upset... in your OP you have used words that I have used in the past! Where do I complain?

Original poster
SophiesDog · 31/07/2015 09:00

I don't get why it's funny. It's probably funny to watch someone being a bit cross and wound up, like I was last night.

What is funny about discussion of listing protocol?

OP posts:
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