Someone's copied bits of my listing on ebay.

[SophiesDog]

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?

and no, there is literally no chance whatsoever of a link

I have not Rt whole t
But could the second listing could b fake and intended to defraud someone.
This happened to friend and they lost are large amount of £.

Good thought but no, it's genuine - no one would be able to pass it off as a fake anything

The photos are very clear. I just hope it sells quickly so it's gorn.

I've just seen this thread, and am amazed that so many people think it is OK, or can't see why the OP is annoyed.
My dh has an eBay business, and this happens to him from time to time. He sells unusual and rare, luxury items, and, to some extent, it is the quality and accuracy of his listings which persuade buyers to trust him as a knowledgable seller, and to purchase the items. Each item is unique, and he spends ages on the listings, and on the research which goes into them. Why should his competitors be able to steal all this work and use it as their own? (Quite apart from the fact that, as their items are slightly different, they often use his listings inaccurately and misleadingly).
Of course he reports this when it happens - it's potentially a threat to our livelihood. And the principle (sp?) is just the same for the OP, even if she is not selling as her main business - why should she be happy about her competitor profiting from her hard work?

Oh I've reused someone's photos when I've sold something on that I've bought on eBay

You say you are quite new to eBay/ listing items and also that you have 1000 feedbacks.

Which is it?

I didn't say that at all. I said I'm not a frequent seller.

I'm an eBay business seller and make 1/3 - 1/2 of my total income from the site. I put plenty of work in to this and the proceeds houses / feeds my family.

I take my listings very seriously, they take time to create (good descriptions DO lead to increase sales) and aren't just a few bullet points!

Do people really think it's OK for a competitor to cut and paste a description that I have spent time composing, in order to try and steal customers from me?

If you owned a company and spent time creating a website, then a competitor came along and set up their own website which was a carbon copy of your, would that be OK too?

I'm not suggesting that looking at other listings for ideas / guidance isn't allowed, of course it is. But copy and pasting isn't fair and it's blatant copyright theft.

What I mean is, I have been on ebay for about 10 years, and used to sell far more frequently than I do now. I avoid it unless necessary tbh. Buying is a bit more fun and you still get feedback for it

Selling involves a lot of hassle and time.

Cross post with lovelydiscusfish!

Lottie - do you also find it happens to you quite a lot, as Lovelydiscusfish said?

I find it incredible that some people don't understand why it is wrong.

I wondered that too ireally

I was just on eBay. I found a fab item on buy now. Absolute bargain but I just couldn't buy it. The description sounded accurate and straight to the point but was sooo dull. I could tell the seller was a humourless prat so I didn't buy it!
Really? Surely nobody really thinks like that!

actually the message I got back almost sounded cross that I had objected - like I'm part of the big ebay conspiracy, I'm just a nameless ebay seller and not a person who took the time to write up my item carefully.

People seem to think of ebay as a shapeless mass a bit like the government or something.

This is what Ireally said:

*You say you are quite new to eBay/ listing items and also that you have 1000 feedbacks.

Which is it?*

That's not even true. I didn't say I was quite new to ebay. I'm not. I'm just not a very frequent seller.

Can people not read?

This is hilarious! OP I think you must've copied them?

Oh ffs

why is it hilarious?

KatoPotato Please re read my post and that of Lovelydiscusfish on Page 3. Do you mind explaining why you think it's hilarious? And comment on your opinion on the website scenario? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

ooops, apologies, that should say P4 (this page) , NOT P3

I remember a listing in our local paper years ago. The time when you paid per word. It said:

Sony hifi. Some size. £ 50

Some size! Killed me! - might be a Scottish thing, but that's humour in a listing!

Lottie, are you giving me coursework? Can I plagiarise?

I'm testing the new app, it has no page numbers, what's the jist?

You either need to pay for an intellectual property lawyer, or let it GO! imitation is the sincerest form, of flattery

not worth getting het up about

KatoPotato I'm just asking if you can explain your opinion for the benefit of my curiosity.... but if you can't, no problem.

Maybe the same people who can't understand why tone in a piece of writing is important are the same ones that can't understand why they find this thread so funny.

Maybe it is all to do with analytical thinking.