Just been accused of copying another ebay sellers listing heading - Where do I stand?

[4athomeand1cooking]

We are both business sellers and use the same manufacturers for our goods. For this reason we are in direct competition.

I have long given up checking other sellers listings. All of my listings have a standard format and I price according to my own profit margins. There is no point checking the competition as you see sellers come and go who can only be making minimal profits. I do fine by these methods and see no need to change them.

The items themselves can be listed in only one way. We have permission to use manufacturers images but I always list how the manufacturers name them, then say NEW etc and sizes If applicable.

Today I got an email from a competitor stating that I have copied their wording on the listing heading and requesting me to change it. I have checked and except one word, they are the same.

I have expressed my concern at being accused of copying (I have worked hard to build this business) but have changed the wording around (although the words remain the same).

I am just checking that as this is a competitor, they cant do any damage. They obviously do spend time worrying about competition and are clearly put out by my listing. I have seen many a back-handed tactics over the years of trading and want to be covered.

If you didn't copy them then I would ignore quite frankly - wouldn't even bother replying.

Did they copy your listing?

I agree with Lilyblossom. How can they tell you copied them? There are not that many ways to describe the same thing. I am not sure if there is anything they can do. I know people are not supposed to use other sellers photos but with stock photos this would not be the case. I would be tempted to ignore them.

I would ignore tbh, if you haven't copied it, but you're selling similar items then the description is bound to be the same, I'd just carry on as you are and ignore

I'd ignore and not change a thing. If you want to be cheeky, accuse them of copying you!

Unless they want to make a case that you are infringing their intellectual property (i.e. they have protected the wording they are using in some way) which seems very, very unlikely for a product description on ebay, I don't see what they can do.

make sure you block them as buyers so they can't buy then leave rubbish feedback

I've been having a similar problem with Ebay for some time now-I spend a huge mount of time taking the maximum amount of high resolution photos for my listings and writing a detailed description. It's been worth it because I usually get bids up to £40 plus on these items. Unfortunately, while happily browsing Ebay for the odd half hour of free time I get,I've found 3 sellers in the last couple of weeks who have blatantly copied and pasted my ENTIRE LISTING for an identical item they're trying to sell. It makes me feel absolutely horrible..basically they're dishonestly using all my hard work for their own financial gain.
I've tried adding the Ebay watermarks to my photos and even adding a copyright symbol but it makes no difference. What's worse is that when I message Ebay using their 'Report an Item' link, I NEVER get a reply. So I have to spend ages on the phone to a call centre in the Far East where an underpaid Ebay worker drones through a script which is designed to pacify ripped off sellers like me, with the promise that 'something will be done within 24 hours'...and guess what, 24 hours later, the copied listing is still running!!
So now I just email the seller and usually they're so shocked they've been twigged that they do the decent thing and reformat the ad in their OWN words and photos. This week it's happened AGAIN!!... contacted Ebay, no reply, contacted the seller concerned but they're still running my stolen, copied & pasted listing regardless. It makes my blood BOIL!!Basically Ebay appears to have no concern whatsoever for their sellers, as long as the money rolls in to their fat Swiss bank account, they don't seem to give a hoot about copyright infringement, dishonest sellers or stressed out mums like me, who are working flat to bring some extra money in.
Whatever happened to justice and fair play? One thing's for sure, you're NOT going to find it on Ebay!!