Faux Pieces on eBay Bring Anger, Lawsuits

By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

In the past, if an eBay user has noticed knockoffs being sold, the company has refused to remove similar auctions from its site. You can see how much work this would be, and eBay has always taken the stance that it is a marketplace that links buyers and sellers. Thus, it says, it is not responsible for any fake items bought or sold through its site. This is being challenged by some users, and by a firm with more legal and financial abilities than normal eBay users: Tiffany & Company.

That very stance–the heart of eBay’s business model–is now being challenged by eBay users like Rogers who notify other unsuspecting buyers of fakes on the site. And it is being tested by a jewelry seller with far greater resources than Rogers: Tiffany & Company, which has sued eBay for facilitating the trade of counterfeit Tiffany items on the site. Source: New York Times

We Say: Read the entire story; it’s very interesting … and disconcerting as well. People like Jacqui Rogers and a group of people she teamed with have taken to reading listings on eBay to spot rings of conterfeiters. Despite sending tons of evidence to eBay, the listings remain. Although such users as she are prohibited from contacting other users about fraud by eBay policies, she apparently has been doing so anyway to prevent others from being cheated.

I realize the feedback policy is supposed to prevent abuse, but according to the article, the people selling knockoffs that have been spotted by Rogers and her group consistently have positive ratings. I recall the only time I was cheated on eBay, the seller had an excellent rating as well. For something like this, I really think eBay needs to take a look at policy changes to be able to reduce the number of counterfeit auctions. If Tiffany wins, they will most likely be forced into it.