romantiques
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:00:14 PM new
I've been out of the mix for a while and just got back in with a batch of auctions the first of which ended this eve. Within seconds I was informed by the gods that it was pulled because of the dreaded "shabby chic" word in the title. I respect the brand name rule and admit I wasn't careful with the wording since I just think of it as a style, but I don't understand why they let it sit there all week and just pull it at the end. The thing that irks me is that as I look under a search for that pair of words I come up with over 6,000 items and right off the bat look at the first several closed and about to close and they are not brand name "shabby chic" items either but went through just fine. I don't get it.
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drcomm
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:04:51 PM new
I've been in your shoes the past couple of months too, and I know pretty much for a fact now that I have a "problem child" watching my auctions. There's no way ebay is snagging them, not with 100 or so (in my case) others running just fine. You've been probably been reported by someone.
And what really sucks? Not one single thing you can do about it.
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jackswebb
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:05:56 PM new
1999!!!!!........You should know better and you do.....why me? You know who sunk you....why ya coming here with this?
We're only as Good as Our Last performance.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON,,,,, 
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romantiques
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:29:25 PM new
jackswebb - I'm not sure what the heck that was all about but to answer your question...I came here for two reasons. 1) because I pay my "dues" and can and 2) because I was hoping for some insight from anyone who might know how it works that some are singled out and others aren't. If I knew who "sunk" me as you say I wouldn't have posted.
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Libra63
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:35:46 PM new
Someone turned you in. I think if you check Vero Shabby Chic is there, but don't quote me as I do not use that word. I will make a bet (not a large one as I just got back on line after a brutal storm that wipped out my computer, 2 TV's and a VCR) that someone is selling something identical to you and that is who turned you in....This is not laughing matter but just reword your auction and list it again.
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Libra63
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:44:07 PM new
Here is a post from a previous thread. This should clear up the air....
toybuyer
posted on September 29, 2002 01:40:55 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.....and, technically, the words are registered in the VERO program; the words being trademarked by the woman who coined the phrase (maybe someone knows her name). Any one of those auctions could be cancelled by eBay if they receive a complaint on it. As you can see, eBay doesn't do much unless they receive a complaint. Some people try to avoid putting the words next to each other (ie...this item will look chic in your shabby home decor...)
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inot
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posted on July 15, 2003 08:58:37 PM new
Romantiques, I have your page bookmarked, you are one of my favorite sellers to
browse! I was wondering when you would be back!
Sorry your return was so unwelcoming...What is weird is that you have'nt been selling for awhile, and you just so happened to get turned in as soon as you are back to business? Someone veiws you as serious competition, that's for sure. I can't find where Shabby Chic is registered with Vero. I list things all of the time with that expression in the title. After completing
my listing I always get a warning in big red letters to make sure I am not infringing on
any trademarks. That is why I always check, and it's never listed. I also check "Rachel Ashwell". That does'nt show up either. So where is it listed, I wonder?
I think what you have done with your remaining titles is a safe bet, just by adding that extra word in there. I do the same thing, to break up the phrase. But yes it is unfair that everyone and their mother uses the phrase "shabby Chic" to describe anything and everything, but your items truly are in that style. I'll be shopping again soon!
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lovepotions
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posted on July 15, 2003 11:20:33 PM new
I was not aware that random nasty sellers could complain to Ebay about a trademark name being used...... and get YOUR auctions pulled.....
Doesn't it have the be the VERO his/herself that has to do the reporting for trademark infringement?
I am about sick and tire of the Shabby Chic B**** and the VERO system.
Shabby Chic is a throughly diluted "coined phrase" and now relates to an entire industry not just her stupid books and the product line she was supposed to have been developing but I have yet to see it in any store.....
SO THE F*** WHAT if she was the first to use that term in a retail/design sence.
So is the Santa Fe "STYLE" of decor
Does that mean the City of Sante Fe has the right to pull a VERO on anything called Santa Fe Style not manufactured in the city of Santa Fe New Mexico??
Queen Anne is long DEAD yet her STYLE of furniture lives on
So is Louis the XIV
The Shakers clearly aren't the only ones building their STYLE of furniture either.
At what point will will the Shabby Chic lady and her petty BS end?
http://www.lovepotions.com
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jackswebb
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posted on July 16, 2003 05:19:59 AM new
Sorry you took offense. Just told it like I knew it is. 99% of what I know, I learned it right here.
We're only as Good as Our Last performance.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON,,,,,
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Twelvepole
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posted on July 16, 2003 05:27:55 AM new
At what point will will the Shabby Chic lady and her petty BS end?
When people no longer use that term on eBay 
You could of been turned in by many people and just because it was pulled that last day, eBay says it takes up to 48 hours to investigate.
Competitors love to turn others in...
You took a chance and lost... now go back and submit an auction that can't be pulled.
What really gets tiresome is the "I searched and came up with..." eBay doesn't actively police auctions, they let the rest of us do it...
Have I turned in auctions that I have seen against the "rules"; Damn right and I will do so again and again.... especially if you are a competitor 
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
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kiara
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posted on July 16, 2003 08:27:40 AM new
Yes, Shabby Chic is a registered trademark. But I agree with others that it was most likely a competitor that turned you into ebay. There are over 6000 auctions right now with that term in the title.
The only danger now is that if you do it again you may have your account suspended.
I was just looking at the VERO rules on ebay and found this page. Is anyone else aware of Ranger Online? It just sounds like a strange name to me..... like back to the Wild West or something. Has this been there for awhile?
http://www.rangerinc.com/channel/vero/
If you go to their home page it takes you to lots of other info. They have a copyright of 2003 on their pages so I guess it's all fairly new.
[ edited by kiara on Jul 16, 2003 08:33 AM ]
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kiara
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posted on July 16, 2003 08:45:42 AM new
If you click on the highest priced items with Shabby Chic in the title you will find that most of the auctions are by Power Sellers.
There is most likely lots of competition among them all.
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sarniaflower
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posted on July 18, 2003 01:33:23 PM new
kiara
where did you find the words "shabby chic"
is a trademark?
I searched today @
http://www.uspto.gov/ and there is no record of a patent, copyright or trademark for "shabby chic"
thank you
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paws4God
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posted on July 18, 2003 01:56:01 PM new
If you are selling look-alikes can you not put that particular name in the auction? For instance a imiation Brighton purse? How do you list something like that?
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happychickclothing
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posted on July 18, 2003 02:11:27 PM new
Rachel Ashwell, i believe is the one who has trademarked Shabby Chic. If you look on the US trademark search site you'll see she has basically taken those two words together and claimed them as her own, which i think is silly. So can you say Chic and Shabby and still get busted?
i'm trying to figure out how someone can copyright a style.....
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CBlev65252
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posted on July 18, 2003 02:15:34 PM new
Wasn't the phrase Shabby Chic coined a long time ago? I always thought it was coined to refer to old things that still have a certain charm about them. Petty, petty, petty, IMO. Maybe I should trademark the name "New" or "Old" or "Antique" or better yet, "Vintage". I think it's just ridiculous when the big timers have nothing better to do than sit around and turn the small sellers in. It's not like you are making a million bucks off the word, for crying out loud.
If you are that worried about your competition, you should find another line of work!!! JMO
Cheryl
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kiara
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posted on July 18, 2003 02:16:26 PM new
It was mentioned here quite often before. If you look at her website at this link you will see it on the bottom. I've never checked the gov't records though.
http://www.shabbychic.com/radweb/radweb.nsf/home!openform
I'd like to see actual proof myself so if anyone can find it please post it for us all to see.
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sarniaflower
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posted on July 18, 2003 02:51:26 PM new
thank you for that link kiara
as I said it is NOT registered with the United States Patent office
I did some further searching and HGTV has the so called "SHABBY CHIC® is a registered trademark" on 4 pages of TV listings ether as titles for shows or descriptions and would think their lawyers would have looked into the so called registered trade mark
a client emailed me today wanting to know what was illegal
about the pillowcases she had won yesterday and why she can't buy them
Yup vero emailed her and I guess the email said or implied that it was
an illegal auction and must have said she couldn't buy them. I am waiting
her response so I can hopefully get a copy of the email to her
some days can be so much more challenging than others lol
wonder if that sale will go through now..
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miscreant
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posted on July 18, 2003 03:08:15 PM new
I come up with plenty of shabby chic trademarks.
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=99mjn1.1.1
Just enter Shabby Chic and 21 results pop up.
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sarniaflower
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posted on July 18, 2003 03:20:05 PM new
I see... and she has attached it to everything....except activewear; namely, shirts, shorts, pants, T-shirts, tank tops, headwear and footwear she ABANDONED that one
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on July 18, 2003 06:05:54 PM new
Of course, since she opened her store in 1989, she's had 14 years of trading on that brand name. To keep it has her own, she has to continue to use it, identify it as registered, and defend against anyone who infringes on it.
Sounds like this defense of it could be used to support her ownership of the brand, huh?
Wayne
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char44
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posted on July 18, 2003 08:22:57 PM new
I also had my auctions pulled and I emailed the person who ebay says under Vero program and have had no response from them. I also looked in vero didn't find the word Shabby Chic. Like everyone says there are over 6,000 auctions with this in the title, so why don't they end everyone's and not just some of us? Why is it not listed in Vero?
Maybe we should ban together on this. Anyone have any ideas?
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JACKSWEBB
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posted on July 18, 2003 08:25:36 PM new
POWER!!!!!!!! IN NUMBERS!!!!!!!
We're only as Good as Our Last performance.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON,,,,,
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inot
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posted on July 18, 2003 09:13:21 PM new
I don't see it in Vero either. There are ways to get around it...if you list " Shabby & Chic" it will come up in a "shabby chic" search.
The funniest item I ever came across in a SC search was a "Shabby Chic Power Drill"....but it looked BRAND NEW to me, shoot... it was'nt even white LOL!
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AuctionAce
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posted on July 18, 2003 11:29:11 PM new
Jack, I think it's 'Safety in Numbers' but 'Power in Numbers' works too.  'Power to the People, right on!' and 'The Revolution Will NOT be Televised'. Gawd, I miss the 60's and '70's. ( except for the war of course ).
Let's stuff, and I do mean stuff, that new fangled ebay suggestion box full of 'We've had enough of Shabby Chic Vero BS' notes! Right, Jack? I know you're always up for a just cause. ( 'He's a Rebel' music playing in the background )
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-------------- sig file ----------------------------
"Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error."
- Andrew Jackson
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Fenix03
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posted on July 19, 2003 12:01:23 AM new
1) The VERO link DOES NOT include every member - it only includes members with some sort of provided site link dealing with their copyrights or trademarks.
2) VERO notices from Ebay do not say that the bidder CANNOT complete the transaction - it mearly suggests that they do not.
3) Just because "Shabby Chic" has become a catchall phrase does not mean that the duly registered trademarks become void. Other examples of this would be "Xerox" or "Balloon Bouquet". The fact that the trade name has become a catch phrase is a sign of good marketing, protection of the name to protect the integrity of the line is good business, constant bitching by those impeded in cashing in on the name is sour grapes.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
~ Formerly Neonmania on Vendio ~
[ edited by Fenix03 on Jul 19, 2003 12:10 AM ]
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kiara
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posted on July 19, 2003 12:19:29 AM new
Thanks for the link, miscreant.
Fenix03........ rebirth.
Does the 03 mean you have been reborn 3 times?
[ edited by kiara on Jul 19, 2003 12:30 AM ]
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AuctionAce
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posted on July 19, 2003 12:21:26 AM new
Welcome neon as a new VD user. Good points. Maybe can get this revolution in gear now. We want a good clean revolution, nothing shabby chic. No wait, we wait shabby chic's head on a pole. Gettin' too late for this revolutionary, the Sandman always takes the late rounds in the sleep fight.
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"Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error."
- Andrew Jackson
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Fenix03
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posted on July 19, 2003 07:24:11 AM new
Kiara - LOL! No - only that I had no more imagination last night than to use the year
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
~ Formerly Neonmania on Vendio ~
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