posted on April 19, 2001 01:43:51 PM new
What, is it tatooed on my forehead?
As much as I didn't want to start yet another thread on stolen item descriptions, here I am.
I created a new (but similar) eBay ID for one of my specialty category items. With 50 transactions, my FB is at only 14 (all pos). My "real" ID has over 900.
Last week, someone stole my descriptions and put up 7 listings with it. I asked that they don't do that again. Today they relisted one of the auctions, so I reported them.
I searched and found that yesterday, a different seller had copied the descriptions, word for word, from a different item, and posted three auctions. They copied me right down to the slang terminology and typos!!!
I feel like my "newbie looking" ID (no shades) is to blame.
Good assumption?
Any solutions? Advice?
Question:
Is it poor etiquette for me to e-mail the bidders who have not yet posted FB and ask them to do so? I have never been a fan of "feedback solicitation", I feel it is a choice issue.
Opinions, please!!
TIA
posted on April 19, 2001 02:02:33 PM new
It burns you up doesn't it?
I've been in the same situation a while back and was "shocked" when I ran across a listing that was a complete knock off of mine. They stole the photograph and the text, the whole shot!
I took about 5 minutes to cool off and collect my composure. I then wrote an email asking the lister to immediately pull their listings or the incident would be reported to eBay. They complied and the fiasco was over.
Unfortunately, it is now a regular practice, as many lazy eBay sellers are unwilling to do their own work.
These days, it is quite commopn for me to run into ads which borrow my images and text. Now that I'm older and wiser, I just chuckle and move along. I now think of the practice as a compliment to my photograph skills and writing style. As long as they are not disrupting my cash flow, have a good time...
posted on April 19, 2001 03:50:38 PM new
"as long as they aren't disrupting my cash flow"
But aren't they though? If they are using your words and/or photos aren't they profiting from your work and your time. And possibly taking YOUR customers away with YOUR words.
I think it is good to email someone who does this-- if nothing else that way they know for sure that they have been caught and maybe they will think twice before doing ot again.
posted on April 19, 2001 04:16:58 PM new
Please, folks, PLEASE fight those copyright infringements. It's my understanding that ebay doesn't quibble about closing auctions where the descriptions and/or photos are stolen. I think all you have to do is send them your original auction number and the offending auction number and they'll do it pretty quickly. Safe Harbor, probably.
People sometimes incorrectly assume that if it's on the internet, it's not copyrighted (that is, it's in the public domain) and they're free to "borrow" at will. Sometimes they're more knowledgeable (IOW less innocent). You may not feel all that upset about it, but it's still a copyright infringement and still needs to be stopped.
posted on April 19, 2001 04:24:14 PM new
hey zoomin
At least it was a stranger who chose to steal your description. I had it happen to me, exact description stolen and to make it worse the auction was launched while mine was running with a BIN lower than my opening bid. And to add insult to injury the thief was my RELATIVE.
Well I had the last laugh, mine sold for a hell of a lot more and they got bad feedback for theirs. LOL
I would at least notify them with a standard "cease and decist" and then report it to safe harbor.
posted on April 19, 2001 04:39:10 PM new
I once sold some really OLD vintage computer boards that I didn't really know much about, but I discribed every piece of printing on the boards, and they brought me $52.
Two weeks later, the guy that bought them from me listed them on ebay, and cloned my ad, right down to font sizes, italisized words, my pictures, etc. He got $11.00
posted on April 19, 2001 06:01:14 PM new
1. Join VeRO
2. Have this auction (and future auctions) where your complete description or photos are stolen, ended. eBay will do this by email after the first one, and it usually takes about 24 hours.
3. I don't think it's the low feedback thing. I've got lots of feedback, and my best descriptions get lifted.
posted on April 19, 2001 06:35:02 PM new
I can't get over how common this has become. I don't find lifting my words as flattery! BTW, it is definitely disrupting my cash flow. Two of my "copied" auctions ended without any bids today . That's a first ~ they usually get at least four. I lowered my starting bid in light of some healthy (be it illegal) competition. She closed w/o bids, too. Almost unheard of! It's as if the bidders think I'm operating under a kazillion ID's!! (teehee, almost like AW!) I am very upfront about the two names ~ I did it to make things easier for my "specialized" category. The only difference in my name is that one has a symbol, the other spells it out. So now they think I'm three or four people? With so many different starting bids? It doesn't look very kosher!
*Paranoia creeps in about this time of day* (coffee withdrawl)
Headhunter:
Talk about a competitive family! I'm glad you won! (not to be nasty, but I'm glad that they got poor feedback, too!)
I sent everything to timesensitive ~ guess time isn't all that sensitive, though!
Thanks for the link, reddeer. I was trying to find that! {{my hero}}
If it isn't the newbie ID, why do you think this started happening now when I have been listing the same brands w/the same basic description for months? I'm so confused
posted on April 25, 2001 12:20:39 PM new
Six days later, I hear from timesensitive. In addition to other mumbo jumbo, they also said (and I quote) Remember, time is of the essence because auctions last for a limited duration.
ha ha ha ha ha!
LMAO six days later!!! Good thing I sent it to time sensitive!
(posted for those who like closure!)
only ZOOMIN here
posted on April 25, 2001 05:22:30 PM new
I've had my pictures lifted by a 'freind' heh... so I put my email address text into the picture.... it stopped her for awhile, till this last week. She learned to CROP, and cropped it right out... SO, I learned java script and you cannot right click on my pics any longer, I'm sure she'll be upset, oh well.....
posted on April 26, 2001 06:23:18 AM new
thanks NearThe Sea ~ sounds like I need to learn JAVAscript, too! I like the JAVA part so it could be fun!
I heard back from the thief this morning after she was notified by eBay:
I just think you have nothing better to do than start sendingt mails and reporting people with ebay. I'm a very busy person and this is the first and last mail that I reply to you I don't like playing child's games so don't bother me again with your complains.
Yes, she is very busy indeed. She revised three out of four stolen descriptions. The three that she revised? She stole the description from someone else!! How dumb can you be? There are only a few sellers of this brand!! Not a child's game, Moron! Children learn from their mistakes!!
sheesh!
only ZOOMIN here
[ edited by zoomin on Apr 26, 2001 06:25 AM ]
posted on April 26, 2001 07:23:25 AM new
Using javascript does not stop someone from copying your photo -- while it does stop the ability to quickly "right-click", they can bypass that going going into VIEW:Source.
posted on April 26, 2001 10:51:53 AM new
Your right about java script not stopping someone, just found out a way, and you didn't even need to view the source
posted on April 26, 2001 10:57:46 AM new
Here is the Java script for it, what the heck.
I am not sure how you would put it in description, as I use Auction Assistant, sorry Sellers Assistant, and put it in the subheading in 'themes'
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.1"><!-- Begin
function right(e) {
if (navigator.appName == 'Netscape' &&
(e.which == 3 || e.which == 2))
return false;
else if (navigator.appName == 'Microsoft Internet Explorer' &&
(event.button == 2 || event.button == 3)) {
alert("Sorry, you do not have permission to right click.";
return false;
}
return true;
}
document.onmousedown=right;
document.onmouseup=right;
if (document.layers) window.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
if (document.layers) window.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEUP);
window.onmousedown=right;
window.onmouseup=right;
// End -->
</script>
In the "Quotes" I have "Sorry, you do not have permission to right click" but could be changed to anything you want to put in there, that is just what comes up, when someone right clicks on mine.
edited: That winking smilie should be semi colon and right paranthesis but this UBB in here made it that
posted on April 26, 2001 11:29:41 AM new
Oh my gosh--who here said that someone copying their auction descriptions isn't disrupting their cash flow? Not so!
Whenever I'm looking for an item to purchase and I pull up auctions with identical descriptions, neither get my bid. I ask myself, 'now, who's been copying whom here?' and move along to the one with a unique description. I know this isn't fair to the seller who came up with the description originally, but I refuse to bid on a plagarized auction because I don't like buying from thieves and that's exactly what people who use other's works are.
I truly don't understand the mentality of a seller who'll say, 'Hey, I'm a busy person--don't have time to write up my own descriptions.' What, like the rest of us aren't busy? Geez!
posted on April 26, 2001 12:02:10 PM new
Thanks, NearTheSea!
You saved me lots of homework time! Got any near tricks for the cut & paste description crooks?
Today you are my hero!
wally:
I had to put my two ID's into my descriptions in hopes of disclaiming the stolen wording. The "slang" makes it look like all of the auctions are from the same seller. "how cool is that?". I haven't done a search, but I have to believe that few of us adult teenagers use such silly terminology!
only ZOOMIN here
posted on April 26, 2001 12:45:38 PM new
Your welcome, at least I am a hero to someone today, just got scammed by a buyer, and just found out..... bouncy, bouncy check %#@%$&!
Hope you can use that java, it should work, if your just using the description box on ebay, I could be wrong, but you could put it at the start, then do a
<br>
to break that from your description, AND, it should not show up, I HOPE, someone correct me if I'm wrong.
posted on April 26, 2001 12:48:18 PM new
LOL guess I'm one of them adult teenagers! I actually starting putting AWESOME in some... I am so used to hearing MY ADULT kids use it, ack! LOL!
posted on April 26, 2001 05:38:13 PM new
Hello zoomin! Well, I see I'm not the only one that gets their words "stolen"! Earlier this week I started the thread regarding "Plagiarism" and it got locked - but that's OK - it seemed to be going nowhere...CleverGirl, you were absolutely correct about the copyright infringment information!! in that thread...eBay responded back and told me that I could request that the auction in question be closed - it had already ended by time they got around to responding to my complaint - I didn't want to end their auction anyway, I just wanted someone to acknowledge that "yes" the text was stolen and "it is wrong" for someone to do that! They also gave the link that reddeer gave - everyone read it - it will definitely shed light on the matter! Anyway, alot of folks out there thought I was petty, etc. for being upset about another seller stealing my "words" - I didn't and still don't think it's petty! It IS my business if those are my words! It would be real nice if there was an easier way to prevent this kind of lousy, stupid, lazy thing from happening - NearTheSea - you might also think me lame, but that Java Script just looked like too much for me - whewww! Thanks guys for being such great helpers during "trying" times and also the good times! See ya'!
(edited - couldn't get the "bold" to do what I wanted it to...Duh!)
[ edited by capefeartrading on Apr 26, 2001 05:40 PM ]
posted on April 26, 2001 06:17:20 PM new
CapeFearTrading, copy and paste the java-script into a Notepad document and save it. That way if you want to use it you can copy and paste it to where it needs to go in the description when you're ready for it.
posted on April 26, 2001 06:42:00 PM new
capefeartrading-was just gonna tell ya to copy that, but got beat to it ANYONE please use it, if you have pictures you think others may take. Though there is ways round it, most 'theives' of pictures usually right click the pic and save it. Hey I've heard of some that linked the damn thing right from someone elses FTP duh!
Besides my pictures, my descriptions were used too. I don't think it petty to be PO'ed about it. Most descriptions take me a bit, measuring, thinking everything to add, and then see someone copy it, I get pissed.
The pics really got me, I take time, right lighting, cropping, editing geeeez, then wham someone can just take it.
Well that java script will work, if I figure a way to put it so you can put it to use so they can't get it 'the other way' I'll post it.
posted on April 26, 2001 06:52:40 PM new
Well, on the bright side, my PIX leave something to be desired. DH bought me the SonyDSC-S50 ~ waaaaay too many bells and whistles. Any moron who would steal my pics deserves them! I sell in spite of being photographically challenged!
My words, OTOH, are valuable to me ~ they're not quite as sucky.
Can't you tell how well I choose them?
It's nice to know you guys have been robbed, too.
In the words of fine wine makers:
Thank You, for your support.
posted on April 26, 2001 09:50:03 PM newI feel like my "newbie looking" ID (no shades) is to blame.
Nah. My husband, when his feedback was at 9,000+ got an email from a frequent buyer, asking if he was now selling under a different ID as well. The fellow had about 600 current auctions using my husband's "canned" text, word for word, including a typo and the shipping fees.
He claimed that his employee had written it months earlier but he hadn't started using it until recently. He wouldn't stop using it until the lawyer pointed out that he'd lose in court. THEN he said he was going to stop using it because he had "never really liked the description anyway."
. That's a first ~ they usually get at least four. I lowered my starting bid in light of some healthy (be it illegal) competition. She closed w/o bids, too. Almost unheard of! It's as if the bidders think I'm operating under a kazillion ID's!! (teehee, almost like AW!) I am very upfront about the two names ~ I did it to make things easier for my "specialized" category. The only difference in my name is that one has a symbol, the other spells it out. So now they think I'm three or four people? With so many different starting bids? It doesn't look very kosher!
so it could be fun!
;