Stock Photos or Own Photos?

[angelsam85]

Hi all

Just a little query, a few years ago (3-4 when I changed to a business account) I was advised by ebay CS to always use my own photos for listings and not stock photos, to which I always have done.

After chatting to CS this afternoon, i've been advised to use stock photos over my own - I'm just seeing if anyone else has seen this memo and do they?

I brought up a query as i have a return INAD opened as the game i sold has a small cellophane tear on the outer wrapper (less than 1cm) which wasnt shown in the photo, I have multiple of each item so list 10/20 etc at a time with my own photo, and state in the item description 'item may show wear from being on shop shelf' - if the cellophane tear is bigger than 1cm or is torn across then again it gets listed and addiontial photos.  I dont understand how having a stock photo in place would still have stopped a INAD being opened and shows the buyer hadnt read the description. This is the second return in 6 weeks I have had for very very simliar reasons - any advise off anyone would be greatly appreiceted  - i really dont fancy taking 100 seperate photos for one listing to show each individual item and it would be impossible to keep changing the photo once one has sold?

[btr.style]

Unless you have express permission to use the stock photo from the brand, then using them is without permission. All it takes is one of the regular Vero sweeps by a bot and it's goodbye listing. 

No point listening to anything customer support have to say as they don't know what they are on about most of the time (this is the 4th time today I've seen CS giving someone wrong advice).

I used to use some stock photos out of laziness (several listings were removed by vero because of it).

If you have 10/20 of 1 item then and there's "defects" on the item (torn cellophane could be considered one as some people are fussy about that) they each should be listed and shown individually, and not showing 1 that's perfect (even if you mention the tear in the description as not everyone reads that part). Most would be fine with something like that but as you've seen, some aren't. 

[pg_kicks]

I go by the rule of thumb that if I'm just talking to your standard customer service agent do whatever they tell you not to.

If the new rule is to use stock photos then they certainly havent told the Pro Trader team who complimented me on the us of my own pictures and not for just using stock photos and one of the managers within the sneakers department who pointed of that a buyer couldnt say a shoe was different as I used said shoe in the picture so refunded me on the claim.

[angelsam85]

Thanks, i thought that about the stock photos, and it vero was one of the reasons I had some tshirts removed years ago.

As you said, I do try and keep all the major defects ie large tear cellophanes to a different listing, just very had for a couple of instances I have over 2700 of certain titles and i know 99% of buyers are happy with the listings - thanks for the reassuance of not using stock photos, Ive got 50 new titles to list this evening and wasnt looking forward to searching for all the stock photos 🙂

[four_mid_able]

As a buyer of stuff from both types of sellers i prefer to see pics of the actual item ,stock photo's put me off BIG TIME ,especially anything with a white background.

A.I. is also a big NO NO.

[angelsam85]

Thanks, i was always under the understanding to use your own photos was better. When I asked CS they said it was okay to use but their advise was ' its better to use  stock photos' to which I wondered - since when? 🤔

[angelsam85]

the chat from CS..

[rainbowtrax]

CS talking rubbish as usual. As others have said, listen to what they say then do the exact opposite and you probably won't go far wrong.

[a45heaven]

Could it be to use with ebays AI folly ?

Buyers asked if it was possible to block  sellers with AI descriptions, as they are lacking detail and sellers are responsible for listings, despite 'medling' AI additions.

[rainbowtrax]

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@angelsam85 wrote:

the chat from CS..

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🙄🙄🙄

[rainbowtrax]

To quote from Fawlty Towers, "You might as well ask the cat." 😂 

[pg_kicks]

Seriously love to know whats the point in CS sometimes, stock photos are best but so are your own photos. I've said it before but unless its a simple question which the help pages answer 95% of CS agents are basically pointless. eBay would be better to close the overseas centres and employ more CS agents who can go off the script and actually know the policies and make it a bit more difficult to speak to a human.

[angelsam85]

😂😂sometime feel like it is fawlty towers

[angelsam85]

I do agree, I had an issue with a banned buyer kept buying off of different accounts (but to same address/same item), 1 CS told me to cancel any orders to that address, 1 CS told me it was my fault I had allowed the sale to go through... like how am I to know all this buyers IDs? and finally Mary at CS (she was bloody amazing at helping) gave me advice on how to get the issue resolved and could see that i was clearly having an issue with this abusive customer - 

[*vyolla*]

Well, that's covered all bases then!

[joy_spnfan]

I know that I'm only one person but I hate stock photos and would never purchase from a seller who uses them because I like to be able to see the actual item and as illogical as I know it is, I just don't trust stock photos.

That said I'm probably a bit of a "weird" buyer anyway because I read every single word of the description and examine all photos very carefully before I bid and going by some of the posts that I've read here, buyers don't do that! 🤣

[a45heaven]

Stock Pics , AI generated desciptions - no conditions.

Sounds perfect for a None English speaking overseas seller with quantity.

Can we not be able to block sellers?