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AI Automated Detection of Counterfeit items
In the last two weeks I have had a large volume of items hidden/de-listed by eBay on the basis of AI automated detection identifying the items (football shirts) as counterfeit. This has applied to a wide range of shirts with no seeming link between them - different manufacturers, teams, used/new with tags, ages (some from 1980's even), price points, time already on the site. As others have posted, I am an experienced seller and I am confident that all of the shirts are genuine, I and have included photos of tags, product codes, care labels and shirt detailing to allow buyers to verify authenticity.
I spoke with an eBay agent recently who agreed that the shirts appeared genuine and could not pinpoint particular red flags that would normally trigger a counterfeit detection (form instance low number of images and no images of product codes and labels). I have sold hundreds of shirts with not one single instance of a customer claiming a shirt was counterfeit. Furthermore, I generally have one instance of any particular shirt for sale at anyone time - I don't have a bulk quantity of fake shirts, as is usually the case with counterfeit sellers on the site.
I am struggling to understand what criteria the AI could possibly be using to link all of these listings and determine each of them are counterfeit. On this basis, literally anything I list is likely to be taken down. This suggests to me that either eBay are deliberately targeting sellers and are making it impossible for resellers of football shirts to operate on their site, or, the AI model is hugely flawed and needs correction. I would be grateful for some clarity on this, and whether anything is likely to change.
To add, I am registered as a private seller currently. If it was the case that moving to a business account would provide resolution to this I would have no issue with this. However, eBay haven't communicated anything to this end, and so I have to assume this isn't the problem.
If there is any other general guidance that can be provided to avoid future listings being taken down, this would also be appreciated.
between_the_7ines
OP5 months agoSo just to update on this - I raised the issue with the Community Team on the weekly chat today but was advised that it was the incorrect channel and directed me to Customer Support.
I spoke again with CS and, after a bit of insistence, have been advised that my account has been actioned so that any appeals against listings being removed go to the specialist team, meaning a human rather than AI makes the decision on the appeal. I was guided to be as specific as possible regarding supporting evidence. I'll trial this with a few appeals and see whether this makes any difference.
It doesn't address the main issue regarding the AI seemingly making false positives in a broader sense (hard to get eBay to look past this being an individual user issue), but presumably if the specialist team are reversing a large volume of AI determinations, this would be fed back in some way?
Will update further with outcomes to appeal decisions.
john1297576
Mentor5 months agoDo not expect to much, appeals to ebay just get same result as idiot AI decisions.
*vyolla*
Mentor6 months agoThis is the third question I've seen in the past few days with football shirts being removed as 'counterfeit'.
I don't believe that it's anything to do with your account status. However, a private seller is one who is selling off their own personal items such as bits from their wardrobe/garage/loft, and a business seller is one who buys items to resell. eBay now pass sales details on to HMRC when over 30 items have been sold, so it's vital to trade correctly, we're now seeing sellers receiving backdated bills from HMRC.
My personal opinion is that it's an over zealous AI bot and that this issue needs escalating to somebody who can take a good look at this.
I'd bring it this up in next Wednesday's Community Chat, I don't think you'll get anywhere trying to discuss this with eBay Customer Services, it needs to go higher.
between_the_7ines
OP6 months agoThank you both.
Yes, that's my thoughts - I saw another poster reference being told a new AI system had been rolled out recently?
Thank you for escalating - as a legitimate seller, the volume of counterfeiting on the site is frustrating and I totally support eBay's efforts to deal with this - also recognise that they have a legal obligation to do so. However, if they are removing genuine listings this is going to have a negative effect on their business too in the long term.
Regards private seller status - I am registered as a sole trader with HMRC, declare my income from eBay and compliant with tax returns etc. I would be happy to move to a business seller account if eBay required this of me as I want to grow my sales via the platform, ideally!
Thank you again.
*vyolla*
Mentor6 months agoI'd obviously sort this 'counterfeit' issue out first, then look to changing your account so it's compliant with both eBay policy and UK consumer regs.
You can obviously offset more expenses as a business seller, but can't offset any at all as a private one.
See eBay's guidance page here, where they state
An eBay seller must register as a business if, for example, they sell items they have bought to resell, they make items in order to sell them, or if they buy items for their business.
What is the policy?
Business sellers can't represent themselves as private individuals
Taken from:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/selling-policies/selling-practices-policy/business-seller-polic...
between_the_7ines
OP6 months agoThanks - I wasn't aware of that policy, so I absolutely will transition over to a business seller account as/when confident issue has been resolved.
Look forward to any updates.
*vyolla*
Mentor6 months agoCan you keep us updated with how you get on with this issue?
It will be useful for other sellers in the same situation. As already mentioned, there have been a few in the same situation as you who've posted about this, no doubt there are more out there.
between_the_7ines
OP6 months agoYes, absolutely will do.
tressygirl
Mentor6 months agoIt could be a Vero regulation that has been broken, and your items removed.
Some Brands wish their items not to be sold online as there are so many fakes, and no one to physically check the items, so the Brand ask eBay to remove said items.
You may see many identical ones listed, these may have the Brand's permission to sell, or have slipped the net, with 7 billion listings on at any one time, it's impossible to check each and every one.
eBay rely on members to report listings too, there's a report button on every listing, maybe a competitor reported yours ?
Read about Vero's policies here :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/listing-policies/selling-policies/intellectual-property-vero-pr...
If eBay have explained you cannot relist the items, without the Brands permission, then doing so may result in selling sanctions even a ban from selling.
@between_the_7ines
between_the_7ines
OP6 months agoThanks. Yes, I had considered VERO, although when this had been the case in the past eBay explicitly stated this in their communication about the delisting, and following unsuccessful appeal I was directed to the rights owner. In all of the recent delistings there has been no mention of VERO, so again, unless eBay have changed their approach to not citing VERO, I don't think it is this...??
Likewise, I believe when it has been flagged up as counterfeit by another user this is cited in their communication. They all just cited 'AI automated detection'.
Assuming it is just AI, the crazy thing is that it appears to be a totally closed feedback loop as the appeal process is reviewed by the same AI using the same criteria, and so any false positives aren't going to be identified, and the system will never 'learn'.
tressygirl
Mentor6 months agoIn which case, and if you are 100% sure these are genuine items, you will have to find another platform from which to sell them.
Whilst I agree about the annoying factor here, it's just not worth the very real fact, that you could lose your selling privileges permanently, in trying to find a way to relist them on eBay.
@between_the_7ines