How to report dishonest or misleading listings which I **HAVEN'T** bought ?

[barneymerton]

In shopping to buy things on Ebay, I am repeatedly coming across listings which are titled (for example) "Marks and Spencer" or "Braun" (let's say, these are just random examples of high quality brands) but the picture of the goods does not resemble the authentic goods or show any brand name, and the text body of the listing makes no mention of the brand. They are simply unbranded generic goods. Or they are categorised as "New" but are then admitted somewhere in the text box to be Used. Or.... you get the idea.

At first I naively assumed that these were just listing mistakes and I messaged the sellers, but most such messages are ignored while a minority get "so what?"-type responses which don't show any intention of changing the listing.  It seems that some sellers have a "it's making money for me, I have no problem" attitude.

Apart from "so don't buy the goods if you spot the con", which leaves misleading or fraudulent listings up to trap other Ebay buying customers, is there any way of reporting this and getting Ebay to take action when I have avoided buying the goods due to spotting the scam?  Why should the listings be left up, forcing people who buy the goods to return them for a refund with a lot of hassle of repackaging and taking them to a dropoff point, even if they do eventually get a refund?

[style_wise]

Click into the listing then:

? icon > Product or Listing > A problem in the listing > Search Manipulation

[naughty_neena]

You like me read and digest what I am buying as well as checking feedback first.

But some see a brand name or nice picture and assume all must be good and click buy it now.

Is it a scam or just people cant be bothered checking the items properly. 

A lot of sellers get away with it as buyers kick themselves for not checking it out first.

But would EBAY be bothered to take any action if reported.?

[barneymerton]

I agree. And also, when you are shopping for something, it's infuriating
that time after time the cheapest item in the pile of listings is a con -
and so is the next cheapest - and so is the next cheapest after that. It
becomes dispiriting.

[barneymerton]

Thanks, but I can't find that ?icon when I click into the listing, where is it?

[krafty-kreations]

Bottom right hand corner of the screen on a PC 

[barneymerton]

Thanks

[pegr-834437]

As harsh as this sounds its pointless, eBay dont act upon it, they have known for years these scams exist and have allowed it to happen. If they really wanted to clamp down on it they'd have done so years ago and not let terrible AI look into the reports and reply saying we found no policy violation. The way that is most successful but mental is INAD cases but to do that you need to buy it, then return it. Yes they may remove half a dozen via reports but there are hundreds of thousands of these and sadly like many other fraudulent listings on here eBay have allowed it to become so big it seems to me (my opinion only eBay) that they really do not care as it either brings in fee's from businesses or forces legit listings to promote to get above the fraudulent listings.

Again though these are only my opinions from being on ebay for nearly 2 decades and reporting thousands of fraudulent listings to be told 95% of the time no policy have been broken. 

[barneymerton]

Unfortunately I have found the sceptical comments posted here by others to be true. I have reported three misleading listings (two for "Oral-B" electric toothbrushes, one for "Scholl" shoe inserts, all three actually offering unbranded goods not these premium makes). All three reports were initially rejected, so I went to the effort of filing follow-up complaints.  I've now been told by email that all three follow-ups have also been rejected and that "this determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence."

So fraudulent listings flourish and no action is taken. 

The fraudulent listings make it hard to buy, because the search results are crowded with listings which are not what they claim to be.  I was actually trying to buy an Oral-B electric toothbrush and some Scholl shoe inserts.

[moonlight-rhapsody]

I find this problem a lot with printer ink cartridges.  I search for the brand name, but then I get inundated with "compatible" cartridges.  It seems to happen everywhere, not just on ebay.