Why is eBay on the side of the counterfeiters

[ellabur22]

I'm trying to understand why eBay is so strongly on the side of the counterfeits.

The community forum seems to hightlight that eBay does certainly turn a blind eye to counterfeiting, but also seems to protect them and even seems to take their side.  Which I was shocked by.

I'm, guessing counterfeiters are good for business even if it is bad business. 

I used eBays counterfeiting process. 30mins later got an automated email saying it's AI has checked the order and all good the order was't counterfeit? 

Possibly I should have spent hours researching why it was counterfeit and sent it to eBay's bone idle AI to do a proper check. Although, it probably would have still come back clear as its good business.

Worse still I gave the seller a bed review and got a warning from eBay for giving them a bad review

[tobiasd4]

Ebay do not allow conterfeit items,

but as they never see the item, have no way of proving it.

All buyers are covered by ebay 30 MBG.

Open item not as described case, seller supplies returns label, you post back for full refund.

Again as ebay never see the item, they will believe buyer.

[*vyolla*]

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@ellabur22 wrote:

I'm trying to understand why eBay is so strongly on the side of the counterfeits.

The community forum seems to hightlight that eBay does certainly turn a blind eye to counterfeiting, but also seems to protect them and even seems to take their side.  Which I was shocked by.

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How do you think eBay is protecting sellers of counterfeit items?

Buyers have 30 days to open an eBay return if their item isn't as described, the seller pays the cost of the return. Sellers of counterfeit product risk bad feedback and being sanctioned by eBay if enough buyers go through the correct return process.

eBay is a selling platform and can't see what buyers receive, which is why they have a process in place which makes it virtually impossible for a buyer to lose out.

[ellabur22]

Completely disagree.

eBay AI said it viewed the listing. Granted not the physical item, but it did some checks, exactly what I don't know, I didn't much provide any further information. So maybe I should have done loads of research and sent loads of photos to say why they were fake.

Yes, I get I can return the item. But, I have received the item, as I haven't received what I ordered. I received something by deception, I didn't ask to be decieved, I didn't pay to be deceived, I didn't drive my car use my time in the view to collect something I didn't order. Now I've got to drive = cost and time for something I didn't ask for. Because, somebody who is protected by eBay to sell fake goods.

Yes, I get it that eBay can't stop it, but using "eBay never sees the item" as a way of turning a blind eye ain't good enough. It's a pity that eBay will believe a seller who's selling fake goods, says it all really.

I would have got it if eBay asked me to send the item back to eBay HQ or said the will monitor or even get the counterfeiting team to investigate further. But, as you put it "eBay never sees the item" so their happy to turn a blind eye.

[*vyolla*]

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@ellabur22 wrote:

Yes, I get I can return the item. But, I have received the item, as I haven't received what I ordered. I received something by deception, I didn't ask to be decieved, I didn't pay to be deceived, I didn't drive my car use my time in the view to collect something I didn't order. Now I've got to drive = cost and time for something I didn't ask for. Because, somebody who is protected by eBay to sell fake goods.

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Did you collect the item from the seller?

[ellabur22]

Poor response

Sellers of fake good choose to sell fake goods, so if there's a forfeit poor them.

Bad feedback, not quite. I gave the seller bad feedback, I was the one who got the warning, thus as an unwitting buyer of fake good I'm also at risk of being sanctioned.

Whilst not a massive loss, I had to drive and pick the goods up I didn't order and now I got to drive (time and money) to send the goods back. So I do lose as buyer, the seller has lost anything. I'm not the that bothered about the seller gaining or losing.

But as a buyer I have lost in one way or another

[papso22]

Reporting a listing for anything other than fee evasion is a waste of time.

Ebay relies on the money back guarantee for  buyer protection.

[*vyolla*]

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@ellabur22 wrote:

Poor response

Sellers of fake good choose to sell fake goods, so if there's a forfeit poor them.

Bad feedback, not quite. I gave the seller bad feedback, I was the one who got the warning, thus as an unwitting buyer of fake good I'm also at risk of being sanctioned.

Whilst not a massive loss, I had to drive and pick the goods up I didn't order and now I got to drive (time and money) to send the goods back. So I do lose as buyer, the seller has lost anything. I'm not the that bothered about the seller gaining or losing.

But as a buyer I have lost in one way or another

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Don't be rude.

You've left a couple of negative feedbacks, has one been removed? If you received a warning it was because it breached eBay's feedback policy. 

If you're losing money by driving to pick goods up maybe have them delivered to you instead?

[plpmr]

adding to the advice already given -

eBay protect the buyer with their money back guarantee.

You have left negative feedback and once you get your refund that's all that can be done.

Unfortunately your feedback could be removed if the seller complains.

[ellabur22]

Bad reviews, good reviews not that bothered.

Losing money, it's not really a big loss. Time, yes it's going to wasted an hour of my time which is annoying.

I chose Click'N'Collect for a number of reasons my decision my choice. And, I don't believe I can just stick the return parcel on my doorstep and it gets collected. 

The biggest upsetting factor for is that eBay seems to make OK for sellers to sell fake goods.

[tobiasd4]

Yes, there are fake goods sold on ebay.

But reporting listing won't do anything, you could be sellers competitor trying to get rid of them.

You could take item to trading standards, but this means you won't be able to use ebay MBG after 30 days.

Better to return item as not described, if lots of buyers do this ebay will eventually take action.

[ellabur22]

You'll never stop fake goods, I wouldn't be surprise if even Harrold's unwittingly sells the odd fake stuff.

I'm not expecting eBay to stop the sale of fake goods.  But, turning a bind eye to it and using AI as a means of waving off various issues is pitiful, I doubt there is any AI in place. What's better than an unexplained No, a No given by AI.

And very naive to think that if enough people list items as 'not described' that will make a difference. Also people make mistake and there are many grey areas ref descriptions. However, if eBay really wanted they could allow us to flag good as being potentially fake. While MBG does protects the buyer, it also protects the seller of fake goods. I bet you these sellers just re-listed their returned fake goods again as being genuine. 

[red_magpie · Accepted solution]

eBay's supposed "AI" is not real AI. To see what "real" AI can do when answering questions, look at some of the stunningly good and helpful AI guidance online, particularly on diagnosing anf fixing computer problems.

"Real" AI would memorise eBay's rules and policies to constuct an informed answer to reports of counterfeits.

What it should have been able to explain is that eBay does not act on reports of counterfeits from ordinary users. They will only remove items from sale when reported by the registered owner of the brand name. Quote: "Only intellectual property rights owners can report eBay listings that infringe on their copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights".

eBay suggests that "Members who are not the rights owner can still help by getting in touch with the owner and encouraging them to contact us." 

It's fully explained here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/listing-policies/selling-policies/intellectual-property-vero-pr...

[ellabur22]

Yes, really that is the best way. 

I did try contacting the brand, nothing back, but I've been on the similar side of that fence, and you do get loads of silly emails. 

So basically somehow I need get them to confirm the item is counterfeit, and then send it back to them as they are the right full owner, not Fakes'r'Us, and then claim my refund via MBG.

The eBay's AI thing is really annoying. There's lots of different AI's out there. eBay is just using it or labelling it as AI to remove human employees. And because AI says so, then as must be so?

My frustration was eBay's AI said it wasn't fake, not that it was genuine and nor did it advise do this or do that. Furthermore, I didn't provide it with much data, thus how could it say known to say fake or real. Thus, I doubt there was really any AI in use, at best eBay is using AI to generate AI fob-off's. 

And I stand by my question. Why is eBay on the side of the counterfeiters? I'm guessing their good for business