Item removed (Counterfeit Item Policy)

[175tom]

So I've been selling on eBay for several years the same item. I randomly got an email that two of my items which were sold 2 months ago had been taken down? These buyers had already received and paid for them ages ago. How can these two items be taken down when they are not listed for sale? I have nothing on eBay for sale since I last sold them? Is this a competitor or a bot? I'm a bit wary about listing anything now... oh and my items are genuine aswell.

This is the email I received and its not a Vero take down and I have no restrictions, usually they stop you from listing for a few days.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Counterfeit item policy. We don’t allow counterfeit items, replicas, or unauthorised copies.
What activity didn't follow the policy


More specific details are provided below.

What you need to do next
Items removed for this policy cannot be relisted. Please ensure that your future listings are for authentic items only. For these items, they should be described accurately and completely, so buyers know that it is an authentic item.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

[Hank]

It's easy for anyone to look back (over 3 months I believe) at sold listings, never mind an ebay bot.

It could be Vero, some companies like Apple, VW etc don't even need to make a complaint to ebay for consideration, they can simply take them down direct.

It's usual to be given a 'free pass' for your first violation, it's the next one you need to worry about, that's when the restrictions could creep in.

What brands were you selling? Genuine they may be but authorised you may not - good enough for them to shout 'counterfeit' at you.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by Hank

What brands were you selling? Genuine they may be but authorised you may not - good enough for them to shout 'counterfeit' at you.

OP, Hank is correct - also, over time, bots can change in the keywords identified - and, of course, you may have been reported by a competitor

[sevenmarks]

Having the same issue. My account is 10yo and never had an issue. Last month I had a item removed for being counterfeit . Okay, I left the item off my account.
Week later another message about another item being removed. Okay, left that’s fine.
Yesterday same message again for another product. My account will be suspended for 3 days.
Looks like eBay are doing a sweep

[rsot]

Originally Posted by sevenmarks

Having the same issue. My account is 10yo and never had an issue. Last month I had a item removed for being counterfeit . Okay, I left the item off my account.
Week later another message about another item being removed. Okay, left that’s fine.
Yesterday same message again for another product. My account will be suspended for 3 days.
Looks like eBay are doing a sweep

If you want to keep the account active, you will let sales cool right now

[175tom]

Originally Posted by sevenmarks

Having the same issue. My account is 10yo and never had an issue. Last month I had a item removed for being counterfeit . Okay, I left the item off my account.
Week later another message about another item being removed. Okay, left that’s fine.
Yesterday same message again for another product. My account will be suspended for 3 days.
Looks like eBay are doing a sweep

Have you let your account cool off before selling anymore? I find it odd how they are removing items that i sold ages ago. Doesnt make any sense

[175tom]

Originally Posted by rsot

If you want to keep the account active, you will let sales cool right now

How long would you suggest letting the account cool off for?

[samspalace]

Originally Posted by 175tom

So I've been selling on eBay for several years the same item. I randomly got an email that two of my items which were sold 2 months ago had been taken down? These buyers had already received and paid for them ages ago. How can these two items be taken down when they are not listed for sale? I have nothing on eBay for sale since I last sold them? Is this a competitor or a bot? I'm a bit wary about listing anything now... oh and my items are genuine aswell.

This is the email I received and its not a Vero take down and I have no restrictions, usually they stop you from listing for a few days.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Counterfeit item policy. We don’t allow counterfeit items, replicas, or unauthorised copies.
What activity didn't follow the policy


More specific details are provided below.

What you need to do next
Items removed for this policy cannot be relisted. Please ensure that your future listings are for authentic items only. For these items, they should be described accurately and completely, so buyers know that it is an authentic item.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

If it doesn’t say the brand who removed your listing it is another bot set in place.

This happened to me a long time ago I decided to call in and I was able to get some information on why the listing was removed. The eBay rep told me it’s because the price was set to cheap and what bots do is scan listings against retail prices on eBay and google so if the price is set to cheap compared to retail prices on google and brand websites the bot will automatically remove it.

All you have to do is price the item higher that’s if it wasn’t a brand who removed your listing but it will say in email.

[GreenBean]

Maybe the Tooth Fairy is doing these things.

eBay has more than one method for item removal.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by 175tom

Have you let your account cool off before selling anymore? I find it odd how they are removing items that i sold ages ago. Doesnt make any sense

Of course it does. Some IP rights owner will have some office junior trolling listings to find sales info and take the right to get the items withdrawn. You, as the seller, get the Counterfeit notice. The IP holders can have a fair volume of activity to get their items removed from selling programs so there are delays.

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by 175tom

How long would you suggest letting the account cool off for?

Oh I would lay off at least a few months... and I still wouldn't dare relist them.

You have multiple accounts right?

[Hank]

Originally Posted by 175tom

How long would you suggest letting the account cool off for?

If you plan on selling the same good it makes no difference, as soon as you re-list them they'll probably clobber you again.

If you plan on changing your wares to non-vero sensitive goods then again, it makes no difference, you can list them immediately without issue.

[serx2]

Originally Posted by 175tom

So I've been selling on eBay for several years the same item. I randomly got an email that two of my items which were sold 2 months ago had been taken down? These buyers had already received and paid for them ages ago. How can these two items be taken down when they are not listed for sale? I have nothing on eBay for sale since I last sold them? Is this a competitor or a bot? I'm a bit wary about listing anything now... oh and my items are genuine aswell.

This is the email I received and its not a Vero take down and I have no restrictions, usually they stop you from listing for a few days.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

We had to remove your listing because it didn’t follow our Counterfeit item policy. We don’t allow counterfeit items, replicas, or unauthorised copies.
What activity didn't follow the policy


More specific details are provided below.

What you need to do next
Items removed for this policy cannot be relisted. Please ensure that your future listings are for authentic items only. For these items, they should be described accurately and completely, so buyers know that it is an authentic item.


Your listing was removed: Counterfeit item policy

I have the same problem just with digital items gaming accounts etc... I found a way how to avoid it actually . If your account is not business and you do not have suppliers thei will always restrict your items that's why you have to post your item only under everything else category . You will get low views but yeah its still something . Well what I'm doing is that from monday to friday im posting listing to everything else . Friday night to sunday I post items into video games category so while ebay's special team is not working at this part of time there is 0 risk to get your item restricted you simply just changing category back to everything else at sunday night . So if you will do promotions to your listing etc... You will get really a lot viewers till this amount of time and a bigger possibility that your item will be purchased.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by serx2

I have the same problem just with digital items gaming accounts etc... I found a way how to avoid it actually . If your account is not business and you do not have suppliers thei will always restrict your items that's why you have to post your item only under everything else category . You will get low views but yeah its still something . Well what I'm doing is that from monday to friday im posting listing to everything else . Friday night to sunday I post items into video games category so while ebay's special team is not working at this part of time there is 0 risk to get your item restricted you simply just changing category back to everything else at sunday night . So if you will do promotions to your listing etc... You will get really a lot viewers till this amount of time and a bigger possibility that your item will be purchased.

It's a cute idea but doesn't work long term. You are mistaken if you think there's a weekday 9-5 special team who trawl the site.

As OP has explained and many of us know, it's AI bot driven and they also monitor sold listings. In time you are likely to get hit with the usual 'supply tracking', 'give us your invoices' routine.

Make hay whilst the sun shines but have your next account ready to go.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by serx2

I have the same problem just with digital items gaming accounts etc... I found a way how to avoid it actually . If your account is not business and you do not have suppliers thei will always restrict your items that's why you have to post your item only under everything else category . You will get low views but yeah its still something . Well what I'm doing is that from monday to friday im posting listing to everything else . Friday night to sunday I post items into video games category so while ebay's special team is not working at this part of time there is 0 risk to get your item restricted you simply just changing category back to everything else at sunday night . So if you will do promotions to your listing etc... You will get really a lot viewers till this amount of time and a bigger possibility that your item will be purchased.

It's kind of an interesting plan but as Hank stated, the monitoring is not manual

[Hank]

Originally Posted by rsot

It's kind of an interesting plan but as Hank stated, the monitoring is not manual all the time

It's not manual any of the time!

[rsot]

Originally Posted by Hank

It's not manual any of the time!

Fixed for clarity - I meant that

[serx2]

Originally Posted by Hank

It's a cute idea but doesn't work long term. You are mistaken if you think there's a weekday 9-5 special team who trawl the site.

As OP has explained and many of us know, it's AI bot driven and they also monitor sold listings. In time you are likely to get hit with the usual 'supply tracking', 'give us your invoices' routine.

Make hay whilst the sun shines but have your next account ready to go.

Hmm Im working like that already for 9 months my account is in good standing so it's kinda strange how for other's its not working for long term. Maybe its a luck but dunno.

[Isaac]

Removals for Counterfeit policy violations can be prevented by increasing the price.
However, there is one more type of removal: VeRo removals.
Any ideas how to resist VeRo removals?

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by Isaac

Removals for Counterfeit policy violations can be prevented by increasing the price.
However, there is one more type of removal: VeRo removals.
Any ideas how to resist VeRo removals?

you;re saying that you can avoid COunterfeit Violations by increasing the prices??

Vero removals? No... the owners will do what they want

[murdered_by_ebay]

increased prices most certainly reduce probability of counterfeit warnings but only under the condition that the resulting price is higher than market price or is moving in the upper level of the average price for the item