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Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

Hey guys,

I, along with several other sellers on eBay, appear to have been targeted by a competitor. They have made numerous false reports to eBay claiming that our products are counterfeit.

As a result, our listings have been removed and eBay has placed violations against our accounts. I’ve tried appealing the decisions, but unfortunately, my appeals have been unsuccessful.

I’ve also contacted eBay directly and asked them to investigate the unusually high number of reports being made by this particular person. However, so far, they don’t seem willing to look into it or take the situation seriously.

Has anyone experienced something similar or know of a way to escalate this with eBay?

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

are your items authentic?
can you prove it?
if this guy has been making many reports ,he could be a Vero or work for the brand you are selling.
Common these days

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

Here's looking forward to posts of other people's experiences. Haven't had this kind of action by a competitor.

What category of items?

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

You should stop trying to sell those items for a while since more violations will almost definitely get your account suspended permanently. Regardless of their authenticity.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

Right..

I've experienced this on 2 separate occasions on 2 different accounts in the past.

I bought a piece of clothing from a well known genuine luxury clothes company, they authenticate everything in-house, well known.

Nevertheless eBay pulled my listing stating it's counterfeit despite showing them evidence I bought the item from a third party company that authenticates their stock, didn't matter they still rejected it, even after manual inspection. No signs of the item being "⊗⊗⊗⊗" either, it was clearly genuine, a vintage piece in decent condition, but it didn't matter to them.

Sometimes it's not about logic or what's right, esp with eBay. It's better to not re-attempt listing that item again or similar items for a while like phaz0rz said it will only cause you problems down the line.

Also sometimes its not about whether its counterfeit or not, it could be falsely advertised (e.g. condition stated as brand new when its used or you not listing the item with crystal clear images of brand tags or certain details on the piece itself)

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

Ebay has removed hundreds of mine and other sellers who sell similar products.

We think they have all been reported by a competitor. I have received load off counterfeit emails after the first one each email has said "other then what was communicated to you previously, no additional actions actions are being placed on your account" Will this just go on indefinitely with the warnings?

I always thought you received an educational warning, then the warning, then 3 day bad, 7 day ban, 10 day ban and sometimes 30 day ban before being suspended? But we just keep getting the same message.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

The number of violations your account can withstand relates directly to your sales volume. The fact that you've had so many listings removed without a restriction means you have a strong account.


Still though, common sense should tell you not to push it.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

"This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence. This came to our attention through automated detection."

Key note - man this AI BS will be the end of me

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

The name of the game is minimizing risk for the platform..

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

True but unless your selling cheaper generic items, you will almost always run the risk of "violating" a policy, most of the time its unintentional or eBay's piss poor automations with false positives.

Every time I violated the counterfeit policy or a similar policy it was a mistake on their end, which had a 50/50 chance of being overturned, the same luck as a coin toss.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

It's the same as it was before AI. You have to slowly work into certain types of items so you can build trust with the platform, or else eBay will see you as a liability and shut you down.


It's never unintentional though.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

I've sold these items before on the same account, the same items exist on eBay.

It's quite literally hit or miss. Nothing with eBay is absolute.

But it usually happens with deadstock/vintage pieces, or if you price it significantly lower to market value despite it being in fair or okay condition.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

It was actually:

"Other than what was communicated to you previously, no additional action is required from you and no further actions are being placed on your account.

This determination was made by a customer service agent. This came to our attention because of a user report."

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

You think if I was to push it, it would move on to the 3, 7 10 day violations, or stay with this warning?

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

Ah yes, the typical competitors reporting your. listing and eBay not giving a sh*t about it or integrity, I'm also aware.

That's just how this playground goes with eBay unfortunately, nothing we can do about it & their response would be the same, if you don't like it by all means you can go to another marketplace.

It's poorly run to say the least, with cheaply paid staff.

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

It usually goes from 3 to 7 to 10 to 30 to permanent if you are consistently violating it in a short period of time..

If you violate it a few months down the line with a few good sales in-between they would probably repeat the 7 day naughty step treatment.

Wouldn't it be a better system if they could pre-screen our listings and if not applicable / unsatisfactory they deny use from listing it in the first place, instead of risking breaking a potential policy?

You can only be so careful

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

I've had it on 4 accounts over the last week. I get the initial educational warning for each account then the "Other than what was communicated to you previously, no additional action is required from you and no further actions are being placed on your account." message each time I've had it 8 times on one account. I didn't know if they would keep taking the same action without taking it further?

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

what are you selling for your competition to be aiming for you??

Re: Multiple Accounts Targeted by Competitor Stating Items are Counterfeit.
 

It's not your competitors getting the listings removed.