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eBay fined over counterfeit goods
 

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eBay fined over counterfeit goods

Online auction giant eBay has been convicted of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay 20,000 euro ($32,497) in damages to French luxury group Hermes, Hermes' lawyer said.

The ruling, which marks a first in France, found eBay directly responsible for the sale on its website of three Hermes bags including two ⊗⊗⊗⊗, for a total of 3000 euro.

"We are satisfied that they should be considered counterfeiters", said lawyer Emmanuel Colomes, who had been seeking 30,000 euro in damages for complicity in the sale of counterfeit goods.

At the trial in April, Hermes' lawyer argued that eBay was more than a mere host for the counterfeit items.

"eBay is an active player in the transaction because not only does it offer a number of services to improve the sale, but when it does not work well enough or fast enough, they intervene with the client," Colomes argued.

"They are perfectly informed of the transactions since they take a percentage cut."

Luxury fashion houses Louis Vuitton and Dior Couture have also taken legal action against eBay before the Paris commercial court, respectively seeking 20 million euro and 17 million euro in damages.

Both brands accuse eBay of complicity in the sale of counterfeit goods by allowing buyers and sellers to transact without imposing any controls.

Also in France, the auction industry took legal action against the online giant last December, accusing it of encouraging trade in pirated and stolen goods.

And in a potentially major case, the cosmetics giant L'Oreal last September launched legal action against eBay in five European countries including France, over the sale of bottles of counterfeit perfume.

Full Article was from: eBay fined over counterfeit goods - web - Technology - theage.com.au

Crazy stuff... I'd hate to be eBay right now..

ebay should give sellers some advice where to find authentic stuff to sell on ebay.

Why? You want ebay to hold your hand? Are you suggesting ebay cares enough to do that? I can just see me doing another 10 dozen ebay and T&S tutorials on what to sell. Please.:rolleyes:

Ebay should eat every one of those law suits and smile. They make/made more money off from counterfeit merchandise than anyone else EVER. Their company is built with counterfeit proceeds. I'm smugly smiling, serves them right how dare they. For years they were knowingly profiting from counterfeits turning a blind eye watching their back account grow until the law suits roll in. Then suddenly start cracking down with their T&S department suspending people left and right. Too late ebay you already got caught with your hand in the cookie jar. By the time companies like Burberry and Tifinay get done with ebay they will owe more than the national deficit in compensatory damage.

This is just the start of it, what about the other fashion companies such as Gucci and Prada and the rest of them. This is a class example of karma!

20,000 Euros - that's nothing.

Yes, agreed. Thats what $40-$42K in USD...
Ive paid that in ebay fees in December

More stuff in other articles

eBay Fined By French Court For Counterfeit Items | WebProNews
So according to this article, eBay isn't liable for new counterfits under its VERO program, just the old ones before it?

I also don't see the ruling posted on its French homepage.


The fine was only about $30,000 US and that eBay likely makes that per minute.

yeah well those fines wont hurt ebay at all. Some of those designer companies dont even care, thats why its easier to list certain designer brands then others.

I am off to post some more Hermes handbags on the ebay.fr website. $40K a pop times 100 auction a week will hopefully start to add up:)