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Problems with selling vErO
 

Hi everyone, I am very happy to have found eBay Stealth and this forum. I will try to keep my story short, but it won't be easy.
I started selling DVDs on eBay in Nov, 2010. I started with a $600 investment in product, and within 2 months I had over $3,000 in sales. By July I had over $150,000 in sales. I was on a roll. At this time I was a Gold Powerseller with top rated performance. I even received a certificate of achievement in the mail. Then the s#!t hit the fan.
First, I was sued by the makers of Zumba for copyright infringement. They wanted $150,000 to settle out of court. I sold a total of less than 40 pcs. of their product. I hired a copyright lawyer, and although I can't discuss the terms of the settlement, it was substantially less. This was my second VeRO violation in 7 months. Then eBay took a little closer look at the items I was selling and decided to pull the plug.

Well, not exactly, they did not suspend my account, they just told me I could no longer list products in the DVD category. So now I am sitting here with thousands of dollars worth of DVDs and no way to sell them. So now what? I opened a new Ebay account in my brother's name, and a PayPal account to go with it. I used my girlfriends computer in the next room Just in case eBay was checking my IP address, and started over again.
eBay was doing things a little different by now, and I had selling limits placed on my new account from the get-go.

Every month I used up my selling limits, and had to call someone at eBay to get them increased. The first couple of months I got higher limits, no questions asked. On the third month they gave me the third degree, asking me where I got my product. I told them I got my merchandise from wholesale and closeout sellers here in the US who get their stuff from places that have gone out of business, like Borders and Blockbuster. They said “That's great, can you fax us a few invoices for the merchandise you are selling?” So now I had to doctor up a few invoices. I made up a phony company name, used my sisters address, even got an 800 number which forwarded the calls to my home phone. (They never did call to check.)

It has been a much slower process, I am not even close to the level I was at before, and I can see after reading eBay Stealth, that I have been taking unnecessary risks by using just one account and running it at the max. I soon will be opening several stealth accounts and spreading my risk so one closed account doesn't wipe me out.
In the meantime, I do still have my original account, with which I can sell anything but DVDs, I just haven't found a great product with a good mark-up to sell. Any suggestions?

thanks for your story

OK great,you still have the original account,find a product (legit) and make sure you check its okay to sell on ebay without stepping on anyone's toes,make sure you read the trust & safety to make sure you dont have any more breaches as that account sounds good so you don't want to give them a reason to take you down

a few more accounts as back up is a fantastic idea

you can get back to where you was before the s**t hit the fan with multiple accounts selling a different type of item,it takes time and dedication but i am sure at your full potential you could be better than you were before you just need to find the right product but for the main account i would definitely stay away from any high risk vero type items

good luck

Welcome to the forum. Let's get this out of the way right now.Forum is not here to enable the selling of counterfeits.
What I say is not personal but factual :peace:
I have little sympathy for you that you have leftover stock. As the buyer you had a resposibility to make sure your items were in order to sell. Your homework appears poor.
Zumba is well documented on the web as being strict with copyright. I understand you saw 'dollar signs' but that seems to have backfired.

Users here have been banned for selling such items. You need to find a safer niche and start again.

Items spread out over several accounts will work. Methods of making accounts are laid out. Read lots and work out your plan

It's going to take you hard work. Correctly channeled you will not have the worry of litgation. Good Luck

You are very very lucky that they didnt come after you hardcore. Cause selling that amount of knockoffs is a serious risk to you and your family. The government in a major crackdown along with the film industry.

The money sounds good, but like anything else illegal is it worth the risk?

You do know that you are breaking many laws by selling that kind of quantity?

If you need a real legit US supplier for DVD then it can be achieved. Suppliers that are accepted by ebay. However the profit percentage is very very low.

As has been said you should really really find a new niche

Let me put it this way ... You are just jealous because you can't make as much money as this guy did on eBay. It's none of your business if he sells ⊗⊗⊗⊗ DVDs (or not). Also you have no proof that he does. Is he stealing money out of your mother's pocket? Obviously NOT! I hate when people get jealous of others who make more money on eBay than they ever will. You have 1000s of insider trading everyday why are you not upset about that? If you money they are manipulating. I have no mercy for big cooperation anyways. Entertainment industry makes more than enough money even with all the counterfeiting going on.

Very unfair rant at a very fair and factual posting.

How do you know he is jealous? You have no idea whatsoever what he is earning.

Of course it is his business if the OP is stating that he is selling counterfeits, as he virtually has with the Zumba reference. It's made perfectly clear by the mods that this forum has to show no tolerance to counterfeiting in its public postings.

Insider trading is not something that advise is given on in this forum therefore has no relevance.

And when did you become the judge and jury on how much the entertainment industry should earn?

i think you got max all wrong there

he was stating valid points and good advice

I can safely assume that no person on this board could ever make decent money selling legitimate products on eBay. And when I say decent I don't mean selling 5k a month. I am talking about at least 30-50k a month in total sales. People who accuse others of selling counterfeit products without any apparent evidence are simply jealous. End of story! Also I am not referring to you GreenBean because I know exactly where you are coming from. As an administrator of this site it is only expected that you will be against such practice. I personally have a different opinion but will keep most of it to myself since this is a public forum.

No I got what MAX was trying to say. Do you actually think that OP didn't know what he was getting himself into when he begun selling DVDs? We know full well the repercussions which take place with those who are selling illegitimate copies. I guess it's okay for small Chinese shops at Pacific Mall here in Toronto to sell illegal DVDs for 2 dollars each but it is a big "no no" when someone does it over eBay because they make significantly more money than you. I think it's a double standard which mostly involves jealousy. Just like people who blame the rich for having too much money. Force them to pay more taxes than anyone else. Is it fair? I am not rich by any means but I think if you make a lot of money you should pay as much tax as any one else does, not more.

I find it ironic how everyone who talks about equality, morality is usually someone who doesn't know how to become better than their competitor. In my opinion there is no such thing as an equal. If everyone was to be equal we as humanity would not progress. There is always someone who is richer, stronger, smarter, faster etc ... THAN YOU. People need to learn how to respect those OTHERS who are better at something than they are instead of putting them down because they could not achieve it themselves.

okay bud

no worries

Your assumptions show that you have no idea what goes on. I turned more than the figures you quote in February and everything I sell is legit. I know other members here who turn a lot more than I do.

It strikes me you believe everyone on here who doesn't condone Veronica Lakes must be jealous.

Thankfully that's just an opinion and bears no reality to the quality of the postings. The OP has been given good sound advise by the posters and all you can do is accuse them of being jealous. Hardly constructive is it? And does nothing to address the problem the OP has. Does show the way you think though

I need everyone to behave or thread will be closed.

WOW! Thanks for the feedback everybody. It looks like I ruffled a few feathers with my first post. I apologize for any references I made to selling counterfeit products. I will refrain from doing so in the future. I am not trying to justify or condone my actions, but these are the same products I see being sold by hundreds of eBay sellers, some with thousands of +FB. I consider myself a pretty small fish in this pond.

I stumbled upon this forum when I did a Google search for ways to increase my chances of getting my shipments through Customs. I read a few threads here about NY vs San Francisco customs, and thought that they were referring to the importation of counterfeit merchandise. This, and the name eBay Suspension & Paypal Limited Forums, led me to believe that it was OK to discuss this subject. This also begs the question, (not to hijack my own thread, but..) Why was YOUR eBay account suspended?

Thanks again for all the advice. Have learned a lot here already and I am looking forward to learning a lot more. I hope I can prevent other first time posters from making the same mistake.

My last suspension was for bad customer service when we had a huge problem on the farm, the one before that was for selling 'adult' material:dance:

1PDnAZ, I would heed the advice given to you by GreenBean, GrannyT & GTB. I have interacted with them on here a lot & I would say I have found their understanding & guidance invaluable in regards to EB/PP.I have observed time & time again, that they are well informed. :hail:

The points newjerseymax raised have been said in good faith. The 'food for thought' questions raised are worth reflecting upon in regard to your current endevour.;)

stanislav, you are adding more fuel to the fire here. It is unnecessary.It is counter productive & does not add anything to the thread in terms of knowledge, understanding & insight.

Why do you have such a confrontational righteousness air about yourself ??? You have come across as being very aggressive & hostile from the outset with your very first post on this thread. Is this all necessary ???

Relax. Take a breather, we are all on the same side here in regards to EB/PP.

:brushteeth:

LOL! I guess it's because I haven't slept for more than 24 hours. Anyways I think I should go to sleep now and maybe when I am back this thread will still be alive and kicking. I just don't like jealousy. I think it's one of the worst traits human beings posses.

I'm saying......that the posters on this thread have given advise to the best of their knowledge, understanding & insight & to the best of their abilities in good faith.

People are liable to say different things hence the VERY reason it is under discussion/debate to share best practise/advise/guidance in the first place.Common consensus will eventually follow on the best/correct strategy to follow.

There is therefore NO need to take your sledgehammer to crack a nut approach at others on here. Your level of aggression & confrontation on these pages is unwarranted & unmerited. You are over the top.

:brushteeth:

EDITS: I don't think jealousy even came into it to be honest with you - you simply inflected your own interpretation onto it in such terms....when the poster said that in good faith.

Last warning. Pls behave and be civil.

Sorry didn't mean to offend anyone... "just the facts"...

Jealousy? I really don't have time for that. I rather enjoy spending my free time with my friends and family then worry about how others run their business. However, the OP came to seek advice and I am sure he will take it or leave it as he pleases.

Now back to OP...

You do seem to be aware of what the problem is.... If you really want to be in this field then send me a IM and I will provide you with a legit US supplier and you will be an authorized seller of DVD.

However I do not suggest as again the profit margin is very small. I assume after settlement you still have capital. You should be able to easily find a replacement product. Search Search Search... try to think outside the box.

Much more hard work will entail, it can be done. You will work a bit harder and longer. In the long run it will workout if you spread your sales, create your own website and do not put it all in the ebay basket.

Hopefully others can help also...

Thanks everyone!

You made an account in November of 2010 and in July had over $150k in sales of VeRO DVDs? Bull****, that's like $20k per month by your second month of selling ⊗⊗⊗⊗ DVDs on a brand new stealth acc. That's ****ing impossible no way eB/pp let you do that much sales especially in that category. My suggestion? Get real, you don't need to lie to get info. There are plenty of products to sell with huge profit margins you just need to keep looking and avoid the ones that can get you into trouble eg. Zumba. I'm surprised you guys even thought this story was real.