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Ralph Lauren
 

Today I received this email from them direct to my email not through eBay.

Geneva, 6 May, 2020





RE: Unauthorized Sale of Alleged Ralph Lauren Products

Dear Sirs,

THE POLO/LAUREN COMPANY L.P. and its affiliate RALPH LAUREN EUROPE SARL are writing to you with regards to the sale of RALPH LAUREN products on eBay platform in Europe.

The Polo/Lauren Company, L.P., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ralph Lauren Corporation (collectively “Ralph Lauren”), is the owner and registrant of the well-established family of famous trademarks, including RALPH LAUREN, POLO, and Trademark image (the “Ralph Lauren Trademarks”) for an extensive line of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, accessories, home products, and other goods and services worldwide. Actually, the Ralph Lauren Trademarks are recognized and protected around the world by hundreds of trademark registrations.

It has come to our attention that you are advertising, offering for sale and/or selling products bearing the Ralph Lauren Trademarks (“Disputed Products”) through eBay EU.

Ralph Lauren distributes genuine products through a selective distribution network of approved retailers. Since you are not an approved retailer, Ralph Lauren has serious doubts as to the authenticity and genuineness of the Disputed Products. Products bearing the Ralph Lauren Trademarks that are not sourced from Ralph Lauren’s selective distribution network are often counterfeits, an issue that Ralph Lauren addresses with the utmost seriousness.

Ralph Lauren is prepared to take all steps necessary and appropriate to fight product piracy and the distribution of garments that infringe the Ralph Lauren Trademarks. Before considering further actions, Ralph Lauren hereby gives you the opportunity to provide information proving the authenticity of the Disputed Products, including your source and evidences such as invoices and additional pictures.

Your reply is expected to the email address as follows: ralphlauren@sellercompliance.org. Should you not provide a satisfactory response by then, Ralph Lauren will have no choice but to consider further appropriate steps and actions to protect its rights, the Ralph Lauren Trademarks and its Ralph Lauren selective distribution network.

This letter is sent without prejudice as to any rights, remedies, or claims that Ralph Lauren may have in connection with the subject-matter hereof, all of which are expressly reserved.

RALPH LAUREN

Legal Department

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

I'm sure if people have something to say or share on the matter they will pipe up. But thanks for the inquisition

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

Have you replied to this, its interesting as I have never seen this before. Are you using Stealth? Are you actually selling xxxx products?

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

Ralph Lauren distributes genuine products through a selective distribution network of approved retailers. Since you are not an approved retailer, Ralph Lauren has serious doubts as to the authenticity and genuineness of the Disputed Products. Products bearing the Ralph Lauren Trademarks that are not sourced from Ralph Lauren’s selective distribution network are often counterfeits, an issue that Ralph Lauren addresses with the utmost seriousness.
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This is the first time I see such email from R Lauren,I know Rolex lawyer will send you letter and ask to pay a fine,but now clothese designer!
There are many sellers selling RAlph Lauren clothes,they are both used and new.
If you believe yours is authentic,why not ask on Ebay seller forum.
Ebay is a place to sell used and new products,if you can prove you bought it from a retailer who is a legit distributor and retailer of R Lauren product,you have done nothing wrong,

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

if all the brand name manufacturers all come to Ebay and get your email,it can also get your name and address and send you a lawyer letter.
What would Ebay do?
What can Ebay do?

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

HI

I get these email from H Boss and Levis S very often

if your account is stealth ignore this email

if your account is under your name than you need to calculate the risk yourself

2 possible outcomes from my experience with Levis Dont know about ralph lauren how they proceed But i am sure they work in same pattern

If Vero take down your listing than its ok happens all the time

If your listing is not taken down which Vero will not (if they decide to proceed legal actions against you ) In that case expect a letter from them for legal proceeding

A word of warning

Sometimes it get really serious depends upon your inventory so make sure you check the authenticity E.G RFID Barcode

the damage cause to brand they will take it from you like RL polo shirt retail somewhere at £69 to £99 and they will calculate according to MSRP

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

I know NIKE,ADDIDAS,LEICA,TiffanY,Louis Vitreon,Prada,Coach.Rolex are active on Ebay,but Ralph LAUREN clothes are not that expensive,this is the first time I see such email.
Ralph Lauren makes many of their clothings in Shenshun ,China,HK residents will go into China and buy RL t shirts which come with a price tag,marked with listed price crossed out and show a markdown price,so dept stores do not have to do this one by one.
So this is kind of ironic for RL to care about the authenticity of RL clothes sold in a flea market!

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

No I havent replied to them, I do not think I will either . the items are not from their distribution lines, but they are from their factories.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

Normally the item just gets pulled, the item is still up, i just received this to my gmail inbox, nothing has been taken down on ebay.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

its a semi stealth account

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

They cant pull your listing ,they want to see receipt and pictures.
what is the item -polo shirt,sweater,cardigan,coat,jacket??

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

boxers polos and tees at the moment

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

good luck.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

I have received the same exact email at the same date! so I decided to reply and provide the copies of all the invoices asked for.
and after a couple days i received this email from them:

We have previously contacted you regarding your eBay offers of Ralph Lauren branded products and are writing in response to your communication dated May 2020. We appreciate you sharing your source with us, however you are still not authorized to sell our products on eBay.
Your sale of Ralph Lauren products on eBay is without authorization and in violation of Ralph Lauren’s selective distribution network. Importantly, your distribution and sale of Ralph Lauren branded-products across international borders may infringe upon Ralph Lauren’s trademark rights.

Provided you comply with our request to remove your listings, Ralph Lauren will consider this matter resolved.



Sincerely,

Ralph Lauren Europe Sàrl

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

Just had the exact same email today. I only sell Ralph Lauren aftershaves/perfumes that have all been bought from UK retailers.

Looking at the above it seems it isn't even worthwhile arguing my case as they will just claim I am an unauthorised reseller.

Those that got the warning email - have you had any further dealings or threats from them?? Strange that they aren't going through the proper channels to simply get the items removed via VERO.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

check the whois on the domain of sellercompliance.org , registered on godaddy with whois protection? why? have you checked this isnt just a competitor shutting all there competition down?, give ebay a ring.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

ive just done some googling and this only turns up two or three times with a few other brands, one being apple! i dont think apple has to hire a third party to protect its brands on ebay, i would verify this with ebay if your listings havnt been pulled.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

The site sellercompliance.org has: Powered by GoDaddy GoCentral Website Builder in the footer I would have thought RL or any partners that it associates with could afford better hosting?

Looking at the comments above and taking a quick look at the website it looks like it could be a competitor.

If you send receipts or your source over and it is a competitor you could be handing them a new supplier at the same time.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

The site just doesn't look official enough to me the in the Marketplace Policies section the space after Prohibited Seller Operations before w a l mart is hyperlinked.

The contact us button doesn't work.

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

I agree, Maybe its a seller attempting to find a source for apple products?

Re: Ralph Lauren
 

Thanks my immediate thoughts were it could just be a fishing exercise to try and scare off competition and/or gain some sourcing info at the same time. I have also had a couple of VERO removal requests recently for the first time in well over a year so could be somebody just trying to hinder me.

I will see if any updates are posted to this thread.