Sourcing items from same source as established seller

[lucy]

I'm branching out in what I sell and have seen an established power seller on eBay who has a professional looking listing template and who is registered on eBay as a limited company they sell at least 1000 items a month. The claim they have a factory in a 3rd world country that produces the items - but I've found almost 10 popular items they are selling off a wholesale website!

I've found the wholesaler they are buying some of their items from and plan on buying items from
the same wholesaler.

What precautions can I take to stop the seller claiming I'm using their images (when they are stock images off the wholesale site) or falsely telling eBay the items are vero and they produce the items themselves?

[GreenBean]

Are you prepared for a war!

[richie2065]

Is it a Niche area of the market.. if many other people are selling these items they prob wont know another seller in the marketplace especially going off the volume of items they are selling

[RosieTosie]

Originally Posted by lucy

I'm branching out in what I sell and have seen an established power seller on eBay who has a professional looking listing template and who is registered on eBay as a limited company they sell at least 1000 items a month. The claim they have a factory in a 3rd world country that produces the items - but I've found almost 10 popular items they are selling off a wholesale website!

I've found the wholesaler they are buying some of their items from and plan on buying items from
the same wholesaler.

What precautions can I take to stop the seller claiming I'm using their images (when they are stock images off the wholesale site) or falsely telling eBay the items are vero and they produce the items themselves?

If you can puchase them from a wholesale supplier Lucy then there will be others selling them, give it a go you will just be 1 more selling them, keep us updated on how you get on.

You could take your own photo's of the items, then that Powerseller couldn't say you were using same images as them.

[solefoodbk]

Why not just submit the invoice to eBay if there is ever a problem?

If you can prove your buying from whomever and they see its the same as his (they do check other websites) you should be okay.

[lucy]

ooops soowwii for the typo GreenBean lol

I am prepared for a war because a few months ago I asked the seller if they could supply me wholesale and the response was something along the lines of 'yes we manufacture the items in our own factory and can supply you BUT your not allowed to sell on eBay'

GreenBean...I feel because they sell s minimum of 1000 of these items per month they are going to tell eBay they are the vero rights owner of the item and design manufacture these products and own the copyright etc - which is a lie because I've found a supplier who has a few of these items so then going to eBay saying Lucy is copying then etc is wrong.

The seller has watermarked all the stock images with they eBay name across the images and also claims to donate the money to a charity to a 3rd world country for all items sold, the charity is also set up by them.

Could you give me some tips to compete and keep the stealth account intact taking on this power seller who's also register as a business seller.

Originally Posted by GreenBean

Are you prepared for a war!

[GreenBean]

What is slongvtgevilbrs

[lucy]

ooops sowwie for the typo its mean to read 'along the lines of' lol

Originally Posted by GreenBean

What is slongvtgevilbrs

[lucy]

Others are selling similar products but not the exact same items as this powerseller...who today when I've checked has nearly 200 active listings with a combined total of nearly 2200 items in those listings combined.

what this seller is also doing is displaying on all their listings - 100% of the sale of this item will benefit xyz charity, so basically they have set up their ebay business as a charity, which i think is another reason why are they selling close to 1000 items a month

Originally Posted by richie2065

Is it a Niche area of the market.. if many other people are selling these items they prob wont know another seller in the marketplace especially going off the volume of items they are selling

[lucy]

This should help if this seller reports my listings to ebay, i could scan a copy of the invoice and show the supplier web page links for the items concerned, so ebay could see the supplier has the same items as the powerseller on ebay who would argue they manufacture the same product themselves

Originally Posted by solefoodbk

Why not just submit the invoice to eBay if there is ever a problem?

If you can prove your buying from whomever and they see its the same as his (they do check other websites) you should be okay.

[GreenBean]

All you need to do is make your listings entirely different from theirs.

You can not use one thing they have as "theirs"

Your sources need to be totally different.

Until you get going, do not sell a high proportion of "their" items. Mix your listings.
Keep looking for other money making items rather than deal with established sellers.

[lucy]

Hi GreenBean, thanks for the advice below, just a couple of questions

Originally Posted by GreenBean

All you need to do is make your listings entirely different from theirs.

You can not use one thing they have as "theirs"

But the items will be the same as "theirs' as the pictures are from the same supplier, I will add my ebay name across the images, maybe colourize the images or add them into a frame etc...so the images look kind of different.


Your sources need to be totally different.
This is difficult as I've only found 1-2 suppliers that are selling some of the items this powerseller is selling, so the source will have to be the same unfortunatley




Until you get going, do not sell a high proportion of "their" items. Mix your listings.

I get you...throw in 2-3 of "their" items in with my listings and see if they notice or not, so it does not look so obvious to the powerseller

Keep looking for other money making items rather than deal with established sellers.

I can add in different items in...so to the powerseller it does not look I am taking them on with selling the same items

[GreenBean]

lucy
you need to take your own photos

[lucy]

o.k i will try that but its difficult because of the type of item the product is

Originally Posted by GreenBean

lucy
you need to take your own photos

[yankee]

Always take your own pictures.

If they dont have a registered trademark, what is your concern about vero etc... To be vero, you must join ebays vero program with all legalities. One can not simply make a claim.

[bigdaz]

its simple really, you can take your own pics and create your own listings, unless they actually 'own' the item then you wont have an issue

[oompaloompa]

your own pics and you will be fine.
maybe the wholesaler buys from the factory too, depends on prices you can see....

depending on what it is, and if the description allows for more complex detail, you can sell the very same items and with slightly different description you can get a better price and still get sales....also people buy from a powerseller more readily...