when selling items, does anyone browse completed listings for your same product and gank either parts of or the entire description? Will you get nasty emails for doing it? I see some pretty nifty layouts incorporating the manufacturer's tables and specifications i'd like to just view source and copy/paste.

also, how much of a difference does it make if you have your entire auction page listing as this professional html page as opposed to the plain selling-wizard scheme?

3/8/2008 4:10:04 PM

I've searched for items that match the one I'm selling and "borrow" their specs. But usually i double check with the manufacturer to ensure it's correct.

3/8/2008 4:12:18 PM

so you are scared of nasty emails

3/8/2008 4:13:56 PM

the time I sold a few items, I found the completed listing with the highest final value and copy/pasted it with a few edits.

I never heard anything about it, but if anyone had complained I would've just told them to fuck off

3/8/2008 4:14:45 PM

^^totally terrified

^yeah thanks, that's what i had in mind.

3/8/2008 4:16:38 PM

imitation is a form of flatter or something like that
i've been copied before, had my whole listing jacked, i reported it to ebay and got theirs removed
but just specs, now one cares about that

3/8/2008 4:20:28 PM

I've been using eBay for just over 10 years as a Powerseller and as a frequent buyer. A quick search in the eBay help section will uncover that the practice which you suggest is actually against eBay rules. While a first offense that is caught and reported will probably only result in your listing being removed and your fees returned... frequent disregard to this policy will cause you to have your listings removed and your fees lost. You aren't allowed to copy paste anything from any other members listing.

The only information that you may "copy" is from a manufacturers website (ie: technical specifications of the product) and even that needs to be directly from the manufacturer and not from Best Buy, Circuit City or Amazon-type websites. You cannot copy marketing-type descriptions from manufacturers websites or other websites. You have to describe the item in your own words.

Now, do people break this rule? All the time... But its not polite and I have personally had members listings removed because of it when it was interfering with my sales. Interestingly enough, Powersellers especially high ranked ones have special privileges over the common-place eBay user.

You know... it's plagiarism plain and simple. Just because its on the internet doesn't mean your ethics should go to waste. You wouldn't go find someone's lab report from last semester and copy paste it would you?

3/8/2008 5:04:45 PM

I've stolen pics.

They can't do shit. Some of them have wised up and put a watermark. Otherwise, steal away!

3/8/2008 5:05:55 PM

what's the best way to list your item? create your page in dreamweaver or frontpage and insert the html on ebay? Are there extra fees for using your own templates? I guess I could scour the FAQ, but since there seems to be a number of you here who sell a lot...

I've used it a bunch to buy things but never had motivation to sell anything.

3/8/2008 5:20:56 PM

I use an HTML editor and paste the code.

There are no fees for anything you design yourself. Those fees for templates for people who don't have any experience using an HTML Editor.

And Shawna, stealing pictures is the easiest way to get caught with non-policy listings. And there IS something they can do... they can remove your listing and not refund the outrageous listing fees they charge you. They are less forgiving of this practice than copying text from listings. All pictures should be your own (I have learned this the hard way).

3/8/2008 5:52:01 PM

I haven't messed around with ebay/paypal in ages. How sketchy these days is shipping to an unconfirmed paypal address? They used instant payment with BIN.

their feedback shows positive ratings, one item back on jan31 is exact and he paid more than what mine was listed for.

I guess just shoot an email? It looks fine, but who these days doesn't register their pp addy?

[Edited on March 10, 2008 at 5:44 PM. Reason : .]

3/10/2008 5:38:38 PM

3/10/2008 5:47:09 PM

everybody uses the same pics from mfg for most things... sure if it's a pic that an individual obviously took then copying it is a bad idea--it just reeks of scam if nothing else.

3/10/2008 5:53:48 PM

not that it matters, but http://www.elusivity.com/ebay/ is what i went with

3/10/2008 5:54:50 PM

I plaigarize the fuck out of some ebay listings.


I mean who gives a shit. I could see you getting fucked with if you were competing with a seller who sells a bunch of that product, but not so much if you are trying to unload the extra one you got.

3/10/2008 6:07:32 PM

^ Nice ethics.

3/10/2008 7:41:52 PM