Description Theft

[mjluther]

Recently, I noticed someone stole the text from the item description in an auction of mine, and used it in their own. I'm a little irritated. Does Ebay expressly prohibit this? If they don't, I guess I'll start adding a disclaimer in my auctions.

[alexkidd2000]

Who cares?! I dont know why people are so anal about their stupid auctions. Why dont you copyright it if bugs you?

[jajaja]

Yes, Ebay have a own section for this.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/vero-image-text-theft.html

To contact Ebay about this, go to help -> contact us -> report a listing policy.. -> copying of your listing -> your item description text was copied.

But I dont think i would care that much. You should be glad that someone want to use your text. That means your text is good because someone else wants to use it :)

[Vroomfunkel]

Who cares?! I dont know why people are so anal about their stupid auctions. Why dont you copyright it if bugs you?

I don't necessarily think it is anal. Part of what makes my auctions on ebay distinct from everybody else's is my descriptions. I spend time on them, and try to find original things to say about my items.

If someone just takes that and copies it for their own item, mine is no longer unique. Can you imagine an ebay where all copies of Panzer Dragoon Saga had exactly the same description, because someone wrote a good one and everyone else copied it? So no, it's not anal.


You should be glad that someone want to use your text. That means your text is good because someone else wants to use it

That's like saying that an author should be glad that people are shoplifting their book, because it shows that they like it! Also, much though it may suprise you, eBay didn't create that rule just 'to be anal' either - it is for just the reasons that I have given (amongst others)

Vroomfunkel

[TEXASGAMEPLAYER]

I agree! I don't want to buy a game based on someones elses description of someone elses game! I want an honest review of the game I am buying

[jajaja]

You should be glad that someone want to use your text. That means your text is good because someone else wants to use it

That's like saying that an author should be glad that people are shoplifting their book, because it shows that they like it! Also, much though it may suprise you, eBay didn't create that rule just 'to be anal' either - it is for just the reasons that I have given (amongst others)

Vroomfunkel

A book is a physical thing. Text from a website isnt. Cant be compared.
Description are made fast (depending on what your selling of course). A book can take months or even years to write.

But as I said, Ebay have a policy against this, so the case is pretty clear. But I wouldnt waste much energy on this if I were you.
What harm does it do you?

[mjluther]

Who cares?! I dont know why people are so anal about their stupid auctions. Why dont you copyright it if bugs you?

It bugs me for two reasons.

1. The auction was for an extremely rare book, worth a couple thousand bucks. Buyers seeing identical descriptions for two items of this nature are likely to think something unusual, even shady, is occuring. I don't want that. It's damaging to me.

2. My descriptions are rather delicately and precisely written, and it's irritating that someone is using my work, regardless of how trivial, without my permission.

Thanks for the info about the Ebay policy. I'll drop them a line, and report back here.

[mjluther]

Well, I contacted the seller. It's actually a consignment shop that deals mainly with jewelry and coins. They admitted to using my description because they have no experience selling rare books, and liked the text. They agreed to add a link and referral to my auctions in their listing, which satisfies me. Though, it'd have been nice if they'd asked.

[Hovoc]

what book is it to be worth a few grand? my curiosity is piqued

[Vroomfunkel]

A book is a physical thing. Text from a website isnt. Cant be compared. Description are made fast (depending on what your selling of course). A book can take months or even years to write.

But as I said, Ebay have a policy against this, so the case is pretty clear. But I wouldnt waste much energy on this if I were you.
What harm does it do you?

So many assumptions here, I don't know where to start!!

Whether a piece of writing is on a piece of paper, or on a website has no bearing on whether you can 'compare' the two. If you could only compare identical things, the idea of comparison would be redundant!

Descriptions are not necessarily made fast - just because you or somebody else may knock out a description in 20 seconds, doesn't mean everyone does. The fact is that good, thoughtful descriptions can take time and effort to produce, hence the irritation when someone who can't be bothered to make that effort wants to reap the benefit of my thought and effort.

Finally, how long something takes to write is not necessarily an indicator of quality or value anyway. You could spend 40 years writing a novel, but it wouldn't necessarily be any good or worth anything. However there are poems that were probably written in a matter of minutes, or less that display genius beyond our dreams.

So just because something hasn't taken years to write doesn't mean it is fair game for everyone to copy and claim the credit for.

Got any real arguments, or was that it? :)

Vroomfunkel

[suppafly]

I´d report it too

[GunPanther]

Don't feel too bad, the same thing happened to me.

For nearly 2 years, I've been selling customized costume glasses in auctions with descriptions that I've been recycling since I use the 'sell a similar item' option on Ebay.

Surprisingly, a seller stole not only part of the description, but also the exact same title which I use to list the auctions.

The first time around, I reported the violating sellers to Ebay and their auctions were ended. This time though, I sent another complaint to Ebay and Ebay simply turned the other way and stated 'the copying of the description or the auction title don't seem to be apparent, so we will not end the auctions you had indicated....'.

Complete bullshit.

Ebay only cares about one thing; Ebay.

As much as I hate using Ebay because of their ridiculously high fees and connection with PayPal (who also have high fees) I am forced to do so because they're really the only outlet on the internet which allows a small seller such as myself to have a chance at selling items for a decent profit.

To me, Ebay is like a double-edged sword. You use it and benefit from it, but at the same time, also get hurt by it.

*sighs*


:rockets: GunPanther :2gunfire:

[unbroken]

i steal peoples descriptions all the time, i dont see whats wrong with it all. im to fuckin lazy to sit down and write a bunch of bs.

[Insaneclown]

I dont care if someone stole my txt. If they stole my pictures then Ill be pissed. Then I would report him/her to ebay. Argh!!!

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Ya…. I’d be mad if someone stole my picture :angry: If they stole my description I wouldn’t necessarily mind. I myself have taken parts of descriptions (track listings and things) so I wouldn’t care.