NationStates Jolt Archive

Ebay sued for fake perfume. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7481241.stm)

LVMH said eBay's French site had not done enough to stop the sale of counterfeit bags and perfumes.

The brands affected include Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Givenchy.

An eBay statement said LVMH was trying to "protect uncompetitive commercial practices at the expense of consumer choice" and added that it would appeal.
I say that, if anything, the people who were selling the fake bags and perfume should've been sued, not Ebay. If this causes a change in the ease of which you can put items up on Ebay, ten bucks says that Ebay will suffer an extreme drop in users.

What do you NSGers think?

Ahh, that makes a bit more sense now...

The first news report I heard about this today said that ebay had been fined for allowing people to sell branded goods (specifcally, Louis Vuitton bags) without being approved suppliers. I was royally pissed at the idea that they were getting into trouble for that, but if it's an anti-counterfeiting thing then fair enough.

How can an online auction site, which only facilitates sales, possibly be held responsible for protecting against the sale of counterfeit, real-world goods?
This is like going to a flea market and suing whoever owns the building and is leasing areas in it for having one of the leasers selling imitation Beanie Babies. Actually, it's like that, but pretend the they arn't even allowed to ask what the leasers are going to sell, much less examine it.

What do they want? eBay to hire agents to go out to a person's house and examine the item personally to see if it's counterfeit because that is what you have to do. Not only that, but you have to know what the details of the real thing are because you can't sell stuff that is obviously not the real thing as a counterfeit. So I guess they want eBay to hire people skilled at finding purse counterfeits to go out to people's houses and carefully examine their auction items to make sure they arn't counterfeit.

They alleged that even auctions involving their legitimate perfumes were illegal, because only specialist dealers were permitted to sell them.
And that's just silly. Not only is eBay not selling the items themselves, but how can they make an argument that it is illegal to resell their items? If the appeals court allows this to stand, you can bet the next people suing eBay are the recording and movie industries for promoting piracy by allowing people to resell legally purchased records and movies.

Ebay sued for fake perfume. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7481241.stm)


I say that, if anything, the people who were selling the fake bags and perfume should've been sued, not Ebay. If this causes a change in the ease of which you can put items up on Ebay, ten bucks says that Ebay will suffer an extreme drop in users.

What do you NSGers think?

At almost every big car boot sale i've been to a shady git in a black shirt has been trying to sell me like, 10 different boxed perfumes for £20 that'd actually be worth nigh-on 500. I swear he must be following me, or it's his family/twin(s), every time he's tried to sell to me his wares I swear it's the same guy. He's really hard to avoid, he'll walk up to you and be like "HOMG U LYK 2 BY MA PIRFUMEZ?" The only way to shake him off is to ignore him and walk off to some other stall, even if it is one selling ladies undergarments or dodgy BB guns. The fool even stopped me bagging an old Transformers toy which would've been worth at least £150 but being sold for 10p. It's weird though, I bet when he sees me gone he gets into his little stall and he's really like Doctor Who or something, and he teleports to the next place I go. Next time I see him I'll try to escape him by saying that i'm off for a dump or something.

At almost every big car boot sale i've been to a shady git in a black shirt has been trying to sell me like, 10 different boxed perfumes for £20 that'd actually be worth nigh-on 500. I swear he must be following me, or it's his family/twin(s), every time he's tried to sell to me his wares I swear it's the same guy. He's really hard to avoid, he'll walk up to you and be like "HOMG U LYK 2 BY MA PIRFUMEZ?" The only way to shake him off is to ignore him and walk off to some other stall, even if it is one selling ladies undergarments or dodgy BB guns. The fool even stopped me bagging an old Transformers toy which would've been worth at least £150 but being sold for 10p. It's weird though, I bet when he sees me gone he gets into his little stall and he's really like Doctor Who or something, and he teleports to the next place I go. Next time I see him I'll try to escape him by saying that i'm off for a dump or something.
U r need toliet papr? U lyk 2 by ma toilet papr, 4 ply!

at Almost Every Big Car Boot Sale I've Been To A Shady Git In A Black Shirt Has Been Trying To Sell Me Like, 10 Different Boxed Perfumes For £20 That'd Actually Be Worth Nigh-on 500. I Swear He Must Be Following Me, Or It's His Family/twin(s), Every Time He's Tried To Sell To Me His Wares I Swear It's The Same Guy. He's Really Hard To Avoid, He'll Walk Up To You And Be Like "homg U Lyk 2 By Ma Pirfumez?" The Only Way To Shake Him Off Is To Ignore Him And Walk Off To Some Other Stall, Even If It Is One Selling Ladies Undergarments Or Dodgy Bb Guns. The Fool Even Stopped Me Bagging An Old Transformers Toy Which Would've Been Worth At Least £150 But Being Sold For 10p. It's Weird Though, I Bet When He Sees Me Gone He Gets Into His Little Stall And He's Really Like Doctor Who Or Something, And He Teleports To The Next Place I Go. Next Time I See Him I'll Try To Escape Him By Saying That I'm Off For A Dump Or Something.
Homg U Lyk 2 By Ma Pirfumez?

Homg U Lyk 2 By Ma Pirfumez?

Sorry mate I gotta put this hifi system in the car, then i'm off for a dump, i've been bunged up for the last few days and better go when I need it, then i'll grab a hotdog, one of those awful greasy ones that aren't even meat, then i'll probably go home.
*speeds off towards the first stall in sight*

And that's just silly. Not only is eBay not selling the items themselves, but how can they make an argument that it is illegal to resell their items? If the appeals court allows this to stand, you can bet the next people suing eBay are the recording and movie industries for promoting piracy by allowing people to resell legally purchased records and movies.

I believe they are trying to sue people to prevent them selling promotional records.

What I find silly is that eBay is notoriously efficient at preventing the sale of things they regard as "weapon related".

Say you have a piece of webgear (a magazine pouch, made out of woven nylon to hold a set of magazines for an M-16).

If you put it on there, and say what it really is, inside of a day, they'll take it off, and ban your account.

If you don't say what it really is (say, "nylon pouch"), it will stay up, sell, and because the idiots who work for eBay have no idea what might really be useful for a piece of kit, they'll pass right over it.

It's not against the law to sell webgear, nylon pouches, etc - but eBay thinks it is.

I believe they are trying to sue people to prevent them selling promotional records.
And the resell of legally purchased records.

What I find silly is that eBay is notoriously efficient at preventing the sale of things they regard as "weapon related".

Say you have a piece of webgear (a magazine pouch, made out of woven nylon to hold a set of magazines for an M-16).

If you put it on there, and say what it really is, inside of a day, they'll take it off, and ban your account.

If you don't say what it really is (say, "nylon pouch"), it will stay up, sell, and because the idiots who work for eBay have no idea what might really be useful for a piece of kit, they'll pass right over it.

It's not against the law to sell webgear, nylon pouches, etc - but eBay thinks it is.

Or they just use some sort of word finding programme to find weapon-related items?

I'd say that there's a case (no matter how stupid of a case it might be) if these items were being sold through eBay's store systems, AND if the products' (bags & perfumes) selling policy (retail, resell, etc) was given upon the original purchase of an item. Though, the adage "ignorance is no excuse" could be used for the latter point.

Otherwise, if these products are being sold through the auction service, that sets a pretty dumb precedent (in the event that the civil suit is in favor of Louis Vuitton et al). That would lead me to question the legality of reselling items in a yard sale.

Stupid to blame eBay and probably impossible to sue the sellers. The best way to stop this is simply not to buy things which sound too good to be true i.e £50 perfumes for £5

The stuff I buy off these sites tends to be things are not worth 'faking'

The last thing was a 1970's Godzilla video (yes, video) that cost be 1.50 - who's gonna go to the trouble of faking thaty:)