Series of listings removed because the coins are mistakenly believed to be counterfeit
Summary: The discussion revolves around a series of listings that were removed because the coins were mistakenly believed to be counterfeit. The participants seem to be exchanging notes and updates about the situation, without any specific details or further concrete developments being provided.
For the second time in a month eBay has removed a series of my listings for authentic collectible coins on the grounds that they are copies or, worse, "counterfeits". At the moment there are 10 of them, 9 in 24 hours. More than half of the coins even come with a certificate of authenticity issued by the Mint that produced them. The operators who answer the phone are not authorized to deal with it. It seems the problem is due to the fact that these removals are handled by an AI. If you appeal, you get a prewritten response even if it is signed by an employee who seems more obtuse than the one an AI could write. I think there is some user who is having fun reporting my listings at random.
The serious thing is that eBay then closes them almost immediately simply by relying on suspicion alone, counting on a kind of modern ostracism.
On the other hand, appeals are treated with contempt and always rejected without explanation, hiding behind the need to protect eBay and their investigation tools. Even though they are riddled with holes.
Anyway, there seems to be no way out even with the certificate of authenticity. Has this happened to anyone else?
erroridieuro
·9 months agoIt happened to me with euro coins with minting errors.
erroridieuro
·1 year agoThis happened to me today. My listings concern euro coins with errors found in circulation.
marioelegio
·1 year agoLately there are tons of these coins being offered at big prices.
Keep in mind that wear on circulated coins makes it very difficult to distinguish a minting error from an alteration (intentional or accidental), and so circulated coins need to have a very major minting defect to have any value at all.
hi
mario
erroridieuro
·9 months agoThe thing is, mine were removed while thousands of others weren’t.
orangefisherman
·1 year agoFor a similar problem (but many years ago) I wrote as the first thing to talk about the USED listing. Then I scheduled the post for 24 hours later, to give eBay time to verify that it was indeed used stuff. At the time it worked, now with everything automated I don't know.... I'd give it a try.
vonbalden
·1 year agoAnyone offering items from a single category often finds themselves having to share the field with a multitude of other sellers in the same segment. If I sell an 1981 sovereign, the competitor also has that sovereign; if I use promotional phrases, I find that the other one does too; if I offer items below market price, the others do as well. Anyone offering products in one category may well not know anything about what they’re selling. They’re not trying to attract experts, but to make numbers, make money. The imperative is monetize, monetize. Definitely not to go on and on about an object and waste time. Mono-category sellers then prefer to offer to the general public, which nowadays is so varied it feels like the biblical Babel. In this context, you often find a lot of junk, which is why the platform applies restrictions. Not necessarily based on reports, but in relation to certain 'clues' that can make you fear the worst. In your specific case? The bad idea (forgive me the freedom of expression ethnacoins), of also offering reproductions. Why should I be happy with a reproduced 500 lire silver coin from 1958? I want the original. It’s not like it costs me as much as a 1-carat diamond, right? That, in my opinion, partly explains the site’s preventive removals. So what to do then? Take a good look at what the other sellers offer and anything you own as well, don’t sell it. Only what isn’t everywhere in all kinds of forms. Only what opens up a circle of interest, even for a newbie. Remove all the exclamation phrases, the words beautiful, ugly, original, etc. Often, the way you speak attracts a certain standard of interested buyers. Yesterday I was looking at a vintage knife listing. There was a knife used by the Marines in the Vietnam War. Underneath, the seller had put: ORIGINAL!!! Used by soldiers in the field!! For more information, ASK AWAY! But what am I supposed to ask you, huh? You’re not telling me anything I can verify as true. Change your modus operandi right away, preventing any removal. Bye, von
etnacoins
OP1 year agoThanks for the reply.
I've been selling for just three years. And I say "just" because here I see people selling reproductions and doing it since 2006.
I started out by imitation and so without even the suspicion, let alone the idea, that it might be forbidden. In fact, I’ll also tell you that it’s a hugely popular coin. The one I’ve sold the most by far.
eBay doesn’t take good faith into account at all, and answers and solutions are often left to little kids who seem, excuse my expression, like bimbominxxia with power bigger than they are.
Take the latest reply: " (...) I do not doubt that it was not your intention to violate the site rules, however, your listings were removed because they had elements in common with some listings that in the past caused a negative buying experience.
I advise you not to relist this item, as the elements that led us to remove it on this occasion may still be valid in the future.
Every seller must make sure to list items only if they are certain of their authenticity and are able to prove it.
This does not necessarily mean that your item is not authentic, but that, also considering the aforementioned elements, we are unable to verify its authenticity.(...)"
Sorry, but how can eBay possibly verify from listings whether a coin is authentic or not? Without having it in hand, even the most authoritative numismatist would not be serious if they gave an opinion.
The reply only serves to brush us off.
That said, the problem is understanding eBay's psychology. They don't want any hassle and cut things off even over a doubt. Why do they do it? Because they can do it without losses. They are they and we are nothing.
P.S. The 500 lire against the wind are from 1957 and the authentic ones are worth much more than a 1-carat diamond, having been sold at some auctions for between € 6000 and € 17.000!! (and the exclamation marks are needed). No one could ever think of buying it for € 8,00 and there can be no misunderstanding.
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoYou wrote that they removed some genuine coins from you....
The problem, in my opinion, is that by selling replica coins you collected a whole series of reports from other sellers of replicas whom eBay had evidently prevented from selling them.
These issues are handled by an artificial intelligence that is very likely not even managed in Italy, so calling support does not solve the problem.
First of all, remove the auctions that violate the rules so you avoid collecting more reports.
Then see if the problem goes away.
If the problem persists, I recommend closing all auctions for at least 30 days and starting again with new listings without reposting the old listings.
That is, basically, editing the auctions from scratch.
Let us know if you solve it
Good luck
etnacoins
OP1 year agoThanks. I’m afraid it might be the only solution.
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoetnacoins
Don’t take it too personally because with coins there’s really enough to make you tear your hair out, and eBay with artificial intelligence is only trying to "contain" the problem because solving it is impossible.
An artificial intelligence can’t distinguish a real coin from a counterfeit one from a photo, but neither could a human operator; the coin would need to be in the hands of an expert appraiser, and with remote sales that isn’t possible.
So try to maintain a high profile as a seller and do your best not to violate the rules.
Keep us posted and good luck.
etnacoins
OP1 year agoThanks again.
I really appreciate the way you argue your point and also the fact that... you're right...
I'll have to reshape my "shop" and it won't be easy...
Cheers to you all
Alessandro
g.a.25
·1 year agoSorry if my message is partly off-topic, but I can’t find any satisfactory answers.
I’m a private seller (not a dealer) and recently I put up for sale an original Louis Vuitton wallet and handbag (they belong to my wife), which were removed almost immediately because they were considered counterfeit.
Despite the photographic documentation showing all the original details of both products, and having sent the receipt and fiscal invoice for the handbag, bought in a Louis Vuitton store in Rome, eBay’s system, in a stubborn and unstructured way, does not recognize the authenticity of the products.
I read in a thread that there could be a problem with using a trademark without authorization, but what authorization should I have?
I bought and paid for a Louis Vuitton handbag and if I want to sell it, used, I don’t understand what I should ask for and from whom.
Is there anyone who can clarify this for me and suggest how to do it?
P.S. eBay is full of Louis Vuitton items (and many other brands) for sale. So??
marioelegio
·1 year agoThe ve.r.o. program allows those who hold the image rights of a brand to report listings that use the brand in a way they consider inappropriate.
https://www.ebay.it/help/account/contacting-ebay-customer-service/contatta-ebay?id=4379&st=3&pos=1&query=Contatta%20eBay&intent=contatta&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1326
hi
mario
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoEven if you are a private seller, and even if your items are authentic, eBay can remove a listing for:
- Suspicion of counterfeiting, flagged automatically by its system or by Louis Vuitton itself through the VeRO (Verified Rights Owner) program.
- Unauthorized use of the trademark – even if it is an original item, mentioning “Louis Vuitton” in the title or description without commercial authorization can cause problems.
- Violation of eBay’s rules on luxury brands, which are very restrictive (more than it may seem at first glance).
eBay works with trademark owners (e.g. Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Apple, etc.) through a program called VeRO:
- Companies can monitor and remove listings that use their trademark or that they themselves consider to be in violation.
- You don’t need to be selling a fake. If LV decides it doesn’t want that product sold on eBay, it can ask for the listing to be removed.
And often Louis Vuitton does not like private resale of its products on general platforms like eBay, precisely to protect its image and limit the counterfeit market.
Regards
erroridieuro
·9 months agoEbay should be boycotted. Let's all use another platform!
erroridieuro
·9 months agoThen they should remove them all….
heavenwelkin
·9 months agoKeep in mind that listings are NOT monitored by a human operator sitting there checking them one by one, and not even by artificial intelligence (which, due to technological limits, can certainly filter out some things) that could generate too many false positives.
So the listings will (for the most part) be removed when they are reported.
heavenwelkin
·1 year agoGood afternoon etnacoins
I was looking at your auctions and noticed that you sell "ALSO" differently authentic coins / reproductions / replicas like the 500 lire with the flags blowing in the wind...
Something you correctly wrote in the auction but...... did you read the rules before putting them up for sale?
If you haven't, go here:
https://www.ebay.it/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/replica-coins-currency-policy?id=5042
Best regards
etnacoins
OP1 year agoThanks for the reply.
"Ignorance of the law is no excuse" but you'll agree that reading all of eBay's rules would take more than a month. Also because in the meantime they will have changed.
The analogy is not an excuse, but this "coin" is being sold by dozens of sellers much older than me, also with feedback numbers ten times mine.
That said, do you think that the presence of this listing is what is causing my other genuine ones to be shut down (right now I have 11 absolutely authentic ones).
If so, the "punishment" system (including good faith) is rather bizarre as well as ineffective.