Ebay and copyright infringements

[derek]

I had to conact Ebay to inform them that someone was using an image which I had produced, here is the reply

Are you sure the design is yours ? yes

did you tell someone they could use it ? no

maybe you forgot you let someone use it ? no

What would you like us to do about it ? remove it and warn the person about doing this.

But we need you to prove it is your design ? it has my copyright written straight across the image ? bur we still need proof it is yours.

So I asked them what if I was a multi national company and not a soletrader, would it be removed then ?

Ebay: well if it was reported to us then yes, well I am reporting it to you now, and I am reporting that a lot of people are selling items on Ebay that are breaking copyright.

Then the customers on Ebay need to contact the copyright owner and tell them to ask us to remove it then we will.

But are Ebay not then breaking the law by knowingly allowing customers to sell copyrighted goods ?

Ebay: we will remove the listings when the owner asks us to ? But I am asking you to as the owner of my copyrighted image ???



I then gave up the will to live :(

[GoonerGary]

I spent a very long time trying to remove infringements on ebay. Got the run around and excuses of not receiving Vero reports. Decided I'd had enough and went a solicitor to make the reports for me. They were removed immediately. Then got my solicitor to put pressure on them to be accepted into the vero program... which they are supposed to do anyway! So things are going ok at the moment.

Decide how much of an impact these infringements are having on your business, then go to a solicitor...it is costly.

[pisquee]

If you're serious about protecting your designs, then you should have a look at ACID (http://www.acid.uk.com)

[derek]

Hi Pisquee

Thank you for that info, that is very handy indeed, and I will be seriously considering joining up with them :)