e-bay picture ?? UPDATE

[weluvdizne]

O.k., I am relatively new to selling on e-bay, but I always use my own pictures of the items I am selling. I just noticed that somebody has copied and used MY picture. We are selling the same item. It is a picture that I took of my item in my house. Are they allowed to do this? I don't want to sound snotty, but I'm just wondering. Thanks.


UPDATE
I reported that my picture had been used without my permission. Here is the response I got from E-bay:

"Thank you for writing eBay in regard to your report on Image and Text
Theft.

We reviewed your report and found that it was in violation. We would
like to inform you that it will take a little time for us to remove this
from our site but rest assured we have taken the appropriate action.
However, due to concerns about privacy, we can't discuss one member's
account with another member, so we can't share the results of our
investigation with you. I hope this assures you that your account
information will also remain private. "

Thanks again to those who helped me. I posted this update so others trying to make a couple bucks on e-bay don't have this happen to them, too. Thank you!

 

[Parksfamily5]

I have sold on Ebay on and off for years. This is not allowed. Go to their auction and you can report it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I went to their Help section.

On this page there is a link under "Rules that affect how you can list items for sale" that states that you CANNOT "use someone else's item description or picture without their permission. If you believe someone else is using your text or photos without your permission, report it to us."

There are links inside that text on the page.

Here is the link to the images and text policy. On the first page I linked to, "report it to us" is a link that I assume takes you to the page where you report it.

Long story short, NO it's not OK, and they want you to tell them about it!

 

[weluvdizne]

Thank you for the answers. That's what I assumed. I looked around quickly, looking for an answer, but I was so annoyed that I couldn't think straight. Thanks again, I am going to report it now.

 

[bumbershoot]

Glad it worked out.

Their Help section was a bit confusing and not totally "intuitive", so it's no surprise that an upset person wouldn't be able to find it.

If you lurk around the Photography forum, there are sometimes threads about programs/software/websites that can put a "watermark" on your digital images. Might be worth thinking about, so that your pictures aren't so attractive to others!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Glad they got back with you. that is crazy I wouldn't of even known to report the person

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

Early in my ebay selling I noticed someone swiped my picture of an AG doll. Took me rather by surprise & I didn't know at the time it was an ebay no-no. So I emailed her asking if her camera was broken & if that was why she was using MY picture to sell her doll. I said for her to revise her auction to let bidders know the doll she was selling wasn't the actual one pictured but one like it. My doll was in perfect condition & who knows what her doll was like.

She graciously took down her picture & revised her auction. I can't remember if she ever added a picture of HER doll. Now when someone uses my pictures I immediately report it to ebay. Of course, nothing really happens to anyone though. Just like nothing ever happens to the thousands of people who use stock photos from American Girl's website.

When I was taught ebay, it was strongly suggested I use my own photos & to take good clear pictures from several angles.

So, OP, I hope that seller revised his/her auction to either remove your picture & add their own or remove it & revise listing wording. Did you ever go back to the listing & see?

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Happens to my husband all the time.

He reports it, gets the same note from ebay and usually the stolen picture is removed within 48 hours.

Unfortunately, he has gotten used to having it happen.

 

[tinkmom2]

I actually had someone come back and try to yell at me after I reported them! The nerve of some people lol!

 

[dex08]

That's so annoying but I'm glad eBay is helping by taking it down.

This is way I always edit my photo images with my eBay name in a very obnoxious location where it doesn't distort the item's image but cannot be edited out if someone swipes it.

 

[weluvdizne]

OP here.

Yes, I went back to look and they had removed the listing for the person who used my picture. Like somebody else said, I have been expecting an e-mail from the person yelling at me for reporting them.
I was just annoyed that I had gone through the trouble to take my own picture, load it on my computer and then upload it to e-bay, and then, somebody mooches it from me. I like the idea of putting my name or i.d. on the picture. Now, to figure out how to do that.
Thanks everyone for the feedback!

 

[talulabelle]

I sell popular items as well. What I do to avoid someone using my pic is write my user ID on a note card and prop it next to or in front of the item. This shows the buyer that I actually have the item in hand as I have my user name next to it, and no one else can use the picture as my USer name is in it.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Sometimes other sellers would ask me if they could use my pictures. If I had no more of the item to sell, I usually said yes......

I can top this..... I bought a Shiba Inu puppy from a breeder who maintains a web site. (I went and picked up my puppy in person, she just puts photos online for people to see). I was looking at puppies for sale on the internet, months after I got Jazzy, and someone else was using pictures of MY puppy, in an add for Shiba Inu puppies. It was SO weird to see her in someone else's ad! I tried to contact the site, but got no where. (I know it was my puppy, and the background was definitely my breeders house).