[Gerda]

I have another seller who is using my pictures on ebay and I wrote to complain about it and ebay wants me to join the VERO program first before they will do anything about it HUH so I guess they don't care if a person steals, cheats and lies to sell there items I tell you amazon was much more profesional and took care of the problem right away with NO hassel. I didn't have to jump through hoops of fire to prove I am the owner of the website.
Ebay is loosing it with me even more!!!

Any advice

[PonySmurf]

Well they do have to verify (VERO) that the photos are actually yours before they can make someone else stop using them. I guess?

[Gerda]

Well they do have to verify (VERO) that the photos are actually yours before they can make someone else stop using them. I guess?

The sheet they have you fill out and Fax them is something that can be done with email, Why do I need to fax them anything why can't I email it, they just make it harder to do

[PonySmurf]

Hmm. Maybe they need hard copies for legal reasons?

[Gerda]

well the kicker is that this seller had two listings with my pictures, ebay removed one of the pictures but not the other.

maybe they do need hard copies but wouldn't a printed out email work just as fine? amazon all I had to do was write them telling them where the picture came from and they removed it, It shouldn't even be a question of who's it is because ebay has the policy you can use your own photo or stock picture, if I say "hey go check out this website it has this picture on it" you can tell that the picture is not stock or the sellers It just seems to me like ebay does not want to enforce it's own rules

[PonySmurf]

Mmm. hard to say. If it bothers you that much, as it seems to, I'd do what eBay wants to get the guy to quit using your pics.

[Smurfysmurf]

Gerda,
I never had the problem so I am not sure how bothered I'd be by it, but it sounds to me like you have a very huge problem when so many sellers steal your pictures (on the other hand it's also a compliment if they think your pictures and smurfs are so great they steal them for a sale).

I think in your case, I would seriously consider putting a watermark on my pictures. I hate those things but if done correctly it shouldn't take away from your pictures and will prove once and for all that these are yours.

[astro1]

Gerda.

A few years ago when I was active on eBay I had many instances where my pictures were stolen. some people were actually LINKING to my server with the pics thus driving up my file transfer rate. I finally had to watermark all images. That took a while since I was running over 4000 auctions per month but is something that I had to do. See picture on what I did. Sad to say but that may be the way to go.
Another thing I did was create the ebay id "you stole my image" which then gave me the chance to get my message to the buyer via the feedback system. It wasn't pretty but people got the message especially since they got nothing from me.

[Gerda]

I like Maureens way of thinking. Maybe I am looking at this wrong and that infact I should be taking it as a compliment in that I am such an AMAZING picture taker that these sellers feel they can't possibly take a better one so they must use mine

I have played around with watermarks and the only one that would work is one where the watermark is all over the image. I have seen it already where watermarks are cropped out of pictures too. I have even seen where it is left in, check amazon and even ebay right now and you find pictures with the bluebuddies logo right on it, and I don't think they sell smurfs The background idea is a good one though.

[bwalters]

Hi Gerta; I totaly agree with what you and Moey said. Anyone that wants to use my pic's for any reason feel free. You can copy them from anywhere I have them. Heck send me a message with your email address I email them to you. The only problem that I have is when they use a pic of a perfect Smurf item, then what you get is not as good. I would prefer that they take a pic of the actual Smurf. However if you are selling a kite for instance go ahead and use my pic's.