Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Ebay enabling the ripping-off of Artist's work again

I had a good day yesterday, plenty of fish, and a few good ones in amongst them, then I came home to an email letting me know that a chinese rip-off merchant had one of my painting photos up offering it at $38 on ebay....any size you like. I have spent hours trying to get it removed. These chinese companies have no regard for intellectual property rights or copyright theft. They even use the artist's name as a selling point. I'm informed in china you can use these until you are asked to stop. I am fuming at the moment. Ebay is taking it's time removing the item too. It doesn't seem to matter that a chinese company is claiming to be the Artist, or that it is destroying years of work building a reputation. Ebay even makes it difficult to have the offending items removed..I have to fax forms over to the USA!, stating I own the painting...the listing says I do! It is not only maddening its downright ridiculous that you have to jump through hoops to have these things removed...it's bad enought that it goes on but it seems to be encouraged by ebay...sellers are reported again and again and they are allowed to continue selling fake reproductions. This morning I had an email offering me a repro of a friends work amongst other paintings after emailing the company to desist from using my image.

1 comment:

Kayleen West - Children Author/Illustrator said...

I understand your frustration.
Ebay should moniter it more closely and act promply