eBAY'S VINTAGE VOICES COMMITTEE

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artisannes

VFG Member
VFG Past President
eBAY\'S VINTAGE VOICES COMMITTEE

As some of you may know, I am on this committee and took part in a telephone conference with eBay staff amd other committee members made up from people in the vintage community.

The aim of the conference was to try and find a way to resolve the many KWS issues.

It is too early to provide you with any concrete details and we all have to sign a confidentiality agreement with eBay so I can't give you chapter and verse re the meeting.

However, it went pretty well and eBay did appear to take some of the major issues on board.

What I can say is that it seems probable that they may decide that the use of first names such as Marilyn or Audrey is acceptable after all. I stress MAY. This is not yet agreed and to use them in your eBay auctions now would be to risk a KWS report. So my advice is to use caution until we get the official nod.

I know that many of you are concerned about grudge reporting/trolling. Clearly there is someone or several people who use kws infractions to get people's auctions pulled. I have no idea who that person or persons may be and have no intention of speculating. I will say though, that sadly, if you do kws and however distateful the reporter may be to single you out, they are effectively using the eBay rules. So essentially it is impossible to stop them. So just be careful when posting your listings and try and stay within the eBay rules is the best protection advice I can give you.

If you do feel you are being 'stalked' or get auctions pulled please let me know. My email is [email protected]. Or if you have any other eBay issues or concerns then do share those with me too.

We are unlikely to get everything we asked for but basically I do believe that there is some light in the eBay tunnel, so I will keep you posted.

Anne
 
Yes, thank you! ...stalked at all or stalked as an apparent result of posting to eBay discussions?

Steph
 
any News these days?

Anne.... Can you bring us up to date on the happenings of KWS??
Thanks!
 
NOT stupid at all!!! When I first started selling on eBay, I didn't know about "KWS" either....

Sooooooo, I am probably not the best authority but I can give you a brief idea of what KWS is.

KWS= Key Word Spamming

Let's say you list a generic brand purse. You could list it as:

Vintage bucket purse, Spade-style, like new!

You could not say:

Vintage bucket purse, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Dior knock-off!

Basically Key Work Spamming is when you use other designer names to describe your item. If it is actually an authentic Kade Spade bag you are allowed to use her name (and her name only). If it is a knock-off bag you can say it is Spade style or Dior style but you can only pick one designer to compare it to. You are not allowed to list more than one comparision.

Also, if you are selling a vintage dress that you think look like something Marilyn Monroe would have worn you can say,

1950s Marilyn Wiggle Dress

but not

1950s Marilyn Monroe Wiggle Dress

First names are ok, so long as you only use one.

Ok, someone else jump in here and add or clarify my explanation!!!!

~Maureen
 
Thanks Maureen, it all makes sense now. I had heard of key word spamming before, but I have never seen it referred to as KWS and I really wasn't sure what it was key word spamming and what wasn't. Thank you again for explaining for me.
 
"Let's say you list a generic brand purse. You could list it as:

Vintage bucket purse, Spade-style, like new!"


I don't think so. That would still be kws and would most likely get pulled.

You can make one comparison in your description or sub-title but not in you title.

Marie
 
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