750,000 sign petition to end unfair trade practices
by Chris Dawson
eBay presented a petition signed by 750,000 eBayers to the European Parliament today. The petition calls for amendments to EU competition law to stop brands from restricting the sale of their products on the internet.
750,000 signatories is a huge number which the EU will find hard to ignore. To put it into context on the Downing Street website the combined total for the top five open petitions have just 195,459 signatures – 251,712 signed the eBay petition from the UK. All of the petitions on Twitition total just 132,255 with the largest being 15455. eBay’s petition addresses a relatively obscure piece of competition law so three quarters of a million signatures shows just how important the issue is for consumers and online sellers.
The EU are already discussing the European Vertical Restraints Regulation and Guidelines and as part of this process, eBay are calling for support for cross-border internet sales, increasing consumer choice and treating online and offline channels are equally.
Over a quarter of a million signatories from the UK, more than 200,000 from Germany and over 100,000 from France agree that brands should not be allowed to bar sellers from selling online or to enforce price restrictions. They also want an end to manufacturers insisting that internet retailers must have an offline retail store before they can sell online, or imposing other sales restrictions on online sellers.
The petition is being backed by Mary Honeyball, Member of the European Parliament for London. She first heard about the petition via an email sent to her personal eBay buying account. As an avid eBay user she decided to back the campaign and support the petition and enable online retailers to sell all goods no matter whether they originate from Asda, Apple or Armani.
eBay are launching an ad campaign in the UK and Germany to heighten awareness of the petition, which will remain open until September 28th. As Alex von Schirmeister, European Head of Business Development at eBay said this is not about eBay, it’s about the millions of EU consumers and their rights to purchase fairly priced products whether on or off line.
41 Responses on "750,000 sign petition to end unfair trade practices"
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What’s particularly amusing about this campaign is the link from eBay UK’s homepage, which says “250,000 Brits say yes to lower prices online”.
I can’t help thinking that if there’s a decent argument to be made, it should be made, and not obscured with disingenuous headlines which look like they were designed to attract the sort of buyer who tells you it’s the law that prices on eBay are cheaper than anywhere else.
What Sue said, I would have said the same but with less impressive words …disa what
well put Sue. Love the eBay grab it and put across the usual “cheaper here” message.
“eBay – never has so little margin been made by so many sellers”
It strikes me it is not a question of lower prices anyway, it is about being able to offer some makes at all, no matter what pricing structure.
Pricing will always be linked to bulk, which is why some B&M booksellers are better off buying their stock of major bestsellers from Tescos than from their usual wholesaler. It is about personal choice of where you wish to do your purchasing.
I am wholly in support of this, even though in general it doesn’t affect what I buy and sell. Sometimes it is just the principle of the thing, isn’t it?
Precisely, Lynne. This should not be about lower prices per se. It should be about freedom to trade; it should be about defending the small business from the huge conglomorate; it should be about fairness. But from everything I’m reading online, including Ms Honeyball’s blog, “lower prices” is it. Shame to concentrate on just that one tiny bit of the argument – it just plays into the hands of the big brands who say they don’t want their image cheapened.
I was thinking exactly the same thing but could not find the words,
lower prices are not the issue, freedom to trade is
I’m sure one of my suppliers will be gutted to read this
Thank you so much so much for writing about this very important issue. I urge everyone to go and sign the petition, which you can do here http://www.ebaycampaigns.com/.
You can also read all about the launch we had this morning in Strasbourg on my blog here http://thehoneyballbuzz.com/.
Thanks very much,
Mary Honeyball MEP
crikey! a proper important person!!
I’m so easily impressed
Just read about the launch on your website -to quote “High prices harm everyone”. I personally do not find this to be the case. I personally like to have a descent margin on the items I sell
, this keeps me in business & my family fed. The tax I pay on my profits also offers benefit.
What I find harmful to my business is overly cheap and unregulated imports that do not comply with EU/UK regulations. I am also not keen on goods being sold in such a way that the purchases is not protected by EU/UK consumer law
.
“High prices harm everyone” eh ?? What a crock of nonsense.
quick check her expense account
that’s such a childish comment
Really, is she serious. Whoever thinks that “price” is a big issue that needs to be sorted out is not quite “all there”.
In general I believe you should be able to sell products anywhere, without the maker/distributor stating otherwise, however, there are a few excpetions to that.
In the spirit of doing away with unfair practices will ebay shortly be accepting Google Checkout et al I wonder?
Well, MOneyBookers have found a way in…But until eBay can afford to buy Google I doubt they will ever be allowed…
when is price fixing legal does it depend which companys do it,banks are allowed we know, intrest rates for example
Here’s some reading for you
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1074014670
Hi People, I’m discussing this else where and I’ve got on the subject or lack of customer service and their standard prescripted teletubby replies.
I want to show the infamous seller rant where he went off on one with many replies back and forward between himself and ebay and ended up with him going on about the hairy chequebook and how he’d get better value out of a $10 hooker. It was doing the rounds last year and was genuine, you could actually find the seller naru’d on ebay.
If anybody remembers it and could rpovide me a link it would be much appreciated.
ohh come on people…what planet do you guys live on…the brand should be able to decide if they want there goods to be sold on a fleamarket….I mean its the worst possible place to sell your goods in the real world its always been the case if there is already stockist round the corner you will not get an account or your shop does not fit the profile you will not get an account thats why your local cheap shop does not sell armani..and the eu ohh please there are much more important issues..what about the tonnes of fish they throw away… A BRAND SHOULD DECIDE WHO THEY SELL TO…
You know I actually agree that “A brand should decide who they sell to….”, what I don’t agree is that that decision should then give them the right to control how the purchaser supplies the product to consumers.
Some consumers won’t live near a shop or simply are too busy and want to make an online purchase. Others will be keen to purchase in a retail environment with an assistant to serve them. Consumers might even want to purchase from another country to take advantage of price differences (and lets face it Europe is supposed to give price transparency and be an open market). A particular favourite of mine is buy online, collect in store when I need something in a hurry – banning online sales prevents what is to me a great buying experience which ultimately is completed in a retail environment.
Sure a brand might not want to supply a local corner shop, but supplying to a retailer shouldn’t then give them the right to determine how that retailer runs their business or to restrict a consumer from choosing the buying experience they wish to use to make their purchase.
Well summarised / clarified Chris.
Some heated discussion going on here (even Tamebay is mentioned!:
http://www.labourlist.org/ebay_750000_signatures_end_online_price_fixing_honeyball
Example I have an account with somebody lets go crazy gucci……now I have this account and according to your argument I could go to the local car boot sale and sell my goods surely that would damage the brand?
Now there is hardly any difference between a car boot sale and ebay..its stuffed with junk and doggy sellers..granted you have a few high street brands but still its mainly junk(gucci bag from china anyone).
Online E-commerce does not mean ebay. Most luxury brands have ecommerce shops or sell directly. Now if you deal with brands there is certain guidelines and this is why EBAY WILL NEVER WORK for big BRANDS! Its very simple and I’m sure all of you agree even though you would not admit it. Ebay is based mainly on PRICE end of – nothing more to say really I could mention all the dody chinesse sellers and all the private sellers but price is the main problem. You will always get an idiot (sorry but they are) thinking £5.00 profit is great and this is unfair to real businesses that have to pay rates, staff, vat, insurance, and all the bloody taxes. So lets say gucci bag the wholesale price is 250.00 you would expected to sell at 500.00 minimum now most hobby sellers would say thats outrages! rip off britain and all that but they forget the fitting to present such goods never mind the rent & rates! One hobby seller would say I will sell it for 400.00 another seller 390.00 and then in a short time they will be selling it for 260.00. There is a mutual respect between e-tailers and retailers. Ebayers come to trade fairs and think they are Sugar himself because they got 5k to spend.
All I’m saying is ebay should sort out there own mess before going round saying its unfair & unlawful what about all the brands that come in from OUTSIDE THE EU! THAT ILLEGAL and can be easily stopped but ebay does not care as long as the fees role in.
Oh and EU the biggest waste of money:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnMtc_QJ4-E
I think ebay is okay to get a bargain but being forced to sell to ebay sellers is going too far! I can just hear it I’m a POWERSELLER and i want to buy from you followed by under the EU law you must sell to me………
I agree mostly with what you say (although not the way it’s said
).
eBay do need to have proper checks on “business” sellers.
“but supplying to a retailer shouldn’t then give them the right to determine how that retailer runs their business or to restrict a consumer from choosing the buying experience they wish to use to make their purchase.”
Makes me think of eBay that does ….
750,000 seems a small number considering the number of sellers registered on eBay in the EU.
I think this is the result of eBay’s lack of respect to the sellers and the way they have treated us over the last year, I know when they first asked for support from sellers in the PS forum a number of sellers thought it was a bit ironic that a company(eBay) who were ignoring their queries had the cheek to ask for help from the very same people they were showing no respect too.
Quite agree
Just thought, Could this also be geared towards protecting the ‘Outlets’ and nothing about us smaller sellers?
As the Outlets are mainly low cost end of line items, maybe eBay are worried that some of the outlets who sell thousands of different Brands in many categories could abandon eBay in they are VERO’d by any of the Brand owners?
Such cynicism in the face of anything eBay related, you are right to suggest it ….
Having attended major retail buying events, I found myself asking, “Do you supply eBayers?” before talking to suppliers about anything else….
There is a huge amount of hostility to online selling (and in particular eBay), so I am looking forward to the EU decree on this one.
Though, I do wonder what the next reason will be not to supply me..?
Some brands will IMHO find a way to restrict and channel supply, regardless; just the reasons will change.
Kindest wishes
Suz x
PS- Mountie, link to news review on here would be good..!
News report – You mean this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTYXcBXG9kU
Chris what is stopping you from selling the after shave that was an unwanted Christmas gift, at present?
Bear in mind that the petition covers the whole of the EU, I wouldn’t for example be able to sell all brands in France which is a bit of a bummer for the French. Basically I want the ability to sell anything that I legally own.
Chris but in the UK you already can (sell your unwanted aftershave) can’t you (please correct me if I’m wrong)?
Who/what exactly is stopping you at the moment?
Jimbo – the ruling of a Parisian court. You can’t sell Dior, Givenchy, or any of the other LMVH perfume brands.
My thoughts on this:
It’s not that big/medium sized brands don’t want thier products being sold on eBay. They couldn’t care less about eBay.
However, the way that “most” sellers behave on eBay with regards to pricing is where the issue lay.
To sell and make a living on eBay, you do NOT have to be the cheapest. But many inexperienced busines sellers don’t understand this concept. They simply list items a “bit” cheaper than everyone else and hope to sell loads.
Then along comes someone else and does exactly the same, so what you end up with is a rock bottom price from sellers who can’t even afford to pay thier tax bill.
You then see these brands all over eBay for fractions of the price in the high street and think one of two things:
*eBay is full of fakes.
*The shops in the high street is ripping me off.
Should brands have the right to withold supply based on the intended market place….NO
Should eBay clamp down on so called “business sellers” by checking with HMRC that they are registered to pay tax etc…YES
A professional business understands how the market works and knows that price is only one of MANY factors that a buyer takes into account when making a purchase.
Can you honestly say that when YOU make a purchase that price is the MOST important factor? I bet it isn’t.
Sadly price is the most important factor for most people.
“most people” doesn’t always translate to “most buyers” though.
I know for a fact that around 85% of the goods I sell on eBay can be found cheaper, however we are Platinum sellers and also qualify as a top rated seller.
We provide an honest service, have a 100% compliant returns policy and always talk to our customers whenever we can.
Trust is the most important factor to “most buyers”…IMO
There’s one point people are missing IMO:
http://www.ethicalcompanies.co.uk/?p=523
I found this petition from ebay midly amusing, It struck be as odd for ebay to be complaining about something that their own vero system helps to protect, you only have to look at opi using the vero system to remove their brands from ebay, even though the product has been purchased through a UK distributer.
or maybe I am missing something, perhaps ebay should have a look how the vero system is being used
eBay can withdraw the Vero system at any time, perhaps now would be a good time to do that…It would show that eBay truely believe in what they are fighting for…