eBay intellectual property takedown: how to respond, appeal or ask for a retraction

What is an eBay intellectual property takedown?

An eBay intellectual property takedown is the removal of your listing after a rights owner reports it for infringing their rights, such as a trade mark or copyright. Most of these reports come through the Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) programme, which is eBay's system for letting intellectual property owners report listings that infringe their rights. VeRO runs on both eBay.co.uk and eBay.com.

When a listing is taken down, eBay emails you about it. That email matters more than anything else in the process: according to eBay's VeRO policy page, it contains the email address of the rights owner who reported you. US sellers will find the same VeRO policy in eBay.com Help.

eBay's policy separates two situations. If the item itself infringes, it is not allowed on eBay at all. If only the way it was listed infringes, for example a copied photo or copied wording, you may be able to edit the listing. Either way, eBay may remove listings, issue a warning, restrict your account or suspend it.

For the background on how rights owners file reports and how eBay handles them, read our guide to the eBay VeRO programme.

What should you do first after a listing is removed?

Work through these steps before you relist, reply or appeal anything. A calm, accurate response is far more useful than a fast one.

1. Do not relist the item

Putting the same listing straight back up repeats exactly what was reported. eBay's policy allows it to restrict or suspend accounts over infringement, so a quick relist can turn one removed listing into a bigger account problem.

2. Read the removal email in full

Write down the listing number, the item title, the brand involved, the reason eBay gives and the rights owner's email address. Save a copy of the email somewhere outside eBay, such as a folder on your computer, so you have it if you appeal later.

3. Check your other listings for the same brand

One report tells you a rights owner is watching that brand. Search your active listings for the brand name, its model names and its product lines. Note every listing that matches, because the same problem may sit in several of them.

4. Pause new listings for that brand

Stop publishing new listings that mention the brand until you understand what was reported and why. This includes drafts waiting in a bulk upload or a listing tool.

5. Gather your evidence

Collect anything that shows where the item came from and that it is genuine, such as supplier invoices. Also collect proof that your photos and text are your own, for example original image files with their dates. You will need this for a retraction request or an appeal.

Does the item infringe, or only the listing?

This is the question that decides your next move. eBay treats an infringing item and an infringing listing differently, so be honest with yourself about which one you are dealing with. The table below sets out common situations and the realistic options for each.

If you are not sure whether an item is genuine, treat it as if it might not be. Selling a fake, even unknowingly, is the situation where eBay's policy gives you the least room.

How do you ask the rights owner to retract a takedown?

A retraction is the rights owner withdrawing their report about your listing. eBay's VeRO policy says you can contact the rights owner at the email address given in eBay's removal email to ask for one. Use that address, because it is the route eBay points you to.

Keep the message short, polite and factual. Rights owners deal with many reports, and a clear message is easier to act on than a long complaint.

• Identify the listing: give the eBay listing number, the item title and the site (eBay.co.uk or eBay.com).
• Say what you sold: describe the item and where it came from, with evidence if you have it.
• Say what you have changed: if the listing used their images or text, explain that you have replaced them.
• Ask one clear question: would they retract the report, or would an edited listing be acceptable?
• Do not threaten or argue: hostile messages rarely help, and a retraction is the rights owner's choice.

Here is a short template you can adapt:

Hello, my eBay listing [listing number], "[item title]", was removed after your report through eBay's VeRO programme. The item was a genuine [brand and product], bought from [supplier], and I can share the invoice. I have also replaced the listing photos and description with my own. Would you be willing to retract the report, or let me know what you would need changed? Thank you, [your name and eBay user ID].

If the rights owner does not reply, do not keep sending messages. One follow-up after a reasonable wait is enough. Then decide whether to appeal or to stop selling that product.

How do you appeal an eBay intellectual property takedown?

eBay's VeRO policy says you can appeal through eBay's internal appeals process. Follow the instructions in the removal email or on the VeRO policy page for your site, because that is where eBay explains the current route.

An appeal works best when it gives eBay facts it can check. Include:

1. The listing number and the date of the removal.
2. A one-sentence summary of what you were selling.
3. Why you believe the report was mistaken, or exactly what you have changed in the listing.
4. Your evidence: supplier invoices, your original photo files, and any reply from the rights owner.
5. What you have done about other listings of the same brand.

Do not appeal if the item was a fake or the listing really did copy the brand's material. In that case, the better use of your time is fixing every affected listing and putting checks in place so it does not happen again.

If a takedown has led to a restriction or suspension rather than a single removed listing, read our guide on how to write an eBay appeal that eBay can act on. If a rights owner threatens legal action, or the dispute is about whether you are allowed to sell their goods at all, get advice from a qualified solicitor (UK) or attorney (US) about your own situation. This article explains eBay's process, not the law that applies to you.

What if you sourced the item from Amazon or another retailer?

Buying an item from a large retailer does not protect you from a VeRO report. The report is about the rights owner's trade mark, copyright or design, not about where you bought the product.

There is also a separate rule you need to know. eBay's drop shipping policy says that dropshipping from a wholesale supplier is allowed, but listing an item on eBay and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships directly to your buyer is not allowed. You can read it on eBay.co.uk and eBay.com. Even when dropshipping, you remain responsible for delivering the item within the time stated in your listing and for the buyer's overall satisfaction.

A common cause of listing-level takedowns is copying a retailer's product page. The photos, bullet points and descriptions on a retail page may belong to the brand or to another seller. If you reuse them, the listing itself can be reported even when the product is genuine. Write your own description and, where you can, use your own photos. eBay's picture rules also ban added text, borders and watermarks of any kind.

How do you reduce the chance of another takedown?

No process removes the risk completely, because any rights owner can report a listing at any time. You can, however, cut out the most common causes.

• Check brands before you list. Follow a routine like the one in our guide to doing an eBay VeRO brand check before you list.
• Keep a blocked-brands list. Add every brand that has reported you, and check new products against it.
• Use only the brand of the actual item. Never add other brand names to a title to catch extra searches.
• Write your own copy. Describe the item in your own words and avoid pasting brand marketing text.
• Fill in item specifics accurately. The brand field should match the item in the box.
• Keep sourcing records. Store invoices against each listing so you can answer a report quickly.

If you import products with Dropizon, brands are checked against a VeRO list before drafts are published, and live listings whose brand matches are flagged for you. Treat any list as a first filter, not clearance: a brand that is not on a list can still report your listing.

Worked example: cleaning up after one report

Example (hypothetical numbers): suppose you have 600 active listings and receive one takedown for a kitchenware brand. You search your listings for the brand name and find 14 more listings from the same brand.

• 3 of the 14 use photos copied from the brand's own product pages. You end them, because you cannot replace the images today.
• 5 mention a second brand in the title as a search term. You remove that second brand name.
• 6 use your own photos and words and you hold invoices for them. You keep them live but pause any new listings for the brand until you hear from the rights owner.

You then add the brand to your blocked-brands list and send one short retraction request about the original listing. The whole review takes an afternoon, and it deals with the listings most likely to be reported next.

A quick checklist for today

1. Save the removal email and note the listing number, brand and rights owner's email address.
2. Do not relist the removed item.
3. Search your active listings for the same brand and fix or end anything with copied photos, copied text or extra brand names.
4. Decide honestly whether the item or only the listing infringed.
5. If you believe the report was a mistake, send one short retraction request to the address in the email.
6. If you have evidence, appeal through eBay's internal appeals process.
7. Add the brand to your blocked-brands list and check it before every new listing.