Tiffany Presses eBay to Police Forgeries

Customers paid big bucks for counterfeit products

(NEWSER) - Consumers around the world were bilked out of millions of dollars for counterfeit golf clubs in the biggest-ever eBay scam, reports the Times of London. The clubs, as well as clothing, accessories and passes for an airline lounge, were auctioned online from 2004-2008 by a criminal network involving crooks from Europe, China, Thailand and the US. The suspected ringleaders are currently on trial in London, though authorities believe many involved have escaped detection. More»

Guidelines for safe e-shopping are necessary even on eBay

(NEWSER) - If it looks too good to be true, it might be. Counterfeit goods are no stranger to sites as mainstream as eBay, so you'll want to take a few precautions to avoid forking it over for a fake. Forbes outlines tips for a safe and reliable e-shopping spree.

• Know what to look for: Before purchasing a pricey purse item, read a corresponding authenticity guide. Written by legitimate sellers, you'll learn what to look for, from genuine monogram placement to label fonts.

Company faces slowing growth, competition

(NEWSER) - As John Donahoe takes over from Meg Whitman as CEO of eBay today, he inherits a grande dame where Whitman oversaw the rise of an e-commerce belle. Still dominant in online auctions, the company has nonetheless faced slowing growth and stiffening competition. But analysts think Donahoe, the former eBay Marketplace president, can hold the site's high bid on the market, USA Today reports. More»

Online auction giant launches US version of classifieds website

(NEWSER) - With no fanfare, eBay has launched a challenge to Craigslist, the colossus of the online classified ad market. Kijiji classifieds, which have already been successful abroad, quietly expanded into the US last week. Kijiji knows what it's up against: eBay bought 25% of Craigslist in 2004 to get an inside perspective on the industry, and isn't planning on selling. More»

Auction site drops search giant's marketing tools after weeklong spat

(NEWSER) - Online auction powerhouse eBay broke a multi-million-dollar "keyword" advertising deal with Google, ostensibly after the search engine threw a party in Boston that crowded an eBay conference. But the boycott on search-driven spots also comes as Google's online payment feature Checkout elbows in on eBay-owned PayPal's territory. More»