Created Tue 22nd Jul 3:02pm PDT by 
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Will The Advertising Standards Agency Rule Against Ebay's Knickerless Celebrities Ads?
Settled as No
The ASA refuses to act. Letter published in background.
Background:
eBay recently got into hot water in France when a court in Paris awarded damages of 40 million euros ($63 million) to luxury goods group, LVMH, over eBay auctions of counterfeit products. eBay's defense in that case was that it can't police all the products that are sold on its site. However that defense is of no use when the activity in question is eBay's own advertising.
If you have ever conducted a search on Google or browsed the web you are likely to have seen an eBay ad for random items that eBay almost certainly don't have. Pretty novel marketing technique eh? Well yes, but it also happens to be illegal in the UK where it is in contravention of the Advertising Standards Agency's (ASA) rules on advertising (rule 16.5 on 'switch selling' in the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing).
Exhibit A - found on Lipstick.com on May 15th
However clicking on the link brings us to exhibit B:
I believe that eBay should stop switch selling and have therefore lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Agency (I also think they should keep their grubby hands off Craigslist but that is another matter). Will the ASA uphold this complaint and ban eBay from using this technique again in the UK?
Of course, there could be a third outcome which is eBay make good their promise and actually start selling knickerless celebrities!
UPDATE: No action. Here is the letter:
If you have ever conducted a search on Google or browsed the web you are likely to have seen an eBay ad for random items that eBay almost certainly don't have. Pretty novel marketing technique eh? Well yes, but it also happens to be illegal in the UK where it is in contravention of the Advertising Standards Agency's (ASA) rules on advertising (rule 16.5 on 'switch selling' in the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing).
Exhibit A - found on Lipstick.com on May 15th
However clicking on the link brings us to exhibit B:
I believe that eBay should stop switch selling and have therefore lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Agency (I also think they should keep their grubby hands off Craigslist but that is another matter). Will the ASA uphold this complaint and ban eBay from using this technique again in the UK?
Of course, there could be a third outcome which is eBay make good their promise and actually start selling knickerless celebrities!
UPDATE: No action. Here is the letter:
Settlement details:
To be settled by the ASA's ruling which will be communicated to the question creator (who will not participate on this question).
Settled
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Yes |
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No |
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Activity: H$7,014
Settled as No on Tue 5th Aug 1:45pm PDT
Suspend date: Mon 1st Sep 12:59am PDT Settlement date: Tue 5th Aug 1:45pm PDT
Initial likelihoods: Yes: 30%
Action history:
Created Tue 22nd Jul 3:02pm PDT by nigeleccles
nigeleccles
Suspended Tue 5th Aug 7:30am PDT by nigeleccles: Settlement pending
nigeleccles: Settlement pending
Settled as 'No' Tue 5th Aug 1:45pm PDT by nigeleccles: The ASA refuses to act. Letter published in background.
nigeleccles: The ASA refuses to act. Letter published in background.
Suspend date: Mon 1st Sep 12:59am PDT Settlement date: Tue 5th Aug 1:45pm PDT
more info...
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predicted Yes (H$3,000 at 36%)
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score: 10
Yahoo! Canada 15 weeks ago
/PRNewswire/ -- Santa Monica, California native Greg Kusch, the author of a new book 'The Guru's Guide to eBay' (http://www.wewillsellanything.com), reveals his personal eBay secrets to success and insider's knowledge in Santa Monica, California on
score: 10
Media Week Online 16 weeks ago
LONDON - EBay has hired digital agency Essence to handle its online planning and buying account. The deal also includes working with the online auction houses' long-term media partners, as well as handling
score: 10
ClickPress 16 weeks ago
] eBay Advertising today announced the launch of its international business division to service multinational campaigns, targeting an audience of more than 80m active users across international sites on the world's leading
score: 10
score: 10
Netimperative 16 weeks ago
eBay Advertising has launched its international business division to service multinational campaigns, targeting an audience of more than 80m active users across international sites on the world?s leading online marketplace. eBay
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nigeleccles
84% of previous questions settled successfully
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68 settled, 13 voided
(why does it suspend in five weeks? -- I would think something like this would take longer.)
I've just found out knickerless celebrities aren't the only thing they are pretending to sell. Anyone for buying 'Steve Irwin dead'?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/05/ebay_steve_irwin/
http://www.whattheheck.com/ebay/secret.html
For those who are looking for less than the secret to life...
http://www.whattheheck.com/ebay/bigzero.html
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