HW: Look at E-Bay :-(((

[Paul Mather]

On Tue, 26 Dec 2000, Bernhard Pospiech wrote:

=> At 11:46 26.12.2000 +0000, you wrote:
=>
=> >What a horrible pimple on an excellent holiday!
=> Thats true!!
=>
=> >perhaps we should all also mail our thoughts to them on this matter
=> A very good idea
=> Do you have the address to get in touch with the e-bay folks ?

Generally, e-mail safeharbor at ebay.com to report infringing auctions.
However, they will generally e-mail you back telling you that the
copyright holder needs to request to have the item removed.  If Hawkwind
object to people selling boots of their material on eBay, they need to
register with eBay through the programme they have for fast-track
removal of infringing auctions.

The notable exception to this is if the seller breaches eBay's written
listing policies.  For example, eBay will not let you sell audio CD-Rs
on eBay, even if you are the copyright holder.  So, if the seller
mentions CD-R in the item description, you can get eBay to yank the
auction because it directly violates their acceptable items policy.

I have to say, $13 for three CD-Rs is not bad at all.  Not like some of
the crazy auctions you see for bootleg concerts.

On the Gov't Mule list, one way people have undermined bootleggers
selling on eBay is to e-mail the bidders during the auction and offer to
B&P the show for them.  Also, somewhat humourously, Phil Walden, Jr.,
almost as a hobby, would bid high amounts on Capricorn promo CDs (you
know, the ones clearly stamped "NOT FOR SALE"), and then wait eagerly to
see if the seller dared to try and collect on his winning bid. :-)

I guess if people traded Hawkwind shows more freely, there wouldn't be
such a market for bootleggers.  But, people seem to hoard Hawkwind
shows, at least compared to other bands I collect.  Maybe they don't
want the good music to get spread around (for some unknown reason).

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
 deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
        --- Frank Vincent Zappa