stopping pins on ebay?

FuzzieAlum · #1 02-13-2002, 05:39 PM

OK, I know this is something that has been discussed on here before, but I was wondering - has anyone (or any GLO) tried to do something about it?

We all know eBay sells Greek pins, and most of us don't like that. Now, eBay will sell almost anything, but only some of what they won't sell is illegal (drugs). They also refuse to sell URLs, plants and seeds, surveillance equipment, and travel, all of which I'm pretty sure are legal. They also list some things as "questionable" or "potentially infringing."
http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-items.html

Badges are kind of like those CDs marked "not for commercial sale" (except much more meaningful). We all know you can get those at used CD stores, much as you can get badges at pawn shops. But the big chains don't sell them because they don't want to be liable and present a bigger, fatter target. EBay is the same way - a big, fat target. We know that selling badges isn't illegal, but it seems to me that it is questionable. If ebay stops selling them, there goes one big market for collectors.

Did you know that eBay ranks badges as "Collectibles:Historical Memorabilia:Fraternal Groups:Fraternity, Sorority"? They are NOT collectibles. Sure, people collect all kinds of things, but badges are not collectibles in the sense that china dolls, Longaberger baskets, or even old Barbies are. Mattel does not object to the resale of old Barbies!

So - I know some sororities have formed funds to buy their badges back, but have any groups tried to pressure eBay into disallowing badges or into at least changing their category?

KillarneyRose · #2 02-13-2002, 08:03 PM

You've posed an excellent question! I've wondered about that myself. Anyone out there know?

deltaphi94 · #3 02-13-2002, 09:25 PM

I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I think I heard or read somewhere that GLO's have tried to stop the sales. It went something like a GLO contacted the people at ebay and explained their position on the pins. (Being that the pins were meant to be sent back to exec. offices, etc) However, ebay doesn't really see it that way, and they will not stop people from selling the pins.

It's been a while since I saw that, and I'm not sure where it was.

33girl · #4 02-13-2002, 09:45 PM

Perhaps we should start a rumor that all Greek badges have marijuana seeds implanted in them.

deltaphi94 · #5 02-13-2002, 09:48 PM

LOL 33girl! There's a thought...

Optimist Prime · #6 02-14-2002, 12:26 AM

I'm currently the highest bidder for my stuff on ebay. Of course the one thing is a bunch of shirts and the other is a picture. That should have been left alone fifty years ago grrrr

Tom Earp · #7 02-14-2002, 04:43 PM

It will not happen!

HotDamGam · #8 02-14-2002, 05:05 PM

Can't NPC and IFC take out a combined lawsuit against Ebay? It's stated very clearly in New Member Manuals that Badges are the property of that Greek Organization.

deltaphi94 · #9 02-14-2002, 05:35 PM

Well, I would think that a lawsuit would have to be brought against the person listing the pin. If that's the case, it isn't likely to happen.

Optimist Prime · #10 02-15-2002, 12:07 AM

Put yourself in the other persons shoes though for a minute. Some one's old crazy aunt dies and since he is the only one not attached to her, he can go through her things without breaking down. Maybe he is only related distantly or by marriage or distantly by marriage. Not all badges are obivious to "outsiders" He doesn't know what to do with it. So he puts it on ebay. I don't think the people selling them should be to blame, they are trying to get rid of it.

deltaphi94 · #11 02-15-2002, 12:29 AM

I totally agree with that point. Much as my pin means to me, I wouldn't want to see it go to the wrong hands. However, if I were not in a GLO and, say, obtained a pin through an estate sale or something like that, I would have no idea what to do with it, other than sell it. From what I have seen, most of the people who put pins/badges on ebay have gotten them through estate sales. It doesn't have the meaning to them, and what else are they going to do? Hold on to it? No.
What I can't understand is how someone could put his or her own pin on ebay. I've seen that, too. Only once that I can think of, but still...

FuzzieAlum · #12 02-15-2002, 12:49 AM

I have bought a person's pin from them (my own sorority, of course), but I do agree that it's generally not the seller who has any idea what they're doing. I'm not suggesting punishing them. Lots of people probably try to sell stuff that eBay then tells them is against the rules. I'm suggesting that eBay itself ought to be encouraged to put pins in that prohibited category.

But pins do fall in the bad taste/copyright gray areas, not the plain illegal area. I maybe have signed a legal contract that states I do not own my pin, but my great grand-kids haven't.

HotDamGam · #13 02-15-2002, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by deltaphi94
Well, I would think that a lawsuit would have to be brought against the person listing the pin. If that's the case, it isn't likely to happen.

But if the lawsuit were against Ebay, Ebay would have to tell sellers "hey, that is actually the property of the Greek Organization." And if it is a case of a distant relative or someone who wouldn't know better, then they would find out. However, I think a lot of times people do contact the seller and the seller is like "too bad for you" and continues with the sale. If they couldn't sell them on Ebay, many might find some other way to sell it, but some might actually return them.

12dn94dst · #14 02-16-2002, 09:58 PM

very strong arguement for placing instructions on the propal disposal of your fraternity/sorority regaila in your will. the reason why pins & the like end up on ebay is because the family doesn't know what to do with it. they weren't members so they don' t know. you have to tell them.

Maharet · #15 02-17-2002, 01:22 AM

After speaking with a wide number of people - other Greeks (AXIDelta, KKG, A-Phi, SigK...) , Ebay, sellers and my own EO (I'm an Alpha Phi) - it is a frustrating situation all the way around...

To put it simply - ther is NOTHING to be done...These pins come to people and they can do what they please with them. Sell then, give them away or in many cases I am told (Pawn Shops) they are melted down for scrap metal or the stones...

I have gotten into very nice and VERY HEATED discussions wth individuals about this and find it annoying and sad...Collectors like them because they are unique and small...They have no idea what they mean to the particular groups...

There are no grounds for a lawsuit aganst ebay or the sellers. There is one collector on ebay who has a great deal of money and NO ONE can outbid him on pins...he has collected many PanHel pins as well as one particular sorority...The collector can be very nice and then can be mean about it...

I wish there was more that could be done, but other than individuals buying them and getting them back to their Greek groups, hands are tied...

It would be wonderful to have $$$$ to purchase these, but many, if not all groups are not in the position to do so...

Consider a couple of the Alpha Phi pins recently up for auction...2 separate, unique and very highly unique/sought after pins sold for a total of $2900...Someone had the money to pay that and they got them...

Sorry to be such a downer about it, but I've accepted that there isn't much to be done...Yes, it is a VERY good idea to let a family memeber know what to do with your pin when you pass on...

Just keep bidding and hopefully they'll get back to the right owners...