The Energon Pub

News Credits: 3646 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:09 am

Earlier this week, auctions were pulled off eBay for 3 Classics figures (Sunstreaker, Prowl and Tankor) that have not been released yet. It appeared that Hasbro was finally taking a stand against the early releases and/or prototypes from China that keep showing up early on eBay (often referred to as "stolen" or "lunch time specials"). Seibertron.com now has confirmation that Hasbro is indeed starting to go after these types of auctions (please see the message below). It is our hope that Hasbro will begin going after the G1 knock offs as well and put an end to the increasing problem of the market from early releases of upcoming figures and knock offs.

In the interest of full disclosure, the eBay user mentioned below, chicagorhinox, is the account for Ryan Yzquierdo, the owner of Seibertron.com and the writer of this news post.

Dear chicagorhinox,

You recently listed the following auction-style listing:

170208223501 - Transformers Animated Bulkhead Red Prototype Complete

The listing was removed because it violated eBay policy. We notified members who placed bids on the item that the listing has been canceled.

The rights owner, Hasbro, Inc., notified eBay that this listing violates intellectual property rights. When eBay receives a report of this type of violation, we remove the listing to comply with the law.

Trademark infringement is unlawful and violates eBay's policies. A trademark is a unique sign (such as a name, word, phrase, logo, or symbol) that a company uses to identify its products and/or services.

Using another company's trademark in a way that may confuse buyers about the source of goods or services, or confuses buyers into believing that the seller is affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by the trademark owner is both illegal and against eBay's policies. Examples include counterfeits, unauthorized replica items and items that bear the brand or logo of a company without that company's permission.

Guideline: If the product you are listing bears the brand or logo of a company, but it wasn't made or authorized by that company, don't sell it on eBay.

Parallel import laws may prohibit the unauthorized importation of branded products into certain other countries. Sellers who intend to ship branded items outside of the country for which the item was intended for distribution may be required to get authorization from the trademark owner to sell those items in other countries. This may be true even if the good is genuine and legal to distribute in the seller's country.

For more information, please visit the following Help pages:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/importation.html
http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/trademark.html

To take the intellectual property tutorial, please visit:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tutorial/ver ... intro.html

Please be aware that any additional violations of this policy may result in the suspension of your account. eBay understands that you may be concerned about this situation.We encourage you to contact Hasbro, Inc. directly if you have any questions.

You can send an email to: [[[ EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED BY SEIBERTRON.COM ]]]

For more information on how eBay protects Intellectual Property, or for additional information if you believe that your listing has been removed as a result of an error or misidentification, please visit the following Help page:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/programs-vero-ov.html

For more information on why eBay may remove a listing, please visit:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/listing-ended.html

Please be assured that your listings have not been targeted in any way. Although there may be similar items currently listed on eBay, we review all listings that are reported to us by eBay members or Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program participants. We rely on reports from our members to help maintain the safety and security of our Community. We encourage you to report any items by using the REPORT THIS ITEM button on the listing so we can quickly remove any other items that should be removed.

Your listing(s) may be eligible for relisting through My eBay. If your listing is eligible, you will see the listing in your Unsold Items page within My eBay. Listings that are not eligible for relisting will not be visible in the Unsold Items page.

To relist your item, sign in to eBay, go to My eBay to your Unsold items, and select the item that was canceled -- it's highlighted with a yellow banner. Before relisting, please make any changes necessary to ensure that your revised listing is in compliance with the law and eBay policies. You might want to check your other listings for similar violations as well.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,
eBay Trust & Safety

Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:19 am

OK, I can understand that but what about stuff like G2 Motormaster
prototype? The last I heard that Hasbro isn't planning on releasing it
as part of any of the current lines?

News Credits: 3646 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:31 am

Cyberstrike wrote:OK, I can understand that but what about stuff like G2 Motormaster
prototype? The last I heard that Hasbro isn't planning on releasing it
as part of any of the current lines?

I believe that they are only taking action against figures that show up on eBay that haven't been released yet. I imagine it's probably too late for regular Transformers Animated figures since they've been released in the Cincinatti market. The prototype I was selling probably still falls within eBay's violations of some sort even though the rest of the Animated figures do not at this time. The upcoming Universe (Classics 2.0) figures haven't been released in any capacity so they easily fall within infringements of Hasbro.

Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:53 am

I guess the rule of thumb is:

If Hasbro plans on making money on it first they don't want other people to.

But I'm very encouraged about possible action against the KOs.

News Credits: 462 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:00 am

Ok, Ryan, so if you can't sell your Bulkhead proto, what're ya gonna do with it?

News Credits: 3646 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:04 am

Sabrblade wrote:Ok, Ryan, so if you can't sell your Bulkhead proto, what're ya gonna do with it?

I just can't sell it on eBay.

I guess I'll sell it to the first person to email me telling me they're going to send me $150 plus $8 for shipping and handling via Paypal.

News Credits: 21 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:06 am

it reminds me alot like like of youtube and there restrictions on the complete episodes that are being hosted i can understand youtube piont of veiw in somesituations.

but who cares if its just some prototypes or not

News Credits: 10 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:25 am

Why are Hasbro not tackling all the Botcon 2008 auctions then. I'm not complaining because I got Evil Rodimus for £63.20 ($124.77) and they are going for over $200. However, I was watching auctions for the souvenir minicons but they have disappeared from ebay.

News Credits: 2 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:33 am

Trikeboy wrote:I'm not complaining because I got Evil Rodimus for £63.20 ($124.77) and they are going for over $200.

Not that you didn't make a great point, but you got Evil Rodimus for that much!? I haven't seen one under $230, minus shipping!

Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:42 am

I wondered what happened to that Classics Prowl I was watching. So Hasbro's taking action against official products, but not KO's? That's getting their priorities straight. ¬_¬

News Credits: 4 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:57 am

Wheelie say, kill the damn KOs today

News Credits: 10 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:03 pm

TFBuyer wrote:
Trikeboy wrote:I'm not complaining because I got Evil Rodimus for £63.20 ($124.77) and they are going for over $200.

Not that you didn't make a great point, but you got Evil Rodimus for that much!? I haven't seen one under $230, minus shipping!

I know, I couldn't believe it. Here is the item number: 260226819371. I was actually quite excited in the closing seconds. There is a classic Prowl currently up on ebay but I guess it will be gone before it finishes. Is Hasbro only doing this with eBay?

Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:58 pm

I did mention in one board on here that i surprise that Hasbro havent yet took any actions against ppl selling their products b4 their release date cause the sellers are making a killing on ebay and other auctions and i know Hasbro will eventually do something about cause they losing customers and profit over it.

News Credits: 7 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:06 pm

All I can say is karma a bitch.

News Credits: 8 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:07 pm

I'd say it's about time.
Hopefully this will lead to knock-off G1 stuff getting dealt with.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:21 pm

NuclearConvoy wrote:I'd say it's about time.
Hopefully this will lead to knock-off G1 stuff getting dealt with.

I hope so, the KOs really started to annoy me after buying a G1 Buzzsaw on eBay and then finding out it was a KO upon receiving it. The listing was selling it as a vintage item. The seller was yc-collection.

News Credits: 335 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:43 pm

In one aspect, I'm glad they are doing this.

On the other hand, I'm pissed I'll have to wait for Universe to come out to actually see new Seibertron galleries.

News Credits: 7 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:50 pm

I really hope they start going after the KO makers hardcore. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so close to the originals and use the copyright and trademark stamps. I've seen posts that show the differences, but by the time that I see them in real life I can't remember what to look for.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:03 pm

Geekee1 wrote:I really hope they start going after the KO makers hardcore. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so close to the originals and use the copyright and trademark stamps. I've seen posts that show the differences, but by the time that I see them in real life I can't remember what to look for.

If people said "no" to KOs instead of buying and supporting them, maybe they wouldn't be so intensely produced and sold. So, maybe it's our fault as well. We have to boicot the KOs in order to end them.

News Credits: 8 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:24 pm

Slap on the wrist eh?

Well, you can be glad that you at least got the galleries up first!

A question though, where you reselling these because you didn't want the over head(space is valuable) or because you didn't feel they where worth keeping in general?

News Credits: 335 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:33 pm

Hey Boss Monkey, what about you know who? *Will we still be getting a gallery?

*just a tinnnnnny hint ladies and gents :wink:

News Credits: 5 · Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:58 pm

My only concern with going after the KOs is that the KO folks are gonna try harder at passing them off as originals. Right now it seems like most of the KO people on ebay are pretty good about listing them as KOs.

Now if hasbro takes action, a lot of these folks may start selling them without the boxes as originals. They will probably get shut down fast, but it may cloud the market even more. It will be nice to start searching on ebay and not having 75% KOs come up on the search.

News Credits: 1 · Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:52 pm

I say it is about time. The preview items listed were probably stolen from the factory in China, as Hasbro would not sell nor authorize people to sell their items before they are officially released. The Intellectual property does belong to Hasbro/TakaraTomy, so they have every right to protect it. China lacks any intellectual property protection, so at least Hasbro can petition eBay in USA to help them protect their intellectual property.

As for the knockoffs, there is really little incentive to go after them because 1) they are too numerous, 2) difficult to verify, and 3) Hasbro/TakaraTomy is not selling them anymore, so it does not hurt their bottom line.

The incredible prices and sales of prototypes and knock offs are mostly caused by the consumer demand. If people did not want it, others would not sell it. It is simple economics. You cannot really put all the blame on the sellers for wanting to sell things that people want to buy.

News Credits: 4 · Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:09 pm

influence82 wrote:As for the knockoffs, there is really little incentive to go after them because 1) they are too numerous, 2) difficult to verify, and 3) Hasbro/TakaraTomy is not selling them anymore, so it does not hurt their bottom line.

That's not true, I mean, the 3rd one. There are KOs for toys from the Movie and the Classics lines, which are current, and even KOs for recent G1 reissues, and even recent to-be-reissues, like Metroplex and its KO. There are plenty KOs that are in fact illegal and not just for old products not being sold anymore (but they may be sold again in reissues, like what's happening on the Encore line).