eBay acquired a company to help it police sellers by using monitoring technology to prevent the sale of counterfeit items, unsafe products and illegal goods.
eBay acquired 3PM Shield LLC, also known as 3PM Solutions, whose services it had been using as an external partner. 3PM Solutions’ “advanced AI-based marketplace compliance solutions” would enhance its own “world-class monitoring solutions,” according to eBay.
“We look forward to unlocking additional capabilities as we bring their technologies in-house,” eBay’s Chief Risk Officer Zhi Zhou said. “It is a top priority to help ensure that eBay remains a safe and trusted environment for our global community of sellers and buyers, particularly to prevent counterfeits and unsafe or illegal products.”
“3PM Shield enhances eBay’s ability to address suspicious or harmful seller behavior, and potentially problematic items,” eBay said in Monday’s announcement.
While one might think sellers would be prickly about the news, it might actually be welcomed, as so many have expressed their concern that bad sellers hurt the good sellers. But as with most things related to online marketplaces, the devil is in the execution – how eBay wields the tool will be crucial for sellers.
In 2018, CNBC profiled a tool 3PM had created for consumers called ReconBob. The Google Chrome browser plug-in let shoppers research Amazon sellers before making a purchase. “3PM Solutions developed the tool after spending five years working on software to help manufacturers track their products online,” according to the CNBC article.
eBay did not disclose the terms of the deal (such as how much it paid), which closed on February 9, 2023.
When I hear the word AI I hear you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent.
I have had enough experience dealing with the bots who flag items because there is a forbidden word in the description to know this is a problem waiting to happen.
Agreed 100%. I have had listings pulled by VeRO members who use a third party company that uses AI to determine counterfeit listings. Each item was in fact legitimate and if I could get the companies to respond to me, I was eventually able to get the violations removed. Not all of them will even acknowledge your email. In the meantime, eBay is threatening to suspend your account. This new software has the potential to damage a lot of legitimate sellers and knowing eBay, they will throw up multiple brick walls when you try to prove your innocence.
But will it stop the selling of purloined items ?
No.
%100 smoke screen garbage
Their website is Googlecloud gobbleygook and gives no specific ways to stop ANYTHING besides some kind of data analysis in the cloud – ie nothing.
I guess the raise in fees is going to pay for this trash, when some of the 400 people let go – could simply use eBays own bad search to find listings tagged as REPLICA in the description.
Too much money for too little in return – in a effort to try and prop up the sinking ship.
Go look at the section on eBay tha lists Jamma boards (arcade boards) and see the many HUNDREDS of pirated items listed there.
MY looking it up = free, eBays looking it up = wasted money .