Ebay members must hate this site!

15th Nov 2003 01:29 #1

Member

I recently went onto an Ebay forum to ask about DVD copy auctions.

To start off with I had tried to sell some copies on an Ebay auction, but the auction was closed early; and rightfully so. I had forgotten that the selling of DVD copies is illegal, but I DID mention that they were DVD-R copies on my auction, unlike many other DVD copy auctions.

Anyways...

I went on their forum, told them this, then asked if there was a legal way to do it.

They went nuts!!!

They were reciting general laws, negative comments, and trying to mark me as a theif and bootlegger. They even told me there is no law that says I can legally copy my own DVD movies. I replied with, but there is no law that says I can't legally copy my own DVD movies. I am not too clear on the laws myself, since people keep telling me one thing and then something contradicting it.

I defended myself and even included that they can come to this site if they really want to argue with some experts on the matter. But they keep referring to this site as if it is was the most evil thing on earth.

I was even able to find a loophole amongst all those posts. I share it with everybody here in case anyone else plans to do the same and not get into trouble (or needs to fight Ebay with their own medicine):

You list a specified amount of DVD-R's or CD-R's. They need to be in the original packaging according to Ebay (only blank DVD-R or CD-R media can be sold on Ebay). You then offer to put some copied DVD movies onto them as a "free service" if they so request it (copies can be given to people as long as the service to do it is profitless). If they do request this "free service" they must also be aware of the general rule of owning the original DVD movie.

Technically this should allow you to sell DVD-R's or CD-R's and then place movies on them without it being illegal. You are selling only the DVD-R's or CD-R's, placing the movies on them is an added, "free" bonus if wanted. All that matters now is how you portray this...

If any of this information needs tweaking, please feel free to revise it in a replying post.

I know this sounds more or less shady, but I was thinking if there are so many people here wanting to make copies; then there must be a market for people wanting copies that don't know, or have the time to learn, how to do it.

The Ebay forum thread that started all this madness is actually still going strong. I am one against probably 20 people who hate these ideas.