Tiffany Appeals eBay Counterfeiting Decision, as ‘Making No Sense’

Tiffany & Co. announced Monday that it is appealing a ruling that eBay is not responsible to police its auction site to seek out and remove counterfeit goods. Tiffany said in a previous trial that eBay was a “rat’s nest” of counterfeit goods.  

The luxury retailer was dismayed with the June ruling by the District Court, saying the court “incorrectly held that trademark holders and not eBay are responsible for policing the eBay site. The effect of this is that eBay can continue to profit at the expense of consumers and trademark holders,” said Patrick Dorsey, general counsel for Tiffany & Co. 

According to Dorsey, the ruling “makes no sense.”

Tiffany sued eBay in 2004 after notifying the online retailer that 73 percent of a random sample of supposed Tiffany silver jewelry offered on the site was counterfeit.