EBAY FINED IN EUROPE

eBay Fined in Europe

EBay was fined $61 million (38.6 million Euros) by a French court for damages to the French company LVMH, makers of Louis Vuitton leather goods, Dior perfume, and more. LVMH claimed 90% of the products sold online under its brand names were fake. EBay did not do enough to keep counterfeit merchandise off the site, the court ruled. EBay said it will appeal. In another French case, eBay was fined $31,400 (20,000 Euros) for not protecting sales of Hermes handbags. Tiffany & Company in the United States has also sued eBay, but the case is pending. Collectors have been trying to get eBay to remove fakes quickly but have been frustrated. Maybe the European lawsuits will help the U.S. eBay see the wisdom in trying to keep fakes away.