Discriminatory Retail Crime Bills Introduced

February 26, 2009

Read eBay\'s full statement on the online sale of stolen goods legislation. This legislation, just introduced in Congress and backed by the National Retail Federation, doesn\'t have much to do with shoplifting, despite the NRF\'s protestations to the contrary. Take action now and tell Congress to reject such retailer-biased, stolen goods laws.

Statement by Tod Cohen, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Government Relations at eBay Inc. on the Introduction of Organized Retail Crime Legislation

"eBay is the e-commerce leader in fighting the online sale of stolen goods and working cooperatively with other companies and law enforcement. We take the issue very seriously, devote substantial resources to monitoring our marketplace and have zero tolerance for criminal activity.

"However, these bills are less about fighting shoplifting and more about big box retailers wanting to crush legitimate small-business online competition that delivers real value and greater choice to consumers. In its current form, these are discriminatory bills that impose unnecessary burdens and restrictions on internet marketplaces and the hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses that compete with the biggest retailers by providing consumers better prices, more options and greater convenience. Singling out internet marketplaces for new mandates and regulations will violate the rights and privacy of honest online sellers, and give big box retailers unfair power to suppress honest competition online by small-business owners and entrepreneurs."