The idea that if you buy something, you own it, seems to be a basic American right – but according to recent court decisions, that may not be true. Without your owners’ rights, manufacturers of products might be able to engage in restrictive practices designed to limit retail, resale, and commerce generally.  And, it is not just consumers and sellers who rely on owners’ rights.  Owners’ rights is what allows a museum to hang a painting without needing to consult the painter on how to display it; libraries to lend books to patrons; and individuals the ability to give away their goods in charity without first consulting with the manufacturer of the product. 

The Owners’ Rights Initiative was designed to protect your owners’ rights and its members include a wide variety of groups and interests, including the American Library Association, Chegg, Goodwill Industries, Home School Legal Defense Fund (HSLDA), Overstock, and Redbox.

The Owners’ Rights Initiative was formed in part as a result of the pending Supreme Court case Wiley v. Kirtsaeng, which involves an eBay seller that was sued for selling legitimate, authentic international textbooks.  Owners’ Rights Initiative’s Executive Director Andrew Shore explains the case in detail here.  The Initiative will work to protect eBay sellers, as well as large businesses, museums, libraries, charitable organizations, and consumers.  The launch of the Owners’ Rights Initiative resulted in significant media coverage with articles in Forbes, the Sacramento Bee, and Politico. 

We here at eBay Main Street believe wholeheartedly in the Owners’ Rights Initiative’s message: that if you bought it, you own it.  To read more about the Owners’ Rights Initiative visit its website here: www.ownersrightsinitiative.org.  To sign a petition to tell the Administration to support your ownership right, visit www.ownershiprights.org.