Louis Vuitton wins $64 Million in eBay Lawsuit

by Finding Dulcinea July 01, 2008 Posted by Anne Szustek to FindingDulcinea A Paris court ruled that online auction site eBay cleared the way for sale of fake versions of Louis Vuitton's luxury-branded handbags and luggage. LVMH, a conglomerate of high-end brands that encompasses labels such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Guerlain, as well as Hennessey cognac, launched its own research in 2006 as to what proportion of its branded goods sold on eBay were counterfeits. The company found some 90 percent of Dior and Louis Vuitton auctioned on the site were fakes. In addition to the $63 million awarded LVMH for what it deemed eBay's "culpable negligence," the court forced eBay to pay nearly $20 million in damages for unauthorized sale of the brand's perfumes, which are only legally sold at licensed retailers. The online auction site... [read full story]