Why is there a market for empty Apple product boxes?

Yes, you have the legal right, as far as I know. What you also have is a scared ebay executive who doesn’t want to be sued for Trademark infringement. They yank auctions under the presumption that the goods are counterfeit, and lack a reasonable way for sellers to appeal and get their auctions back up.

Same thing for flea markets, really. They take the booth owner aside and mention that they’d hate awfully for their lawyers to see the blue boxes for sale and file a lawsuit for trademark violations and counterfeit goods. Usually makes people nervous enough to take the boxes off display…at least until the Tiffany rep leaves.

But sure, I suppose they’re looking for actual counterfeit bags, too.

Yup. Me too. She doesn’t.

Tiffany blue is a color trademark (and custom Pantone color PMS 1837, after the year Tiffany & Co. was founded).