Using eBay’s Listing Policies To Stay Out Of Trouble

eBay’s Listing Policies

As much as you may sell almost anything on eBay, some items are prohibited. If you try to sell any of these items, eBay will cancel your auction and cancel any bids. Let us have a look at ebay’s listing policies that can help you to stay out of trouble.

• Academic Software
• Airline and Transit Related Items
• Alcohol (also see wine)
• Animals and wildlife products
• Policy on Anti-circumvention
• Artifacts
• Authenticity Disclaimers
• Autographed Items
• Batteries
• Beta Software
• Bootleg Recordings
• “Brand Name Misuse
• Catalog Sales
• Catalytic Converters and Test Pipes
• Celebrity Material
• Listings for Charities or Fundraising
• Comparison Policy
• Informational Media and Compilation
• Contracts and Tickets
• Counterfeit Currency and Stamps
• Counterfeit Items
• Credit Cards
• Downloadable Media
• Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia
• Electronics Equipment
• Embargoed Goods and Prohibited Countries
• Encouraging Infringement Policies
• Event Tickets
• Faces, names, and signatures
• Firearms, Ammunition, Replicas, and Militaria
• Fireworks
• food
• Freon and other refrigerants
• Gift Cards
• Government IDs and Licenses
• Hazardous, restricted, and perishable items
• Human Parts and Remains
• The Importation of Goods into the United States
• International Trading-Buyers
• International Trading-Sellers
• Lockpicking Devices
• Lottery Tickets
• Mailing Lists and Personal Information
• Manufacturers’ Coupons
• Mature audiences
• What Exactly Are Medical Devices?
• Misleading Titles
• Mod Chips, Game Enhancers, and Boot Discs
• Movie Prints
• Multi-level Marketing, Pyramid and Matrix Programs
• OEM Software
• Offensive Material
• Pesticides
• Plants and seeds
• Police-Related Items
• Political Memorabilia
• Postage Meters
• Pre-Sale Listings
• Prescription Drugs and Devices
• Promotional Items
• Real Estate
• Recalled Items
• Recordable Media
• Replicas and counterfeit items
• Satellite and cable TV descramblers
• Slot Machines
• Stocks and Other Securities
• Stolen Property
• Surveillance Equipment
• Tobacco
• Travel
• unauthorised copies
• Used clothing
• Warranties
• Weapons & Knives
• Wine (also see alcohol)

Some of these are self-evident. You can’t sell illicit items like narcotics, pyramid schemes, or stolen products, as examples. Almost everything on the list is there because selling it is against the law. However, some of the reasons are a little weird.

For example, the ‘signed things‘ section doesn’t imply you can’t sell autographed goods; it merely means you can only sell them provided they come with a certificate of authenticity. The ‘artefacts’ section says you can’t sell Native American graves; “celebrity material” says you can’t sell unlicensed celebrity photos; “embargoed products” says you can’t sell anything from Cuba… the list goes on and on, and most of it you’ll never need to understand.

If your desired item appears to be on the list and you’re afraid that you won’t be able to sell it, check the whole list at http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/items-ov.html to determine if it’s completely prohibited or only subject to a few limitations.

eBay claims it will delete any products that it feels are in violation of copyright laws, but they don’t have nearly enough staff to keep an eye on the site. Your auction will usually only be withdrawn if someone decides to complain, and even then, they may not need to use it. Ironically, because of all the restrictions and vocabulary, buying and selling on eBay might seem harder than it is. Check out our other article entitled, “What You Should Know Before You Start Selling On ebay“.