eBay wants to help ensure that the marketplace offers buyers safer online payment choices. As described in our safe buying guide, eBay strongly encourages sellers to offer payments through PayPal. PayPal is convenient to use and has privacy built in.

From time to time, as new payment services arise, we will evaluate them to determine whether they are appropriate for the marketplace. Payment services that are not permitted on eBay may in fact be outstanding services for consumers in other contexts. eBay's evaluations relate only to whether a particular service is appropriate for the eBay marketplace. We will consider the following factors, among others, in making this decision:

• Whether the payment model offers substantial financial, privacy and anti-fraud protection for buyers and sellers

• Whether the payment model raises the potential for confusion among eBay members, or involves incentives that may present fraud concerns

• Whether the payment model involves precious metals, or other non-cash (points, miles, minutes, vouchers/coupons, discounts) as consideration

• Whether the payment service has a substantial historical track record of providing safe and reliable financial and/or banking related services (new services without such a track record generally cannot be promoted on eBay)

• The identity, background and other business interests of the payment service sponsor

• The licence/regulatory status of the payment provider in the countries where it provides payment services

Some offline payment methods, such as personal cheques, may not offer the same level of protection or convenience as online payments. These methods may be appropriate for certain types of transactions and sellers may offer to accept most valid financial instruments including personal cheques, cashier’s cheques, postal orders, or Cash on Collections (COC).

Policy

Permitted on eBay.co.uk
Sellers may offer to accept:

• PayPal, credit cards (including MasterCard, Visa, Amex), debit cards, and bank electronic payments for eBay purchases.

• Bank-to-bank transfers, often known as bank wire transfers or bank cash transfers.

• Cash on Collection (COC) or cash for in-person transactions.

• Personal cheques, postal orders, banker’s drafts, certified cheques, and other negotiable instruments.

Not permitted on eBay.co.uk
Sellers may not solicit:

• Buyers to mail cash.

• Buyers to send cash or money orders through instant cash transfer services (non-bank, point-to-point cash transfers) such as Western Union or MoneyGram. We have banned the use of Instant Money Transfers as a payment method on the eBay.co.uk site to protect members, because in the past some sellers have exploited Instant Money Transfers in order to defraud buyers.

• Payment through "topping off" of a seller's pre-paid credit or debit card.

• Payment through online payment methods not specifically permitted in this policy.

Please see the Some Examples section below for permitted and non-permitted online payment services.

eBay Payment Requirements

Sellers who list in certain categories or transactions may be required to offer PayPal as one of the payment methods for a specific listing or may be required to offer PayPal as the only payment method offered on a listing.

IMPORTANT: Upcoming eBay Payment Requirements

Starting in late April, eBay will required all sellers to offer PayPal on their listings. This will ensure that buyers are generally offered an increased level of protection on goods listed on eBay. Sellers who list in the Vehicles and Residential Property categories will be exempt from this policy.

Get more details on eBay Payment Requirements.

Payment Holds for eBay Items

eBay and PayPal are working together to make it safer than ever to buy on eBay. One of the ways that PayPal is ensuring this is by identifying transactions that pose the greatest risk of bad sales and holding the payments from sellers for a period of time to help ensure that the transactions go smoothly. Get more details on Payment Holds for eBay items.

Breaches of any part of this policy may result in a range of actions including:

• Listing cancellation

• Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

• Limits on account privileges

• Loss of PowerSeller status

• Account suspension

• Rules for Sellers Overview

Report breaches of eBay policy or problems with another eBay member.