From collectables to cars, buy and sell all kinds of items on eBay
  Home > HelpMembership & account > Rules & policies > Circumventing fees
Help
Avoiding eBay fees

Policy overview

It's important to stay in good standing with eBay fee payments. Sometimes sellers try to find ways to get around paying fees or they do so by mistake.

Make sure your listing follows our guidelines. If it doesn't, it may be removed, and your buying and selling privileges could be restricted.

What are the guidelines?

Not allowed

  • Listing an item on eBay and then being paid outside the eBay system.

See the complete offers to buy or sell outside of eBay policy for more details.

Restricted

  • Including links to eBay Stores and items is OK, as long as they're not URL redirects

Not allowed

  • Referring to or promoting the seller's individual website (including links to home page URLs that promote outside-of-eBay websites), sales outside of eBay, or other businesses

See links in listings for more details.

Not allowed

Offering or requiring the buyer to:

  • Make an additional purchase

  • Pay an amount beyond the final price and a reasonable shipping fee

  • Sign up for a service with the purchase

  • Take any unrelated action (such as pay for a hotel room) as a condition for receiving the item or its benefit (such as free or discounted airfare)

Multi-quantity listings allow sellers to offer multiple, identical items in the same listing. Multi-quantity listings with variations allow sellers to offer fixed price listings that contain multiple variations of the same product.
Use these listing formats instead of standard single item listings to offer multiple items for the same final sale price.

Allowed

  • Using a multi-quantity listing to offer more than one of the same item in a single listing

  • Offering buyers a t-shirt in 3 sizes and 2 colours as multi-quantity listing with variations

Not allowed

  • Using a standard, single item listing, but offering more than one of the same item for sale within it

  • Encouraging buyers to indicate the number of the same item they want

  • Stating that buyers can get the same price for additional similar items (such as one square metre of carpet sold at the final sale price, with the option to buy more square metre at that price)

With multi-quantity listing with variations, sellers can offer variations of the same product in a single listing.

Allowed

  • Using a multi-quantity listing with variations to offer items, such as clothing and home items, with a choice of size, colour, and material

  • Single-item listings for custom made items or services that are created or customised to the buyer's specification. Some examples of this would include made to order clothing, personalized mailing labels or ring re-sizing. All options offered must be provided at no additional charge to the buyer.

Not allowed

  • Selling different brands of an item, such as jeans, in a single listing

  • Offering a choice between two entirely different items, such as a watch or pair of shoes

  • Selling items that aren't in similar condition, such as a new and a refurbished laptop, in the same listing

See listing items with variation for more details.

Restricted

  • Listing contact information (including home page URLs that promote outside-of-eBay websites) in the title, subtitle, item location, or images is only allowed when the item for sale is a domain name

Allowed

  • Selling old or collectible catalogues from which you can no longer place an order (such as a Sears catalogue from 1931)

Not allowed

  • Listing catalogues from which buyers can currently order directly, which could result in sales being completed outside of eBay

See the complete catalogue sales policy for more details.

Allowed

  • Using the reserve price option or setting the starting price at a minimum to avoid selling below a certain price

Not allowed

  • Stating the reserve price of the item when the item has not been listed using the reserve price feature

  • Cancelling bids and ending a listing early because the desired sale price hasn't been met

See the complete reserve price violations policy for more details.

Allowed

  • Using the Want It Now area to post want ads

Not allowed

  • Using a standard listing format to post a want ad or advertise a desire to buy or trade items

See the complete Want It Now policy for more details.

Not allowed

  • Offering a discount to the buyer for using a preferred form of payment

  • Charging an additional fee for using standard forms of payment, including cheques, money orders, electronic transfers, and credit cards

See the complete payment surcharges policy for more details.

Not allowed

  • Listing items, such as homes and vehicles, that belong in a flat fee category outside of the appropriate category

Sellers set the listing duration when they create their auction-style or fixed price listing. When the seller submits the listing, the duration is fixed.

Allowed

  • On rare occasions, (such as the result of a site outage), we may extend the duration of a listing

Not allowed

  • Extending of the listing duration by the seller, either manually or using automated tools

Restricted

  • You can offer an optional warranty or service (such as installation) to complement the item and provide better service for the buyer, as long as it:

    • directly relates to the item - doesn't significantly alter the value

    • isn't an additional item

    • isn't excessive in price

    • doesn't make the listing price artificially low

  • Items valued at more than £15 that offer a written warranty or service contract need one of these in the description:

    • full text of the written warranty

    • statement explaining how a free copy of the written warranty can be obtained upon request

    • link that takes members to the warranty details

Additional information

Although there are valid reasons for ending your listing early, we'll investigate sellers who abuse this option.

Note: Posts made in eBay’s Want It Now area have to comply with this policy too. Want It Now posts that violate this policy may be removed. Repeated violations may result in suspension. You can report a Want It Now violation of this policy from the Want it Now policy page.

Spend a few minutes taking eBay's tutorial on fee circumvention.

Why does eBay have this policy?

Listings that avoid fees can provide a poor buying experience and put sellers who pay theirs at a disadvantage. These listings affect trust in the eBay marketplace. Also, even though offers to buy or sell outside of eBay aren't always made with the intent to commit fraud, there's always a level of risk involved. Be aware that items purchased as a result of an outside of eBay offer aren't eligible for eBay services, including:

  • Feedback

  • Requests for contact information

  • Problem resolution

  • eBay Purchase Protection

Contact Customer Support

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

Contact us

Have a question? We can help.

Ask eBay members

Get help from other eBay members. Visit the Answer Centre to post a question.


About eBay | Announcements | Safety Centre | Partner Centre | VeRO: Protecting Intellectual Property | Policies | Feedback Forum | Site Map | Help
Copyright © 1995-2010 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
eBay official time