As a business seller, you are responsible for ensuring a smooth and professional transaction with your buyers. This includes setting buyer expectations by providing accurate and consistent details regarding your item and the terms and conditions of the sale.You must also make every effort to meet buyer expectations by offering excellent customer service from bid to item delivery, such as charging reasonable Postage & Packaging (P&P) and handling fees, stating your handling time and returns policy, communicating promptly and professionally throughout the transaction, and ensuring the item is delivered to the buyer as described.
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended), places numerous legal obligations on business sellers. In particular, items sold on eBay by business sellers to non-business consumers must be:
of 'satisfactory quality'
To find out more and to ensure your good are of satisfactory quality, as described and fit for purpose please see the Sale of Goods Legislation section.
Policy overview
To help you meet the minimum performance standards on eBay, we have outlined the basic requirements regarding selling practices below. In addition, we have included a few best practices that can assist you as a seller to both meet and exceed buyer expectations.
Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Limits on account privileges
Forfeiture of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller and Top-rated seller status
Item description
The listing page serves as the main source of information for buyers, helping them decide what to buy and what to expect when they get an item. As such, the page should only be used to describe the item for sale and to professionally communicate seller terms.
What to do |
You're required to:
Describe only the item you're selling in the listing and the terms of the sale. Provide complete and accurate details Specify the condition of the item Explain any defects or flaws on the item - this helps avoid problems or buyer dissatisfaction.
When selling used, refurbished, or flawed items, we recommend you include pictures of the actual item for sale, instead of a stock photo. |
What not to do |
Sellers aren't allowed to include conflicting or misleading product information in a listing. For example, if you're offering a refurbished item, you can't describe the condition as 'New' in item specifics. Pictures included in a listing have to show the item for sale. Sellers can't include comments that discourage buyers from participating or that undermine either the buyer experience or confidence in the marketplace. For example, we don't allow statements like "eBay holds me to a standard well above 4 stars. 4 stars will get me suspended, so please only leave 5 stars. I’m forced to use PayPal”) Using of the eBay Top-rated seller logo or expression or similar words like “eBay trusted seller” or “eBay top seller” are not allowed.
|
The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 prohibits businesses from treating consumers unfairly. In particular, a misleading act or omission by the seller, which results in the buyer purchasing an item that they would not have otherwise have purchased, is criminal offence, in most cases. To find out more, please see the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 section.
Terms and conditions
It's important you clearly specify the terms and conditions of the sale in your listing, so buyers know what to expect.
What to do |
You're required to include the following details in your listing:
Forms of payment you accept Restocking fee, if applicable Postage and handling method, fees and other information Taxes and any applicable government imposed fees (such as electronic waste disposal fees)
Tell buyers about the terms of the transaction in your listing.
You're required to meet the expectations you've set in your listing. |
What not to do |
Sellers aren't allowed to provide inconsistent or misleading information on the terms and conditions of the sale.
Once the buyer has committed to purchasing the item, sellers aren't allowed to change the terms of the sale which apply to that buyers transaction.
Examples of prohibited behaviour include:
Entering an amount for P&P costs in the Sell Your Item form, and then indicating that you charge a different amount either in the item description or after the buyer has committed to buying the item. Providing false tracking information Stating in a listing you accept returns, but refusing to do so after the item's been purchased
Sellers aren't allowed to say that they're not responsible for the item delivery or ensuring that the item is delivered as described. For example, we don't allow statements like 'I'm not responsible for the item once it's dropped in the mail'. |
To understand more about your legal obligations, please see the Laws and Policies section.
Product availability
When buyers bid on or purchase an item on eBay, they should feel confident that the item is available and will be delivered in a timely matter.
What to do |
You must ensure your the items you are offering are in stock for the duration of the listing and are delivered to the buyer, unless the buyer doesn't meet the terms of your listing.
If you run into an inventory problem that's beyond your control, you're still responsible for letting the buyer know when the item will be available or issuing a refund immediately for the full amount. |
What not to do |
Sellers are not allowed to:
List an item that may be out of stock at the time of purchase List an item you're also selling outside of eBay Offer an item that may not be what's delivered to the buyer
|
Postage and related charges
Be sure to specify P&P costs and related service charges in your listings. It's against our rules to provide unclear or misleading delivery information or charging unreasonable fees for postage and related services.
What you can charge |
Actual postage cost: This is the final P&P cost charged. Consider what others in the market charge for delivery of the item being sold to ensure you remain competitive. Also be consistent with eBay policies for the postage and packaging charges for the category you are listing in.
Handling cost:
This can include the cost of packaging materials.
Delivery Confirmation and extra services: If these options are offered to the buyer, you can only charge what they actually cost. Examples of services including:
Signed for Proof of Delivery
Tax and government imposed fees: Only applicable duties, VAT or equivalent taxes may be charged. |
Categories with maximum Packaging and Posting charges |
eBay sets maximum P&P costs in some categories. In these categories eBay requires you offer at least one UK postage service that is free to buyers. This should be the first service offered with the listings. You can charge more than the maximum P&P cost only if you use the Postage Centre to enter an item's actual size and weight with the packing materials.
When using the Postage Centre, ensure the calculated cost isn't higher than the actual P&P cost. If so, it's considered excessive P&P, which isn't allowed on eBay. |
Categories with maximum Packaging and Posting charges |
eBay sets maximum P&P costs in some categories. In these categories eBay requires you offer at least one UK P&P service that is free to buyers. This should be the first service offered within the listings. You can charge more than the maximum P&P cost only if you use the Postage Centre to enter an item's actual size and weight with the packing materials.
When using the Postage Centre, make sure the calculated cost isn’t higher than the actual P&P cost. If so, it's considered excessive, which isn't allowed on eBay. |
Free Postage & Packaging |
In some categories eBay requires that you offer at least one UK postage service that is free to buyers.This should be the first service offered within the listings.
You can offer free P&P to select or all destinations.
For a destination with free P&P, no other fees related to postage, handling, insurance, or packaging can be charged.
Sellers aren't allowed to change the postage method to a slower option. |
What you're not allowed to charge |
Insurance: Sellers aren't allowed to charge a separate fee for insurance, although they still need to make sure their item arrives as described.
Tariffs, duties, and customs fees: For cross-border transactions, sellers aren't allowed to collect tariffs, duties, or customs fees. (Buyers may be responsible for paying these fees as required by country laws.)
Tip: Remember not to inappropriately classify an item as a gift as a way to avoid certain duties, tariffs, or customs fees. UK law prohibits submitting false or misleading Customs information.
|
Under the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, you must provide clear indications of price, if relevant, including any delivery or tax charges and your VAT number, if your online activities are subject to VAT.
In addition, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, prohibit business sellers from engaging in unfair commercial practises which harm consumers’ economic interests. The provision of information about prices is one form of commercial practice.
In particular, the regulations prohibit:
businesses from misleading consumers about the price of a product, or the manner in which the price is calculated
businesses from misleading consumers as to the existence of a specific price advantage
the omission, in any case of an invitation to purchase, of information on the price or any related charges including taxes, delivery and postal charges, unless these are already apparent from the context.
To understand more about your legal obligations, please see the Laws and Policies section.
Delivery and handling time
Buyers want to know when they can get their items.
What to do |
You're required to clearly and accurately specify in your listing when the item will be shipped.
You're also required to ship items immediately after the purchase (see our pre-sale listings policy for further information).
Use tracking, delivery confirmation, or signature confirmation. That way, both you and your buyer can get the status on where the package is and when it will be delivered.
For items above £150, using Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation can help protect you against cases in which an item wasn't received. |
What not to do |
If PayPal places a temporary payment hold on an item you sold, you're not allowed to hold shipment, pending the release of those funds (after 21 days).
Note that holding shipment may affect your detailed seller ratings and buyer satisfaction, which increases the chances of future PayPal payments being held. |
Listing formats without handling time |
|
Categories that will not require handling time |
|
Communication
What to do |
Respond promptly to any questions during the bidding or buying process, as well as after the item has been purchased.
Be friendly and professional, including in your emails.
Send postage updates with tracking information, if available.
Be responsive to any buyer concerns or problems.
|
What not to do |
Sellers aren’t allowed to use profane or offencive language with anyone on eBay. Using expressions like “optional insurance” or “fake bidder or buyer” and the threat to leave negative feedback (even when from seller to buyer not possible) are not allowed.
|
Under the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 you must provide the following information in the Business Seller Information section of your listings, your About Me page or on a Shops page (no more than one click from your main Shop page):
full contact details for your business
details of any relevant trade organisations to which you belong
details of any authorisation scheme relevant to your online business
clear indications of price, if relevant, including any delivery or tax charges
your VAT number, if your online activities are subject to VAT.
To understand more about your legal obligations, please see the Laws and Policies section.
Returns
The Distance Selling Regulations generally apply to sales to non-business buyers made by sellers acting in the course of a business, which have been made at a distance. In other words, where there is no face-to-face contact between the seller and the buyer before the contract is made. The Distance Selling Regulations usually cover sales made over the internet, including:
Buy It Now listings on eBay.co.uk
Second Chance Offers on eBay.co.uk
The UK Distance Selling Regulations do not apply to eBay auction format listings on eBay.co.uk, and do not apply to all types of items.
Under the Distance Selling Regulations, buyers have a period of 7 working days after the date of delivery within which they can cancel the contract (often referred to as the "cooling off" period) and get their money back, including the original postage and packing charges. If the seller has not provided all the information required under the Distance Selling regulations before the contract is concluded, the buyer will have up to three months. You must refund the original delivery charges. However, you are permitted to require the buyer to pay for the cost of returning the item, but only if you clearly inform the buyer of this before the contract is made.
If your listing doesn't fall under the Distance Selling Regulations, you're not legally obliged to refund a buyer if they change their mind. However, you may choose to provide a service that goes beyond the minimum legal requirement in order to encourage consumers to buy from you.
Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended), items sold by business sellers to non-business consumers must be:
of 'satisfactory quality’
If an item you sell doesn't conform to these criteria, the buyer has the right to request money back within a "reasonable time". What is considered a "reasonable time" varies from item to item. For example, a pair of skis is unlikely to be used straight away, so a "reasonable time" is likely to be longer than for an item normally used on a daily basis. Other factors may also affect what is defined as a "reasonable time" for specific items.In addition, the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002 gives consumers a right to a repair or replacement where goods turn out to be faulty.
When a business sells an item to a consumer, the default position is that any loss or damage to the item that occurs in transit is the responsibility of the business. This means that you are likely to be required to replace items lost or damaged in the post. Most eBay business sellers choose to replace lost and damaged items as a matter of course, using insured postage services where cost effective.
To understand more about your legal obligations, please see the Laws and Policies section.
Other rules for sellers
Sellers are responsible for reviewing and understanding eBay selling policies, as well as all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the User Agreement.Therefore, learning about eBay’s selling policies before you list an item will help you avoid unintentionally breaking rules.
Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
