eBay policies

When you sell on eBay, keep in mind that it’s a global platform connecting hundreds of millions of users. Without a comprehensive set of rules such a large system would quickly turn chaotic. Read and observe eBay policies to sell legally and keep the marketplace a safe place for everyone.

While growing your eBay business, keep in mind that the Item Not Received rate is critical for your success on the platform. Do your best to ensure that your packages are delivered within the estimated time. Learn how your shipping performance is evaluated and what best practices you should follow.

eBay encourages all sellers provide stellar service to their customers. Buyer experience is regularly evaluated, and those who fail to maintain it on a decent level get higher BBE rate. Learn how to avoid mismatched expectations and keep your buyers happy.

eBay respects intellectual property rights and doesn’t allow listings that violate them. That’s why it’s best to write your own description and take your own photos instead of borrowing them from other websites. If you use such content without owners’ permission, your listings may be reported and removed from eBay.

eBay has quite a large list of hazardous materials: for example, lithium batteries, cleaning supplies, perfumes and auto parts (to name just a few). If you want such items to be delivered without delay and potential penalties, you have to observe the hazmat policy — to label, package and ship them correctly.

eBay Money Back Guarantee covers most transactions on eBay. It means buyers can get their money back if an item didn't arrive, is faulty or damaged, or doesn't match the listing.

To make return easier and build buyer confidence, eBay is issuing a new returns policy for items shipped from the United States (US).

This policy will help ensure a smoother, more reliable returns experience for your buyers and improve your sale performance.

eBay allows buyers to share their experiences with the community but will remove harmful or irrelevant comments and images. This eBay’s policy is to ensure that feedback is meaningful for both buyers and sellers. eBay does not allow feedback that is harmful, inappropriate or irrelevant as this reduces trust between buyers and sellers, and undermines the feedback system. You’ll find more detail in this article on situations in which eBay removes feedback.

This eBay policy requires that sellers provide true and accurate information about where the item will be shipped from to help buyers make informed purchasing decisions based on shipping charges and delivery times, and protects sellers from complaints about excessive costs or delays.

Activity that doesn't follow eBay policy could result in a range of actions. 

Read the article to learn more. 

There may be times when orders need to be canceled. Buyers can request a cancellation, but generally only sellers can cancel an order. eBay encourages sellers to accept a buyer's cancellation request as long as they haven't yet shipped the item.

You’ll find out the rules of how sellers can cancel orders in the article.

Starting July 15, 2025, eBay updated the Parts & Accessories returns policy. P&A sellers will be required to offer a minimum of free 30-day returns, creating a smoother and more consistent shopping journey. This streamlined policy helps eliminate confusion so buyers can have a hassle-free returns experience, strengthening their trust both in your business and in eBay.

Read the article to learn more about this update.

Effective April 1, 2025, new sellers with their eBay account registered address in select countries will be required to apply for approval to ship items from an overseas warehouse. eBay has automatically examined to see if existing seller accounts have good forward-deployment selling history to continue forwards deployment. New sellers, who do not have any forward-deployment selling history, need to apply for eBay approval. 

Read the article for more information.

Certain items located in China must be shipped using SpeedPAK or other eBay-approved shipping solutions.

Additionally, sellers who offer SpeedPAK as a shipping option for listings that ship to selected countries must ensure that they fulfil the orders using the buyer’s selected SpeedPAK service.

Read the full policy to get the details.

Following the executive orders signed by the President of the United States, effective from May 2, 2025, 12:01, items originating from the Mainland China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, valued up to US$800 will no longer enjoy duty-free status and those valued at over US$2,500 will require formal customs clearance.

Starting June 13, 2025, sellers shall need to follow the shipping guidelines listed in this article for all items located in Mainland China and Hong Kong being shipped to the United States, with a unit price of less than US$2,500 (including shipping costs).

To maintain a safe trading environment and provide better shopping experience, starting from December 10, 2024, sellers registered in select countries will be restricted from listing in certain high-risk categories. 

Read the full policy to know the details.