eBay is one of the best marketplaces for buying and selling virtually anything. Everyone knows it’s the ideal place to list unwanted and preloved items or pick up a bargain. *EBay has a vast audience in the UK, with nearly 300 million visits per month, second only to Amazon. This dwarfs other online marketplaces – their nearest competitor is Etsy, which averages just 31 million visits per month. However, despite its versatility, there are still some items that you can’t sell on the platform. Here are 15 things you can’t sell on eBay UK and why.
Items You Can’t Sell On eBay in the UK
1. Counterfeit and Replica Goods
*eBay bans counterfeit items, including fake designer clothes, accessories, and electronics. They want to ensure buyers receive authentic, high-quality products. Selling fakes defrauds consumers and harms legitimate businesses.
2. Firearms and Ammunition
eBay strictly prohibits the sale of firearms, ammunition, and related accessories. This includes guns, bullets, gunpowder, and even gun parts. Strict gun controls in the UK regulate firearms’ sale, transfer, and ownership. This rule also bans replica guns.
3. Stolen Property
eBay forbids items reported as stolen, whether cars, electronics, or personal belongings. If you see an item you think may have been stolen, you can contact eBay and your local police immediately.
4. Used Cosmetics And Perfume
eBay doesn’t allow the sale of used cosmetics. This includes opened and partially used items like makeup, skincare products, and perfumes. Used cosmetics can harbour bacteria and other contaminants, posing a health risk.
5. Prescription Drugs and Medicine
eBay prohibits prescription medications and prescription-strength over-the-counter drugs. Only registered business sellers can sell non-prescription medicines in new, undamaged packaging. Listings must contain clear usage instructions, ingredient lists, known side effects, storage instructions, and the product’s expiration date.
6. Lottery Tickets and Gambling Items
eBay bans lottery tickets, scratch cards, and some gambling-related items. Slot machines or fruit machines must be sold per UK Gambling Commission rules, which may require a license. Casino collectables such as vintage poker chips are allowed.
7. Human Body Parts and Remains
Unsurprisingly, eBay does not allow the sale of human body parts or remains, including organs, bones, blood, and any items containing such materials. The exception to this is human hair when made into wigs. Used funeral items, such as coffins or urns, are also not allowed.
8. Hazardous Materials
EBay doesn’t allow the sale of hazardous materials, such as chemicals, explosives, and radioactive substances. If you have ever read *The Story of the Radioactive Boy Scout, you will understand precisely why these materials need to be kept away from the public!
9. Live Animals and Wildlife Products
Live animals and certain wildlife products, such as ivory or items made from endangered species, cannot be sold on eBay. This protects animal welfare and supports laws and agreements to conserve wildlife and prevent animal cruelty.
10. Personal Data and Information
Personal data such as credit card information, phone numbers, email addresses and personal addresses can’t be sold on eBay. This includes selling likes or follows on social media, email software designed to harvest contacts or send spam emails or text messages and anything that requires the buyer to disclose a password, such as gaming boosts.
11. Fireworks and Explosives
Explosives, fireworks, and the sale of related items are banned. These items pose serious safety risks and are tightly regulated by law. Even seemingly harmless items like sparklers and novelty fireworks are restricted to prevent accidents and misuse.
12. Alcohol
eBay prohibits the sale of alcohol. This includes spirits, wine, and beer. The ban is in place to comply with laws regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages, which require age verification and proper licensing to ensure responsible drinking.
13. Tobacco
eBay bans selling tobacco products and some products containing nicotine. Business sellers can sell vaping devices and e-liquids if they comply with eBay’s policies, including age verification and warning labels. E-liquid can only be sold in bottles of 10ml or less with a 2.0mg or lower strength.
14. Adult Material
eBay does not allow the sale of selling pornographic materials, which include explicit images, videos, and adult toys. eBay wants to remain a family-friendly platform and comply with legal rules regarding the sale of adult content.
15. Lockpicking Devices
Lockpicking devices and tools are prohibited on eBay. This includes lockpicks, skeleton keys, and bump keys. The sale of these items is restricted to prevent illegal activities, such as burglary and theft.
Finally, unless you plan to sell a vintage skull or a set of lockpicks, you are unlikely to conflict with *eBay’s prohibited content policies. The things you can’t sell on eBay are tiny compared to the vast amounts that you can. eBay has everything from rare collectables to everyday essentials.
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