eBay can be most likened to an online flea market. But, as with most flea
markets, there is always the possibility that questionable hawkers lurk around
the corners. Therefore, there must be rules in place to insure that the auctions
and transactions formed through eBay are legal. Only then can a market – online
or not – flourish.
Certain types of items are prohibited or regulated on eBay. eBay reserves the
right to terminate auctions that violate its specifications for allowed items on
listing. In the case of such, eBay emails the bidder and the seller to notify
them of the violation and to explain the need to terminate the auction.
eBay’s policies describe items that may not be posted for auction. They fall
under three categories: Prohibited Questionable, and Potentially Infringing.
Prohibited
This describes items that are not permitted on eBay. This list includes alcohol,
tobacco, drugs, animals, human parts or remains, government properties, lottery
tickets, and others. eBay contains a complete list of such in their policy
statement.
Questionable
Items listed as questionable can be posted provided they follow certain
conditions. For example, some adult material may be listed for auctioning only
if they are posted in the Mature Audiences section of eBay. Event tickets may be
sold provided that the auction closes before the actual event itself. The list
also includes batteries, artifacts, food, used items, event tickets, weapons and
knives, police related equipment, Freon, hazardous chemicals, offensive
material, mature audiences material, international selling, and international
buying among others.
Potentially Infringing
Items listed under this heading may be legal. However, they almost always
violate copyright, trademark, and other rights. Some examples of such are:
academic software, beta software, bootleg recordings, contracts and tickets,
downloadable media, movie prints, OEM software, Replica and counterfeit items,
and unauthorized copies.
This list is updated periodically and is incorporated into the User Agreement of
eBay. These guidelines do not represent legal advice. It would do well to check
with law enforcement agencies, a lawyer, or other legal outlets to verify the
legality of a questionable item to be posted.
This policy applies even if you offer to give your item away for free. As long
as it is posted on eBay, it is subject to the abovementioned policy.
As a final note, it is stressed that the buyer if subject to liability if he or
she purchases an illegal item. It is still the responsibility of the buyers and
sellers to monitor the legality of their transactions since eBay is merely a
facilitator in the market process.
About the Author: David Riewe is a Publisher and Online Marketer. Visit
his eBay Blog to Discover 101 Ebay Auction Tips in this FREE ebook
http://www.push-button-online-income.com/ebayblog
Source:
www.isnare.com