Ebay to ban E-Bike sales from private sellers from November

Just a heads up for anyone looking to sell their e-bike on Ebay. From November only business sellers will be allowed to sell e-bikes or e-bike batteries. I have just had this in an email from Ebay this morning. As I’m already a business seller I’m unsure if this news has been emailed to private users too who have a history of selling in the cycling category.

What’s the actual wording of the email?

We’re getting in touch to let you know that we’re updating our policy for selling e-bikes and their batteries, chargers, conversion kits, and baby toys on ebay.co.uk. To ensure that these products adhere to UK safety standards when sold on our marketplace, from 31 October 2024 only eligible business sellers will be able to list them for sale in the UK. The impacted products are as follows:

<ul style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-type: none;” role=”list”> <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • E-bikes: This includes e-bikes and their batteries, chargers, and conversion kits. These products can only be sold by business sellers. Please note that used e-bike batteries will no longer be able to be sold on ebay.co.uk <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • Baby toys: Items for the use of children under 36 months can only be sold by business sellers registered in the UK

<h2 class=”” style=”margin: 0px; line-height: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, ‘Market Sans’; font-size: 16px; color: #191919;” align=”left”>In addition to the criteria above, you’ll need:</h2>

<ul style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-type: none;” role=”list”> <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • An established history of active selling for at least 90 days, with 100 or more transactions and £1,000 or more in sales in the last 12 months <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • A track record of delivering positive buying experiences, including an account that’s Above Standard or Top Rated <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • To be compliant with all applicable laws, regulations, and eBay policies <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • To have registered for eBay managed payments and verified your identity <li class=”pr16″ style=”margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; list-style-type: none;” role=”listitem”> • To provide great customer service, like delivering items on time

If you’re not registered as a business seller, you can learn how to get started on our help page. Any existing listings of these products from sellers that don’t fulfil the new criteria will be temporarily hidden, starting on 31 October 2024, until the eligibility requirements are met. Don’t worry, you won’t lose your selling history, and your listings will be available again as soon as the eligibility requirements have been met. These restrictions are part of our commitment to maintaining a safe marketplace for buyers and sellers. We appreciate that changes like this can feel frustrating, but we’re here to help. You can also find a copy of this email under Messages in your eBay account. If you have any other questions or concerns, just get in touch. Thanks for being part of the eBay community.

Wow…

Wonder what that’s about? Exploding cheapo eebs maybe?

Shouldn’t they be in motor vehicles anyway though? (winky face emoji)

Exploding cheapo eebs maybe?

Bikes, “hover boards”, go karts and so on. Don’t blame them for making sure to get this in before christmas either when these stories often appear

The thing is, it’s specifically targeted at e-Bikes.  No mention of scooters, hoverboards, nothing else that’s electric/battery and mobility related.  Why e-bikes specifically?

Good point. Despite reading it earlier I then added another category in my head – does make it odd

Why e-bikes specifically?

That’s what I wondered, or why e-bikes and toys for <36 months. They’re both CE marked items but ebay already covers all that in the product safety policy. So I expect this is more about liability of private individuals vs business accounts who I’d expect have PLI, that and product categories they see as high or more complex risk?

Business sellers only – a huge percentage of the cheap, explod-ey tat on ebay is being sold by business sellers who are getting it en-mass from China whether they try and sell it for what it is or tart it up and put some significant spin on it and try and make it “premium” (see the adverts all over social media for “cool” e-bikes with hipster types riding them through the mean streets of Brighton etc – still cheap Chinese tat).

It’s not just any business sellers that can sell ebikes , it’s business sellers that meet the qualification criteria specified in the email.

So presumably a lot of the cheapo none compliant ebike sellers do not meet that criteria.

It’s an arse covering exercise by eBay. If a baby chokes on a toy made of lead and arsenic, or an ebike explodes, they just say that they put measures in place, we’re only the payment agent, go speak to Dodgy Toys n Bikes inc. who sold them.

the cheap, explod-ey tat on ebay

And earlier this year the TRA recommended dropping the Anti Dumping Duty on Chinese e-bikes, could save the UK £50 mill a year.. actual outcome tbc.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tra-finds-scrapping-e-bike-tariffs-could-save-uk-51m-per-year

Business sellers only – a huge percentage of the cheap, explod-ey tat on ebay is being sold by business sellers who are getting it en-mass from China

Hopefully eBay’s next step is to clamp down on this. Seems a logical progression

It’s an arse covering exercise by eBay. If a baby chokes on a toy made of lead and arsenic, or an ebike explodes, they just say that they put measures in place, we’re only the payment agent, go speak to Dodgy Toys n Bikes inc. who sold them.

They already have the means to do that, though this might be a way of making it more enforceable or insurable. The product safety policy is clear on CE markings and all that go with it (testing etc), same as Amazon have. If they can verify the CE declarations are made by the seller it’s not on them unless there’s been a recent change somewhere – still, why highlight these 2 product categories?

Is it to help remove a way to move ebikes on after nicking them?

Hmm, slightly different wording to an email sent out earlier in the year. That one read

https://www.emtbforums.com/threads/ebay-restrict-ebike-sales.39206/

That could be interpreted as, if you’re a business seller you must meet the criteria, but if you’re a private seller you can carry on as usual.

New wording is much clearer…

– business sellers only, and restrictions on which business sellers

– no second hand e-bike batteries at all

If it was a ban on private sellers why have they only emailed business sellers about meeting their criteria?

Have any private sellers had the email?

If it was a ban on private sellers why have they only emailed business sellers about meeting their criteria?

Have any private sellers had the email?

They haven’t only emailed business sellers, I’m a private seller only, I had the email, presumably because I have previously sold an ebike part (a bosch display)

This will have a big impact on the resale value and therefore options for trading up and changing e-bikes in the future.

This will have a big impact on the resale value and therefore options for trading up and changing e-bikes in the future.

Will it though?

Ebay’s always been the place to sell stuff in a hurry, generally for less than you get on forums/gumtree/craigslist/marketplace. I doubt it’s actually that large a slice of the 2nd hand market?

I’ve already discovered that as a private seller I can’t sell helmets or alcohol. Might just been second hand helmets, can’t remember.

There was no email about this, only discovered when it wouldn’t let me list whisky at all and my helmet listing was cancelled. Not particularly bothered, just pointing there’s already some things which are business only

It is maybe just me but I searched Cube E Bike and I got over 200 results on EBay.

Out of your other options I would only entertain forums and I don’t see that many

I will be looking to buy an e bike in the next year or two but I tend to keep my bikes for a long time so I would have gone new anyway

Ebay’s always been the place to sell stuff in a hurry, generally for less than you get on forums/gumtree/craigslist/marketplace.

Other way round IME, eBay usually gets the best price as it has the biggest audience and more newbies.

I predict a lot more ebike ads on Pinkbike in future though.

It is maybe just me but I searched Cube E Bike and I got over 200 results on EBay.

from 31 October 2024

I’ve already discovered that as a private seller I can’t sell helmets or alcohol. Might just been second hand helmets, can’t remember.

No-one is allowed to sell second hand helmets, and it’s been like that for years. Makes sense IMO.

For that reason anyone selling a second-hand helmet lists it as new, which may or may not get picked up and removed.

Other way round IME, eBay usually gets the best price as it has the biggest audience and more newbies.

I’ve always found when I’ve “won” 2nd hand bikes off ebay it’s felt like a really knockdown price to the point of feeling really guilty when collecting them, usually evidenced when I got o sell it (often a few years and thousands of miles later) somewhere else I think “I’ll just list it for what I paid for it” and end up with people queueing to buy it.

Bought a motorbike* off there recently and it was probably 25% less than similar bikes were selling for privately.

*petrol powered, not sarcasm

No-one is allowed to sell second hand helmets, and it’s been like that for years. Makes sense IMO.

For that reason anyone selling a second-hand helmet lists it as new, which may or may not get picked up and removed

Dont think that is true, i can see a lot of helmets for sale and they say pre owned/used on the listing details

I’ve already discovered that as a private seller I can’t sell helmets or alcohol. Might just been second hand helmets, can’t remember.

What about second-hand alcohol?

Dont think that is true, i can see a lot of helmets for sale and they say pre owned/used on the listing details

Oh, my bad, sorry. I was sure I remembered looking for helmets years ago and getting confused that loads of second hand ones were listed as new…

It seems 2nd hand booze is availble from private European sellers, they say pre owned but dont look to be opened

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126319415188?_skw=whiskey&epid=20065145356&itmmeta=01J9KS7WDVCZ9K4VNE3NKPP9F8&hash=item1d69394f94%3Ag%3A6QUAAOSw3Ullwkx2&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmz0T2EiT%2BgcB9NgdLtkd8rpAjgDdvvX%2BzsPvyjAufTclslb15%2BS3bodO4ls03MaS1Ei%2FxZ%2B9zjK1UQRZ9VYwIvYMO4VALL4gdWa6GBTKGQglUFdlPpjn14JJ%2FWxGg%2FymPgabJjtJb5Qh145s4T54Z81Z9Ayc%2FFC5rQTMZX7Eov3Y1R%2BY7%2B27BeXtb8eU7ecbOh%2FDv52wMdalSpuVurwSDKQfCfNe0eAYEGZkO3yPi0AA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5THn_nMZA&LH_ItemCondition=4

It is maybe just me but I searched Cube E Bike and I got over 200 results on EBay.
from 31 October 2024

Sorry I wasn’t clear what I was directing the comment at. I meant it is my go to place to look for or sell bikes and parts and there is currently a large market place on EBay

What’s to stop folk selling them without the battery (assuming it’s removable) then ‘forgetting’ to remove the battery?

E bike for sale, comes with free battery!

Now on BBC news

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ywq8xgkkyo?fbclid=IwY2xjawFzQzlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVOX9E_gL-WUh_p2jBT5O3z_7qPzDG_DKjYuGpi50e5COV0c94J9AmJuXg_aem_ZY6XyuVqWoIzwO8_56suWg

What’s to stop folk selling them without the battery (assuming it’s removable) then ‘forgetting’ to remove the battery?

That buyers won’t know there’s a battery included?

I’m sure it’s not impossible to find a way of confirming without eBay busting you.

’battery is removed, but bike comes with everything you need to go for a ride’ for example.

Maybe it’s something designed to stop them being an easy fence for stolen parts. Interesting that the BBC articel does not quote eBay as saying that the change is specifically related to fire safety, only that people welcome the change,

And the CE mark… Dn’t a lot of the shonky goods have a CE mark that looks identical, but means “China Export”?

And the CE mark… Dn’t a lot of the shonky goods have a CE mark that looks identical, but means “China Export”?

Maybe a few, once but I think that’s more famous than it deserves to be. Anyone placing toys or electronics on the UK or EU market (at import stage, so that’s some importer-direct sellers on Amazon or Ebay) has to write a declaration of CE compliance. There are penalties for not doing all that properly inc testing but it’s not enforced that often at the moment. Still, you would want to have all your files in order if you imported a e-bike with your name on the CE declaration and it burned a building down and injured people.

Edit, the BBC article mentions ebay checking for CE marking also.

Earlier this year, it said it would also audit sellers to make sure they had the CE mark for safety documentation for listed e-bike products.

If the item is validly CE marked the liability is with the seller not ebay, but that’s how it’s always been. ebay may be under more pressure to verify validity now. So this may be all about liability and how a private individual realistically is not able to CE mark or vouch for the condition or safety of a S/H ebike.

And all of this comes from the amount of shonky tat entering the market because of sales channels that have no / few checks in the first place.