eBay are to introduce additional verification for buyers wishing to purchase knives on the site. From September buyers will have to place a credit card on file or enter their card details at the point of purchase. The card won’t be used for payment, purely for authentication.
The announcement points out that it’s an offense to sell a knife to people under 18 years of age – although every eBay account holder should be over 18 it’s not always the case and regardless minors often use parents accounts without their knowledge. Sellers have little or no means of verifying the age of their buyers so it’s good to see eBay taking steps to toughen up on buyer checks.
eBay emphasize that the knives policy hasn’t changed pointing out that items such as switchblades and throwing knives are already banned.
13 Responses
I wish they’d treat everything on eBay like it was a knife.
How is it that eBay can make a proper announcement about something which will affect a very small percentage of buyers/sellers, yet the banning of BINs under 99p which will affect large numbers is still only on the forums? 🙄
Because thay are working the divide and rule?
Don’t want the customers finding out do we?
Either deliberate or incompetent, don’t much like either.
Chris, I think that would be being embarrassed in the national press about knives, whereas who cares if – as one of our esteemed colleagues put it earlier – “a few bead sellers kick off”.
There are no knives left on ebay
They are all stuck in sellers backs.
Cant understand why ebay allow the sales of knives at all!
why not adopt the same attitude similar to their gun policy,
ok there are pen knives and cutlery etc so what! [ ban them too]
make it even harder for some ned to get their hands on a knife
you cant sell a swastica on ebay yet you can sell a muckle great bayonet is barmy
ebay is awash with bayonets and swords every one of them expressly designed to kill people
having a credit card on file does not change what they were designed for
“IMPORTANT THIS AUCTION IS FOR OVER 18s By bidding you are confirming you are over 18 years old and are sensible enough to own sharp objects”
as stated on a current ebay listing, a very nasty looking knife ,that is not for peeling your spuds,
my 10 year old grandson who can type twice as fast as me and knows microsoft office better than Bill Gates, could have this delivered to his door in less than a week, with just a little bit of thought
for Goodness sake its pathetic
ok ebay state you must have a credit card to bid,
but there is no restriction on contacting a seller and asking if they will take cash and post it to an address
all knives on ebay should be banned, as are all guns
#5 i agree lol
#6 i also agree
And before i get jumped on.i sold these knifes on ebay at one time ,over 4 years ago now. but times change. knife culture is out of control.
In saying that if a kid wants a knife go into any kitchen and you will find plenty of knifes.
So a 14yr old with £10 in his pocket is thinking
*I need some drugs and a knife – which is it to be?*
*Shall I spend £10 on a knife on eBay or go buy some drugs around the corner ?*
*Nah – the drugs win, I can get a knife from the next house or shop I rob from*
What on earth makes eBay think under 18’s are buying knifes on eBay ???
eddie has a good point
To paraphrase Yes Minister (hope you approve, Sue), I think it’s a case of eBay looking as if it is trying to look as if it is doing something!