eBay cap listings from overseas private sellers

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From early next week overseas sellers listing on European eBay sites will face a cap on the number of live listings they can launch, if they’re not registered as a business seller.

Previously private sellers would be forced to upgrade to a business account based on sales, the new cap will however focus on the number of listings they launch whether or not they actually sell enough to hit existing restrictions.

Many private sellers have been using the free 99p auctions available on eBay UK to flood the market with listings. This has, according to eBay, been particularly noticeable with sellers based in Asia-Pacific countries (PowerSeller log in required). Sellers who actively target European buyers (i.e. those who list on European eBay sites instead of their home site) need to comply with EU consumer protection laws. Any of these sellers who are buying to resell should be registered as businesses regardless of where they reside.

Sellers who hit the listing cap will receive dual-language notices explaining the laws around business trading into Europe and links to register as a business, and will not be able to list new listings beyond the cap limit unless they declare themselves to be businesses.

The level of the cap will not be disclosed to prevent sellers from gaming the system and it’s level may be adjusted from time to time to maximise it’s effectiveness. Overseas sellers already registered as businesses will not be affected by trading caps.

30 Responses

  1. So they’ll all register as a business, then carry on listing thousands of 99p listings. How will this change things and reduce the number of international listings?

  2. As I understand it, if they are registered as a business they have to pay to list…

    The free listings only apply to private sellers.

  3. In one of my regular search catagories there is one Hong Kong trader selling 650 duplicate Auction listings.
    Will this stop them, well I doubt it.

    As for private v business sellers, ebay. uk want to impliment what they said they would start doing in January, ie; making sellers that are ‘private’ sellers own up & change to business sellers.
    I know many. many traders who are getting away with it with hundreds of BIN items & numerous listings who are clearly trading. BUT EBAY DO NOTHING & the sellers get away with not having to comply with the distant selers act (for BINs).

  4. I read somewhere once that Chinese sellers pay no listing fees. Not sure whether this is still true. Doubt anything will change – in regards to them – if this is still the case.

  5. There are still loads of people in our cats who charge a “restocking fee” how the hell do they get away with that!

  6. #4 I find that an odd thing to complain about, surely having such a charge is detrimental to their business and by default advantagous to you.

  7. You would think, wouldn’t you. But looking at their sales, the buyers either don’t care OR don’t know (until it’s too late).

    Plus, it just bugs me when I see a “business” acting in such ways.

  8. the buyers dont read is more like it

    which is why the ratings left by buyers is no way to judge a seller.

  9. #4, if you want to whine about something, at least get your facts right. Private sellers who list at 99 pence do not pay listing fees, it has been like that since a year ago. Your are just stupid and discriminate Chinese sellers but if anything, they are smarter than you to exploit such a fee loophole.

  10. @ # 10

    At least at one point in time Chinese sellers paid no fees when selling on the Chinese eBay. I don’t recall if those listings actually appeared on the other international or .com sites though. This was done to compete against companies such as Alibaba. It had nothing to do with discrimination or intelligence.

    (I originally inserted a link here to explain this out but looks like the spam filter ate it)

  11. #10 LordBeven I thought this policy came into effect from March of this year.

    LordBeven do you believe that it is a good business practice to cheat your customers, swamp the marketplace and to try and find loop holes to sneak through?

    PS what is your position on fake Louis Vuitton?

  12. #11, the thing is someone is stupid enough to believe that Ebay which is so good at collecting fees will have such a big loophole to let some sellers list for free?

    #12, you are going too far fetched talking about morals. Let see other loop holes in Ebay system, you can still qualify for PS status by selling volume, you can sell genuine items or you can sell Ebooks. Yes Ebooks are supposed to be banned, but they are still there. Is this not Ebay’s fault or the fault of the people who want to exploit Ebay?

    At one point in time, it is considered feedback manipulation to sell cheap items (not Ebooks) to increase your feedback. But with DSR, PS power discounts, it is making more business sense to sell cheap items too.

    See here:
    https://www.tamebaynew.wpengine.com/index.php?s=bath+dsr

  13. LordBevan in post #10 you said “if you want to whine about something, at least get your facts right. Private sellers who list at 99 pence do not pay listing fees, it has been like that since a year ago.”. Are your facts right?

  14. #10 LordBevan – You call me “stupid” and question my “facts” but I think the responses you’ve received that back up what I’ve said, have helped reveal your own low levels of intelligence.

    And if you knew what nationality I actually originate from you’d know that your “discrimination” allegation was laughable.

    #16 I realise now you weren’t referring to me 🙂

  15. Blimey,
    I’m going back to bed for another hour lie in as it’s Sunday, looks like alot in here are having ‘a bad hair day’

  16. And another thing, LordBevan, I was *not* complaining – I was merely saying that *if* it is true that sellers in China pay no listing fees, this new policy may not affect them.

  17. Debs, I still can’t believe that you thought it was possible that Ebay will allow Chinese sellers to get away without paying listing fees. So much for intelligent levels. 🙂

  18. Any idea on what this ‘Cap’ will be, I previously reported a Private individual who was turning over close to £500k p/a to whose ebays response was, we will consider it, Never mind I showed evidence the sellers turnover was 7.5x the VAT threshold, ebay did not consider it a business!

    However now this ‘individual’ – lol will have to be a business, and I for one will rip him apart for compliance….

  19. Anyone know if the dispatch DSR will be disabled during the postal strikes I am already getting a lot of very rude people asking about their items?

    Sorry it is slightly off topic but Sue has stopped comments on the strikes due to all the school ground behaviour

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