2 min article

Digitally delivered goods policy

We consider digitally delivered goods to be information or content that you can download from a website or receive by email.

Policy overview

You can list digitally delivered goods on eBay as long as you follow these guidelines:

  • Your listing clearly states that you legally own the content (sometimes called intellectual property) or are authorized to sell it by the owner, the owner's authorized agent, or the law.
  • Your item can't include software that would damage anyone's computer, could be used for malicious purposes like sending spam emails or spreading a computer virus, or would violate anyone's privacy (spyware or cookies, for example). For more details, see our HTML and JavaScript policy.
  • Local pickup is not allowed for digital items.

In addition to meeting the guidelines of this policy, listings for all informational products also need to meet the requirements of our compilation and informational items policy.

We may approve certain first party providers to list digitally delivered goods for sale outside of these guidelines.

What are the guidelines?

Allowed

Examples of digitally delivered goods that you can list on eBay as long as you follow the requirements above:

  • Tickets
  • Domain names
  • Software product keys
  • Online gaming items such as characters, currency, points, in-game items, etc.
 
 

Not allowed

Examples of items that sellers are not permitted to list on eBay:

  • An MP3 file
  • An eBook
  • Wallpaper for a computer
  • Recipes in electronic format
  • Songs you bought from iTunes
  • Movies you copied from DVDs you own
  • Video games you copied from the original CDs
  • PDF files of product manuals or user guides that you don't own the copyright of or you aren't authorized to resell by the owner, the owner's authorized agent, or the law

Activity on eBay is required to follow this policy, the eBay User Agreement and all applicable laws, as well as respect the rights of third parties. If it doesn’t, eBay may take action consistent with applicable laws and the eBay User Agreement, and may even be legally required to do so. Such actions may include, as an example only: Removing the listing or other content, issuing a warning, restricting activity or account suspension.

 

Additional information

 

Why does eBay have this policy?

The guidelines on digitally delivered goods help create a safer place to buy and sell by prohibiting sellers from using eBay in a way that might infringe on the intellectual property rights of others or violate the law. They also help protect buyers from purchasing unauthorized or pirated items.

 
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