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Offers to buy or sell outside of eBay

Policy overview

Offering to buy or sell items outside of eBay is not allowed. Buyers and sellers also can't share contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers, prior to completing a transaction on eBay.

If you receive an offer to buy or sell outside eBay, please report it.

Activity that doesn't follow eBay policy could result in a range of actions, including cancelling listings, hiding or demoting all of listings from search results, blocking some or all of your messages/communication with other members, lowering seller rating, buying or selling restrictions, account suspension, application of fees, and recovery of expenses for policy monitoring and enforcement. All fees paid or payable in relation to listings or accounts on which we take any action will not be refunded or otherwise credited to your account.

Watch the video series about our policy on offers to buy or sell outside of eBay:

What are the guidelines?

Allowed

Allowed

Buyers and sellers should:

  • Complete purchases on eBay in order to be covered by eBay protections and eBay Money Back Guarantee. Confirmation of a completed transaction on eBay can be obtained by:

    • Using the eBay checkout to complete the purchase

    • Viewing the purchase in purchase or sales history

  • Use Best Offer or Seller Initiated Offer transactions to accept offers for items and negotiate a price

  • Use the Private Offer feature to send a customized offer within Messages to sell to a specific buyer

Not allowed

Not allowed

Buyers and sellers can't:

  • Engage in any action with a user on the site designed to complete or facilitate a transaction outside of eBay

  • Share or request direct contact information prior to completing a sale

    • Exception: Sellers may opt to provide their phone number as part of the Ask a Seller a Question (ASQ) or any other eBay endorsed functionality

  • In any communications with another eBay member, refer to or promote external websites that facilitate sales outside of eBay

  • Use contact information obtained through an eBay transaction to offer to buy or sell an item outside of eBay

  • List an item and then mention or link to additional identical or related items for sale outside of eBay

  • Offer catalogs or other items that are used to order items directly outside of eBay

  • Host item descriptions or images outside of eBay
Why does eBay have this policy?

 

Offers to buy or sell outside of eBay are a potential fraud risk for both buyers and sellers. Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not eligible for eBay protection programs and the eBay Money Back Guarantee. Additionally, eBay has invested a great deal to connect interested buyers with great sellers and we want to participate in ongoing transactions with them.

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