Updates to the eBay User Agreement

[just-got-personal]

Just got this message... Can't drum up any enthusiasm to read it though.

Has anyone read it?

[exponential_developments]

No point, it will be either accept or delete your account.

[tressygirl]

To be honest when it first came through only in my Private email and addressed me by tressygirl and not my real name,  I thought it could be a phishing email so deleted it asap.

Now it has appeared in my eBay messages ( still addressing me by my username ID hmmm🤔),  I did click on a link to read it, and promptly failed.

Toooo long,  and my coffee has gone cold, that needs my attention more ! 😊

@just-got-personal 

[ojewellery]

I thought this bit was interesting....

we strive to create a marketplace where buyers find what they are looking for. Therefore, the appearance or placement of listings in search and browse results will depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
buyers' location, search query, browsing site and history;
item's location, listing format, price and shipping cost, terms of service, end time, history, and relevance to the user query;
seller's history, including listing practices, Detailed Seller Ratings, eBay policy compliance, Feedback, and defect rate; and
number of listings matching the buyer's query

I'm not sure that's great for creating a fair marketplace - the bigger you are the greater dominance you already have but to disproportionately sway that even more, makes it hard for newbies to become established.

[nutrafituk]

to drive a positive user experience, a listing may not appear in some search and browse results regardless of the sort order chosen by the buyer;

[fribblecollectables]

I ran both agreements through ChatGPT and asked it to highlight the major differences and changes.

Here is what is says (I haven't checked for accuracy)

Here are the major differences between the old and new eBay User Agreements:
1. Stronger Enforcement on Illegal Content
• The new agreement places greater emphasis on AI-driven content moderation, explicitly stating that eBay uses algorithms and manual sweeps to detect illegal content, including terrorism-related and child exploitation material.
• There is now a clearer appeal process for users whose content is removed.

2. Expanded Buyer and Seller Responsibilities
• The new agreement has added specific clauses on pricing manipulation and compliance with pricing laws, ensuring sellers do not artificially inflate prices.
• Expanded return policies: Buyers who purchase return postage labels through eBay will have the cost deducted from their refund.
• More clarity on cancellation requests: Buyers have 3 days to cancel an order before the seller ships it, and sellers can cancel up to 30 days post-sale under certain conditions.

3. More Restrictions on Seller Listings
• eBay may modify or remove non-compliant listings using AI-based tools.
• Sellers are responsible for verifying listing accuracy, including AI-generated descriptions and translations.
• Listings may include advertisements for eBay programs and services at eBay’s discretion.

4. Fees and Payments Policy Adjustments
• eBay can charge sellers a final value fee even if a transaction does not complete, if the seller references or requests off-site transactions.
• eBay reserves the right to automatically charge sellers for unpaid fees, postage labels, and reimbursements via saved payment methods.

5. Expanded Global Shipping & Delivery Policies
• "Simple Delivery" has been introduced, where buyers may now pay delivery providers directly rather than the seller.
• eBay's Click & Collect service is automatically enabled for eligible listings unless sellers opt out.

6. Strengthened Data Privacy & Security Policies
• The new agreement reinforces that eBay and users act as separate "data controllers" for personal data, meaning both parties are individually responsible for GDPR compliance.
• eBay may now retain aggregated sales and performance data even after an account is closed.

7. Expanded Liability and Compensation Clauses
• eBay limits its liability for losses due to service interruptions, listing errors, and pricing mistakes.
• Sellers must compensate eBay for any legal costs incurred due to policy breaches.

8. Managed Payments Policy Updates
• More control over stored payment methods: eBay now explicitly states it can update, store, and automatically charge a seller's saved payment method.
• Sellers are required to use eBay’s managed payments system where available."

[ojewellery]

I'm in awe - I love ai for this sort of thing.  Great summary.

[papso22]

The really key thing for private sellers is that this update contains the expansion of Simple delivery,  but it remains optional.

Can't see much change for businesses. 

[the-nutwood-collection]

I think the main condition for having your listing visible is 'seller's history, including listing practices'

Listing practices = Accepting the PL percentage that eBay suggests when creating a listing and/or subscribing to eBay's PPC at a high daily spend

Seller's History = Always taking eBay's advice about promoting listings, running sales, sending offers to anyone that looks at the listing, sending a discount voucher to anyone who has put the item in their basket, sending a 'thank you' discount voucher to anyone who buys something (maybe the last two are Etsy, not eBay - they're as bad as each other for trying to reduce sellers to penury).

Sadly, I'm on the naughty step when it comes to both seller history and listing practices - that's why I'm in the 'Click here to see the irrelevant listings from sellers you wouldn't want to buy from' group.

[the-nutwood-collection]

Not much change for businesses now, but maybe in the future?

Iannone told financial analysts that Simple Delivery / Managed Shipping was going to be a new revenue stream for eBay.  If it proves to be, then I reckon business sellers will be next.

[wyntersemporium]

Prefer Royal Mail postie coming to my door to collect my items, as some days my back plays up or I’ve a severe migraine and in bed most of the day, I can’t physically get up to the store to drop even my other orders on another site . I’ve been asleep all day today. 
not much to wake up to one sale.

[the_book_seekers]

I'm hoping that's a step too far. That level of interference with businesses could attract the attention of the CMA or whatever agency is supposed to safeguard businesses these days.  I certainly can't see the major traders on this site allowing ebay to dictate postage terms.

[valueaddedresource]

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@ojewellery wrote:

I thought this bit was interesting....

we strive to create a marketplace where buyers find what they are looking for. Therefore, the appearance or placement of listings in search and browse results will depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
buyers' location, search query, browsing site and history;
item's location, listing format, price and shipping cost, terms of service, end time, history, and relevance to the user query;
seller's history, including listing practices, Detailed Seller Ratings, eBay policy compliance, Feedback, and defect rate; and
number of listings matching the buyer's query

I'm not sure that's great for creating a fair marketplace - the bigger you are the greater dominance you already have but to disproportionately sway that even more, makes it hard for newbies to become established.

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@ojewellery  - this is why it is really important to compare the old and new version to see what actually changed....that part has been in the UA for years at this point, has not changed, and if it hasn't caused you any problems by now, it's probably not something to worry about.

[valueaddedresource]

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@papso22 wrote:

The really key thing for private sellers is that this update contains the expansion of Simple delivery,  but it remains optional.

Can't see much change for businesses. 

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Nothing in the section about Simple Delivery has changed.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/Expanded-Simple-Delivery-to-be-optional/m-p/7774907#M...

[valueaddedresource]

@fribblecollectables  I'm a fan of using ChatGPT or other AI for some applications but honestly, I've found asking it to try to summarize changes in ToS like this doesn't always give a great result, especially if it doesn't have the nuanced experience and knowledge of an actual eBay user to be able to understand how changes might impact a specific business.

For example, the AI summary you posted here calls out several things that are not actually changes and have actually been in the policy for years, which could be confusing/misleading.

Personally, I prefer to at least start with a good old fashioned difference checker that will just highlight places where text has been changed, added, or removed. This one is free and easy to use, you just copy and paste the old version on one side and then copy and paste the new version on the other side and click "find difference" https://www.diffchecker.com/

Then once you've highlighted the sections that changed, you can assess what the differences actually mean and how they might affect your business specifically - and if the wording is confusing, that's where it may be helpful to use AI to try to help cut through the corporate legal speak.

For what it's worth, I ran both the old and new version through that difference checker and the main points that changed or had sections added are:

• Adding sections about Illegal Content and Appeals About Illegal Content
• Adding attempting to circumvent buyer fees to the list of activities for which eBay may limit, suspend or take other action against user accounts (due to some clever buyers finding a workaround to avoid the fees)
• Changing the timeframe for providing notice of seller fee changes from 30 days to 15 days, while keeping the previous language which allows eBay to change buyer fees at any time with no notice required

That's really pretty much it for major changes - the rest of the UA has stayed mostly the same, but I encourage everyone to run it through that difference checker to check it out for themselves. 🙂

[art2own]

They may and probably will offer Simple Delivery as optional to business sellers, but it will never be mandatory for business sellers since many large business sellers will have their own shipping contracts arranged directly with couriers. 

[jlovie]

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@ojewellery wrote:

I thought this bit was interesting....

we strive to create a marketplace where buyers find what they are looking for. Therefore, the appearance or placement of listings in search and browse results will depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
buyers' location, search query, browsing site and history;
item's location, listing format, price and shipping cost, terms of service, end time, history, and relevance to the user query;
seller's history, including listing practices, Detailed Seller Ratings, eBay policy compliance, Feedback, and defect rate; and
number of listings matching the buyer's query

I'm not sure that's great for creating a fair marketplace - the bigger you are the greater dominance you already have but to disproportionately sway that even more, makes it hard for newbies to become established.

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Well it looks like search is pretty much ignoring sort by price and postage now.

[cke786]

Nope!

eBay has lost its way, trying to become something that it's not, plus, allowing fake products to populate the site has eroded confidence and made it a trap to turn a meagre profit with genuine products.

[exponential_developments]

That says everything ya need to know.

[wyntersemporium]

Searching for anything on the site now is hard. I now buy my charms from the other place although they’ve messed around with the searches too