@ms.claire.valentine wrote:
Its a safety measure to make sure the buyer is over 18 when buying items listed as knives or bladed articles, it's for everyones benefit.
I don’t see how not allowing me a buy butter knives without providing a credit card is benefiting anyone. Especially, as I pointed out, they were already happy with the ID I had provided to prove I was old enough (so over 18) to sell on eBay.
@ms.claire.valentine wrote:
Since unlike other forms of ID, (driving liscense from 17, passport any age) you can only get a credit card if you are 18 or over, it is the one accepted ID form.
Yes, you can have a driving license or passport when under 18 (U18), but they have the date of birth of them, so that can be checked for age verification. (And they must be being checked, as on this forum there’s several reports of U18s getting their account closed – and eBay keeping any money in their account BTW – after providing ID that proved they were U18.) Driving licenses and passports are also issued by the Government, and are much harder to get than a credit card!
@ms.claire.valentine wrote:
It also is stopping people using long established accounts that aren't theirs like a parents etc, a hacked/stolen one, from getting around age restrictions so account age etc means nothing, if the buyer themself doesn't have a credit card, no sale.
It’s far easier and more likely for an U18 to steal a knife than gain access to another’s eBay account to get a knife that way! And, trust me on this, a kid who wants a knife to use it for violence is far more likely to get it via any method than a hacked/stolen eBay account!
@ms.claire.valentine wrote:
Plenty of other sites you can buy from if you don't have a credit card.
With that point, and going back the original question/issue, why is it different here?
It’s obvious that restricting certain categories and allowing only credit card info for id verification was the easiest solution for eBay, not what was necessary; and not what is the most convenient for buyers! That’s what it boils down to.
Selling weapons should always be heavily restricted. Selling weapons to children should not be allowed. But knives are only weapons if they are used as such.
If I see someone coming at me with a hammer, or even a screwdriver, then I’m going to worry. If I see someone coming at me with a butter knife then I’m just going to be confused!
Violence is horrible. Vigilance is required. But a lot of laws are a cop-out, and the real issues that lead to violent acts aren’t being dealt with. eBay’s solution in this matter is wrong, in my opinion. If it were correct / necessary, then everywhere else would enforce it that way too.
Oh, and some items on here you can't just get anywhere else, especially at auction prices. The set of antique butter knives I wanted to bid on went for a bargain price!
