Selling age restricted items

[amy_david19]

I’m looking to sell age restricted items on eBay under a Business seller account. I’ve searched all around for a definitive answer on how to perform a reliable age verification check but I cannot seem to find anything.

I understand the seller would need to add the below statement to their listing but I need to know how I would perform this age verification check?

"I have an effective age verification process that satisfies due diligence as described in the Business Companion guide for online age verification checks and I will not sell to persons that are under 18 years old".

Would really appreciate any current experiences or examples from current sellers.

Thanks

[corred]

@amy_david19 

As in theory eBay should not allow purchases by anyone without age verification (ie a linked Credit Card) then your main issue is potentially the delivery

Age verification checks

The following is a guide to possible steps and precautions that retailers could adopt to assist with age verification. However, it should be noted that these may not be suitable for some situations and retailers will need to assess what steps are suitable and appropriate to their individual circumstances. Retailers may be able to develop other methods of age verification.

Age verification concepts in a fast moving digital world are challenging in terms of effectiveness. No system is failsafe and any service that relies on remote verification has the potential for errors.

Many websites now require purchasers to register details or to set up accounts for future purchases, which means that age verification checks may only be required for the initial set-up of accounts or on the first purchase from the website.

Age verification on delivery

Retailers could use age verification checks at the point of delivery by ensuring that delivery drivers request valid proof of age to confirm that the purchaser is over the minimum age to buy the product in question. It should be noted that third-party couriers may not accept responsibility for age verification.


I know Amazon operates age verification for customers via the courier where only the named person may accept & sign for age specific goods

[amy_david19]

Thanks for the reply. As mentioned above I don’t think assuming by theory that the owner of the account needs a credit card to sign up to eBay would be enough.

The names person via courier is a good idea although I think I’d have to push up postage costs or take a hit to pay for a service as such. For relatively low cost items I don’t think this would work for me.

From other posts over read this does seem a fairly grey area. The products I’m looking to sell I have bought from eBay before, no additional verification required and sent via 1st Class Royal Mail. I’d have thought there must be other checks being done by the seller. One I’ve seen suggested is using the local electoral register. This seems a bit convoluted especially if my sales were to increase.

[corred]

The electoral register would not work as having actually been employed in the compilation of those registers for 20 years

1. Not everyone registers (even though it is supposed to be a legal requirement)

2. There are 2 versions of the register & the only one which is public allows people to choose not to appear on it (as I don't)


RM services even Special Delivery do not require the person named to be the one accepting goods

[angelah1847]

You have to be 18 to open an ebay account so technically none of your buyers would be under 18.

[amy_david19]

Thanks for the reply. Although I’m concerned whether I can rely on and accept this as age verification. I don’t think this would stand too well if one of my items were to slip into an underage buyer using someone else’s account.