Bladed items

[sheffieldsvintage]

Think Ebay are just annoying members now for the sake of it. Bearing in mind I don't list bladed items! I have just received an email from Ebay, posted part of it below:

Since you’re listing bladed items on ebay, we’re writing to let you know about some upcoming new requirements. From 11 March 2025, we’re expanding and strengthening buyer age-verification requirements for bladed items to ensure only people aged 18 or older are able to purchase and receive them. This protects both buyers and sellers, provides safety and reassurance, and helps keep you legally compliant.

[lucy_farmer]

Must be your name, mate!

Ebay's bots are equating 'Sheffield' with cutlery   🍴 😁

[tressygirl]

This is most bizarre as another member has just asked the same question, on receiving that message too, and they are only selling clothes and a sound bar.

A very strange and obvious glitch in eBay's messaging system.  🤗

I do agree with @lucy_farmer  though ,  that here,   there is a ' more obvious' link,  that is,  your username ID and a little eager bot adding 2 + 2 and making 5 !

@sheffieldsvintage 

[sheffieldsvintage]

Most definitely and what a bot! 😅

[forestfeline62]

My partner has just had the same message and all he sells is old books nothing on knives or the like 

[555njp]

I got this too so went and read up what products this applies to and frankly the list covers more than I thought…!

For me, I have in the past sold chainsaws, hedge trimmer (blades), lawn mower (blades), hand tools and an antique boarding axe, so I can see why I got the email!

But it expands to cover some oddities like manicure sets and food processors!

Here’s the full list:

I totally get that certain blades should not be sold at all on line and eBay seem to have that covered. But a lot of these are everyday items. Using an age verified postal service will just increase costs and make them less viable. I thought you had to be 18 to open an eBay account anyway?
Wonder what they’ll stop next: anything made of metal (dangerous) all china and glass (can be smashed to form a sharp edge) anything made from wood, etc. etc. 

Sad fact is if someone wants to make a weapon out of something they will and that’s more likely someone over 18 than under 18 in my opinion.

[missdollydaydream]

What, no grass seeds on there? Everyone knows they grow into BLADES of grass!

[555njp]

lol, but that’s how stupid the world is now. They’ll ban clothes with sleeves or legs soon in case someone manages to hang themselves getting into them 😂😂😂

[4_bathrooms]

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@555njp wrote:

I totally get that certain blades should not be sold at all on line and eBay seem to have that covered. But a lot of these are everyday items.

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The Offensive Weapons Act makes it illegal for anyone to sell any knife, axe or bladed product to any person aged under 18.

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@555njp wrote:

Using an age verified postal service will just increase costs and make them less viable.

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Bladed articles that can legally be sold online have required age verification during purchase and delivery under updates made to the OWA in 2019. They also can't be delivered to a collection point; they must be delivered in-person with the carrier performing age verification upon delivery.

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@555njp wrote:

I thought you had to be 18 to open an eBay account anyway?

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eBay doesn't verify the age nor the identity of an account holder unless they are a seller and have hit whatever threshold eBay have set for money laundering checks. The OWA means the seller is legally obliged to perform age verification during purchase and delivery even if the buyer is purchasing a cutlery set containing nothing sharper than a butter knife.

I suspect this email has been sent out due to the Government announcing further tightening of the OWA. eBay are simply complying with the law.

[parsley2003]

They have slipped up darts not included

[reparq]

Well I do sell bladed itemes

Time to ditch selling planes, chisels and start learning about pokemon cards.

Someone even said saws are covered as well.

Plus collection only is banned as well.  

[555njp]

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@4_bathrooms wrote:

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@555njp wrote:

Using an age verified postal service will just increase costs and make them less viable.

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Bladed articles that can legally be sold online have required age verification during purchase and delivery under updates made to the OWA in 2019. They also can't be delivered to a collection point; they must be delivered in-person with the carrier performing age verification upon delivery.

Ok for obvious bladed items (I.e. knives swords etc.) but manicure sets, saws and possibly mower blades??? 
I’ve never had to use age verified delivery for garden equipment spares before, or tools. 

I suspect this email has been sent out due to the Government announcing further tightening of the OWA. eBay are simply complying with the law.

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I get it in terms of the law and what it’s trying to eradicate but as they say sometimes “the law is an ass”. 
I’d like eBay to comply with consumer law and clamp down on businesses illegally trading on private accounts. That’s doing more harm than someone under 18 that’s purchased a manicure set.

[555njp]

And thankfully it would appear mower blades are excluded at the moment? Give it time though.

[4_bathrooms]

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@parsley2003 wrote:

They have slipped up darts not included

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I don't think they have. The last clause from Section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act - which is used for defining a bladed item covered by the act - states:

"any other article which has a blade or which is sharply pointed and which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person."

A dart doesn't have a blade but is sharply pointed. However, a dart (the throwing type) isn't made for injuring people even though it has far more chance of doing so than a butter knife.

[minimilist]

What about Razor cartridges are they classed as bladed items and banned ?

[555njp]

Guessing same as other personal care items like straight razors: So still allowed but with age verification at checkout and age verified shipping.

[diytoolbox]

Shouldn't eBay run Age Verification checks on the buyers accounts?  Surely it would be far simpler and easier to do so, with all the buyers details in the profiles.  Isn't that what the  fraction of eBay fees supposed to cover?

[555njp]

You’d think!

You are supposed to be over 18 to have an account as that’s the legal age for entering into financial contracts etc.

I tried to sell an antique bottle of brandy on here once and as it had some alcohol still in it the listing was immediately removed as I couldn’t verify that a buyer would be over 18?

Not that anyone would ever be drinking it, it looked like creosote 😂

[jonatjonatjonat]

The argument would be that a minor could still get into the account and place an order.

Using an age verification service for sending should mean only an adult can take ownership of the actual order as the courier has to confirm the age of the recipient.

[moldosgifts]

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@parsley2003 wrote:

They have slipped up darts not included

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Darts aren't a blad they are a pointy thing 😁 although you wouldn't want to slip on one.