eBay To Block Sale of E-Bikes

[bikeworkshop]

Ebay's equation:
Profit vs Liability.

I suspect they've dropped "private" sellers fees because if it turns out the seller was a business, then ebay was effectively making money under false pretenses.

This means that they will pursue private sellers who do more than a certain amount of trade, and should stop them advertising goods as "new"

Now, back to browsing Missiles.
Pre-owned obvs.

 

[d8mok]

Good - lots of them are dangerous in terms of speed, charging packs etc
Bad - who on earth are they to tell people what they can/can't sell. Unless it's against the law?
Ugly - they will still set people's houses on fire and kill the occupants.

Most of the big sales platforms have products which are called “gated”. This means you need to be have approval to sell in the category or that brand. It can be because the brand owner doesn’t want anyone else to sell , it’s a dangerous item or any other reason they want.


EBay aren’t as bad for this but are starting to introduce more and more. I’m guessing it’s because of the upcoming GPSR regulations in December. I doubt very much most sellers of e-bikes have a EU based responsible person to add.

Amazon and Tiktok have lots and lots of gated items and categories. I’d guess over 50%. You can be selling a brand for 5 years and wake up one day to find out it’s now gated - with no applications for approval - and you’ve £100k worth of stock with them.

 

[Twozaskars]

Most of the big sales platforms have products which are called “gated”. This means you need to be have approval to sell in the category or that brand. It can be because the brand owner doesn’t want anyone else to sell , it’s a dangerous item or any other reason they want.


EBay aren’t as bad for this but are starting to introduce more and more. I’m guessing it’s because of the upcoming GPSR regulations in December. I doubt very much most sellers of e-bikes have a EU based responsible person to add.

Amazon and Tiktok have lots and lots of gated items and categories. I’d guess over 50%. You can be selling a brand for 5 years and wake up one day to find out it’s now gated - with no applications for approval - and you’ve £100k worth of stock with them.

But does this only affect sellers of 'new' goods?

 

[d8mok]

But does this only affect sellers of 'new' goods?

On Amazon and Tiktok I only sell new items so can’t comment. Certainly in the category that I sell they don’t allow used items at all.

EBay don’t allow some used items and I’m unsure how the changes in December willl affect things for used items.

But my point was more that eBay certainly can tell sellers what they can and can’t sell as do the other platforms.

 

[Twozaskars]

But my point was more that eBay certainly can tell sellers what they can and can’t sell as do the other platforms.

I get that, and jumped the gun on my earlier post. Wasn't really thinking as I was typing.

 

[CassidyAce]

It looks like eBay is expecting the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to enforce product safety obligations on online market places: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ywq8xgkkyo.

 

[d8mok]

If a private seller can’t sell their own used ebike on eBay the market for them is gonna tank so fast it’s untrue.

 

[CassidyAce]

I guess private e-bike owners would sell them to approved resellers who would ensure their safety before, in turn, selling them on. Or perhaps the e-bike market would shift in the direction of leasing. Someone will see it as an opportunity to make a profit.

 

[M_Chavez]

I thought there would be something to do with posting large self-combusting batteries too?
Nothing stopping an ebay seller to just ship them in an unmarked thin padded bag with Royal Mail so it can explode when the postie kicks it into his van.

 

[Betsy]

We should expect this to be the short end of the wedge.. a ban on the sale of e-powered everything will probably follow for private sellers.

I don’t know how one can differentiate between lithium battery operated e-bikes, power tools, e-scooters, seller refurbed laptops..ect