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Charity or Fundraising Listings


Charitable fundraising is a highly regulated area subject to numerous state and federal laws. eBay allows sellers to list items and collect proceeds (in whole or in part) on behalf of nonprofits either with eBay Giving Works (the dedicated program for charity listings on eBay) or without eBay Giving Works (as long as the listings meet our specific guidelines for charitable solicitations).

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

  • Listing cancellation

  • Limits on account privileges

  • Account suspension

  • Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

  • Loss of PowerSeller status

Additional Information  

Guidelines for eBay Giving Works listings

MissionFish is the nonprofit eBay has chosen to administer the eBay Giving Works program. MissionFish's valuable service and support includes: managing the nonprofit directory; verifying nonprofit eligibility; collecting and disbursing sellers' donations; providing sellers with tax receipts; and tracking donations online.

Sellers may only list with eBay Giving Works if they: 

  • Register with MissionFish and maintain an account in good standing.

  • Agree to donate to at least 10% of the final sale price or $5 – whichever is greater – to a certified organization in the nonprofit directory, if the item sells. Note: The $5 minimum donation requirement does not apply to nonprofits selling items on their own behalf as a Direct Seller.

Note: The nonprofit that you select has the right to request an item cancellation if they prefer not to benefit from your listing.

eBay Giving Works listings stand out in a number of ways:

  • Differentiated with the eBay Giving Works ribbon.

  • Contain information about the donation percentage and the benefiting nonprofit in the item description.

  • Receive additional visibility on eBay.com.

eBay Giving works listings are eligible for the eBay Giving Works Fee Credit Policy if the item sells.

If an eBay Giving Works listing sells, the seller receives a receipt for the resulting, tax-deductible donation.

Learn more about eBay Giving Works.

Guidelines for non-eBay Giving Works nonprofit listings

Sellers may only list items for charity without eBay Giving Works if they:

  • Are soliciting on behalf of recognized tax-deductible charitable organizations (for example, 501(c)(3) status or equivalent with the IRS).

  • Receive advance written consent for the solicitation from the benefiting nonprofit.

To verify you received permission, you must include a scanned copy of the consent in your listing. It must appear with the nonprofit’s letterhead, signed by an officer and include the nonprofit’s tax-deductibility status as well as your name or eBay User ID, dates of event/listings, and donation amount (percentage of the final sale price). It must be large enough to be easily legible, and it must appear as a picture rather than a link.

eBay Foundation Community Gives

eBay may at its discretion allow for fundraising initiatives supported by Community Gives, an eBay Foundation program.

Why does eBay have this policy?  

eBay urges its sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations. Because charitable fundraising is a highly regulated area subject to numerous state and federal laws, eBay has partnered with MissionFish to make it easy to list for fundraising and/or cause marketing purposes and has created very specific guidelines for allowing charitable solicitations on eBay.



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