Rules & policies

Top questions

What are the rules and policies for selling items on eBay?

Why did eBay remove my listing?

Can I retract or cancel my bid?

Solve a problem

I\'m not sure whether the item I\'m selling is allowed on eBay.

There are some items that, due to legal restrictions and other considerations, aren't allowed or can only be listed under certain conditions. If you're not sure whether your item is allowed, you can learn why some items are prohibited or restricted and view a detailed list of items you can't sell.

I received an email that my account was suspended.

Confirm that the email was sent from eBay by checking your messages in My eBay. This email from eBay explains why your account was suspended and the steps you can take to resolve the problem. Learn more about suspended accounts and how to tell if an email is really from eBay .

I received an alert that a seller opened an unpaid item case against me.

If you buy an item and the seller doesn't receive your payment for any reason, the seller can report the failure to pay. If you receive an unpaid item notification, it's important to respond quickly. If you don't address the seller's concerns or don't respond within 7 days, the case is escalated to our Trust and Safety team.

Help topics

Basics

Rules for sellers
Learn what items you can sell, what's allowed in your listing, and other guidelines for selling.

Rules for buyers
Buyers have obligations too. Be sure to bid responsibly, always pay for purchases, and follow our buyer guidelines.

Rules for everyone
These policies apply to all eBay members.

A-Z index of policies

Top 10 policies

Invalid bid retraction policy
Did you bid on an item by mistake? Learn when you're allowed to cancel a bid.

Unpaid item policy
We require buyers to pay for items that they commit to purchase.

Feedback policies
Our guidelines are designed to encourage open and honest Feedback about experiences with eBay members.

Prohibited and restricted items
Before listing an item for sale, make sure it's allowed on eBay. Get an overview of items that are prohibited or subject to restrictions, or click a link below to learn about items we're frequently asked about.

Rules for listings
These guidelines cover how you describe your item, what you can include in your listing, and other listing practices.

Seller performance standards
When selling an item, buyer satisfaction is important. Learn about our seller performance standards and what you can do to stay in compliance.

Accepted payments
Learn which payment methods sellers are allowed to accept.

Search and browse manipulation
Make sure your listing is accurate and don't include information that might misrepresent your item.

Avoiding eBay fees
Techniques that avoid eBay fees, such as offers to sell items outside of eBay, aren't allowed.

Links
Learn when it's OK to link to content outside of eBay, such as additional photos or descriptions of your item.

How to

Reporting inappropriate trading
Find out what we can investigate and the actions we'll take.

Creating legally compliant listings
These general guidelines can help you create listings that are legal and don't infringe the intellectual property rights of others.

Appealing unpaid items
Find out how to appeal an unpaid item.

Tutorials

Trust and safety tutorials
These interactive tutorials can help you comply with eBay policies, trade safely, and increase your overall knowledge of eBay.

Contact Customer Support

If you're looking for more help or have a question to ask, please contact us.

Have a question? We can help.

Ask eBay members

Get help from other eBay members. Visit the Answer Center to post a question.

Shortcuts

Report a listing violation

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