Expanded safety requirements for listing bladed items on ebay.co.uk

[Mr__P]

I'm a UK business seller on ebay, selling irons , chisels , planes etc.... Received this morning Friday 28th Feb 2025


Hi **********

Since you’re listing bladed items on ebay****uk, 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.

Please note that the sale of many types of knives and bladed items remains prohibited on eBay. Those that we allow need to be located in the UK, and delivered using an age-verified delivery service. Proof of age will also be required from buyers at checkout. To find out which items need to meet these requirements on eBay, take a look at our policy page.

When you list bladed items on ebay****uk, you need to:
Add an age-verified delivery option. Choose a delivery service that requires age-verification on receipt. You'll also need to remove any delivery services that don’t support age-verification for your existing listings, including any local buyer collection options.

Currently, UPS is the only carrier offering age-verified delivery if you purchase labels on eBay. Alternatively, you can make your own arrangements with carriers who offer an age-verified delivery service.

Safely package the bladed products, and clearly label the parcel to indicate there are bladed items inside.

Ensure your packages are delivered to buyers in person, not to parcel lockers, PO boxes or collection points. Any sales to buyers who’ve given one of these as an address will need to be cancelled.

Verify your listings


If you haven’t added an age-verified delivery service by 11 March, and removed all other services, these listings may not be visible to buyers on ebay****uk. But don’t worry, they’ll still be available for you to revise in Seller Hub. Once you’ve added an age-verified delivery service, they’ll be visible again.

 

[Tris]

So where does that leave you? Presumably having to pay far more for shipping, which together with the buyer protection fees, will render it uneconomic to sell there. I suppose they will require some id process for collections too? Nightmare

 

[Mr__P]

So where does that leave you? Presumably having to pay far more for shipping, which together with the buyer protection fees, will render it uneconomic to sell there. I suppose they will require some id process for collections too? Nightmare

Well it says collection only is banned. That is where I get some of my best stock / bargains when buying stock.

Selling cheap stuff will no longer be an option, I will have to bundle things. Basically its game over I think.

What is a bladed item ? A chisel, a plane iron. Someone said this covers saws as well.

Is this just business sellers ? Or will it effect everyone ?

 

[Agent_zed]

be glad you can still sell them. I listed a kids carseat on ebay and they removed it and told me I wasn't allowed to sell it on ebay at all. had to put it on FB marketplace (which I hate more).

 

[bbtex]

Blimey, I just had a look at eBay's policy. Why on Earth are Swiss army knives banned? Also Sharp kitchen knives , does that mean you can sell blunt ones?

 

[deema]

The lethal butter knife is on the list. Being a Gen X we sorted out our differences with a fist and boot when parlay failed whilst carrying a knife. Never occurred to any of us to get out our sheath knife to resolve a disagreement. Nobody would be seen dead carrying a butter knife!

 

[DrPhill]

Sell blunt items and sharpening instructions?

 

[bbtex]

The lethal butter knife is on the list. Being a Gen X we sorted out our differences with a fist and boot when parlay failed whilst carrying a knife. Never occurred to any of us to get out our sheath knife to resolve a disagreement. Nobody would be seen dead carrying a butter knife!

I always wondered what the point of the fish knife was. Would never have thought of using it for personal defense.

 

[bbtex]

Sell blunt items and sharpening instructions?

Do you get a free argument with it? "Would you like the five minute argument or the full half hour?"

 

[Amplidyne]

Do you get a free argument with it? "Would you like the five minute argument or the full half hour?"

A pointed argument, or a blunt argument?

 

[Mr__P]

Yipppeeeee just sold a lethal chisel

it will cost me
£3.25 for Royal mail upto 2kg or £3.39 for tracked 48 (my preferred option)

UPS (doesn't mention age verification)
£6.36 for drop off, or £8.76 for collection both upto £2kg shoe box size.

Felow Gen X (1965-1981) here, the good old days when you could buy illicit goods from the Vicars son. Never occured for me to buy a sharp object, pretty sure I could find something in my parents / Grandparents kitchen drawers rather than faff about ordering things via mail order. If they were serious about knife crime / mental health they would ban social media for under 16/18's