From 13 December 2024 eBay will be implementing new policies for the sale of products to buyers in the European Union (EU) and Northern Ireland (NI). The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is an EU legislation which aims to ensure that all consumer products on the EU markets are safe to use, and it establishes specific obligations for businesses, to ensure that actions can quickly be taken against dangerous products.
So what do I need to do?
To comply with the GPSR, all business sellers listing items for sale in the EU and NI must include the following information:
- The product manufacturer’s name and contact information.
- If the manufacturer isn’t located in the EU or NI, you’ll have to indicate an EU-based Responsible Person or entity, along with their name and contact details.
- Any relevant product information like model number, pictures, type, and CE marking.
- Product safety and compliance information like safety warnings, labels, and product manuals in the local language.
eBay are currently building a new feature which will allow sellers to add this information into their product listings which is scheduled for release in July 2024. In the meantime it is recommended that sellers begin to collect all of the necessary details, so that they can be added to the listings once the new functionality is complete and ready to use.
This information can usually be found on the product itself, within the packaging, or in the accompanying documents/instructions. If the information cannot be found in any of those places, it may be best to contact the product manufacturer directly to confirm the relevant details.
The GPSR rules apply to both new and second-hand products and also items categorised as Collectibles, but does not apply to ‘Antiques’ based upon Article 2 of the GPSR, which has understandably created a lot of grey areas and questions amongst sellers.
As ever, Frooition will continue to work closely with the team at eBay on future developments, and much like the previous updates with the NSE Storefronts and Active Content changes, we will ensure that all eBay listing template designs are fully compliant with eBay policies ongoing.
Please check back to the blog regularly for updates on the eBay GPSR changes.
