eBay gives regulators the power to remove product listings in a major crackdown on counterfeit products

eBay has given global regulators the power to take down illegal listings of goods without prior notice as it makes a major overhaul of its consumer safety measures, foreign media reported. This will allow "trusted authorities" around the world to immediately remove dangerous or illegal items from its platform on their own .

eBay said this would significantly speed up the process and help reduce the number of potentially harmful or counterfeit goods on its vast marketplace. It called on other marketplaces to follow its lead so they can "address this issue as an industry."

Murray Lambell, managing director of eBay UK, added: “Over the last year, as online shopping has become a bigger part of everyone’s lives, As eBay accelerates into an increasingly digital age, we are excited to announce this global collaboration so that all parties can work toward a common goal of keeping our valued community safe. ”

At the same time, he also believes that markets should take their responsibility for consumer safety seriously and that cooperation with authorities is crucial .

At the same time, as fakes are rampant on major platforms, Marketplaces such as eBay , Amazon and Etsy have come under increasing scrutiny from regulators and consumer watchdogs, who have called on them to do more to limit and regulate what is sold on their platforms.

In December, Citizens Advice published a report showing that market fraud had surged 160% since the pandemic began , and UK Finance reported that consumers lost £1.2 billion to fraud last year .

eBay has become the first major tech company to consider joining cross-agency anti-fraud group Stop Scams UK, amid growing pressure from MPs, police and regulators .

Heather Acton, Westminster Council's cabinet member for communities and regeneration, said: "Over the past year, Covid-19 has driven much of our shopping online , so as a local authority we have had to make a similar shift to digital channels to protect our residents from scams and fraud . "

“Through Working with some of the largest online shopping platforms such as eBay UK , our Trading Standards team has been able to expedite our processes, ensuring our local communities can continue to feel safe and have peace of mind when browsing the marketplace and ordering products online. ”

eBay

Regulation

Counterfeit products