At a Glance
As a global ecommerce platform, eBay is committed to the safety of its users and to protecting the integrity of the products that are sold on our platform.
For more information on eBay's efforts to keep our platform safe, or to learn more about our proactive partnerships with rights holders, trade associations, regulatory agencies, and law enforcement, please click here to view our 2022 Transparency Report.
Issue in Detail
The INFORM Consumers Act
eBay strongly supported the federal INFORM Consumers Act, led by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and we were glad to see this passed into law at the end of 2022. The federal INFORM Consumers Act will increase the safety and transparency of online marketplaces by implementing workable seller verification and disclosure requirements while protecting the safety and privacy of sellers. It will also create one federal compliance standard, which will prevent sellers from having to comply with the patchwork of different state laws.
Click here to learn more about the Coalition to Protect America’s Small Sellers (PASS), a coalition advocating for sellers who use online marketplaces.
For more information on state INFORM bills, please click here. Learn more about the federal INFORM Act here.
Key Resources
Letters
- Joint Letter from PASS Coalition, Buy Safe America, NAM
- Joint Letter from Consumer Reports and AFL-CIO
- Letter from the National Fraternal Order of Police
- Letter from the Retail Industry Leaders Association
- Letter from the Chamber of Progress
VeRO
Central to keeping eBay a safe and trusted marketplace is its partnership with over 102,000 intellectual property (IP) rights owners registered through eBay’s Verified Rights Owner (“VeRO”) Program.
The VeRO program was launched in 1998 and enables IP rights owners to report potentially counterfeit or otherwise infringing items to eBay. If the item is counterfeit or otherwise infringes a rights owner’s IP rights, eBay promptly removes it and notifies the seller and any bidders. eBay recognizes the importance of maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with third-party brands, their representatives, and trade associations.
These partnerships are critical to enhancing eBay’s proactive efforts to combat counterfeits on its marketplace. As items are permanently removed, the associated seller accounts of those items are reviewed for possible enforcement action. The VeRO program embodies eBay’s commitment to provide a safe place to buy and sell that respects intellectual property owners’ rights.
More information on the VeRO program can be found here or in our 2022 Transparency Report.