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Ebay Listing Removal for Food policy Violation
So yesterday I had a listing for baby formula taken down for the second time due to the expiration date food policy. The first time this happened I contacted Ebay through chat and explained that the listing in question complies with all Ebay policies. The product is still in date. The date being 07/01/2026. the date is clearly stated in the listing-more than once. The statement: This baby formula is not expired. The expiration date is 07/01/2026 is also included in the listing per Ebay requirement. The first time this happened in February the listing was reinstated. This time I called first. The agent argued that I caused the problem. I should have listed the expiration date as 7/26, not 7/01/2026. The agent stated she looked at five other listings and all had the dates as month and year only. I tried to explain that the formula cannot be sold past the exact day it expires and that ommitting the date would cause customer confusion and violates Ebay policy. She would not accept that. She also suggested that I could show the date on the product in the listing, which I sometimes do, but did not in this listing. However to my knowledge this is not a Ebay requirement as Ebay permits the use of stock photos which do not include expiration dates. This time the agent refused to re-instate the listing claiming there is no proof of the date. I tried a second time through chat, same result. So, I had to file an appeal, which we all know is a useless waste of time. I did include a photo of the bottom of the can in the appeal, but really what proof is that? If I was trying to circumvent Ebay's food policy I could take a photo of the bottom of pretty much any can with an expiration date. Its still not proof. I sold more than 73 lots of 4 cans of this formula without a single complaint from any customer. So, this is really frustrating. Is anyone here aware of any actual listing policy with regard to expiration dates other than what I have already done? If so could you please include a link to those requirements. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
inceptions
Mentor4 months agoHi @alvasa
Not sure why the reason for pulling the listing was related to the expiration date, but it doesn't appear that your account is registered as a business seller, which is a requirement for selling baby formula. You also must be pre-approved to sell baby formula on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/products-eligibility-requirements-policy?id=5271&st=3&pos=1&query=Products%20with%20eligibility%20requirements%20policy&intent=baby%20formula&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1654
alvasa
OP4 months agoI am most definitely have a business account, I have an EIN and Sales tax number, a store front and I have more than a sufficient amount of sales and I have been listing on Ebay for over 20 years. I was told that the violation was due to an outdated expiration date. I sent photos of the date, the appeal was denied anyway.
alvasa
OP4 months agoI double checked my account status I am registered as a business. I have been listed as a business for 20 years.
house*of*paws
Mentor4 months ago@alvasa
I'm thinking that the eBay bot may be reading the expiration date in the European manner ... as January 7, 2026 instead of July 1, 2026.
Are you able to spell out the month instead of using numerals?
alvasa
OP4 months agoI do believe that is the issue (European date) I will say, that when I listed formula today, I made sure to include a written Month then 1st, etc. rather than just the numerical date. I cannot spell out the month in the required statement " The baby formula is not expired-etc. as the listing will not launch if I do. Ebay has a strict format for that statement. Going forward I will be sure to always photograph the expiration date also, although it can be difficult to get a clear picture on some of these cans due to reflection and the way they are printed or in some cases stamped. thank you for the suggestion.
inceptions
Mentor4 months agoHi @alvasa
I am a business too (business license, sales tax ID, ...), but I don't have an eBay business account - I sell on a personal account. There is no indicator on your listings identifying your account as an eBay business account which is why I mentioned it.
Also, you need to be per-approved to sell baby formula. Did that happen before you listed the item?
I'm just trying to help figure out why eBay pulled your listing. I know you said the reason eBay gave you was a problem with the expiration date, but from what you wrote, it doesn't sound like you did anything incorrect with the way you disclosed it. That's why I was looking for other possible explanations. A while back, eBay really tightened up the requirements for selling baby formula.
alvasa
OP4 months agoI honestly appreciate that help. I'm looking for answers. This listing was taken down in February for the same problem. I contacted Ebay customer service through messaging. The agent looked at the listing and saw right away that the product was in compliance. He re-instated the listing. Then it happened again yesterday. So I called Ebay customer service and that's when I got the response that I caused the listing to be taken down because I did not list just the month and year. So, the date is being interpreted as January 7th 2026 rather than July 1st. I tried to explain to the agent that It would be a violation to exclude the day. It went back and forth until I just gave up. I tried contacting customer service this morning through messaging and was told in this case I needed to file an appeal, and that I should include proof of the date. So, I uploaded a photo of the date on the can. Its not a requirement that I am aware of that photos of the expiration date must be included in the listing. The requirement is the statement that the formula is not expired and the exp. date, which I did.
I am at a loss here. I don't know what more I could have done. The appeal came back stating the product is expired. This can put my ability to sell formula at risk. I was actually down to my last two lots of this formula as I don't sell it closer than two months from the exp date. I did double check my status after your post because it isn't something I regularly look at just to be sure there wasn't some sort of issue there that would prevent me from continuing selling formula, but I am fully in compliance with the policy. I know better than to list expiried baby formula. To say the least I am a bit frustrated, but I do thank you for taking the time to respond.
alvasa
OP4 months agoI have been selling formula for many years I cannot recall what the exact approval process was when I first started selling formula, I do believe it included the business account, a certain level of sales and top rated status. but if it was an approval issue the agents would have said so. They all said it was the expiration date. This isn't the first time I've had a listing taken down when I was not in the wrong. I had a listing for a hair dryer Ebay claimed was recalled because it didn't have the UL rated safety plug, although it did, and it wasn't the dryer that was recalled. The agent who fixed the formula listing in February also fixed that issue, but I'm hitting a wall this time around.
alvasa
OP4 months agoI have only one account with ebay and that is the business account. I only buy and sell from that account.