eBay

casey-86 · ‎05-09-2025

This morning I got an email from eBay letting me know 3 of my listings were removed for a "food policy violation." The listings were for tea pod k-cups in their original sealed boxes that had a best by date of October 2024. I noted in the listings that these had a best by date and not an expiration date and this was in bold print. I also included pictures showing the best by date on the actual product. Best by dates are not expiration dates. The email said my listings came to their attention through a user report. I appealed all 3 removals and am awaiting a response now.

Did I miss something in the food policy about "best by" dates? I haven't seen anything about best by dates being considered expiration dates. A best by date is exactly what it says it is, a BEST by date. Its not an expiration date for the product. I have extra of these tea pods that I kept for myself and use them everyday. They are fine and October 2024 wasn't that long ago. I have used dried tea leaves my whole life years after purchasing them and long past the best by dates printed on them. I didn't see this as a problem. They said in the email that I may not have been aware of the policy and that removing the listings was for my protection so I don't think I received any account penalty for this which is good. I just don't think they should have been removed in the first place.

All I can do now is wait and hope they accept my appeal to reinstate the listings. If they do get reinstated I worry the same person or someone else will report them again. This is very annoying.

25kenwood · ‎05-09-2025

Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.

casey-86 · ‎05-09-2025

@25kenwood wrote:
Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.

I would assume there would be some kind of reasonable time period past a best by date for it to be considered an expiration date. That is why I ask if there is anything about this mentioned in their policy or if eBay has said anything concerning this. If its all being treated the same regardless of the product or date then sellers need to know that. Has eBay said anywhere or is it in their policy anywhere that the "best by" date is treated as an expiration date?

25kenwood · ‎05-09-2025

That is a wrong assumption. Manufacturers have provided the date that they recommend that items are used by. eBay would certainly not be expected to go by anything but that. They go by that manufacturer's date, regardless of what it is called.

lacemaker3 · ‎05-09-2025

@casey-86 wrote:
@25kenwood wrote:
Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.
I would assume there would be some kind of reasonable time period past a best by date for it to be considered an expiration date. That is why I ask if there is anything about this mentioned in their policy or if eBay has said anything concerning this. If its all being treated the same regardless of the product or date then sellers need to know that. Has eBay said anywhere or is it in their policy anywhere that the "best by" date is treated as an expiration date?

No, that is not in eBay policy.

eBay policy is written to protect eBay from liability. They are not going to take the risk of assuming some arbitrary interval after the Best By date, which is not published by the manufacturer.

If there is any date on a food item, you can assume it will be treated as an expiration date. That's the reasonable thing to do here. You seem to be trying to debate this topic, but eBay policies are not open to debate. The only interpretation of eBay policies that matters is eBay's interpretation. They have made it clear to you at this point, by removing your listings, what their interpretation is.

kensgiftshop · ‎05-09-2025

I don't think anything has been said about the best by date, but they've been pulling listings for years after that date has passed.

Have a great day.

casey-86 · ‎05-09-2025

@lacemaker3 wrote:
@casey-86 wrote:
@25kenwood wrote:
Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.
I would assume there would be some kind of reasonable time period past a best by date for it to be considered an expiration date. That is why I ask if there is anything about this mentioned in their policy or if eBay has said anything concerning this. If its all being treated the same regardless of the product or date then sellers need to know that. Has eBay said anywhere or is it in their policy anywhere that the "best by" date is treated as an expiration date?

No, that is not in eBay policy.

eBay policy is written to protect eBay from liability. They are not going to take the risk of assuming some arbitrary interval after the Best By date, which is not published by the manufacturer.

If there is any date on a food item, you can assume it will be treated as an expiration date. That's the reasonable thing to do here. You seem to be trying to debate this topic, but eBay policies are not open to debate. The only interpretation of eBay policies that matters is eBay's interpretation. They have made it clear to you at this point, by removing your listings, what their interpretation is.

It is not clear to me. Why am I able to appeal the listing removal then? Why can't they simply put in their policy for food that they consider a "best by" date as an expiration date? Its such a simple thing to do and we should not be left to assume anything beyond what is stated in the policy. A best by date IS NOT an expiration date. If it were explicitly stated that a best by date is considered an expiration date then sellers would stop listing food items that are past their best by date. Why not just update the policy so sellers can move on from this and not waste their time? If my listing is removed over something that is not clear to me then my time is wasted. I wouldn't have even bothered to take the pictures or make the listing had I known that.

casey-86 · ‎05-09-2025

@kensgiftshop wrote:
I don't think anything has been said about the best by date, but they've been pulling listings for years after that date has passed.

How are seller's supposed to assume that a best by date is seen as an expiration date if that isn't clearly stated in the policy? If they are removing listings for years over this why don't they just update it in their policy so we know? This is not the seller's fault.

kensgiftshop · ‎05-09-2025

@casey-86 wrote:
@lacemaker3 wrote:
@casey-86 wrote:
@25kenwood wrote:
Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.
I would assume there would be some kind of reasonable time period past a best by date for it to be considered an expiration date. That is why I ask if there is anything about this mentioned in their policy or if eBay has said anything concerning this. If its all being treated the same regardless of the product or date then sellers need to know that. Has eBay said anywhere or is it in their policy anywhere that the "best by" date is treated as an expiration date?

No, that is not in eBay policy.

eBay policy is written to protect eBay from liability. They are not going to take the risk of assuming some arbitrary interval after the Best By date, which is not published by the manufacturer.

If there is any date on a food item, you can assume it will be treated as an expiration date. That's the reasonable thing to do here. You seem to be trying to debate this topic, but eBay policies are not open to debate. The only interpretation of eBay policies that matters is eBay's interpretation. They have made it clear to you at this point, by removing your listings, what their interpretation is.

It is not clear to me. Why am I able to appeal the listing removal then? Why can't they simply put in their policy for food that they consider a "best by" date as an expiration date? Its such a simple thing to do and we should not be left to assume anything beyond what is stated in the policy. A best by date IS NOT an expiration date. If it were explicitly stated that a best by date is considered an expiration date then sellers would stop listing food items that are past their best by date. Why not just update the policy so sellers can move on from this and not waste their time? If my listing is removed over something that is not clear to me then my time is wasted. I wouldn't have even bothered to take the pictures or make the listing had I known that.

No they wouldn't, not until they got caught.

Have a great day.

kensgiftshop · ‎05-09-2025

@casey-86 wrote:
@kensgiftshop wrote:
I don't think anything has been said about the best by date, but they've been pulling listings for years after that date has passed.
How are seller's supposed to assume that a best by date is seen as an expiration date if that isn't clearly stated in the policy? If they are removing listings for years over this why don't they just update it in their policy so we know? This is not the seller's fault.

Why doesn't Ebay do a lot of things they should do?

That you'll have to ask the policy makers.

Have a great day.

casey-86 · ‎05-09-2025

@kensgiftshop wrote:
@casey-86 wrote:
@lacemaker3 wrote:
@casey-86 wrote:
@25kenwood wrote:
Since there is no 'expiration date' on these items, eBay of course has to use the 'best by' date as the equivalent. What else would they use? They surely don't go by anecdotal evidence.
I would assume there would be some kind of reasonable time period past a best by date for it to be considered an expiration date. That is why I ask if there is anything about this mentioned in their policy or if eBay has said anything concerning this. If its all being treated the same regardless of the product or date then sellers need to know that. Has eBay said anywhere or is it in their policy anywhere that the "best by" date is treated as an expiration date?

No, that is not in eBay policy.

eBay policy is written to protect eBay from liability. They are not going to take the risk of assuming some arbitrary interval after the Best By date, which is not published by the manufacturer.

If there is any date on a food item, you can assume it will be treated as an expiration date. That's the reasonable thing to do here. You seem to be trying to debate this topic, but eBay policies are not open to debate. The only interpretation of eBay policies that matters is eBay's interpretation. They have made it clear to you at this point, by removing your listings, what their interpretation is.

It is not clear to me. Why am I able to appeal the listing removal then? Why can't they simply put in their policy for food that they consider a "best by" date as an expiration date? Its such a simple thing to do and we should not be left to assume anything beyond what is stated in the policy. A best by date IS NOT an expiration date. If it were explicitly stated that a best by date is considered an expiration date then sellers would stop listing food items that are past their best by date. Why not just update the policy so sellers can move on from this and not waste their time? If my listing is removed over something that is not clear to me then my time is wasted. I wouldn't have even bothered to take the pictures or make the listing had I known that.

No they wouldn't, not until they got caught.

I guarantee you a lot of sellers would stop listing food past the "best by" date if the words "no listing food items past their best by date" were in the policy. Obviously not everyone would stop, but you would see a lot less of them.

tinsoldierunderground · ‎05-09-2025

In addition to the previous spot-on posts, AI is now in the mix. AI scans a date code from 2024 and it's game over. It doesn't differentiate between 'best by' and 'expiration' because it's programed not to. As has been noted here, other sellers will run this gambit until they get caught. It's strictly luck of the draw who gets their listing pulled. Some sellers go on for years without a problem, while others land on ebay's radar, relist in defiance, and get banned.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-09-2025

I'm sorry you were given bad advice on this before you listed.

eBay's food policy states.

The following and similar food items are not allowed:

- Expired food

When listing food items that are allowed, sellers must:

- Ensure food items are properly packaged and stored safely
- Clearly state the expiration date in the item description
- State how perishable items will be delivered, and ensure they are delivered to the buyer before the expiration date

eBay does not distinguish between "best by" and "use by" dates; they are handled the same.

eBay requires a date for all food products and in the absence of a "use by" date, the "best by" date is what counts.

GLORIOUS!

casey-86 · ‎05-11-2025

@tinsoldierunderground wrote:
In addition to the previous spot-on posts, AI is now in the mix. AI scans a date code from 2024 and it's game over. It doesn't differentiate between 'best by' and 'expiration' because it's programed not to. As has been noted here, other sellers will run this gambit until they get caught. It's strictly luck of the draw who gets their listing pulled. Some sellers go on for years without a problem, while others land on ebay's radar, relist in defiance, and get banned.

The email I received said my listings were removed based on user reports so I don't know if any AI scanning was involved. I still haven't received a response to my appeals over this and I don't know how long that process usually takes.

fashunu4eeuh · ‎05-11-2025

Hi @casey-86 You are on eBay’s radar now and will be scrutinized.

It is time to evaluate: to weigh the advantages of potential funds from trying to relist and sell the tea item, against the possible loss of selling privileges.

Over the last 2 decades i have seen this scenario play out more than once—item gets removed. Seller appeals and wins. Relists item. Item gets removed again and a stronger penalty is applied on the seller’s account for multiple violations of the same policy.

Have seen good sellers lose their selling privileges for insisting to relist an item with multiple takedowns because it was a questionable removal to begin with. Relists are risky. I do not recommend trying to reinstate removed listings because of it.