Why eBay Is Deleting Chinese And International Sellers Listings?

Jamie Iannone, CEO of eBay

"eBay delivered another strong quarter, with results exceeding expectations across the board," wrote Jamie Iannone, CEO of eBay, in his quarterly financial report. With a revenue of $2.7 billion, up 6% on an as-reported basis during Q2 2025, eBay continues to demonstrate its market strength.

The Sport Mem, Cards & Fan Shop category played a significant role in their business highlights, from a collaboration with Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) legend Sue Bird on a curated auction of basketball memorabilia—including trading cards and collectibles honoring iconic players—to the launch of eBay Live in the U.K. at Comic-Con London. The forward-looking statements were heavily focused on eBay's 'ability to generate revenue from our foreign operations and expand in international markets.'

There is concern, however, over eBay's recent policy adjustments, particularly those affecting international sellers including in the Greater China Region. Drawing from firsthand experience in the region, it's clear this market's less regulated environment allows eBay to enforce fees and policies over sellers in a manner that would not be permissible elsewhere. Given the presence of large local players like Taobao, eBay gives too little competition or interest from each local market perspective, and same goes for regulations.

Imposing eBay SPEEDPAK on Chinese Sellers

eBay SpeedPAK, offered by Orange Connex (OC), is a shipping service that has been delivering items globally since 2018. Now mandatory for sellers in Greater China, the service offers only Economy or Standard options. The cost is higher than regular postal services, with the Economy service providing no tracking once parcels leave the origin country.Meanwhile, the Standard option with full tracking requires a 20-40% markup and is now necessary for certain major countries. The issue is the carrier being considered low-cost and low-priority by many postal facilities, leading to occasional issues with proper scanning by some facilities or staff. It lacks the technological infrastructure and longterm relationships of the governments postal services. Overall, this partnership allows eBay to lower operational costs and take an additional cut on international deliveries, on top of the sales.

Imposing U.S. Tariffs on Sellers

eBay's policy adheres to U.S. guidelines where buyers/importers typically pay customs fees, a practice also seen in other regions like the European Union since a long time. However, with the SpeedPAK requirement in China, eBay decided to impose tariffs directly on sellers, inflating shipping costs and adding fees to 'handle the customs process.'

The High-Risk Category Update Pressuring Sellers into Corporate Models

Many sellers have reported issues listing their items due to 'high-risk categories.' Initially meant for firearms or hazardous materials, eBay has expanded the list in December 2024 that includes areas like Sport Mem, Cards & Fan Sop. This expansion appears arbitrary, as sellers receive no prior notice or explanation, aside from persistent system rejections. It seems eBay is effectively applying a 20-30% reduction on backend prices for international sellers based on their own comp/average market metrics, often undervaluing items significantly. Sellers are encouraged to secure an account manager—though such services push for expensive Enterprise Store solutions, starting at USD 300 per month.

Conclusion

In the fiscal year 2024, the United States was eBay's largest market by revenue, contributing $5.24 billion, while Germany recorded the lowest reported revenue among the listed regions at $972 million. The UK generated $1.51 billion, and China showed significant growth with $1.17 billion in 2024.

Overall, eBay's strategy increasingly favors large-scale operations and revenue growth through policy shifts, leading to significant frustration and challenges for sellers. The recent U.S. tariffs and the elimination of the de minimis exemption for low-value imports from Greater China have disrupted operations for many eBay sellers. Consequently, some sellers have shifted inventory to other markets, ceased doing business with the U.S., or closed their U.S.-focused eBay stores altogether.

Additionally, eBay has started requiring sellers to pay U.S. tariffs and, since August 27th, to use their own shipping services and corporate solutions for international shipping as well.

As we write, we want to confirm that the policies and schemes mentioned above have been rolled out outside the Greater China region.

Chinese sellers on eBay have significantly contributed to the rise of the trading card industry. They were not only major buyers but also served as a selling hub, offering low auction prices and below-market deals both before and during the ongoing hobby bubble. With the de minimis exemption in place, they provided a healthy balance and an affordable option for card collectors worldwide, allowing small collectors to avoid hefty taxes and inflated prices.

We should likely soon see a major decline in eBay's international revenue breakdown, a rise up in pumped comps for cards that will further exacerbate an ongoing sentiment in which the hobby is taken by premiums.