eBay Will Finally End gun Related Sales

***Message from Matt Halprin – New Listing Restrictions on Gun Parts***

July 30, 2007 | 10:00AM PST/PT

Matt Halprin

Hello everyone…In mid-August, we will be updating our Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy to place more restrictions around gun-related items. Once these changes take effect, we will prohibit listings of any firearm part that is required for the firing of a gun. This includes items like bullet tips, brass casings and shells, barrels, slides, cylinders, magazines, firing pins, trigger assemblies, etc. Please read the Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy for more details on our current policy.

As you may know, eBay does not allow the listing of any items which are regulated by individual states or the federal government; however, there are still a large number of firearm-related parts that are legal and are widely available in retail stores. These items have also historically been allowed on eBay.

After learning that some items purchased on eBay may have been used in the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007, we felt that revisiting our policies was not only necessary, but the right thing to do. After much consideration, the Trust & Safety policy team – along with our executive leaders at eBay Inc. – have made the decision to further restrict more of these items than federal and state regulations require.

This new update continues to encourage safety among our community members and brings our policies in the U.S. and Canada in closer alignment with our existing policies in other markets around the globe.


Sincerely,

Matt Halprin
Vice President, Trust & Safety

Not such a big deal because now I think that firearms component and parts auctions will be concentrated at Auction Arms and Gunbroker. What really saddens me is that eBay is no longer what the founders envisioned and is, in fact, managed by ignorant, controlling people. Imagine the worst of the antique mall managers who think they know everything and try to make their renters jump through hoops to sell in their facility. It is such a mental attitude that has eBay in the position of banning legal items and allowing the sale of porn. As you might know, it isn't only the firearms community who've been dismissed by eBay, the tobacco and alcohol folks have, too. Notice a common thread here? Yep, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. I'm not quite sure why, but this government entity has made, at least since 1994, a special effort to intimidate folks and discourage them from even legal commerce in these items. They've made some spurious charges and seized on some rather innocuous acts as a pretense for legal actions that have frightened some folks including the already pre-disposed management at eBay. This is the sort of thing that is a real threat to freedom in this country.