eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY) Stops Sale Of Face Masks, Disinfecting Wipes & Sanitizers Following Coronavirus Price Gouging

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The rapid spread of Coronavirus has created a panic across the globe, with consumers rushing online to order face masks, sanitizers, and disinfecting wipes. Many online sellers took this as a golden business opportunity to earn more, and unfairly raised the prices of such products now in huge demand. To put an end to such unfair trade practices eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY) has decided to drop the sale of disinfecting wipes, face masks, and sanitizers from its listing with immediate effect.

The sudden price gouging has already affected the consumers badly who are desperate to get the products that can protect their families from the deadly Coronavirus. The leading Californian eCommerce site was forced to take the step after most of the major online platforms were slammed for violating the fair trade practice laws in the United States.

eBay Not To Post Listings For N95 And N100 Face Masks

The American multinational corporation that facilitates business to consumer and consumer to a consumer sale of products through its website has said that it will not list new posts for N95 and N100 face masks, sanitizers, and disinfecting wipes. Despite this declaration from eBay, the site continues to display new listings for the products in demand, with hundreds of new listings showing up in the US on eBay within a matter of hours after this announcement.

The price gouging has escalated massively with a four-pack of hand sanitizer costing #118, whereas a pack of 50 of N95 masks now is priced at $250. The site currently has more than 1.4 billion listings and is using both moderators and software to scan and pick up the sellers who have violated eBay’s ban. The spokeswoman for the site, Ashley Settle said, “eBay is working to enforce the new policies.” Ashley stated that if the buyers find out price gouging by a particular seller, they can report it with the help of the “Report Listing” feature on the site.

How Long Will The Ban Last?

Settle did not make it clear how long eBay will continue the ban. However, she did say that her company is monitoring the situation triggered by the Coronavirus threat. For eBay, the priority will always be to keep its customers around the world and employees safe. The spokeswoman also confirmed that eBay is doing everything possible to ensure that the listings from sellers involved in price gouging or making false claims are removed from its site.