eBay UK Seller Update May 2025: Certified Open Box, Regulatory Compliance Tools & More
eBay UK has dropped their May 2025 Seller Update, introducing a Certified Open Box programme for Electronics & Home Improvement, a new tool to help sellers stay on top of regulatory requirements, Simple Delivery changes and more!
First up, the Certified Open Box programme for Electronics & Home Improvement
What you need to know
We’re pleased to introduce the Certified Open Box programme, designed to enhance your Open Box listings within Electronics & Home Improvement.Listings in eligible categories will now automatically display the Certified Open Box badge when they meet key service standards and offer free delivery* and free returns. This badge communicates premium quality and can help boost buyer confidence, helping your items stand out and elevate your brand presence on eBay.
Examples of eligible categories:**
- Laptops
- Desktops
- Mobile phones
- Appliances
- Smart watches
- Gaming
- Floorcare
- Sound & Vision (TVs & Audio)
Qualifying for Certified Open Box
To qualify for the programme, your seller level needs to be ASTD/ETRS.Make sure your listings:
- Are in the eligible categories described above
- Have the condition set to “Opened - never used”
- Offer free delivery
- Provide at least 30-day free returns
Your listings must also meet the following service metrics:
- "Item Not As Described" rate below 4%
- “Item Not Received” rate below 1%
- A minimum of 25 Open Box transactions every 3 months
Next steps
Once you meet the outlined criteria, the Certified Open Box badge will automatically appear on your listings in eligible categories within Electronics & Home Improvement - no extra steps required.
eBay is also providing UK sellers with a new tool to help navigate regulatory compliance.
What you need to know
As a business seller, keeping track of the regulations that impact your business can be challenging, especially since these rules are governed by various authorities.To support your success on eBay, we've created a centralised online guide to help you identify and understand the key regulations which apply or could apply to you.
Your go-to resource for regulations
Our time-saving resource guides you through complex regulations, ensuring your listings remain compliant and visible.The online guide provides you with:
- A user-friendly tool to identify key relevant regulations
- Links to regulation information and guidance on how to comply
- A central resource for repeat visits
Simply enter your location and shipping destinations into the tool to quickly identify applicable regulations and understand their impact on your business.
In addition to the official monthly update for business sellers, eBay posted an announcement in the UK community forum with updates about the Simple Delivery mandate for private sellers and changes to when private seller payments are released.
Simple Delivery Updates
First, eBay has acknowledged what many private sellers have already figured out on their own - they've extended the timeframe for rolling out mandatory use of Simple Delivery, but have not given an exact date of when all private sellers will be required to use the managed shipping service.
Last month, we announced that Simple Delivery will be the only delivery option available for private sellers when listing eligible items. This is our all-in-one-delivery solution, designed to provide you with an easier, faster, and cheaper selling experience.
Since we’ve started rolling out Simple Delivery, we know that many of you are already seeing the benefits of the simplified shipping process. We’ve heard your feedback about additional features you’d like to see, so are now introducing multiple enhancements such as new options for small parcels with a cheaper rate.
We’re also extending the roll out period while we work on bringing you even more of the features you’ve requested, such as improvements to combined shipping. In the meantime, we encourage you to give it a try to benefit from these new features that will be coming over the next few weeks.
They're also introducing a new small parcel option for Simple Delivery.
We'll be introducing new parcel size options for Simple Delivery to provide you with a lower price point for small parcels from 0-2kg. Along with this, we’ll be implementing a price match for Royal Mail small parcels, ensuring you receive the best possible rates.
Buyers will now be able to pick up Simple Delivery package at Everi parcel shops and lockers.
In the past, you could only drop off your items at Evri parcel shops. To make the shopping experience better and more convenient for your buyers, we’re introducing a new collect from store option at Evri parcel shops and lockers in the coming weeks. This will reduce the delivery cost for your buyers and make your items look more appealing, helping to increase the likelihood of a sale. Your buyers will be able to collect their items from the Evri parcel shop or locker of their choice.
And eBay is working on integrating Royal Mail Bring My Label service.
To make things easier and faster for you, we’ll soon be adding a service where you’ll be able to book a home collection with Royal Mail directly through eBay, and a postage label will be brought to you at the time of collection. This way, when a postal worker comes to collect your item, they’ll bring the label with them, saving you the hassle of printing it yourself.
How it works:
- When generating the postage label on our website, you’ll see the option to book a Royal Mail collection.
- Once you've clicked on this, you'll be able to finalise your collection details and select your collection date.
- After confirming this, just click the Get prepaid label button. You’ll then be taken to a confirmation page, which will show your collection date, a reminder that a postal worker will bring the label, along with other options.
- The postal worker will then bring the label when collecting your item, allowing for a completely printerless shipping experience.
Private sellers will be happy to hear that eBay is expanding the criteria for sales to have payments released after receiving positive feedback.
We’re pleased to announce improvements that will help private sellers access funds more quickly when buyers have left positive feedback. On 28 April, we expanded the eligibility criteria by raising the item cap on tracked orders from £25 to £750. This means you can benefit from your funds being released faster for more of your transactions.
How it works:
- Tracked orders: If your order subtotal is £750 or less, your funds will immediately be available upon receiving positive feedback from the buyer after delivery, instead of the usual 2-day wait. If your buyer doesn't leave positive feedback, you’ll still receive your funds 2 days after delivery confirmation.
- Untracked orders: If your order subtotal is £10 or less, your funds will immediately be available once positive feedback is received from the buyer. If no feedback is provided, your funds will still become available 14 calendar days from the order date.
These changes are designed to enhance your selling experience by giving you faster access to your earnings. You’ll also still be able to use your pending funds to buy postage labels on eBay.
And eBay UK General Manager Eve Williams closed out the update by inviting sellers to attend upcoming eBay Roadshows as well as eBay Open UK 2025 which will be happening sometime in October.
What do you think of eBay UK's May seller updates? Let us know in the comments below!
