eBay's policies are rules and guidelines that help to create a safe, fair and enjoyable trading environment for all eBay members. As a buyer, you are responsible for reviewing and understanding eBay’s policies, as well as all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the User Agreement.

eBay’s policies are intended to:

Support government laws and regulations

Minimize risks to buyers and sellers

Provide equal opportunity to all buyers

Provide an enjoyable buying experience

Support the values of the eBay Community

Buyers cannot:

• Commit to purchasing an item (either by winning the item or buying an item in a Buy It Now listing) without paying. To understand the penalties, please refer to the Unpaid Item Policy.

• Bid with no serious intention of buying. Most of the items on eBay are auction-like listings and each bid is a binding contract. Certain eBay online auctions involve non-binding bids (for example, some real estate auctions). However, these non-binding bids represent a buyer’s serious expression of interest in buying the seller’s item, and insincere bidding is not permitted.

• Misuse the bid retraction option to manipulate the bidding process.

• Bid on or buy an item when they do not meet the seller’s terms as outlined in the item listing, or bid or buy with the intention of disrupting a listing. This is known as unwelcome and malicious buying.

• Engage in shill bidding to artificially increase an item’s price or apparent desirability. Bidders on an item must be wholly independent from the seller of that item.

Both buyers and sellers cannot interfere with a transaction or offer to buy or sell listed items outside of the eBay site (see Rules for Everyone – Overview).