eBay is now offering a warranty on certain “certified” open box goods in two categories: Electronics and Home. The certified designation for open box listings is new and applies to eligible listings when they meet key service standards and offer free shipping and free returns.
eBay will now display a certified open box badge to “communicate premium quality and can help boost buyer confidence, helping your items stand out and elevating your brand presence on eBay,” eBay told sellers.
On a help page, eBay explains how it defines “open box” in electronics categories: “The item is in excellent, new condition with no wear. The item may be missing the original packaging or protective wrapping, or it may be in the original packaging but not sealed. The item includes original accessories. The item may be a factory second. See the seller’s listing for full details and a description.”
Participation is free – the biggest barrier to obtaining certification is the requirement that sellers have a minimum of 25 Open Box transactions every 3 months.
eBay’s one-year warranty for eligible listings is serviced by Allstate Protection Plans. More information is found on eBay Seller Center.
A discussion on the eBay Subreddit from last summer highlights the challenge of shopping for products where the box is opened but the item is not “used.” One buyer wrote, “Too many items are listed as “open box” when they are clearly used. The “Open box” condition category needs to be removed.”
But a seller disagreed: “Bad sellers should be removed, open box should stay.”