Mar 6, 2020 - Health
EBay blocks sale of some health supplies in response to coronavirus fears
No rinse hydro-alcoholic antiseptic gel bottles. Photo: Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images
Online seller eBay said it's no longer allowing the sale of medical masks and certain cleaning products in the U.S. to prevent customers from buying scarce products at inflated prices.
The big picture: Sales of masks, health and cleaning supplies have skyrocketed in preparation for the further spread of the novel coronavirus across the country. States such as California have issued consumer alerts on price gouging.
"eBay is taking significant measures to block or quickly remove items on our marketplace that make false health claims. We are making every effort to ensure that anyone who sells on our platform follows local laws and eBay policies."— EBay tells Axios in a statement
In connection with regulatory restrictions including price gouging laws in some states, eBay will block new listings and start to remove those that sell:
- Masks including N95/N100 and surgical masks
- Hand Sanitizer/Gel
- Disinfecting wipes
Go deeper: Full coverage of the coronavirus