eBay Bans the Sale of Spells and Magic Items

Starting in September bidders won't be able to snipe curses, spells, or potions on eBay anymore. The company has decided to ban the sale of magic and magic items. “EBay regularly reviews categories and updates our policies based on customer feedback,” a statement from the company read. “We are discontinuing a small number of categories within the larger metaphysical subcategory, as buyers and sellers have told us that transactions in these categories often result in issues that can be difficult to resolve.”

Comments

Does this also include

[daveschroeder]

Judeo-Christian prayers, sayings, incantations, blessings, and similar?

From TFA:

“Ebay bans alternative religious items.But! Not for Christians. Holy water and other sundry ‘holy’ items are discriminately allowed. Hm. Let me get this straight. Some guy in Rome wearing long robes can wave his hand over some water and imbue it with something, and then it’s very ‘powerful?’ How is that different fromany other magical item previously sold on ebay?”

Re:Does this also include

[Desler]

This just in: businesses have control of what actions they will allow others to do on their property.

Re:Does this also include

[Baloroth]

Holy water, et alia have no form of guaranteed effect or power whatsoever. None. Any religious-affiliated individual who makes such a claim should be reported to his/her superior, if they have one, and if they don't, should probably be ignored. A magic spell that "make your partner desire you with lust & pasion.only you . spell" 9sic] is, I would say, slightly more assuring of a definite effect. Which, given it won't work, is most likely the source of the problem for eBay. They don't care if you offer a blessed item that is simply "blessed", with no promise of some particular effect.

Re:Does this also include

[cpu6502]

This just in: Doesn't mean we have to be quiet with our complaints.

Ebay has long deserved the hate speech it receives online. Such as forbidding negative feedback for buyers that rip-off the seller via nonpayment of goods, keeping the new shoes but returning old/wornout shoes, claiming nonreceipt of item when they have it in their hand, et cetera. (No neg feedback == No way to warn other sellers to stay away from the buying scam artist.)

Re:Does this also include

[Nadaka]

Holy water is a tangible item that can at least can delivered, even if its supposed quality can not be proven.

A hex or prayer can not be shown to be delivered, leading to a higher rate of contested payments.

Re:Does this also include

[0racle]

Holy water is a tangible item that can at least can delivered, even if its supposed quality can not be proven. A hex or prayer can not be shown to be delivered, leading to a higher rate of contested payments.

Bingo. This needs to be rated up well above the other people trying to make this to be some conspiracy.

Holy Water: Ordered a vial of water, get a vial of water
Order a Spell: Receive a piece of paper saying it was cast.

Can people really not see why EBay would treat these differently?

Well there goes my plan

[royallthefourth]

to sell magic brownies on Ebay

Could be a problem

[Tapewolf]

Does this also include oxygen-free cables and that CD that's supposed to re-tune your speakers?

Re:Could be a problem

[ackthpt]

Does this also include oxygen-free cables and that CD that's supposed to re-tune your speakers?

Sounds to me like any sufficiently advanced technology will now be banned as they are indistinguishable from magic.

You're telling me!

[Quiet_Desperation]

transactions in these categories often result in issues that can be difficult to resolve.

I have to sand down these horns every morning, and the seller keeps giving me the run around about the antidote and seapony tear scarcity.

Expeto Viagrus potion? My shiny metal ass!

Seriously, it's metal now.

Re:You're telling me!

[somaTh]

I got a bait and switch. Love Potion #9 turned out to be a mis-type. Now all these stupid pigeons won't leave me alone.

Complaints

[Anonymous Coward]

The issue for eBay is complaints. They don't really care otherwise and they're not really interested in fairness or equality or any other bogey men you might wish to throw up. Here's how it goes:

People buy magic, spells, potions, what have you and when it doesn't work, they dispute the purchase and complain to eBay. This increases eBay's administrative overhead significantly for stuff that, we'll all agree, is ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Christians purchase holy water or whatever. But, when it doesn't work, they say that it was God's will. Or God has his reasons for my magic water not working and they do NOT complain to eBay. Making these transactions nothing but a profit center for eBay.

Re:Complaints

[Intropy]

Generally holy water isn't supposed to be "magic" or anything. It's sanctified. What does sanctification confer on the water? Not a blessed thing. It's a symbolic act meant to convey solemnity or respect for participants (as in someone being baptized) and God. Selling items that claim to be magic is not wrong because magic is evil or because the religious beliefs of people who want the items are bad. It's wrong because the item does not do the thing it claims to be able to do, which is just plain false advertising. Holy water really is sanctified and that's the only claim. If some specific item is put up claiming to be holy water and to do X, Y, and Z, which it clearly doesn't, then that would warrant a takedown. Holy water being a religious item does not.

Re:Complaints

[Zan Lynx]

Are you claiming that holy water blessed by a level 10 Cleric is the same as that blessed by a level 1 Cleric?

Well, you're right. It's a level 1 divine spell with no level modifiers.

Instead of bobcat,

[Arancaytar]

potion turned me into newt. Would not buy again.

Re:Instead of bobcat,

[VortexCortex]

A Newt?

Re:Instead of bobcat,

[mortonda]

He got better