eBay launched Condition Guarantee in the UK, a £5 checkout option that has sellers ship eligible used phones and iPads priced at £50 or more to an eBay facility for inspection before they reach the buyer. The program starts with selected Apple, Samsung, and Google smartphones and Apple iPads, which inspectors check on more than 40 points, including cosmetic condition, storage, network status, and a battery health floor of 75%, within two business days. Buyers get a full refund, fee included, when a device fails, and the item generally goes back to the seller, but eBay doesn’t pay sellers’ shipping to the facility and offers no way to opt eligible listings out. Vinted already sells UK buyers a similar £5 inspection through its Electronics Verification program.
