eBay Responds about Breast Milk Auctions
January 28, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breast milk, donation of breast milk, pumping
Remember my screenshot of the eBay ad touting a “huge selection” of “breast milk”? I wrote to eBay last Thursday to ask whether it permits the sale of breast milk. On Friday the one open listing for human breast milk was removed from eBay. Later the one completed listing was removed as well. Today I received eBay’s response to my email.
First, my email:
I have a question about prohibited items. Can human breast milk be offered for sale? I saw under “Human Parts and Remains” that the sale of blood and sperm are prohibited but I did not see breast milk listed.
Please note that I plan to share your response with the readers of my breastfeeding support blog. Thanks!
Now eBay’s response:
Dear eBay member,
Thank you for writing eBay in regard to interest in eBay’s policy on selling breast milk on the site.
We do not actually allow the sale of breast milk on the site much like the items that you listed in your email. We feel that there are proper avenues for people that are really in need of breast milk for their babies and that eBay is not a proper venue. We cannot ensure the safety of such items being sold on the site and must request that members do not attempt to sell breast milk.
It is my pleasure to assist you. Thank you for choosing eBay.
Sincerely,
DageBay Customer Support
I’m very pleased with the prompt response and the polite way in which my question was handled. However, I note that breast milk still has not been added specifically to the group of prohibited items, and, get this–there are two new listings for human breast milk today.
The first listing offers “Healthy Human Breast Milk” at a starting bid of U.S. $99 for 150 ounces of milk (approximately $0.67 per ounce). The other offers “Human Breast Milk” at a starting bid of $80 for 40 ounces ($2 per ounce).
I like eBay in general. I understand that it must process a staggering amount of listings each day and some are bound to fall through the cracks. I’m not in the business of policing eBay listings, but clearly eBay needs a better way to police itself.
What do you think? So far the poll is running 2-to-1 against allowing on-line sales of breast milk.
i feel that breast milk should be allowed to be sold. as with other items buyer beware. it is not ebays responsibility to ensure the safety of the milk. do they ensure that a car for sale is in top running condition?
I am for selling breast milk on ebay, count me in. I absolutely agree that it’s not their responsibility to ensure safety of the milk or anything else being sold. Milk has been sold on-line and it will be until made illegal. I think that is the major issue ebay is avioding – alowing the sale of potentially illegal items (it is already illegal in Clifornia).