eBay Updates Sellers On New Legal Requirements When Selling to Germany

eBay has sent a reminder out to its sellers across the US about some changes that will be required if selling items to customers in Germany. Back in 2019, Germany passed The German Packaging Act known locally as VerpackG, which aimed to reduce the amount of non-recyclable packaging used throughout the country.

Since then the act has had an amendment in July 2021 regarding the registration of sellers’ details. The big date for sellers however is the 1st of July 2022 as that is when any seller from around the world must comply with the new law if selling to customers inside of Germany.

For a more thorough explanation of the German Packaging Act, we strongly recommend checking out this article from ecosistant.

You can see the full announcement from eBay below.

Steps that eBay Sellers Need To Take To Sell To Germany

“We wanted to remind you that there are important upcoming changes to how you sell goods to German buyers on eBay.

The 2019 Packaging Act (VerpackG) requires business sellers to license the packaging for their products and register with the LUCID database when they sell items to customers in Germany.  

From July 1, 2022, we are legally obliged to ensure that our sellers are complying with these regulations. To be compliant, there are four steps you must complete:   

1. Register online with the LUCID database and obtain a unique identification number. 
2. Create an account with a dual system. We recommend our licensing partner, Lizenzero, which offers a straightforward way to license your packaging digitally. 
3. Ensure your packing materials are recyclable. 
4. Add your LUCID number to your business profile on My eBay 

What information will I need to register with LUCID?  

You’ll need to provide: 

• Your company name, address, and contact details 
• Your Tax ID 
• A declaration that your packaging is licensed with a dual system (Lizenzero registration covers this step.) 

You will then receive your LUCID number. Enter this, along with the amount of packaging you are using when you open an account with a dual system (Lizenzero or another dual system if you prefer).  

What needs to be updated on my eBay account?  

Once you have your LUCID registration number, ensure you add it to your business profile in My eBay. You will see the LUCID Field under the Accounts tab, just after your business address. 

What happens if I don’t register by the July 1 deadline?  

eBay has a legal obligation to ensure that all our B2C sellers are compliant. If you do not take the necessary steps by the deadline, we will be legally required to restrict your selling privileges for the German market. 

Also, please note that even when using services such as eBay international standard delivery or the eBay Global Shipping Program, packages need to be compliant when they get to our domestic hub; we won’t repackage any items.  

Have more questions?  

Visit the Lizenzero site for additional details, as they are our official licensing partner. 

As always, thanks for selling on eBay,  

Your eBay International Shipping Team”

Dave Furness

Dave is a Co-Founder of eSeller365. For over 10 years he has been involved with eCommerce with a particular interest in the marketplaces and the huge opportunities available for sellers when utilizing a multi-channel strategy. After a year of being the UK’s youngest eCommerce consultant, he built an education platform called UnderstandingE that showed the world how to utilize Magento as the “Third Generation of Multi-Channel software”.

Dave has also created a YouTube channel dedicated to entrepreneurship and eCommerce as well as a podcast dedicated to mental health awareness. When Dave isn’t working his main interests include learning and playing Chess, researching the Crypto and NFT space, and trying to find the nearest beach.