American online sales platform eBay is the target of an investigation after being reported by the government for the sale of illegal products, the fifth procedure of this type after those targeting Shein, AliExpress, Temu and Wish, the Paris prosecutor’s office informed Agence France-Presse (AFP), Tuesday, November 25.
In mid-November, after the outbreak of the scandal around Shein, the Minister of Trade, Serge Papin, announced a new report of online sales platforms to court, including five (AliExpress, Joom, eBay, Temu, Wish) for the sale of illegal products.
Regarding eBay, the minister stated it had detected, as on Wish, Temu and AliExpress, sales“Category A weapons, such as brass knuckles and machetes”. Requested by AFP, prosecutors clarified on Tuesday that a fifth investigation had been opened, regarding the American online sales site.
Asked in mid-November by AFP, eBay assured it would continue “works tirelessly to prevent the sale of prohibited items on its platform” And “cooperate” with “French regulatory authorities on this matter”.
Improved monitoring of online platforms
The scandal emerged in early November after the DGCCRF announced that it had brought to court the marketing of child pornographic sex dolls by Asian e-commerce giant Shein. In early November, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced that it had entrusted four investigations to the Office for Minors, on four platforms (Shein, AliExpress, Temu and Wish).
In the government’s view, the Shein platform was summoned on Wednesday morning before a Paris court, which must decide on the suspension of the site in France following the discovery of the sale of child-like sex dolls and category A weapons. Shein leaders were summoned on December 2 before the sustainable development committee of the National Assembly.
The numerous investigations and reports illustrate the desire of French authorities to strengthen supervision of online sales platforms. The violations, ranging from the sale of prohibited weapons to the marketing of child pornography products, underscore the scale of the challenge facing regulators. Relevant platforms, including eBay, claim to be cooperating with authorities, but legal and political pressure is mounting.
This series of cases highlights the need for tighter oversight of online commerce, as more and more French consumers use these sites to shop. The coming weeks will determine the future of the platform on the French market, depending on future court decisions and the response provided by the companies involved.
