Does GPSR apply to handmade products sold on eBay?

Yes. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 contains no exemption for handmade, artisan, craft, or small-batch products. The regulation defines a «product» as any item supplied or made available that is intended for consumers, or is likely under reasonably foreseeable conditions to be used by consumers — regardless of how it was made. Whether you hand-pour candles in your kitchen, hand-throw ceramics in your studio, sew clothing by hand, or whittle wooden toys in your workshop, the GPSR applies to any of those items the moment you sell them to a consumer in the EU through eBay or any other channel.

Under Article 3.8 of the GPSR, anyone who markets a product under their own name or brand — which is what every handmade seller does — is treated as the manufacturer. This means the full set of manufacturer obligations applies: you must conduct and document an internal risk assessment identifying all potential hazards from your product's materials, construction, and intended use; compile a technical file that must be retained for 10 years from your last sale; ensure your product or its packaging carries your name, address, and electronic contact details; and provide safety warnings or use instructions in the language of the country where your buyer is located, where these are necessary for safe use. If you are EU-based, you act as your own Responsible Person. If you sell from outside the EU, you need to designate an EU-based contact.

eBay, as an online marketplace subject to Article 22 of the GPSR, must ensure products sold on its platform comply with safety requirements. This means eBay can — and over time will increasingly — require sellers to demonstrate compliance before allowing listings, particularly for higher-risk categories. Even where eBay's current enforcement is less active than Amazon's, the legal obligation on the seller is identical: non-compliance with the GPSR exposes you directly to sanctions from EU market surveillance authorities, independently of eBay's own actions. The size of your business has no bearing on this exposure.

What the law says

Consequences of non-compliance