Boat buying on eBay? - BoatU.S. Reports

Boat/US Magazine, July, 2003

With all the Internet scams going around lately, it's important boat buyers be careful out there. The California Attorney General recently issued a ruling that online auction giant eBay does not need to be licensed as a yacht broker in California. This means they aren't held liable for any scam you might encounter while auctioning a boat or buying a boat using their service.

The California Yacht and Ship Brokers Act protects consumers by requiring commercial brokers to be licensed and regulated, however, since eBay itself does not participate in selling, buying, soliciting or negotiating sales of boats on its Web site, says the Attorney General, it does not require brokerage licensing as defined by the law. This opinion was given in response to the California Department of Boating and Waterways' request for clarification following numerous inquiries from the boating public.

For more on protecting yourself when buying or selling via the Internet see Boat Smart on page 35.