Why Can't We Buy and Sell Rocket Motors on eBay?

[LordBryan]

I've been buying rockets on eBay lately, but eBay cancels the auctions for engines. I assume it's because they're flammable/explosive? But of course you can buy all the equipment and supplies to make your own fireworks.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[jflis]

eBay is unsure of the laws governing the mailing of model rocket motors. There is a risk that should a customer break the law that eBay would be called in to court. It is easier and cheaper for them to simply not allow them, so that is what they do.

be carefull when posting auctions on ebay. innocent references such as "uses standard estes rocket motors" to describe your auction could result in it being pulled because it has the word "rocket motors" in it...

jim

 

[rokitflite]

Originally posted by jflis
eBay is unsure of the laws governing the mailing of model rocket motors. There is a risk that should a customer break the law that eBay would be called in to court. It is easier and cheaper for them to simply not allow them, so that is what they do.

be carefull when posting auctions on ebay. innocent references such as "uses standard estes rocket motors" to describe your auction could result in it being pulled because it has the word "rocket motors" in it...

jim

Jims right. They also stopped selling the wireless video cameras with sound that I was putting in model rockets because it is illegal to record video AND audio of someone without their knowledge. They still sell regular camcorders that do this, but not the small wireless ones! Ironically if you sell rocket motors and describe them as "Estes model rocket parts marked B6-4", they won't kill the auction!

 

[Rocket-Tech Al]

I think Rockitflite is right, that they look for combinations of specific keywords, like "rocket motors" or "rocket engines". They do not, however look for words like "Aerotech reloads". Last year I won an ebay auction which did not contain "rocket motors", but rather "Aerotech reloads". I emailed the seller that his auction may get pulled (it didn't), that he may want to try on ROL if it did (he never had to) and that I was very interested in his items, which was 32 packages of reloads, a set of 29 mm cases, a complete 54/1706 motor, and three completely built rockets. The listing included a breakdown of specific motor types, and a nice big picture of a pile of reloads, and it was never pulled. Happily, I won (at a considerable savings over retail ) and everything arrived promptly.
So I guess it's all in the wording. I've also, humorously enough, heard them referred to as "including a roll of nickles marked A8-3" or the like, obviously assuming that the knowing buyer would get the seller's drift.

Al

 

[KermieD]

Complete 54/1706 motor? I'll never again gripe about Ebay being too strict if that got through on an auction.

 

[Bowhunter]

Originally posted by KermieD
Complete 54/1706 motor? I'll never again gripe about Ebay being too strict if that got through on an auction.

No kidding Kerm. I agree to that