eBay Restricts Access for Some Third-Party AI Agents

The Verge said it reproduced the problem with other search requests. In some cases, Muse responded by directing users to outside sites that mirrored eBay listings.

The change comes as retailers weigh whether outside AI agents can browse their catalogs. eBay’s user agreement already prohibits tools such as “buy-for-me agents” and “LLM-driven bots” from placing orders without human review. Until recently, however, agents including Muse could browse the marketplace and collect listings.

Asked whether eBay had recently imposed new limits, spokesperson Sybille St. Arromand did not answer directly. She said the company takes a selective approach to third-party access and has restricted agents in some cases, including for unauthorized scraping and training on eBay data. The company is discussing possible partnerships and evaluating how third-party agents might help new customers discover its inventory, she said. Meta declined to comment.

Retailer policies vary: Amazon blocks external agents from browsing or shopping, while Target’s restrictions can allow browsing in some cases and block it in others. Shopify has opened its catalog of a billion listings to shoppers who want to set up agents to buy on their behalf.

The scale of agent-led shopping remains limited, according to figures cited by the article. Uber said third-party agents completed four rides in the third quarter and about 500 Uber Eats orders during Halloween week. DoorDash reported “several hundred” agent-placed orders, compared with 993 million total orders last quarter.