There are various kinds of software that you’re not allowed to sell on eBay, so be careful.

Always try installing used software before you sell it, as this might help you talk about what you’re selling and if the installs are ok

With that said, here is what you cannot sell. And you certainly don’t want to buy it either. As a buyer you might just get ripped off. As a seller, you will get suspended and possible even banned.

1. Pirated Software.

This one rather obvious, but pirated software can get you in trouble. The biggest things to look out for are auctions that don’t have pictures or have stock pictures. Unrealistically low prices are a good sign of pirated software as is a lack of manuals. Many software makers including Microsoft come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) which you should confirm comes with your software. And make sure it’s not on CD-R.

2 Download only software is often pirated but not always. Some small developers allow download licenses for their software to be resold on sites like eBay.

2.Beta Software.

Beta software is pre-release software. It’s issued by companies for testing purposes. Generally there’s no permission for their beta software to be sold or redistributed. Don’t buy or sell anything that says it’s beta. Return anything that says beta or “not for resale” on the CD or during the install.

3. Academic Software.

Some companies sell educational editions or student licenses for their software that are designed to be affordable to students and teachers. You can only sell this software if you are a licensed educational reseller for the company and a buyer has to be an educational user. Academic software will usually say somewhere on its CD or in its installation what it is.

4. OEM Software.

OEM is short for Original Equipment Manufacturer. This is software that is only supposed to be distributed with a new computer, usually pre-installed. The licenses for this software usually prohibit you from selling it without also selling the hardware.

Look for the message “for sale with a new computer only.” But realize that it’s usually ok to bundle any OEM software you come across with computers that you sell on eBay.

Understand that if you sell software that’s prohibited, eBay might shut down your auction, suspend or ban you. And sellers will probably leave you negative feedback. As a buyer just be aware of these types of software.