In a previous article, I discussed why you should never buy CBD from eBay. However, on a rainy day spent inside mindlessly scrolling through the internet, I took a deeper dive into what exactly was offered on eBay. What I found not only made me laugh (the claims made and typos were abundant) but at the same time was deeply disturbing.
The first one I found was Dr. Paul's Hemp Seed Oil, claiming to have 30,000mg of CBD per bottle. The eBay listing detailed a 3 pack for $18.99USD. This alone was enough to raise a red flag. The second red flag came when I read their nutritional information on the label. A single serving was claimed to have 1,000mg of CBD.
Here's the tea. You don't have to work in the CBD industry for more than a minute to know you cannot spend $6.33 on a single 30ml bottle of CBD oil and get what they are advertising. It just does not work like that. Even with CBD prices coming down within the last year, it still does not add up.
The second eBay listing I looked at was for HerbyX premium Hemp Drops. It starts out with the same red flags as the Dr. Paul's listing. The 30,000mg CBD claim does not match the price. The big red flag that I noticed was no nutritional information was offered. Honest retailers will always provide their nutritional labeling for ingestible products. And finally, the third red flag was the health claims made (pictured below). If you read "Where NOT to buy CBD Products" then you know the FDA considers that a big no-no. But just in case you would like a refresher, check out the FDA's rules here.
The next item I found disturbed me more than a little.
A seller on eBay was advertising a pain cream with 100,000mg of CBD per each 4oz container for less than $25.00USD. The math does not pan out. Besides, no ingredients were listed.
While these companies may be legitimate, purchasing CBD on sites like eBay can be risky. As a discerning shopper who works in the hemp industry, I would advise anyone considering purchasing CBD to purchase from a company's personal website or physical store. A reputable company will always have a phone number to call for any questions or concerns, a list of ingredients, Certificates of Analisis available upon request (if not already posted on their website), and have realistic expectations. Yes, CBD prices have come down, but expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $70 for a bottle of 500mg CBD oil. Quality CBD products may cost more, but you run less risk of being left with a less reliable product.