Exclusive ad placement for priority campaigns
Starting February 26, 2025, items listed on ebay.de and promoted with a priority campaign strategy will have exclusive access to the first ad slot position at the top of eBay search results.
When eBay first introduced the priority campaign strategy, the goal was to help sellers reach more buyers and sell their items faster by providing access to high-visibility ad placements and advanced controls for increasing sales velocity. And over the past year, eBay's continued to improve the product, introducing key features like AI-optimized keyword guidance, Smart Targeting, and suggested campaigns.
With exclusive access to the first ad slot position in search results, you’ll soon be able to drive greater visibility for your priority listings helping you generate more sales. This also means campaigns that use a general strategy will no longer be eligible to show ads in the first ad slot position in search results.
eBay’ll continue investing in the priority strategy to ensure you have access to the best ad placements and can increase sales velocity with greater efficiency. If you’re already using priority campaigns, your ads will automatically be eligible to show in the first ad slot position at the top of search results.
Updated attribution for general campaigns
Starting February 26, 2025, items listed on ebay.de and promoted with a general campaign strategy will use the following attribution definition (in German) when reporting sales and charging ad fees:
This update will simplify campaign reporting, while allowing you to maintain control over your spend – you continue to only pay when your item sells. As with any update, eBay recommends you monitor ad performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.
eBay’s here to help
There’s never been a more exciting time to advertise on eBay. As eBay focuses on the year ahead, it’ll continue investing in ways to help you grow your business and your brand. Please continue sharing your questions, comments, and feedback with the community and support team. We’re committed to helping you get the most out of your selling experience.
Useful articles about Promoted Listings
Frequently asked questions
How is exclusive access defined?
Only listings promoted with a priority campaign strategy are eligible to show in the first ad slot position of eBay search results. Listings promoted with a general campaign strategy are not eligible to show in the first ad slot position of eBay search results.
Organic listings, including those promoted with a general strategy, are still eligible to show in the first position at the top of search results if no priority ads are eligible to show. In other words, if a listing is promoted using a general strategy, it can no longer show in the first ad slot position of search results, however it can still show in the first slot at the top of search results as an organic listing.
How do I know if my priority ads are showing in the first position?
Your keywords and bids are factors in determining where and how frequently your priority ads appear in eBay search results. The more competitive the bid, the more likely your listing appears in an eligible ad slot for relevant searches. It’s important to note that promoting a listing using a priority strategy does not guarantee that the listing will show in the first ad slot position in search results. Other important factors include price, listing quality, and listing relevance.
I've promoted my listings with a priority strategy, but I don't see my ads when I search for my listings using the keywords I'm bidding on. Why?
Your listings will not automatically win placements when you advertise with a priority strategy. Each time a buyer searches for a product, eBay will determine which listings are shown using a variety of factors, including keyword relevancy, bid amount, available budget, and listing quality.
Will my priority campaign spend change?
Listings that appear at the top of search results, including the first ad slot position, are more visible to buyers and therefore more likely to drive clicks and sales. As a result, you may see an increase in ad spend as more buyers see and interact with your priority ads.
Why is the exclusive ad placement only available for ebay.de?
eBay is always testing new products to improve the selling experience. This update is rolled out on ebay.de, one of eBay’s most diverse and competitive marketplaces. eBay expects to learn a lot, which will inform the product roadmap for 2025 and beyond. Any upcoming product launches or updates will be communicated through eBay’s standard channels.
How do I get started with priority campaigns?
Priority campaigns can work well for experienced sellers looking to increase their sales velocity with a clear understanding of searches they want to target and a well-defined marketing plan.
Consider using a priority strategy to promote high-demand, high-margin items that can quickly convert clicks into sales. New listings can benefit from increased traffic when promoted using a priority strategy.
Please review the eBay Help page for getting started.
With the attribution update, will my general campaign spend increase?
eBay expects to see more sales being attributable to promoted listings that use a general campaign strategy. As a result, general campaign spend may increase. eBay encourages sellers to monitor their ad performance and adjust their strategy accordingly.
What will happen to Direct attribution and Halo item attribution for general campaigns?
Items listed on ebay.de and promoted using a general campaign strategy will no longer use Direct attribution and Halo item attribution when sales are reported or ad fees are charged. Direct and Halo item attribution will continue to exist for items that are listed and promoted with a general campaign strategy outside of ebay.de, for example on ebay.com or ebay.co.uk. Learn more
Campaigns that use a priority strategy are not impacted by this attribution update.
For the attribution update to general campaigns, if I set an initial ad rate and then change it, which ad rate will be charged?
Sellers are charged the ad rate of the sold item at the time of sale. The item must be promoted at the time of click and the time of sale.
If I’m promoting an item before the attribution update to general campaigns, how will sales and ad fees be attributed after the update?
eBay will consider clicks from up to 30 days before the attribution update takes effect to apply the updated logic. The sale must occur after the update (February 26, 2025 onward.)
For example, a buyer clicks on a promoted listing that uses a general campaign strategy on January 29, 2025.
- If that promoted item sells on February 10, 2025, Direct or Halo item attribution will be applied
- If that promoted item sells on February 26, 2025 or after, the updated attribution logic will be applied
Where can I see the impact of this update in Seller Hub?
Sellers can see which sales were attributed to Promoted Listings and the associated ad fees by downloading the Sales Report from the Advertising dashboard within the Advertising tab on Seller Hub. Sales that are attributed using the updated general strategy attribution logic will appear as “Attributed sale” under the “Sale type” reporting column.
International sellers that list items outside of ebay.de (and are using a general strategy), may continue seeing “Direct sale” and “Halo item sale” in their Sales Reports under the “Sale type” reporting column. By definition, Direct sales and Halo item sales are also categorized as attributed sales. The distinction for Direct and Halo is to provide further specificity in the attribution logic applied for items listed outside of ebay.de.
How will the attribution update to general campaigns impact sellers that ship internationally?
This attribution update only applies to items that are listed on ebay.de. In order for the updated attribution logic to apply, the item must be listed on ebay.de and promoted using a general campaign strategy.
Why is the attribution update to general campaigns only for items listed on ebay.de?
eBay is always testing new products to improve the selling experience. This update is rolled out on ebay.de, one of eBay’s most diverse and competitive marketplaces. eBay expects to learn a lot, which will inform the product roadmap for 2025 and beyond. Any upcoming product launches or updates will be communicated through eBay’s standard channels.