eBay automatically deducts your fees and other selling costs from your sales proceeds. If you haven’t earned enough yet, you need to set up a payment method for fees and selling costs to continue selling on the marketplace.
Sometimes eBay may put in place a hold on your funds — for example, if a buyer reports a problem with their purchase, if you owe money to the marketplace, or if your registration info isn’t correct. Learn more about payments on hold and what to do about them.
If you have difficulties with understanding your Total Funds amount, check the Running Total feature. It shows how your balance changes with each transaction and ensures financial transparency for sellers.
In some cases buyers may need an invoice — for instance, if they request you to change the payment method, if you want to combine their orders into one purchase or if they forget to pay after winning an auction. Learn more about invoices to buyers: how to send and revise them.
Returns don’t have to be a headache. Create a policy to automatically approve returns and issue refunds for orders that meet your requirements.
When you get a return request from a buyer, don’t take too much time to handle it. You have 3 business days to respond to the request and resolve the issue.
Even if you don’t accept returns, in some cases you’ll have to cover return shipping costs. Learn more about your options and find answers to questions that may arise.
Your return address and the item location can be in different places. But if you don’t offer a free return option, always state the return address in your listings so that buyers could understand possible return shipping costs. Learn more about item location policy
If you’re a novice seller, read our guide on order cancellation. Here you’ll find answers on frequent questions: how to cancel an order in Seller Hub, what will happen to your seller fees, and how to deal with refunds. You can also cancel an order if a buyer has not paid for the item after winning an auction and after getting an invoice as a reminder.
Frequently asked questions
Is offering returns optional?
Yes, it’s up to you to decide whether you offer free returns or accept returns at all. You can also create separate policies for domestic (US) and international orders. However, listings from Top Rated Sellers must include 30-day free returns and 1-day handling time to qualify for the Top Rated Plus discount and seal.
What happens if my item is damaged during return shipping?
The buyer is responsible for packing your item properly for return transportation. If you find that the item is damaged, has missing parts, or is in poor condition, you may be entitled to provide a partial refund. Read the Partial refund guidelines for more details.
When will eBay issue an automatic refund on my behalf?
If the tracking information shows that you’ve received the returned item, 2 business days have passed since then, but you haven’t refunded the buyer, eBay may do it on your behalf. Learn more about refunding buyers.
My item was lost during return shipping. What should I do?
Whoever pays for return shipping bears the responsibility of ensuring that the item is safely delivered to the return address. If you covered the return transportation costs, contact the shipping provider and try to find the lost item. If the buyer paid, they should contact the shipping provider instead.
What happens after I cancel an order?
When an order is cancelled, eBay automatically issues a full refund on your behalf. After that, you may be eligible for a prorated fee credit. If it was a fixed price single-item listing, it will be automatically relisted unless you choose otherwise. If the buyer didn’t pay for the item, any feedback left by them will be deleted and your performance won’t be affected.