How to sell on eBay: your first listing, step by step

How to sell on eBay, step by step

Selling on eBay comes down to five steps. This guide follows them for a first listing of something you make, such as mugs, candles, prints or clothing.

1. Create an eBay account and register to sell.
2. List the item: a title of up to 80 characters, up to 24 photos, the item specifics for its category, a condition and a description.
3. Choose an auction or Buy It Now, and set the price.
4. Set shipping and a return policy, then ship within your handling time once the item sells.
5. Get paid. eBay deducts selling costs and fees related to your sales from your funds prior to payout, then sends you the rest.

How does eBay work for a seller?

eBay is a marketplace. Buyers search across every seller's listings, and when they do, eBay’s system finds the listing titles that closely match. eBay's Seller Center cites 134 million buyers. You do not build a shop or a checkout: each item you list is its own page with a price, photos, shipping terms and a return policy.

Buyers pay eBay at checkout with credit, debit, and gift cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and PayPal Credit, and eBay pays you after taking its fees. You also have to follow through on every sale: sellers are obligated to complete the sale when a buyer makes a purchase.

eBay also sets selling limits on seller accounts. Its help pages say: "As you get more comfortable meeting buyer demand, we’ll increase your limit." Start with a few listings you can ship on time.

How to create an eBay seller account

One eBay account works for buying and selling. To sell, you add seller details to it.

1. Open an eBay account

   On eBay's registration page, enter your name, email address and a password, then your address and phone number. Before you can start selling, you'll need to verify your account.

2. Choose personal or business

   You can register as an individual or a business seller. A business account asks for more details about the business. You can upgrade a personal account later, but once you do, it won't be possible to revert back to a personal account.

3. Register as a seller

   When you register to sell, eBay confirms your identity, checking account or debit card details for payouts, and business details if applicable. If you have not given it one before, eBay asks for a tax ID: your Social Security Number (SSN), Employer Identification Number (EIN), or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).

4. Link a payout account

   Make sure that your bank account type matches your eBay account type. A business eBay account needs a business checking account. If eBay checks your bank with small test deposits, it can take up to 4 business days for them to arrive, so register before you plan to list.

5. Add a payment method for fees

   eBay also asks you to set up a valid payment method to cover your selling costs in case your sales proceeds are insufficient. Fees normally come out of each sale, so this card or account is a backup.

Auction or Buy It Now: choosing a listing format

eBay's Seller Center describes two ways to set up your listings: an auction or Buy It Now, and an auction can carry a Buy It Now price as well. For things you make, the choice usually follows how many you can make: a run of the same item suits a fixed price, and a one-off piece can go either way.

With Best Offer turned on, buyers can send you a price on a fixed price listing, and you can accept, decline, or make a counteroffer. A fixed price item must be priced at $0.99 or higher. If you sell as an individual and an auction ends unsold, automatic relists are free.

How to list an item on eBay

Buyers find listings through titles, categories and filters, so fill in every part of the form.

1. Write the title

   You have 80 characters. Put what the item is first, then material, size, color and style, in the words a buyer would type. Example: Handmade stoneware mug, speckled glaze, 12 oz, blue.

2. Pick the category

   Type what the item is and choose from eBay’s suggested categories. Item specifics differ by category, so pick the closest match rather than a general one.

3. Add photos

   Add up to 24 photos. Each needs at least 500 x 500 pixels, and eBay recommends at least 1600 x 1600. Show the item from every side, in use, and with its maker's marks. eBay's photo rule: Don’t add text, artwork, logos, or watermarks to your photos.

4. Fill in item specifics

   Complete the Required item specifics, then every optional one that fits your item. The next section explains why the optional ones matter.

5. Set the condition and write the description

   Choose the condition that matches the item. In the description, give materials, exact size, care instructions and what varies from piece to piece. For made-to-order items, say how long making takes.

6. Choose the format and price

   To see how similar items are priced, eBay points sellers to its Product Research tool in Seller Hub or in the eBay app. Build your fees and shipping into the price you set.

7. Set shipping and returns, then list

   Choose a shipping option, enter the package weight and size if eBay needs them for the rate, then set your handling time and a return policy before you publish the listing.

Item specifics for things you make

Item specifics are labelled fields in a listing. In eBay's words, they may include brand, size, length, width, height, type, color, or style. Some are marked Required, and you'll need to fill in all Required item specifics for any new or revised listing.

The optional ones decide where your listing shows up. When a buyer narrows a search with a filter, your item will only appear in those filtered search results if you’ve added the matching item specific. Example: a blue mug with no Color filled in does not appear when a buyer filters mugs by blue.

• If you personalize items, add the Personalize item specific: with it, buyers can add their personalized text on the View Item page in certain categories.
• Measure the finished piece and enter sizes in the units the category asks for.

Shipping options and handling time

You set shipping when you list. eBay's Seller Center describes three ways to charge for it.

Handling time is the number of days between when you receive payment for an item and when your package is scanned by your shipping carrier. An order counts as on time when it has an acceptance scan within your stated handling time. If you make items to order, set a handling time that covers making the piece.

eBay Labels lets you buy postage on eBay: you can use your funds to purchase shipping labels for the items you sell. With USPS you can book a free scheduled USPS pickup in most zip codes, and if you have no printer, USPS accepts eBay Labels QR Codes. You have up to 28 days from printing a label to void it for a refund.

Set a return policy

Every listing needs a return policy: when you sell on eBay, you need to state whether you accept returns or not, and if so, under what conditions. In most categories, you choose one of these:

• No returns
• 30-day buyer-paid returns
• 30-day free returns
• 60-day buyer-paid returns
• 60-day free returns

Choosing no returns has a limit. Under eBay's Money Back Guarantee, the buyer can still return an item if it doesn’t match the listing description. For personalized or made-to-order pieces, describe size, color and materials exactly, so the item that arrives matches the listing.

How you get paid on eBay

Payouts go to your linked checking account or Visa or Mastercard debit card. You can't use a savings account or a PayPal account to receive them.

Funds from your sales may be placed on hold until a transaction has been completed successfully, or while eBay confirms details about your account. Plan for that gap when you buy materials for the next batch.

Once your sales reach reporting amounts set by the US government, you’ll receive a 1099-K. This page is general information, not tax advice.

What eBay keeps from one $30 sale

The same $30 sale on eBay and on Etsy, using each platform's own published rates. eBay has no separate processing fee, so its final value fee is the main cost.

Can you sell on eBay for free?

Listing on eBay can be free, but selling is not. Without an eBay Store you get up to 250 free listings a month, then eBay charges $0.35 per listing. Each sale pays the final value fee, charged on the order total, including shipping and sales tax, plus the per-order fee, as in the fee example above. Some categories use other rates, for example 15% for most jewelry.

You do not need an eBay Store to sell. eBay says a Store subscription gives you discounted fees and more free listings per month. A Starter Store costs $7.95 a month on monthly renewal, and its final value fee is the same 13.6% as selling with no Store.

Where Nation fits

Questions about selling on eBay