You can shop for most things on eBay without needing an eBay account, but you'll miss out on the benefits of being a member.
Buying
- Top buying articles for you
- Buying as a guest2 min article
- Get help if you bought as a guest3 min article
If your item hasn't arrived, has turned up damaged or faulty, or if you just want to return it, let the seller know so they can help you out. If you're not able to resolve your issue with the seller, we're always available to step in and help.
- Get help with an item that hasn't arrived3 min article
If you didn't get your item, you're covered under eBay Money Back Guarantee. We'll make sure you either receive the item you ordered, or get your money back.
Buying Items
- Buying as a guest2 min article
You can shop for most things on eBay without needing an eBay account, but you'll miss out on the benefits of being a member.
- Cancel an order2 min article
If it's been less than an hour since your purchase, and the seller hasn't sent the item yet, you can cancel your order yourself. Otherwise, you'll need to contact the seller and ask them to cancel it for you.
- Your shopping cart3 min article
You can save fixed-price items you'd like to buy by adding them to your shopping cart while you continue shopping. When you're ready, you can check out and pay for multiple items in one go.
- Making a Best Offer3 min article
Best Offer lets you offer the seller a price you’re willing to pay for the item. The seller can accept, reject, or counter your offer by suggesting another price.
- Counteroffers1 min article
If you've made a Best Offer on a listing, the seller may come back to you with a counteroffer suggesting another price.
- Using the eBay App1 min article
Download the eBay app to buy, sell, or browse straight from your phone. Available for free on iOS and Android, the eBay app has a range of great features to help you keep track of your eBay activity.
How Bidding Works
- Retracting a bid2 min article
If you've made a mistake when bidding on an item, you can retract your bid in certain circumstances.
- Automatic bidding2 min article
Automatic bidding is the easiest way to bid on an eBay auction. Simply enter the highest price you're willing to pay for an item, and we'll do the rest.
- Tips for winning auctions3 min article
eBay auctions will often have multiple competing bidders, but you can maximise your chances of winning by having a well thought out bidding strategy.
- Responding to Second Chance Offers2 min article
If you didn't win an auction, the seller might give you another opportunity to buy the item you wanted by sending you a Second Chance Offer.
- How reserve prices work1 min article
Sellers often set a reserve price when selling in an eBay auction in the Motors category. A reserve price is the minimum amount the seller is willing to sell for, so if the reserve price isn't met, the vehicle won't be sold.
- Bid snipingWaiting until the last few seconds of an auction to make a winning bid is known as bid sniping. This tactic is used to try and prevent other bidders from having a chance to react and place a higher bid before the auction ends.2 min article
Resolving Issues
- Get help with an item that hasn't arrived3 min article
If you didn't get your item, you're covered under eBay Money Back Guarantee. We'll make sure you either receive the item you ordered, or get your money back.
- Return an item for a refund4 min article
Most sellers accept returns if you've changed your mind about an item – check the listing for full details of their return policy. If there's something wrong with your item, you're entitled to return it, regardless of the seller's return policy.
- Check the status of your return or missing item request2 min article
If you've let the seller know that you either didn't receive your order or the item doesn't match their description, you can check the status of your request while it's being resolved.
- Asking eBay to step in and help for buyersIf you've asked your seller to help with a problem and they don't respond within 3 business days, or they're not able to sort it out for you, you can ask us to help.1 min article
- Appeal eBay's decision about a return or missing item for buyers2 min article
If you don't agree with our decision after we've stepped in to help resolve an issue between you and a seller, you can appeal by providing new information within 30 days of the case being closed.
- See 2 more articles
Payments
- Contacting PayPal1 min article
If you're having problems paying with PayPal or need help with your PayPal account, it's best to contact PayPal Customer Support directly.
- Paying with PayPal2 min article
If you have a PayPal account, you can use it to pay for your items on eBay. You can also link your PayPal and eBay accounts so you don't need to enter your details each time you pay at checkout.
- Paying with AfterpayWhen you check out with Afterpay, the seller sends your eBay order as normal and you split the payment over four interest-free instalments.6 min article
- Paying for items with a credit or debit card3 min article
You can pay for most items on eBay using a credit or debit card. You'll see the available payment methods on the listing and at checkout.
- Checkout2 min article
At checkout you can pay for your item, choose where you’d like it to be delivered and review your order details before you pay.
- See 5 more articles
Postage & Tracking Items
- Tracking your item1 min article
When the seller uploads tracking information, you can follow your package online all the way to your delivery address.
- Delivery date options for buyers2 min article
Deliveries may be delayed due to COVID-19. We've adjusted estimated delivery times onsite to take this into account, and to ensure our sellers have more time to fulfil your orders safely.
For more information on how we're supporting and protecting our community at this time, please read our article on Additional support during COVID-19 for buyers and sellers on eBay. - International purchases and postage for buyers3 min article
You'll find items from all over the world on eBay. International sellers can send items to you through regular postage services, or they may use eBay's Global Shipping Program (GSP) if they're in the US or UK.
- Postage rates for buyers1 min article
You can find out how much postage costs in the Postage section of every eBay listing. We always show the postage cost separately from the item cost so you can see exactly how much you'll pay for delivery before you go to checkout.
- Saving through combined postage2 min article
Most sellers on eBay are happy to post everything to you in the same package if you're buying multiple items from them. You might also get a discount on postage costs because the seller saves money by combining items together.
- See 3 more articles
Finding Items & Managing Purchases
- Your purchase history1 min article
You’ll find all your orders from the past 3 years in your purchase history. It's also the place to go if you need to return an item, pay for your purchases, or view your order details.
- Your eBay order number3 min article
You'll receive an order number every time you make a purchase on eBay.
- Finding a listing3 min article
You can find listings you've browsed lately in your recently viewed items. However, if the listing isn't there, the item may have been purchased, or we needed to remove the listing.
- Saved searches1 min article
Save valuable shopping time by creating saved searches for the items you regularly search eBay for.
- Your recently viewed items1 min article
You can find the listings for items you've browsed lately in your recently viewed items.
- Your Watchlist2 min article
If you have your eye on something but are not quite ready to commit, you can add it to your Watchlist while you make up your mind.
All About Feedback
- Viewing and changing Feedback left for sellers3 min article
You can find all of the Feedback you've left for sellers in your Feedback profile. From there, you can also follow up, make changes, or add comments to Feedback you've left.
- Handling Feedback disputes with sellers2 min article
When you leave Feedback, you're letting others know about your buying experience with a seller. If the seller doesn't believe the Feedback was fair, they may dispute it.
- Seller ratings2 min article
An eBay Plus or eBay Premium Service badge on a listing indicates that the seller consistently delivers a great shopping experience. You also assess a seller's reputation by looking at their Feedback, seller ratings, and the number of items they've sold.
Working With Sellers
- Contacting a seller1 min article
How you contact a seller on eBay depends on whether you've already bought an item from them or not.
- Report an issue with a seller2 min article
To make sure eBay is a safe place to buy and sell, we have policies that members have to follow. If you're having a problem with a seller because they're not following our policies, let us know and we'll look into it.
- Avoiding seller fraud2 min article
Keeping our members safe is a top priority for us, so we have zero tolerance for fraud on eBay. If you spot something suspicious, let us know.
- Seller ratings2 min article
An eBay Plus or eBay Premium Service badge on a listing indicates that the seller consistently delivers a great shopping experience. You also assess a seller's reputation by looking at their Feedback, seller ratings, and the number of items they've sold.