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 arrived4 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.
- How buyers can cancel an order2 min article
To cancel an order – whether it's a Buy It Now purchase or you've won an auction – you'll need to contact the seller and ask if they can cancel it for you. The seller can either accept or decline your cancellation request.
- 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 made a Best Offer on a listing, the seller may come back to you with a counteroffer suggesting another price.
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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 often have multiple competing bidders. You can maximize your chances of winning by having a good bidding strategy.
- 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 to prevent other bidders from having a chance to place a higher bid before the auction ends.2 min article
- 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
A reserve price is the minimum amount the seller is willing to sell an item for. If the reserve price isn't met, the item won't be sold.
Resolving Buying Problems
- Get help with an item that hasn't arrived4 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
If your item arrives damaged, doesn't match the listing description, or is the wrong item, you can return it for a refund. If you've changed your mind and want to return it, you can ask the seller if they'll accept a return.
- Ask eBay to step in and help for buyersIf you’ve asked your seller to help with a problem and they’re not able to resolve it for you within 3 business days, you can ask us to help.1 min article
- 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.
- Appeal eBay's decision about a return or missing item for buyers2 min article
If you don’t agree with our decision after we 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 closing.
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Payments
- Paying for items2 min article
When you see an item for sale on eBay, the listing will include the payment methods you can use to buy it. If you have any problems paying for your items, we can help troubleshoot the issue.
- Contacting PayPal1 min article
If you're having problems paying with PayPal, or need help with your PayPal account, 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 for items with a credit or debit card3 min article
Most sellers on eBay accept payment by credit and debit cards. You’ll find the payment methods a seller accepts on their listing.
- 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.
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Shipping & Tracking Items
- Tracking your item1 min article
You can follow your package online all the way to your shipping address when the seller uploads tracking information.
- Delivery date options for buyers2 min article
Estimated delivery dates let you know when you can expect an eBay item to arrive.
- Shipping rates for buyers1 min article
You can find out how much shipping costs in the shipping section of every eBay listing. We always show the shipping 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 shipping2 min article
Most sellers on eBay are happy to ship everything to you in the same package if you’re buying multiple items from them. You might also get a shipping discount because the seller saves money by combining items.
- Changing your shipping details after a purchase3 min article
If you’ve already completed your purchase but need to make a change to your address or shipping details, contact the seller as soon as possible to let them know.
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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.
- Advanced search1 min article
If you’ve used our range of filters on your search and still can’t find what you’re looking for, try advanced search.
- 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.
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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
You can find the best and most reputable sellers on eBay by looking at their seller rating, feedback score, 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
We created policies to make sure eBay is a safe place to buy and sell. If you have 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
You can find the best and most reputable sellers on eBay by looking at their seller rating, feedback score, and the number of items they've sold.