Buying

Top buying articles for you
Buying as a guest
You can shop for most things on eBay even if you haven't registered for an account, but you'll miss out on the benefits of being a member.

2 min article
Get help if you bought as a guest
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.

3 min article
Get help with an item that hasn't arrived
If you didn't get your item, you're covered under the eBay Money Back Guarantee. We'll make sure you either receive the item you ordered, or get your money back.

4 min article

Buying Items

How buying works
2 min overview
Buying as a guest
You can shop for most things on eBay even if you haven't registered for an account, but you'll miss out on the benefits of being a member.

2 min article
Cancel an order
You can request to cancel an order within an hour of your purchase as long as the seller hasn't dispatched it yet. If it's been longer than an hour, you can still contact the seller and ask them if they can cancel your order for you.

2 min article
Your shopping cart
The eBay shopping cart lets you save fixed-price items you want to buy while you continue shopping. When you're ready, you can check out and pay for multiple items in one go.

3 min article
Making a Best Offer
Best Offer lets you offer the seller a price you're willing to pay on Buy It Now items. The seller decides whether to accept, reject, or counter your offer.

3 min article
See 3 more articles
Counteroffers
If you've made a Best Offer on a Buy It Now listing, the seller may come back to you with a counteroffer if they want to suggest another price.

1 min article
Buying vehicles, parts, and accessories
eBay Motors makes it easy to search for vehicles and parts by year, make, and model. You can also shop by category, or filter your results so you only see local listings.

3 min article
Using the eBay App
With the eBay mobile app it's easy to buy, sell, and browse while on the move. Available for both Android and iOS, it can also let you know when listings are ending or if you've been outbid.

1 min article

How Bidding Works

How bidding works
4 min overview
Retracting a bid
If you've made a mistake when bidding on an item, you can retract your bid in certain circumstances.

2 min article
Automatic bidding
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 do the rest.

2 min article
Tips for winning auctions
eBay auctions will often have multiple competing bidders, but you can maximize your chances of winning by having a well thought out bidding strategy.

3 min article
Bid sniping
Waiting 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
See 2 more articles
Responding to Second Chance Offers
If you lost out in an auction, the seller might send you a Second Chance Offer – giving you another opportunity to get the item you were looking for.

2 min article
How reserve prices work
Sellers can choose to add a reserve price when listing an item in an eBay auction. A reserve price is the minimum amount the seller is willing to sell for, so if the reserve price isn't met, the item won't be sold.

1 min article

Resolving Buying Problems

Returns, missing items, and refunds for buyers
5 min overview
Get help with an item that hasn't arrived
If you didn't get your item, you're covered under the eBay Money Back Guarantee. We'll make sure you either receive the item you ordered, or get your money back.

4 min article
Return an item for a refund
If your item arrives damaged or faulty, you can return it for a refund. If you've changed your mind and want to send it back, you can ask the seller if they'll accept a return.

4 min article
Ask eBay to step in and help for buyers
If 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 you out.
1 min article
Check the status of your return or missing item request
If you've sent a request to let the seller know that you either didn't receive your item, or that you want to return it to them, you can check on its progress for updates.
2 min article
See 3 more articles
Appeal eBay's decision about a return or missing item for buyers
If you don’t agree with our decision after we’ve been asked to step in and help resolve an issue between you and a seller, you can appeal by providing new information within 30 days of the case being closed.

2 min article
Return shipping for buyers
If you need to send an item back to the seller, there are a few different ways of getting the item back to them. Who pays the cost of return shipping will depend on why you’re returning it, and the seller’s return policy.

2 min article
Get help if you bought as a guest
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.

3 min article

Payments

Paying for items
4 min overview
Contacting PayPal
If you're having problems paying with PayPal or need help with your PayPal account, it's best to contact PayPal Customer Support directly.

1 min article
Paying with PayPal
Paying for items with PayPal on eBay is simple and secure.

2 min article
Paying for items with a credit or debit card
If you prefer not to use PayPal, credit and debit card payments are often accepted by sellers.

3 min article
Checkout
When you're ready to pay, simply head to checkout. You'll be able to check the details of your order and confirm how and where you want it delivered.

2 min article
See 4 more articles
Coupons and discounts
Sign up to receive discount offers and coupons so you can make great savings on your next eBay purchase.

2 min article
Earning and using eBay Bucks
The eBay Bucks program rewards you when you buy qualifying items on eBay.com.

3 min article
eBay gift cards
If you're buying for someone else and aren't sure what they'd like, an eBay gift card is a great option. We have gift cards for every occasion, and you can even choose custom designed cards based on the recipient's interests.
3 min article
Appealing an unpaid item
Most sales go smoothly on eBay, but from time to time, buyers may not pay for an item they won in an auction or bought using Buy It Now.

2 min article

Shipping & Tracking Items

Shipping and delivery for buyers
2 min overview
Tracking your item
You can follow your package online all the way to your shipping address when the seller uploads tracking information.

1 min article
Delivery date options for buyers
Estimated delivery dates let you know when you can expect an eBay item to arrive.

2 min article
Shipping rates for buyers
You can find a seller's shipping rates in the Shipping section of every eBay listing. We always show the shipping cost separately to the item cost to make clear exactly how much you're paying for delivery.

1 min article
Saving through combined shipping
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 discount on shipping costs because the seller saves money by combining items together.

2 min article
See 4 more articles
Changing your shipping address after a purchase
You may be able to change the shipping address or the shipping service you selected for an eBay purchase, but you'll need to contact the seller before they ship the item to you.

3 min article
Buying items with eBay Guaranteed Delivery
With eBay Guaranteed Delivery, you can narrow down your search results based on how quickly you want an item delivered.

1 min article
Buying with local pickup
Some items that aren't easy to ship, such as large pieces of furniture, may be marked as 'Pickup only'. This gives you the chance to inspect the item in person and avoid shipping costs.

1 min article
International purchases and shipping for buyers
When shopping on eBay, you'll find items from all over the world. If you buy from an overseas seller, they can ship to you through regular international shipping services, or if they're in the US or UK, they may choose to use eBay's Global Shipping Program (GSP).

3 min article

Finding Items & Managing Purchases

How to use search
2 min overview
Your purchase history
Your purchase history lets you track and manage all the items you've bought on eBay. Go to Purchase history to find details on the items you've bought from as long as three years ago.

1 min article
Advanced search
Our standard search is usually your best starting point for finding what you need, and has a range of filters to narrow down your results. However, if you've got some specific conditions for what you're looking for, our advanced search function might be able to help. It'll also help you find eBay Stores quickly.

1 min article
Your eBay order number
Every time you make a purchase on eBay, you'll receive an order number.

3 min article
Finding a listing
Occasionally you might not be able to find a listing on our site anymore. This could just be because someone else already bought the item, but sometimes there may have been an issue with the listing and we needed to remove it.

3 min article
See 3 more articles
Saved searches
If you frequently search for the same types of items on eBay, you can save time by creating saved searches. These are also known as followed searches.

1 min article
Your recently viewed items
You can look back on your recent eBay activity, and remind yourself of items you're interested in, through recently viewed items.

1 min article
Your Watch List
If you've got your eye on something but you're not quite ready to commit, you can add it to your watch list while you make up your mind. You can add up to 300 items to your watch list so you don't have to worry about losing track of an item you're considering buying.
2 min article

All About Feedback

Leaving feedback for sellers
3 min overview
Viewing and changing feedback left for sellers
Your Feedback profile shows all of the feedback you've received and left for others. From there, you can also follow up, make changes, or add comments to feedback you've left.

3 min article
Handling feedback disputes with sellers
When you leave feedback, you're letting others know about your buying experience with a seller. Usually this means leaving positive feedback to recognize a successful purchase. However, if something didn't go as smoothly as expected, you might choose to leave a negative rating or comment. If that happens, and the seller doesn't believe the feedback was fair, they have the option of disputing it.

2 min article
Seller ratings
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.

2 min article

Buying Limits

Buying limits and restrictions
3 min overview

Working With Sellers

Resolving issues with sellers
1 min overview
Contacting a seller
How you contact a seller on eBay depends on whether you've already bought an item from them or not.

1 min article
Report an issue with a seller
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.

2 min article
Avoiding seller fraud
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.

2 min article
Seller ratings
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.

2 min article