eBay seller limits are the set of rules that define the maximum amount of items you can list and sell on eBay every month. eBay imposes these limits to help prevent fraudulent activities, protect buyers and maintain the marketplace’s integrity.
The limits vary depending on several factors, such as the duration of your eBay account, feedback score, ratings, and other criteria.
eBay selling limits can also differ based on the category of items you sell. Some categories, such as collectibles and antiques, may have lower selling limits than others. If you want to sell in a higher limit category, you’ll need to meet specific criteria, such as having a minimum number of sales in that category.
And if you’re an international seller, you may have different selling limits than sellers based in the US. eBay has different policies and regulations for international sellers, and you’ll need to make sure you’re following all the rules and regulations in your country.
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eBay Monthly Selling Limits
Monthly selling limits are restrictions put in place by eBay on how many items you can sell each month.
If you exceed your eBay monthly selling limits, eBay will send you a notification and may suspend your account until the next month. It’s important to always keep an eye on your selling limits and adjust accordingly, especially if you’re a high-volume seller. You can also contact eBay’s customer support to discuss increasing your limits if you’re consistently reaching them.
How Many Items Can You List on eBay?
The first thing to know is that eBay sets different selling limits for new accounts and established accounts. New accounts can usually list up to ten items per month, with a total value of $500.
This limit is in place for the first three months of selling on eBay, after which your account will be evaluated and the limits may be adjusted based on your performance. Established accounts with a positive selling history and good feedback can be eligible for higher limits, sometimes up to hundreds or thousands of items per month.
In addition to these limits, eBay also sets category limits in some cases. Certain categories such as clothing and accessories, sports memorabilia, and tickets may have additional restrictions on the number of items you can list and sell. These limits are designed to prevent counterfeit items and ensure a fair marketplace for buyers and sellers.
If you want to sell in a restricted category, you may need to provide additional documentation or meet certain requirements before your selling limits can be increased.
It’s important to note that your selling limits on eBay may also be affected by your payment and shipping policies. If you have a high rate of items not received or unpaid items, your limits may be reduced to prevent further issues. Similarly, if you offer free shipping or same-day handling, eBay may increase your limits to reward your good performance.
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How Do eBay Selling Limits Work?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that eBay’s selling limits are not arbitrary. They are based on a number of factors, including your account history, feedback score, and transaction volume. eBay’s algorithms take all of these factors when determining your limit, which is reviewed and updated regularly.
If you are a new seller or have a limited selling history, you may have a lower limit than more established sellers. This can be frustrating, but it’s important to remember that eBay is verifying that you are a trustworthy seller before allowing you to increase your limit. As you sell more items and receive positive feedback, your limit will increase accordingly.
It’s also worth noting that eBay limits are based on the number of sales you make rather than the number of items you sell. This means that selling one item for $1,000 will count more towards your limit than selling ten items for $100 each. Understanding this distinction can help you strategize your sales to maximize your limit usage.
If you have reached your selling limit, don’t worry – you can still sell on eBay. eBay allows you to request a limit increase if you need to sell more items.
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Why Does eBay Restrict New Sellers?
There are a few common reasons why eBay restricts new sellers in the form of seller limits. Here are the most common:
Ensuring a Good Buyer Experience
eBay limits the number of items a new seller can list in a particular category or the overall account, protecting the buyer’s experience. eBay wants to ensure that its platform’s quality remains high and that buyers do not face any issues while making purchases.
With limited listings, eBay can monitor new sellers’ activity and mitigate any of the customers’ negative experiences.
Building Trust
When a new seller starts selling on eBay, they don’t have the same level of trust as established sellers. Because of this, eBay takes the new seller’s experience into account and may restrict the new seller’s account.
To help build trust with buyers, eBay may limit new sellers from selling more until they have demonstrated their intentions to sell securely and as per eBay’s policies.
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Understanding Seller Performance
Also, eBay assesses new sellers’ performance based on their sales history, customer feedback, and compliance with eBay policies. They limit the new seller’s account according to their performance.
Once the new seller has proven that they can sell items in a safe and efficient manner, eBay will lift limitations on their account. Seller performance is a significant element for the buyers to check before buying from the seller.
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Management of Inventory
Remember, as a new seller, it can be challenging to manage inventory and ship items on time. eBay wants to make sure new sellers can fulfill orders carefully and can deliver quality products.
They may limit the new seller’s account in case of any inventory mismanagement. This limitation helps the new seller to keep track of their inventory and be mindful of their dispatch and shipping times.
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Fraud Prevention
eBay has a strong interest in managing eBay-related fraud. It’s easy to create multiple accounts on eBay, and in some cases, scammers may create bogus accounts to sell counterfeit items or scam buyers.
Limiting an eBay member’s number of listings can help prevent fraudsters from launching illegal activities on the site.
How to Get Around eBay Selling Limits
If you’re wondering how to get around eBay selling limits? It’s tough – another reason why it’s important to just comply with this rule.
That said, one of the most effective ways to get around eBay selling limits is to diversify your range of products. Instead of selling just one type of item, consider expanding your offerings to new categories or types of products. This will not only help you increase your sales but also keep eBay’s selling limits off.
For example, if you’re selling only shoes, try branching out into bags, hats, or clothes. Make sure that the items you’re selling don’t have any prohibitions or restrictions. This will not only help you get around selling limits, but it will make your store more attractive to customers and increase your chances of making a sale.
eBay’s selling limits are often determined by seller reputation. The more positive feedback you have from buyers, the better your chances of getting around selling limits. Encourage buyers to leave feedback by providing excellent customer service, fast shipping, and improved communication. Respond to buyer messages promptly, take the necessary steps to solve disputes, and offer returns, refunds, or exchanges when necessary.
Those are the best ways to get around selling limits in an honest way. That said, while creating multiple accounts on eBay is against their policy, it is one way some sellers have found success in circumventing selling limits. This is not an ethical or recommended way to grow your eBay business; it is worth mentioning that using multiple accounts can lead to a permanent ban from eBay if they catch you.
However, if you do decide to pursue this route, be sure to keep each account’s activity separate and unique, to avoid sending a red flag to eBay’s security team.
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Types of eBay Selling Limits
There are essentially three types of selling limits on eBay – account-based, category-based, and item-based.
Account-Based Limits
eBay selling limits may be imposed on sellers if it has been less than 90 days since their first successful sale, if they haven’t sold multiple items in a particular category before, or if they haven’t sold items in a category for over a year.
Also, if a seller’s eBay Money Back Guarantee has more than 3% open cases, eBay may limit the amount of items the seller can list or sell in a particular category.
Category-Based Limits
The following categories are commonly affected by selling limits on eBay:
- Books, Cameras & Photo,
- Cell Phones & Accessories,
- Clothing, Shoes & accessories,
- Coins & Paper Money,
- Computer & Tablets,
- Consumer Electronics,
- Gift Cards & Coupons,
- Health & Beauty,
- Jewelry & Watches,
- Music,
- Musical Instruments and Gear,
- Sporting Goods,
- Video Games & Consoles.
However, it’s important to understand that not all sellers will face category limits. The limits are put in place for new sellers or sellers who have not met eBay’s minimum performance standards.
All sellers, regardless of whether they have a personal or business account, must meet these standards. These standards include maintaining a low defect rate, a high rate of on-time shipping, and a good feedback profile.
Item-Based Limits
eBay may limit the number of listings for specific items. When an item is particularly popular, eBay can limit how many listings a seller can create in order to balance the supply and demand. This is done to stop sellers from flooding the marketplace and saturating it with too many of the same items.
Alongside this, eBay may also restrict the quantity you can sell for items that are deemed unsafe or prohibited, as well as items whose sale requires additional permits, licenses, or certifications.
How to Find Your Selling Limit
In order to find your selling limit, follow these steps:
1. Head over to Seller Hub.
2. Go to the Overview tab and scroll down to the Monthly Limits section. This will show your current limit.
Remember, your active and sold listings will contribute to your limit, so be sure to keep an eye on your limit as you sell. If you go over your limit, eBay may end any listings that you have created. You can always relist them again when your monthly allowance renews or if you receive an increase.
Wondering how to increase eBay’s selling limit? If you have strong selling performance and sales metrics, you may be able to request an increase in your selling limit. You can check your performance in Seller Hub and request an increase in the selling limit.
Alternatively, you can use the “Request a limit increase” button. Keep in mind that eBay may need more information about your contact or business details before granting a limit increase.
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What Happens If I Have Exceeded My Seller Limit?
eBay may end any listings you have created over your existing limit. This means that the listings you’ve created over your seller limit will be taken down, and you won’t be able to re-list them until your monthly allowance renews, or if you receive an increase in the amount that you can sell.
Also, exceeding your seller limit on eBay could harm your account. If you exceed your seller limit repeatedly, eBay may take action against your account, such as limiting your ability to sell on eBay or suspending your account. Therefore, it’s crucial to stay within your selling limits to keep your account in good standing.
Key Takeaways
The eBay selling limit is put in place to ensure a fair marketplace for both buyers and sellers.
While they may seem frustrating at first, they are necessary for maintaining a positive selling experience on the platform.
By following eBay’s minimum performance standards and gradually building up your sales, you can successfully navigate through eBay’s selling limits and grow your business on the platform.
View our round-up of the best-selling eBay tools to equip your business with the right tools for success.
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