eBay FAQ

Getting Started & Account

How long does it take to get set up on eBay through Ecommerce?

Most dealers can be up and running within a few business days. The main steps are subscribing to an eBay Store, connecting your eBay account to Ecommerce, configuring your settings and templates, and creating your first listings. The longest wait is usually the first creation feed after you set everything up.

What eBay Store subscription do I need?

You need an active eBay Store subscription on the US eBay site (eBay.com). We recommend a Premium or Anchor tier store for most powersports dealers because of the higher listing allowances and lower final value fees. Lower-tier stores can work for smaller catalogs, but overage fees add up quickly if you carry hundreds or thousands of SKUs.

What is the VIP program and how do I apply?

The VIP (Volume Incentive Pricing) program is an eBay cost-saving benefit available to qualified Ecommerce dealers. It offers reduced fees based on your sales volume through the platform. Your Ecommerce onboarding contact can walk you through eligibility and the application process.

How do I connect Ecommerce to my eBay account?

In Ecommerce, go to eBay Settings and click the "Grant Access" button. You will be redirected to eBay to sign in and authorize Ecommerce. After clicking "I Agree" on eBay's consent screen, return to Ecommerce and click Save. The token fields may appear blank after authorization -- this is normal. The connection is stored securely in the background.

My eBay connection seems broken and listings are not syncing. What do I do?

Ecommerce connects to eBay using OAuth 2.0 tokens that expire periodically. When they expire, feeds stop running and orders stop importing. Go to eBay Settings in Ecommerce, click Grant Access, re-authorize through eBay, and then click Save. If the problem persists after reauthorization, contact Ecommerce support.

Do I need to set up eBay Business Policies?

No. Ecommerce manages your listing configuration through its own template system, which controls shipping, returns, payment, and other policies. You do not need to create eBay Business Policies separately -- Ecommerce sends the correct policy information directly with each listing.

Listings

How long does it take for new listings to appear on eBay?

New listings are submitted to eBay on the daily creation feed, which runs at approximately 2:00 PM Pacific. Listings typically appear on eBay by around 5:00 PM Pacific. If you create a listing after the feed has already run for the day, it will go out on the next day's feed. Plan for up to 24 hours from when you create a listing in Ecommerce to when it is live on eBay.

I created listings but they are still showing as Offline. What is wrong?

The most common reason is that the listing has not been picked up by the creation feed yet. If the creation feed has not run since you created the listing, it will remain in an Offline or Pending status until the next feed at approximately 2:00 PM Pacific. If the listing has been through a creation feed and is still Offline, check for validation errors such as missing images, pricing issues, or category problems.

Can I edit my listings directly on eBay?

No. Ecommerce overwrites listing data on eBay during every revision feed. Any changes you make directly on eBay -- to the title, description, price, images, or any other field -- will be replaced by Ecommerce data the next time the revision feed runs. Always make your edits in Ecommerce.

How do I change the title of my listings?

Edit the title hash assigned to your listing in Ecommerce. The title hash is a string of placeholder tags like {%MANUFACTURER_GROUP%}  , {%MPN%}  , and {%ITEM_NAME%}   that Ecommerce uses to build the listing title from your catalog data. You can customize the hash to control which product fields appear in the title and in what order. Changes will take effect on the next revision feed.

What does "Group Variations" mean?

Group Variations creates a single multi-variation listing on eBay that combines related products -- for example, the same helmet in multiple sizes or colors -- under one listing page. Buyers see a dropdown to select their option. This consolidates your catalog, reduces listing fees, and keeps reviews and sales history in one place.

How many images can a listing have?

eBay allows up to 12 images per listing. Ecommerce will send as many product images as are available in your catalog, up to that limit. Make sure your product images meet eBay's requirements -- minimum 500 pixels on the longest side, no watermarks, and a clean background.

Can I list products from multiple catalogs?

Yes. You can create eBay listings from your Aftermarket catalog, OEM catalog, or Private catalog. Each listing is assigned to a template independently, so you can have products from different catalogs using different shipping, returns, and category configurations.

Can I create combo or kit listings?

Yes, by creating a product in the Private Catalog that represents the kit or combo. Keep in mind that Ecommerce inventory sync tracks individual products, not assembled kits, so the inventory for a kit listing will not automatically decrease when one of its component parts sells separately. You will need to manage kit inventory carefully to avoid overselling.

Inventory & Pricing

How often does inventory update on eBay?

Inventory updates go out with the daily revision feed, which runs at approximately 7:00 AM Pacific. Ecommerce also sends inventory-specific reports to eBay on a regular schedule. Between the revision feed and inventory reports, your eBay quantities typically reflect your current stock levels within 24 hours of a change in Ecommerce.

Why did my listing go offline or show as Out of Stock?

The most common cause is that the product's available inventory dropped below your Marketplace Buffer (the minimum stock threshold you configured in Ecommerce). When stock falls below that floor, Ecommerce marks the listing as out of stock. If you have Out of Stock Control enabled, the listing stays on eBay but is not purchasable. If Out of Stock Control is disabled, the listing may be ended entirely. Check your distributor inventory data and your buffer settings.

What is the Inventory Ceiling and what should I set it to?

The Inventory Ceiling caps the quantity displayed to buyers on eBay, regardless of your actual stock level. If you have 200 units but your ceiling is set to 5, eBay will show "5 available." This prevents buyers from placing unusually large orders that you may not be able to fulfill if distributor stock shifts. We recommend setting the ceiling between 4 and 10 for most dealers.

What is the Marketplace Buffer and what should I set it to?

The Marketplace Buffer is the minimum inventory level a product must have to remain listed as available on eBay. If stock drops to or below this number, Ecommerce treats the product as out of stock. This buffer protects you from overselling when inventory data is slightly delayed. We recommend setting it between 4 and 7, depending on how volatile your distributor stock levels are.

My listing shows the wrong price. How do I fix it?

Start by checking the product's price in your Ecommerce catalog -- that is the source price Ecommerce uses. Then check whether you have any price rules or markups configured in your eBay settings that modify the catalog price. Finally, verify that the resulting price falls within your Min/Max Price Thresholds. If the price is outside those thresholds, Ecommerce may block the update. The corrected price will go out on the next revision feed.

I use a third-party repricer. Will Ecommerce overwrite my prices?

Yes. By default, Ecommerce sends pricing data to eBay on every revision feed, which will overwrite any price changes made by an external repricer. If you want to use a third-party repricer, enable the "Disable Pricing" option in your Ecommerce eBay settings. This tells Ecommerce to skip pricing updates during revision feeds, leaving your repricer in control of prices.

What are Min/Max Price Thresholds?

Min and Max Price Thresholds are safety rails that prevent absurdly low or high prices from being published to eBay. If a calculated listing price falls below the minimum or above the maximum threshold you have set, Ecommerce will flag the listing with a pricing error instead of publishing the incorrect price. This protects you from catalog data errors or pricing rule mistakes that could result in selling at a loss or scaring off buyers with an unreasonable price.

Orders & Shipping

How do orders from eBay get into Ecommerce?

Ecommerce automatically imports eBay orders through scheduled order reports. The system periodically checks for new completed orders and creates matching order records in Ecommerce. You do not need to manually enter or copy orders. There may be a short delay -- typically a few hours at most -- between when a buyer completes a purchase and when the order appears in Ecommerce.

Do I need to manually update tracking on eBay?

No. When you enter a tracking number in Ecommerce, it automatically syncs the tracking information and carrier back to eBay. Buyers receive eBay's standard shipping notification with the tracking details. You do not need to log into eBay separately to update tracking.

How does Ecommerce know which carrier I am using?

Ecommerce auto-detects the shipping carrier based on the format of the tracking number you enter. Different carriers use different tracking number patterns (length, prefix, format), and Ecommerce matches against these known patterns to identify the carrier. In most cases this works automatically. If Ecommerce cannot detect the carrier, you can select it manually when entering tracking.

Where do my eBay payments go?

eBay uses Managed Payments, which means payments from buyers go directly to your bank account on eBay's payout schedule. Ecommerce does not process or hold your funds -- payment flows entirely through eBay. You can view your payout schedule and history in eBay's Seller Hub under the Payments tab.

How do I handle shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico?

These destinations often involve carrier surcharges and service limitations that standard shipping settings do not account for. You have a few options: use eBay's calculated shipping so rates adjust automatically based on destination, set up eBay rate tables with specific rates for these locations, or exclude these destinations entirely in your shipping settings.

Do I need to configure taxes?

In most cases, no. eBay automatically calculates and collects sales tax in US states that require marketplace facilitator tax collection. This covers the vast majority of transactions. You do not need to configure tax settings in Ecommerce for these states. If you have questions about tax obligations in specific states, consult your accountant or tax advisor.

Errors & Troubleshooting

What does "Listing Issue: Duplicate Title" mean?

Two or more of your listings ended up with the same title, which eBay does not allow. This usually happens when different products generate identical titles from the same title hash -- for example, two parts from the same manufacturer with the same product name but different part numbers, where the hash does not include {%MPN%}  . Fix this by editing the title hash to include more distinguishing fields or by adding a subtitle to one of the duplicate listings.

What does "Product Issue: Missing Image" mean?

The product assigned to this listing does not have any images in the Ecommerce catalog, and eBay requires at least one image per listing. Add product images through your catalog, or check whether a fallback image option is available in your settings. The listing will not go live until at least one image is present.

What does "Product Issue: Pricing" mean?

The calculated price for this listing falls outside your Min/Max Price Thresholds. Ecommerce blocked the price from being published to protect you from an incorrect listing price. Check the product's catalog price, your price rules, and your threshold settings to determine which value is out of range, then correct it.

What does "Failed Revision" mean?

Ecommerce attempted to update your listing on eBay, but eBay rejected the update. Common causes include category changes that eBay does not allow on active listings, restricted item specifics, or temporary eBay API issues. Check the revision response details in Ecommerce for the specific error message eBay returned. If the error is not clear, contact Ecommerce support with the listing ID and error details.

My listings have been stuck in "Pending" for over 24 hours. What should I do?

If a listing has been in a Pending status for more than 24 hours, something may have gone wrong with the feed processing. First, confirm that your eBay authorization tokens are still valid by checking your eBay Settings page in Ecommerce. If the tokens are fine, contact Ecommerce support with the affected listing IDs so they can investigate.

Why did eBay remove my listing?

A listing with a "Disabled by eBay" status means eBay took it down for a policy violation. Ecommerce did not remove it -- eBay did. Log in to eBay's Seller Hub and check your account notifications or the Performance tab for details on which policy was violated. Common causes include restricted brands, VeRO (intellectual property) claims, or prohibited item types. Resolve the violation with eBay directly, then contact Ecommerce support if you need help relisting.

I am getting negative feedback because of wrong product data. What do I do?

First, respond to the feedback professionally and promptly through eBay -- buyers and future customers see your response. Then, identify the source of the incorrect data in your Ecommerce catalog and correct it so the issue does not repeat. Report the data issue to Ecommerce support so they can investigate whether it affects other dealers. You can also request that eBay remove feedback that resulted from inaccurate catalog data outside your control, though eBay's removal policies are strict.

Templates & Configuration

What is a listing template?

A listing template is a reusable configuration that controls how a group of listings behaves on eBay. It defines the eBay category, shipping method, return policy, payment settings, warranty, and store category placement. Every listing must be assigned to a template before it can go live. Instead of configuring these settings per listing, you set them once in a template and assign it to as many listings as you need.

Can I rename a template?

No. Template names are set at creation and cannot be changed afterward. If you need a different name, clone the existing template, give the clone the new name, reassign your listings from the old template to the new one, and then delete the original.

How do I change the shipping method on my listings?

Update the shipping settings in the listing template that your listings are assigned to. The template controls whether listings use calculated shipping, flat rate shipping, or free shipping. Any change you make to the template will apply to all listings assigned to it on the next revision feed.

What is the difference between Calculated and Flat Rate shipping?

With Calculated shipping, eBay determines the shipping cost at checkout based on the package weight, dimensions, buyer location, and the carrier service you select. With Flat Rate shipping, you set a fixed shipping price that every buyer pays regardless of their location. Calculated shipping is generally more accurate but requires you to have correct weight and dimension data. Flat rate is simpler but may over- or under-charge depending on destination.

How do I set up eBay rate tables?

Rate tables are created on eBay's side, not in Ecommerce. Log in to eBay and go to Shipping Preferences in your account settings to create or edit rate tables. Once your rate tables are saved on eBay, they will be available for selection in your Ecommerce listing templates. Rate tables let you set different shipping rates for different regions, which is especially useful for handling Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico surcharges.

What warranty options are available?

Ecommerce supports the following warranty options in listing templates: No Warranty, 90 Day, 6 Month, 1 Year, 2 Year, 3 Year, 4 Year, 5 Year, 6 Year, 7 Year, 8 Year, 9 Year, 10 Year, and Lifetime. Choose the warranty that matches what you actually offer on the products assigned to that template. This information is displayed to buyers on the eBay listing page.

Still Have Questions?

If your question is not covered here, contact Ecommerce support. When reaching out, include your dealer name, the specific listing IDs or order numbers involved, and any error messages you are seeing. The more detail you provide, the faster we can help.