Seller Requirements for Opening an eBay Store

How to start an eBay store starts with first fulfilling certain requirements. These include:

  • Having an eBay seller account
  • Having a credit card on file for your seller account
  • Becoming PayPal verified
  • Having a feedback score of 20 or higher if you want to open a Premium or Anchor store

Getting Started in eBay Stores

If you're an eBay seller, you can drive more business by starting an eBay store. This allows you to display all of your products for sale in one online location with a unique web address. You'll pay a monthly fee to access eBay tools to build, advertise, promote, manage, and track your business.

New eBay sellers are subject to limits on how much they can sell. During this trial period, you may not have access to the full benefits of your eBay store. These include the built-in community of buyers, which allows you to ensure there is a market for your product before striking out on your own. If you have merchandise to liquidate, eBay is a great place to do so. 

Once you have an eBay store, you no longer need to pay a seller fee for each listing. When you do not have a store, these fees are around 10 percent of the sale price, along with about 5 to 30 cents per item. You can list up to 50 items for free, but most sellers plan to do a much larger volume. 

Packages range from $19.95 for a basic store with 150 free listings each month, to an anchor store offering 2,500 free listings per month at a cost of $199.95. eBay stores sell inventory for a fixed price, rather than allowing sellers to bid on items like the rest of the site. You can list your items for 30 days, as well as arrange for automatic renewal. A single listing can include multiples of the same item, and the available item count will adjust as your items are sold. This allows you to sell a lot of items inexpensively.

The biggest advantage of upper-tier subscriptions is the improved promotion throughout the site. This includes optimal placement in search results and on the eBay store gateway. You'll also have an individual URL for your store. 

How to Become an eBay Seller

If you've determined that you meet the seller requirements as described above and have chosen the most appropriate eBay Stores package to subscribe to, the next step is to set up and design your store. 

Working With Your eBay Store

Once you have your store set up, you'll need to manage your store's settings, list your items, and develop and execute a marketing plan. 

Managing Your eBay Store

You can manage your eBay Store using either the Seller Hub or the My eBay page. This is where you can perform functions like posting items for sale or placing your store on vacation if you need to take a break or will be unavailable for an extended time.

Starting Your eCommerce Business

Most experts recommend building your own website under your own domain if you want a profitable e-commerce business that lasts for years. Those who don't know much about technology rely on eBay and other third-party marketplaces to set up and manage their online stores. By owning your own platform, you're truly your own boss, and don't need to abide by eBay's rules and regulations.

Having your own domain also allows you to build customer loyalty. If a customer has a good experience with your store, he or she is more likely to buy from you again. You can build your own marketing list, create your own site design to set yourself apart from the competition, and you can establish a brand. 

Building a shopping cart is one of the most challenging parts of starting an online store, but many online tools and services can help you facilitate this step. 

If you know a lot about a specific item category, such as vintage clothing, dishware, collectibles, or old video games, your expertise can help you run a profitable eBay store. eBay Stores are easy to set up and manage and give you access to one of the oldest, most well-known online marketplaces. They have been in business since 1995 and have more than 149 million users. Opening an eBay store is a good choice if you have a substantial inventory to sell, want to easily create an online presence, and have the time and dedication to treat it like a business.

If you need help with starting an eBay Store, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.