How to sell more on eBay in 2026, with 11 tips to grow your sales

With more than 134 million members globally, eBay is a powerful platform for sellers looking to maximize their target audience. Whether you're a seasoned seller or new to the site, optimizing your presence will substantially boost your sales.

This article explores tactics for improving your performance, helping you to increase your eBay sales.

1. Optimize your listings

With approximately 2.3 billion active listings, standing out on eBay requires more than a generic approach. Effective optimization means using high-quality photos, thorough and keyword-rich descriptions, and listing management tools to ensure consistency with your other sales channels.

eBay's AI-powered listing tools have expanded significantly. The original Magical Listing feature has evolved into a full suite of tools. The Magical Bulk Listing tool lets sellers upload batches of product images and generates draft listings, including suggested categories, titles, and item specifics, in seconds, processing hundreds of photos per batch. 

A simplified mobile listing flow launched last year reduced the total steps to create a listing by 50%, starting from a photo rather than a text search. A background enhancement tool uses generative AI to produce clean, professional product photo backgrounds automatically. Over 10 million sellers worldwide have now used eBay's AI listing features, creating more than 100 million listings that generated billions in GMV. 

An optimal product listing strategy should include:

• A concise but compelling title with precise spelling, no more than 80 characters.
• An accurate description, utilizing product facts from the eBay catalog whenever possible.
• High-quality images taken from all angles, highlighting any faults or imperfections. You may include up to 24 photos for free.
• Item characteristics, such as make, model, size, color, and style.
  
  

👉 Action Step: Check out our post on writing product titles for every marketplace for more detailed guidance.

2. Maximize positive reviews

Online review statistics show that 72% of prospective customers will convert only after reading a positive review. To sell more on eBay, you must focus on building a strong reputation through positive buyer feedback. This feedback is crucial as customers are more likely to purchase from sellers with excellent reviews, often spending 31% more on businesses with strong ratings.

On eBay, buyers leave positive feedback on 20-30% of successful transactions, whereas unhappy buyers leave feedback 90% of the time.

It is essential to seek positive buyer feedback to sell more on eBay. Some approaches to achieving that include:

• Ensuring you give your buyers feedback to open a dialogue for them to return the favor.
• Responding to negative feedback in an empathetic and professional tone.
• Send personalized messages to buyers and keep them updated on their product status.
• Specifically, request feedback. For example, send a request explaining why feedback is important to your business after shipping.

You will maximize your chance of receiving positive reviews if you consistently provide a great customer experience and ensure products meet expectations.

👉 Action Step: Focus on delivering exceptional service and reach out to buyers for feedback after a successful transaction.

3. Get eBay top-rated seller status

eBay will reward sellers who provide first-rate customer service with better visibility in search results, lower selling fees, and a "Top Rated Seller" status. There are several criteria to qualify as a top-rated seller, which include :

• $1,000 in sales and 100 or more transactions during the last 12 months
• A defect rate below 0.5% with three or fewer defects
• A late shipment rate below 3%
• Carrier validation for 95% of transactions
  
  

Top-rated sellers benefit from increased visibility, which usually translates to more sales. Additionally, being a top-rated seller can lower your fees and help you stand out in search results.

Achieving Top Rated Seller status can be challenging, but it is achievable with consistent effort and a focus on customer satisfaction. This is where ChannelEngine can help. We specialize in marketplace management and have a team of experts who understand the nuances of eBay and other platforms. Our marketplace specialists can guide you in navigating the eBay requirements, optimizing your listings, and ensuring your operations run smoothly to help you attain and maintain Top Rated Seller status.

👉 Action Step: Aim for top-rated seller status by meeting eBay’s criteria and maintaining stellar customer service. Let ChannelEngine assist you in optimizing your marketplace strategy to achieve this goal efficiently. Book a free consultation today!

4. Optimize for Cassini (eBay's search engine)

Cassini, eBay's search engine, functions similarly to Google by striving to provide users with a good experience. eBay consistently updates its search engine and algorithms to match customers with relevant products better. As an eBay seller, optimizing your listings, providing exceptional customer service, and increasing traffic to your listings are essential strategies to enhance your visibility and rank higher in eBay search results.

Product titles with 15 to 18 words tend to perform best on eBay search results. Ensure you avoid acronyms; buyers don't typically use them in searches, and include as many keywords as possible in your listing.

Ensure your item titles and descriptions are unique and not lifted from another listing. In addition to being bad practice, it violates eBay's terms of service and is frowned upon by Cassini.

The quality and relevance of the item description, comprehensiveness of item specifics, pricing, return policies, and quality of images and photos all contribute to the Cassini algorithm.

It's also worth knowing that eBay's AI features and Cassini work together. AI-generated listing content doesn't automatically improve search ranking; what improves ranking is listing quality: correct category placement, complete item specifics, relevant titles, competitive pricing, and consistent listing activity. Use eBay's AI tools to get those inputs right, and Cassini will reward you for it.

5. Use eBay sponsored listings

Investing in eBay Sponsored Listings can expose your products to a broader audience. Promoted listings generated approximately $418 million in Q1 2025 alone, up 14% year-over-year, and deliver sellers an average sales uplift of around 25%. Promoted listings deliver click-through rates of 3–4%, compared to 0.8–1.2% for organic listings.

The ads appear on the eBay homepage and at the top of search results to increase exposure. It is helpful for new products when trying to build up sales and positive reviews quickly. However, it is worth noting that you must be an above-standard or top-rated seller to access eBay sponsored listings.

eBay sponsored listings get you in front of a wider audience, and you will only be charged for the ad if your item sells.

If you’re looking to make the most of eBay's advertising tools and ensure your campaigns are optimized for maximum results, you can team up with ChannelEngine. We offer Partner Managed Services that include expert guidance in managing your eBay campaigns, optimizing your listings, and leveraging sponsored listings effectively.

👉 Action Step: Consider using eBay’s Sponsored Listings to increase exposure and sales. Partner with ChannelEngine to get expert support and maximize the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.

6. Tap into AI-powered discovery features for buyers

eBay has rolled out a suite of AI-powered discovery tools on the buyer side that sellers should understand because better buyer experiences mean more sales for you.

Shop the Look is an AI-driven feature that curates personalized outfit recommendations based on a shopper's browsing history, using interactive hotspots to surface similar items from eBay's inventory. Available on iOS for US and UK users, it's designed to drive discovery and increase purchase confidence, particularly in fashion. Explore complements this with a personalized, AI-powered feed that surfaces products based on a shopper's size, style, and preferences.

Most significantly, eBay launched its own AI Shopping Agent in May 2025 - a conversational tool that delivers real-time, personalized product picks and guidance as buyers browse. eBay is also testing agentic commerce experiences in partnership with OpenAI's Operator, which can direct shoppers to eBay listings autonomously based on natural language prompts. 

eBay CEO Jamie Iannone called 2025 a "watershed year" for AI innovation, describing a shift from generative AI pilots to "scalable agentic experiences" that actively assist both buyers and sellers.

What this means for sellers: listings with complete, accurate data - strong item specifics, high-quality images, competitive pricing - are the ones these AI systems will surface. AI discovery amplifies quality; it doesn't substitute for it.

👉 Action Step: Treat eBay's AI buyer tools as a reason to double down on listing quality. The sellers whose inventory shows up in AI-curated recommendations will have a meaningful edge as agentic commerce matures. 

7. Expand your reach with international sales

If you haven't already, consider selling internationally. eBay is a global marketplace, and expanding your reach can help you tap into new customer bases. The ability to list products in various currencies and languages using one marketplace integration software gives you access to a broader audience.

Selling internationally opens up exciting opportunities, but it also brings challenges such as managing cross-border logistics and navigating tariffs. Understanding the complexities of international shipping is crucial for success. And we at ChannelEngine can help simplify this process.

Our platform offers cross-border ecommerce solutions that allow you to efficiently manage international listings, integrate with local marketplaces, and stay on top of shipping requirements. Additionally, our expertise in navigating customs regulations ensures that you can expand your reach while remaining compliant and optimizing costs.

👉 Action Step: If you're looking to expand your sales globally, consider offering international shipping and leveraging eBay's global selling tools. You can also explore ChannelEngine’s cross-border eCommerce solutions to streamline your international operations and ensure smooth transaction.

8. Manage returns effectively

While returns typically come at a cost, efficient returns management is vital to increase your sales on eBay. Almost 80% of shoppers expect free shipping and will buy more when free returns are available. eBay boosts listings that have a 30-day free return policy included in their terms.

However, it’s important to balance the costs of offering free returns with the potential for increased sales. While free returns can improve customer trust and conversion rates, they may also involve additional expenses for inventory, packaging, and restocking. Consider how this option aligns with your business model and customer expectations.

Remember, if you achieve Top Rated Seller status, you can benefit from lower listing and final value fees. Those features can soak up the expense of offering free returns.

👉 Action Step: Offering free returns might help increase your visibility and appeal to more buyers, but it’s important to weigh the benefits against the costs to determine if it's the right approach for your business.

9. Sell at the right price points

Although eBay is an auction site, 80% of product listings sell through the "Buy It Now" option. That means competitive pricing strategies are pivotal in converting browsers into sales.

Consider offering discounts for bulk purchases with virtual product bundles or tiered pricing on single products where applicable. Bundles are a particularly great way to push complementary products or to generate sales from replenishable items.

While the "Buy It Now" option dominates, auctions can still work well for unique products or those in high demand. You can set a reserve price during auctions to ensure the product does not sell for less than your minimum value.

Once you’ve settled on a pricing strategy, it’s important to periodically adjust your prices in response to market changes, new competition, or shifting demand. This constant monitoring is key to maintaining a competitive edge.

ChannelEngine can help streamline this process. Our Price Management solution allows you to automate pricing adjustments across multiple marketplaces, ensuring your products remain competitively priced. With real-time pricing updates and market insights, you can optimize your eBay pricing strategy without the manual effort.

👉 Action Step: Use a price management tool to stay on top of market dynamics and adjust your pricing strategy accordingly, helping you maintain competitive pricing and improve your sales potential.

10. Integrate Shopify with eBay

If you’re running an eCommerce store on Shopify, integrating it with eBay can significantly streamline your operations. This integration enables you to manage inventory, process orders, and list products seamlessly across platforms. This can save you time and you avoid overselling or any stock discrepancies.

Additionally, this integration allows you to centralize order management, which means that whether you’re fulfilling orders on Shopify or eBay, you can handle them from a single dashboard, improving efficiency and accuracy. It also offers a unified view of your sales data, helping you make more informed business decisions.

ChannelEngine offers a comprehensive solution for integrating Shopify with eBay, making it easier than ever to connect your ecommerce store to eBay marketplace. Our integration platform ensures that your product listings, inventory, and pricing are all synchronized in real-time, minimizing manual work and preventing errors. This streamlined process helps you expand your reach by listing your products on eBay without needing separate management for each platform.

👉 Action Step: Consider integrating your Shopify store with eBay so that you can save you time, reduce errors, improve your ecommerce operations, and reach a broader audience efficiently.

11. Optimize listings for mobile

More than 61% of eBay sales are mobile, meaning optimizing listings for all devices is non-negotiable. There are several ways to ensure your listing is mobile-friendly.

• Ensure your fonts are readable on mobile devices. Generally speaking, avoid font sizes below 12px, which negates the need for users to zoom in. The base eBay font is 16px.
• Scale listing information to fit on a mobile screen to avoid horizontal scrollbars.
• Formatting must be simple and easy to read. Although there are many style options, try to keep to a white background and black text. Avoid HTML as it may not render well on mobile.
• Do not insert photos in the description. Only use the photo uploader tool. Images in product descriptions can become misaligned on mobile.
• Use the fields designated for item specifics, shipping, and returns. The Item Description is shortened on mobile devices and will lead to the buyer seeing incomplete information if you only include it in there.

Nearly 75% of eBay's mobile shoppers are aged 18–34 - a digitally native audience with high expectations for a smooth, visual experience. A listing that looks great on desktop but falls apart on mobile is leaving money on the table.

This matters even more as AI-powered discovery takes hold. Features like Shop the Look and eBay's AI Shopping Agent are primarily mobile experiences, meaning the buyers most likely to find your products through agentic recommendations are also the ones shopping on their phones. A poorly optimized listing won't just lose a direct search; it could get skipped by the AI tools surfacing results to this audience.

👉 Action Step: Don't neglect mobile optimization - the volume of eBay users on mobile devices means that even small friction points can significantly dampen your sales.

Concluding thoughts

Selling on eBay in 2025 requires more than just listing products – it’s about optimizing every aspect of your operations, from your listings and pricing to your customer service and international reach. AI is no longer a nice-to-have on eBay; it's reshaping how buyers discover products and how sellers create listings. By applying the strategies outlined in this guide, you can stand out on eBay, improve your sales performance, and grow your business in a competitive marketplace.

At ChannelEngine, we understand the challenges of managing multiple marketplaces. Our platform helps automate many aspects of your operations, such as syncing products, inventory, orders, and pricing in real time, so you can focus on growing your business. Our advanced automation for marketplace operations ensures your processes run smoothly and efficiently, saving you time and reducing errors across platforms.