Managing eBay Business Policies

How to set business policies in eBay and import them to Lister

Rain Gilbert avatar
Written by Rain Gilbert
Updated over a week ago

Overview

eBay strongly recommends using business policies. Although they aren't required on eBay, they are required to list to eBay from Lister.

For an introduction to eBay business policies, please see eBay's help center article linked here for an introduction to eBay business policies.


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Table of Contents


What are eBay Business Policies?

eBay business policies allow you to set shipping, returns, and payment rules. Business policies control things like:

  • How customers can pay for orders

  • How much to charge for shipping

  • Pickup only items

  • Option for allowing returns, how long a buyer has to open a return, and who pays for those returns

You can have multiple policies in each section. To configure your business policies within eBay, please navigate here.


Recommended eBay Business Policies

Payment Policy: Auctions

💡Operational Tip: If you sell items via the auction format, or offer local pickup, you will need this policy to list your items on eBay with Lister! If you don't have this policy, your listings will fail to list and land in the Attention Required tab of the Listing Manager

This policy allows buyers to pay within your stated payment window in your eBay Awaiting Payment preferences. This policy should be used for auction format listings and Local Pickup items

  1. Name the policy clearly to identify it for Auctions and Local Pickup

  2. Do NOT select the checkbox "Require immediate payment when buyer uses Buy It Now"

Auction Format and Local Pickup Payment Policy

Payment Policy: Buy-It-Now Immediate Payment

💡Operational Tip: If you sell items via the Buy It Now format and require buyers to pay immediately, you will need this policy to list your items on eBay with Lister!

Use this payment policy in eBay Listing Strategy steps set to "Buy Now" format

  • This policy is NOT compatible with auction format listings

If you want buyers to pay immediately for buy-it-now items, create the following policy:

  1. Name the policy clearly to identify it for Buy-It-Now Immediate Payment

  2. Select the checkbox "Require immediate payment when buyer uses Buy It Now"

    Edit payment policy 2024-02-22 at 9.53.52 AM

Shipping: Local Pickup Only

💡Operational Tip: This policy cannot be combined with an Immediate Payment policy. listings combining immediate payment and a local pickup option will fail and land in the Attention Required tab of the Listing Manager

If you offer local pickup for oversized items that cannot ship via standard shipping methods, this policy prevents buyers from selecting a shipping option at checkout.

  1. Name the policy clearly to identify it for Local Pickup Only

  2. Set the shipping option to "No shipping: Local pickup only"

Edit shipping policy 2024-02-22 at 10.04.25 AM

Shipping: Under 1lb Flat Rate

This flat rate policy is great for lightweight items (under 1lb) that can ship for a flat rate (for example, jewelry and other small/lightweight items)

  1. Name the policy clearly to identify the flat rate shipping rate

  2. Select "Flat rate cost to all buyers"

  3. Set the shipping service and amount buyers will pay for shipping

  4. Optional: Add a Local Pickup option, if you offer on-site pickup to your buyers

  5. Optional: Select the checkboxes to apply your eBay combined shipping rules

Flat Rate Shipping Policy Example

Shipping: Calculated

This shipping policy calculates shipping paid by buyers based on size, weight, and shipping destination.

  1. Name the policy clearly to identify the calculated shipping rule

  2. Select "Calculated: Cost Caries by buyer location"

  3. Set the shipping service offered

  4. Optional: Add a Local Pickup option, if you offer on-site pickup to your buyers

  5. Optional: Select the checkboxes to apply your eBay combined shipping rules

Calculated Shipping Business Policy Example

Return Policies

eBay return policies affect your ability to become an eBay Top Rated Seller Plus.

Lister needs at least one return policy to list products to eBay from the options below:

  • No Returns Accepted

  • Returns: 14-day Returns

  • Returns: 30-day Returns

Example return policy

How to Import eBay Business Policies to Lister

After you've created your policies within eBay, you need to resync them to Lister so they can be used while creating listings or editing listing strategies.

  1. Click the gear icon in the top right navigation menu of Lister to go to the admin page

  2. Click “eBay” under the “Channels” section in the left navigation menu

  3. Click “Edit setting” next to your eBay account name

    eBay settings are found in the admin portal of Lister.
  4. Click the “Edit Seller Profiles” button at the top of page

    Admin - Ebay - #21 2024-02-22 at 10.27.32 AM
  5. Click the “Sync Profiles” button in the top right corner. Your policies will import within a few seconds

  6. Optional: Once you've imported your eBay seller profiles, you can hide and/or make policies default.

    • Hidden means your posters won't see the options when they list an item

    • Default makes the profile the default when a poster creates a new listing, unconnected to a listing strategy Listing Strategies

  7. Click the blue “Save” button at the bottom of the business policy list

    Admin - Ebay Seller Profiles - #634 2024-02-22 at 10.34.49 AM
  8. Review each eBay Listing Strategy step and ensure the correct policy is applied

    Review eBay Listing Strategies and assign business polices

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