eBay offers sellers the solutions and support they need to grow their business, including seller insights, store subscriptions, a global shipping program, and so much more. What's more, their platform allows you to expand your e-commerce reach beyond online storefronts like Amazon and Walmart by granting you access to over 185 million active shoppers.
Still, we know the challenges that surface for folks selling on eBay for the first time. That's why we decided to go back to the basics to ensure you start off on the right path!
How to Open an eBay Business Account
Unlike personal accounts used by folks to make passive income, business accounts are for sole proprietors or companies. These accounts are fantastic because they offer sellers the essential tools for running an eBay store, from fulfillment to inventory management.
The good news is that opening an eBay business account is simple. You'll start by picking a subscription tailored to your seller volume, which ranges from basic starter plans to enterprise, which provides listing discounts and advanced membership perks like promoted listing credits.
After choosing a plan, eBay asks for your registered business name, corporate email address, password, and location. From there, you'll detail your business type, address, owner information, account managers, and bank information.
Once that information is submitted, you need to confirm your identity and banking information. Here's what you'll need to verify your registered business:
- Individual identification information for beneficial owners, officers, directors, or account managers
- Legal business name
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business address
- Phone number
- Banking and payment information
Provided there aren't any hiccups, eBay will verify your business account immediately, and you'll be ready to set up your account preferences.
How to Set the Right eBay Account Preferences and Policies
Head to the "Account Settings" section in the left navigation bar to update your account preferences.
Under account settings, review all addresses, payments, and shipping info to ensure they're correct. Next, update your notifications preferences. Once that’s done, tailor your site preferences to your business by including payment options, return policies, and any other essential details like shipping.
You should also set up an automatic payment method like PayPal to simplify managing payments and fees.
Starting Your eBay Store
With your account almost ready, the next step is to brand the customer-facing side of your eBay store. Here, you'll include your business name, inventory, and any other personalized details that allow you to stand out.
Pro tip: We recommend naming your store something that describes what you sell. So, for example, we might call our storefront "SellerActive: Multi Marketplace Listing Software" to communicate what we do best. Next, you’ll apply similar logic to your layout by including custom assets like your logo and featured items to further flesh out your page.
Tips for Your First eBay Listing
Guess what? You're ready to list your first product! You'll start by choosing the best listing type (auction vs. fixed pricing) and price point. From there, simply follow our best practices for creating a successful eBay listing:
- Optimize listings
- Take great photos
- Be mobile-friendly and avoid templates
- Stay competitive with pricing by using repricing software
- Become a trusted seller
When you’re ready to take a deeper dive, read our guide on covering our 10 Best Selling Practices for eBay to learn more.
Get Ready to Streamline Your eBay Store
We're always excited when an e-commerce client opens a new eBay business account, especially if we can help someone elevate their sales.
If you're new to SellerActive, we offer a solution that saves you time and money by allowing you to synchronize inventory, make bulk page updates, and stay competitive by using our automated repricing strategies.
Simplify multi-channel selling by starting a free 14-day trial of SellerActive today!
