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Top Rated Sellers consistently provide the best buying experiences to their customers. You can be a Top Rated Seller whether you have a large volume of sales or a smaller volume. Additionally, sellers that offer 14-day or more, money-back return policies and ship in 1 business day with tracking may qualify for Top Rated Plus. The requirements and benefits are the same for most categories, with the exception of Motors vehicle categories.
Benefits
Sellers who meet all the Top Rated Seller performance requirements receive the following benefits:
In addition, listings that qualify for Top Rated Plus receive a 20% final value fee discount on the item's sale price (not including shipping). These listings will also receive the greatest, on average, advantage for fixed price listings in Best Match.
Note: Listings without same business day or 1 business day handling, and a 14-day return policy from Top Rated Sellers continue to receive some additional exposure in search. These listings don't receive a final value fee discount.
Be sure to look at your Seller Dashboard to check your performance.
Requirements
Top Rated Seller
To become a Top Rated Seller, you need to meet the following performance requirements:
Have an eBay account that's been active for at least 90 days.
Have at least 100 transactions and $1,000 in sales with US buyers over the most recent 12-month period.
Upload shipment tracking to your buyer's My eBay within your promised handling time for at least 90% of your transactions with US buyers in the last 3 months. Details below:
Handling time is measured by business days. Weekends and holidays aren't counted.
For example, if you specify 1-day handling time and a buyer pays for an item on Tuesday, you have until 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday to upload a tracking number. For a buyer's payment on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday a tracking number must be uploaded by 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time on Monday.
If a buyer purchases items from multiple listings, each listing (transaction) must have a tracking number associated with it. This is required even if all the listings have been combined into a single order for shipment.
If you offer same business day handling, you have 1 business day to upload tracking information.
Note: Sellers are not required to upload tracking in the following instances:
Transactions using freight or local pick-up as the shipping service
Meet the following requirements for detailed seller ratings (DSRs):
DSR category |
Percentage of 1 and 2 ratings
|
Item as described |
0.50% |
Communication |
0.50% |
Shipping time |
0.50% |
Shipping and handling charges |
0.50% |
Notes:
Sellers with 400 or more transactions over the past 3 months are evaluated on their transactions with US buyers from the last 3 calendar months. For all other sellers, the rate is calculated from transactions with US buyers over the last 12 calendar months.
To measure your overall performance accurately, we count 1 and 2 ratings only if they come from 2 or more buyers within any given evaluation period. If you have more than 400 transactions, 3 or more buyers must leave low detailed seller ratings before they are counted. Also, if the same buyer accounts for more than 80% of your 1 and 2 ratings in a single category, we will only count one low detailed seller rating from that buyer for each applicable category.
Meet the following eBay Buyer Protection and PayPal Buyer Protection cases standards:
Rates of cases based on |
Percentage of cases |
Closed cases without seller resolution |
0.30% |
Notes:
Sellers with 400 or more transactions over the past 3 months are evaluated on their transactions with US buyers from the last 3 calendar months. For all other sellers, the rate is calculated from transactions with US buyers over the last 12 calendar months.
To measure your overall performance accurately, we count cases only if they come from 2 or more buyers within any given evaluation period.
eBay may, at its sole discretion, temporarily grant Top Rated Seller status to an account even if it does not otherwise meet the requirements at the time of evaluation. This may be as a result of loss of Top Rated Seller status due to eBay or PayPal site outage, natural disaster, postal strike, or for any other reason that eBay may determine makes a temporary status change necessary.
Top Rated Plus
To qualify for Top Rated Plus, listings need to meet the following requirements:
Meet all of the requirements of a Top Rated Seller listed above.
Offer a 14-day or more, money back return policy.
Offer same business day or 1 business day handling.
Receiving the greatest benefits on your listings
By meeting the performance requirements above, a Top Rated Seller receives additional exposure in Best Match. In addition, listings from Top Rated Sellers offering same business day or 1 business day handling and a 14-day or more return policy with a money back option also receive:
A Top Rated Plus seal on qualified listings
The greatest, on average, advantage in Best Match search for fixed-priced listings
A 20% final value fee discount on the item's sales price (not including the shipping cost)
Listings in the following categories must offer same business day or 1 business day handling to qualify for the 20% final value fee Top Rated Plus discount, but don't have to accept returns:
Bullion > Platinum & Palladium
A seller offering a freight shipping service must accept returns, but is not required to offer same business day or 1 business day handling to qualify for the 20% final value fee Top Rated Plus discount.
Listings within the Real Estate and Specialty Services categories, as well as listings that offer local pick-up only, aren't eligible for the additional benefits.
Note: Offering same business day or 1 business day handling or accepting returns are not requirements of the Top Rated Seller program. However, it is a way to maximize the benefits you receive by qualifying for Top Rated Plus. For any listing to receive the Top Rated Plus seal, both same business day or 1 business day handling and a 14-day or more return policy with a money back option must be offered. No exceptions apply.
Most listings that meet the requirements will show the Top Rated Plus seal
within minutes of creating or revising your listing. However, occasionally this may take up to 3 hours to process. The delay in the appearance of the seal does not impact your search placement. Top Rated Plus listings will continue to receive, on average, increased search exposure.
Top Rated Plus best practices
Follow these best practices to make sure you're prepared to meet buyer expectations for the 2 key services that earn you top rewards:
Fulfill your orders within the time promised—within 1 day when possible. To help ship items quickly, you can use free carrier pickup (for Priority or Express Mail) with USPS and save yourself a trip to the post office.
Offer a return policy that is 14 days or longer. Learn more about creating your return policy and get tips on how to set a clear return policy. Return policies must allow for "buyer's remorse" returns, although you may specify that items must be returned in original condition or charge a restocking fee for items returned opened or used.
Becoming a Top Rated Seller in Motors vehicles categories
Not all requirements and benefits that apply to sellers in other categories apply to vehicle sales, and only vehicle transactions with US buyers count toward Top Rated Seller status in Motors vehicle categories. All other transactions—including transactions in eBay Motors Parts & Accessories—are evaluated by the Top Rated Seller program requirements.
To achieve the Top Rated Seller status in the Motors vehicle category, you need to:
Have at least 40 vehicle transactions with US buyers during the most recent 12-month period.
Meet the detailed seller ratings standards: You can't receive a 1 or a 2 on more than 2 transactions or 1% of transactions during the past 12 months.
Maintain a low rate of vehicle transactions that result in a Vehicle Purchase Protection claim filed against you over the last 12 months.
Be registered with eBay for at least 90 days, and make sure your account is in good standing (not past due).
As a Top Rated Seller in Motors vehicles, you'll receive the following benefits:
A prominent seal
on your Motors vehicle listings, and Motors vehicle search results pages
Qualifying for Top Rated Seller status on other eBay sites
You can become a Top Rated Seller in the US, UK, and Germany based on your transactions with buyers in those countries. US sellers may receive the Top Rated Seller badge and greater on average search placement if they meet the criteria for the UK and German Top Rated Seller programs. For example, if you are a US seller selling in the UK, you can qualify for UK Top Rated Seller status based on your UK performance rating, which is based on your transactions with UK buyers.
US sellers who meet Top Rated Seller requirements based on global performance standards receive additional exposure in search and the Top Rated Seller badge on these eBay sites. For example, if you are a US seller selling in France, you can qualify for these Top Rated Seller benefits based on your global performance rating, which is based on your transactions with buyers in all countries. Learn more about global seller performance standards.
Important: Sellers who live in the US aren't eligible for Top Rated Seller fee discounts offered by other eBay sites, even if they participate in those programs. To qualify for discounts for sales through those sites, a seller must reside in the UK or Germany and be a Top Rated Seller in the UK or Germany program. Also, only sellers who reside in the US or Canada are eligible for the 20% final value fee discount on eBay.com and eBay Motors listings.