Funds Availability
Get paid faster. Learn how.
How to get your money fast
- Achieve and maintain eBay Top Rated Seller, Above Standard, or Standard status.
- Offer expedited shipping options.
- Specify same-day handling time, and always ship the same day you receive the order. Remember estimated delivery time is a combination of your handling time plus the carrier's published estimated delivery time.
- Use eBay labels to pay for shipping. Tracking information is uploaded automatically.
- Always upload tracking information to eBay.
- Respond quickly to buyer issues.
- Follow all recommended best practices for providing great service and preventing Buyer Protection claims from being opened.
When can I expect to get paid?
The most important thing you can do to help get paid faster is ship the same day your buyer pays and follow good shipping practices. You should encourage your buyers to leave a feedback only after they receive the item. This helps us estimate the delivery dates more accurately and feedback left before the item is received may result in a delay.
Based on your shipping method and the shipping information you provide, here's when your funds should be available
- Within 24 hours after we confirm the order was delivered, if you pay for shipping and print labels on eBay.
- Within 24 hours after we confirm the order was delivered, if you ship directly using USPS, UPS or FedEx and manually enter your tracking information to My eBay.
- Seven days after your latest estimated delivery date, if you don't upload tracking information but you mark the item as shipped in My eBay.
- 21 days after the buyer pays, if you don't provide tracking information, mark the item as shipped, or the estimated delivery date can't be calculated. In such cases, we may use buyer feedback as a delivery confirmation along with other factors.
Keep in mind that it may take longer to get funds if your buyer reports a problem.
Additionally, we may hold your funds for 21 days if we determine the transaction to be a risk. Category, price, and seller standing can all contribute to this decision. You can identify this by the estimated release date in the sold section of My eBay.
This will generally only happen for sellers who are already under the Funds Availability program.
Pending funds
Some payments may show as pending in your PayPal account and may not be immediately available. Below are the most common reasons your funds would display as pending
- New sellers or those with limited buying and/ or selling histories may not have met the following requirements
- Your current performance has fallen below the minimum standard for all eBay sellers.
- There may be a high level of risk associated with your account or transactions.
FAQs
- Why do my funds show as pending?
The most common reasons your funds would show as pending are you have a limited selling history or you aren't meeting eBay's minimum performance standards.
- How is the estimated delivery date calculated?
Your estimated delivery date is determined using a combination of your handling time plus the shipping carrier's published estimated delivery time for the service selected by your buyer.
- What's the longest period of time funds may show as pending and be unavailable?
If you don't provide tracking information, mark the item as shipped, or the estimated delivery date cannot be calculated, your funds could be unavailable for up to 21 days.
- How can I find out the status of my payments to manage my cash flow?
If you have payments shown as pending in your PayPal account, you'll see the status of these payments in My eBay or Seller Hub, including the estimated date funds will be available and steps you can take to help get your funds faster. You can also log in to your PayPal account for up-to-date information on the status of your payments.
- What is considered a limited selling history?
Sellers are considered to have a limited selling history until three conditions are met:
- It's been more than 90 days since your first successful sale
- You have more than 25 sales transactions
- You have more than $250 in total sales
- Where can I see my selling history?
Log in to My eBay and check your Seller Dashboard to see your total number of selling transactions, total sales volume, and time since you registered as a seller.
- How will I know if I'm not meeting eBay's minimum performance standards?
Sellers can see their current performance rating in their Seller Dashboard. If your rating is "Below Standard," that means you are not meeting the minimum.
- Which of my listings are affected?
All of your active or "live" listings, including Good 'Til Cancelled listings are affected.
- My seller dashboard says my performance rating is “Above Standard” so why do my payments show as pending?
It is possible to have an Above Standard rating and still have your payments show as pending because you have a limited selling history—90 days or less from your first sale, 25 or fewer sales transactions, or $250 or less in total sales.
- If I don't have a limited selling history and my performance rating is Above Standard, could I still be subject to having my payments show unavailable for a period of time?
Yes, there may be other PayPal policies that impact the availability of funds if a higher than normal level of risk is associated with your account--for example a sudden spike in eBay Money Back Guarantee cases, PayPal disputes or claims, unusual selling activity, items with an exceptionally high selling price, or sales in a new category or a category such as tickets, travel, or gift certificates. Learn more.
- What if I improve my performance and my rating is no longer Below Standard?
eBay evaluates seller performance every 30 days. If your rating moves to Above Standard or Top Rated Seller status, your seller performance rating will no longer be a reason why your funds are unavailable.
- What happens if an eBay Money Back Guarantee case or PayPal claim is opened during the time the payment is pending?
If an eBay Money Back Guarantee case, PayPal claim, or PayPal dispute is opened, or a credit card chargeback is received or other reversal is initiated during the time the payment is pending, funds for that sale are unavailable until the seller resolves the issue or the case is found in the seller's favor. If the seller does not resolve the issue or is found responsible, eBay or PayPal will refund the buyer's payment.
- I sell internationally. Will these transactions still be subject to this change?
If you are a seller registered on eBay.com, this change will apply to all of your listings on these three eBay sites whether your items ship domestically or internationally. To help get your funds quicker you can upload tracking information from USPS, UPS, or FedEx. In most cases, when we can confirm delivery, funds will be available in 3 days after delivery has been confirmed. If you use an alternate carrier or when carrier tracking is not available, you can still mark your item as shipped and your funds should be available 7 days after the latest estimated delivery date. If no estimated delivery date can be calculated, funds should be available 21 days after the buyer pays.
- What about transactions using payment methods besides PayPal?
Only PayPal transactions are subject to this action. Payments through other methods are covered by the terms and practices of each provider.
- What about items that don't require shipping such as services?
For affected sellers, funds from sales of services will be available in 21 days from when the buyer pays.
- What about listings that use eBay's Classified Ad format, including digital downloads?
Sales transacted through a classified advertisement on eBay.com or eBay Classifieds are not affected.
- I have more than one account. How will my payments be affected?
Funds will be available based on the status of the eBay account from which an item is sold. All new accounts, even those created by established sellers, are subject to funds availability.
- Will items with local pick-up be subject to funds availability?
If your buyer pre-pays for the item with PayPal and uses local pick-up for an item purchased on eBay.com, your funds will be available 21 days after the buyer pays.
