Resources
Tools for Charities
Charity Sellers
If your charity has access to quality inventory, sell it on eBay.
Learn MoreCause Marketing Calendar
Align your campaign timing to global observance days.
Download PDFSocial Media Toolkit
Use social media to amplify your fundraising efforts on eBay.
Download PDFHigh Profile Charity Campaigns
Learn best practices and steps to build a successful high profile charity campaign with eBay.
Download PDFFrequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about eBay for Charity.
How can I tell my eBay Seller account is set up correctly as a nonprofit entity?
You can see if you’re set up correctly as a Charity Seller in My eBay. Go to the Account settings of My eBay and select the Business Information link under Personal Info.
How do I set up a new charity selling account?
If you are a charity organization and have access to inventory that you want to sell on eBay, please follow the steps listed on this page.
If I'm a Charity seller, what are my selling fees?
When you list and sell items on eBay, we charge one final value fee when your item sells—and there are no third-party payment processing fees.
Once your nonprofit status is verified, you will pay a final value fee at the special charity rate, calculated as 2% of your total amount of the sale, plus $0.40 per order ($0.30 on sales under $10). (The total amount of the sale is the entire amount the buyer pays, including any handling charges, the shipping service the buyer selects, sales tax, and any other applicable fees). Click here to find more information on all applicable fees and how they are calculated.
Please note: In addition to Final Value Fees, you may also need to pay additional fees on eBay if you use any subscription services or optional listing upgrades. Visit our Selling fees help page for more information.
Why was I charged fees even though I'm set up as a Charity Seller?
Charities pay a final value fee at a special charity rate, with no third-party payment processing fees. Most charities’ fees should be lower overall than they were before. Your final value fee at a special charity rate will be 2% of your total amount of the sale, plus $0.40 per order ($0.30 on sales under $10).
Also, while Charity Sellers items will not be charged insertion fees, advanced listing upgrade fees such as reserve price or subtitle will still be charged. Learn more about selling fees.
As a Charity Seller, when will payments for items sold be received in my charity's bank account?
Payouts are sent directly into the bank account set up for the charity. You can choose to schedule these daily as funds are available, or weekly. Regardless of how the buyer pays, payouts are consistently initiated Monday through Friday, within two (2) business days of order confirmation. Once a payout is initiated, funds will be available in your bank account within normal bank processing times, typically within 1–4 business days.
What documents or information do I need in order to register as a Charity Seller?
Keep the following information handy in order to register as a Charity Seller.
- EIN number and charity details such as registered address, mission statement, website, logo, cause areas.
- Evidence of charity registration such as Articles of Incorporation or your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
- Bank account information and access (bank account needs to be in the registered name of the charity organization).
- Principal officer details (same as entered in Form 990, Item F in the header).
- Letter of authorization signed by the principal officer.
Why do you need additional information from me?
All the information shared during registration allows us to send your payouts and comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) obligations, which helps keep eBay a trusted marketplace. Our data security procedures ensure that the information you share with us is safe. We will use and share the information you submit as described in the Payments Terms of Use. Learn more about how eBay protects your personal information in our Security Center. For more information, please visit Managed Payments.
How does eBay use my ID information once verification is complete?
Our data security procedures ensure that the information you share with us is safe. We’ll use and share the information you submit as described in the Payments Terms of Use. Learn more about how eBay protects your personal information in our Security Center. For more information, please visit Managed Payments.
How do I make sure that my charity's selling account is set up correctly to accept buyer payments to our bank account?
When eBay manages your payments, your payouts will go directly to your bank account. eBay will deduct fees, expenses and other selling costs directly from your payouts before they are sent to your bank account. You can track the status of your payouts in My eBay and in Seller Hub. You can schedule payouts at a frequency you choose (daily, as funds are available, or weekly). Regardless of how the buyer pays, eBay will initiate a payout within 2 business days of confirming the buyer’s order. Check eBay help pages for information on getting paid for items you sold.
Can I be a Charity Seller for multiple charities using the same account?
If your eBay account entity type is “nonprofit,” you’ll only be able to sell for one charity using that specific account. If you are a Charity Seller for multiple charities, you’ll need to create a separate account for each organization and register them as a nonprofit.
What does it mean when eBay manages payments, and how does it affect charity sellers?
Managing payments is the way business is done on eBay, and it’s essential to enhancing the buying and selling experience on the marketplace. It offers sellers one place to sell and get paid. For buyers, it provides more payment options like credit/debit and gift cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and PayPal Credit. Regardless of how the buyer pays, payouts are sent to your bank within 2 business days (Monday through Friday, excluding bank holidays) of confirming the buyer’s payment. You will also be able to download and export reports from Seller Hub. If you use third-party tools, there are no changes to how you use them. Those who integrate using eBay APIs can update their integrations to view payout information. Visit here for more information on managed payments.
Our charity has an active selling account. Can I set up a second selling account for our charity?
You can have multiple selling accounts for your charity. To ensure your account is set up correctly, please follow these steps:
Step 1: Gather Documentation
Make sure you have the following handy to expedite your enrollment:
- EIN number and charity’s registered address.
- Evidence of charity registration such as Articles of Incorporation, IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
- Bank account information and access (bank account needs to be in the registered name of the charity organization).
- Letter of authorization signed by the principal officer.
Step 2: Register for eBay’s Managed Payments
- Create an eBay business user ID for your charity’s designated seller.
- Register on eBay as a charity seller.
- Watch for a confirmation email.
Step 3: That’s it! Start selling.
Once your information is verified within 3-5 business days, you’re good to start selling on eBay!
Can I list on other countries' eBay sites such as ebay.co.uk, ebay.au, etc.?
You may create listings on select eBay sites outside of the United States, such as the United Kingdom (www.ebay.co.uk), Canada (www.ebay.ca), and Germany (www.ebay.de). We will continue to expand international selling to more countries in the near future. However, international buyers can still shop on ebay.com if you ship internationally. For more details, click here.
Why did PayPal Giving Fund collect the donation from our charity PayPal account?
This can happen if your eBay selling account was not registered as a nonprofit. You can see if you’re set up correctly as a Charity Seller in My eBay. Go to the Account section of My eBay and select the Business Information link under Personal Info. To get set up appropriately, you need to create an eBay business account and onboard as a nonprofit following the steps listed on this page.
I'm selling on eBay for my charity. Why am I receiving invoices to pay donations?
This can happen if your eBay selling account was not registered as a nonprofit. You can see if you’re set up correctly as a Charity Seller in My eBay. Go to the Account section of My eBay and select the Business Information link under Personal Info. To get set up appropriately, you need to create an eBay business account and onboard as a nonprofit following the steps listed on this page.
How will charities receive payouts from eBay community selling?
Donations from eBay’s community sellers will continue to be processed by our partner PayPal Giving Fund. Once a month, PayPal Giving Fund will collect and deliver 100% of all donations collected for that charity, through the generosity of eBay sellers. Your charity will continue to receive these donations to your PayPal account. Click here to learn how to boost your fundraising potential by setting up your charity to receive donations from eBay buyers and sellers.
Recommended Vendors
If you are new to online selling or interested in High Profile Charity Campaigns, these vendors can help boost your success.
NeatOscan’s
NeatOscan’s Inventory Management Software provides the ability to list, price, photograph, warehouse, and ship 50% to 100% faster than conventional methods. All while managing the inventory levels and comprehensive reporting to track every move. A truly turnkey solution.
Upright Labs
Upright Labs provides multi-channel listing and inventory management software for power resellers. The cloud-based software allows you to list to multiple resale platforms with one form, fulfill and ship orders in two clicks, leverage multi-carrier shipping, visualize top KPIs in pre-built dashboards, track inventory and employee touchpoints, save 30–50% of photography time for each listing with the mobile app, and more.
Channel Advisor’s
Channel Advisor’s integrations let you easily manage all your selling activities on the world’s most popular marketplaces and online shopping services—all from one central e-commerce platform. Market, sell and fulfill directly to eBay’s massive customer base, right from within ChannelAdvisor mission control: Improve your eBay Promoted Listings, fine-tune pricing and inventory, manage eBay Guaranteed Delivery, and more.
Auction Cause
Auction Cause is the leader in Cause Marketing campaigns for brands, celebrities, and nonprofits, with over 15 years of experience utilizing the eBay for Charity platform. With over two billion media impressions for their clients’ campaigns and numerous world-record-setting sales, the team constantly innovates with mobile optimization and was the first agency to use video and audio placements within their eBay listings. Driving traffic to eBay via broadcast and social media channels allows Auction Cause to tap into a global audience. Connecting brand loyal consumers, enthusiastic nonprofit supporters, and safe celebrity interactions have raised over $60 million for great causes. Contact Auction Cause for a free evaluation or brainstorming session for your next project.
Matchfire
Since 2001, Matchfire has executed over 700 high-profile Cause Marketing campaigns. These campaigns, launched globally to large and diverse communities on eBay and social networks, have built brand awareness and goodwill for over 400 of the world’s best-known brands, celebrities, agencies, and charities. Matchfire campaigns have raised over $75 million for causes worldwide, attracted billions of impressions and engaged millions of consumers in cause-driven transactions. Matchfire provides a comprehensive auction management service focused on creating successful high-value, high-profile promotional campaigns. From the initial conversation until the proceeds are on their way to the charity, clients have a dedicated team, led by an experienced account manager. Matchfire and eBay have been working together for 19 years, ensuring our clients receive the best possible service and support.
Recommended Vendors
If you are new to online selling or interested in High Profile Charity Campaigns, these vendors can help boost your success.
Tools for Sellers
NeatOscan’s
NeatOscan’s Inventory Management Software provides the ability to list, price, photograph, warehouse, and ship 50% to 100% faster than conventional methods. All while managing the inventory levels and comprehensive reporting to track every move. A truly turnkey solution.
Upright Labs
Upright Labs provides multi-channel listing and inventory management software for power resellers. The cloud-based software allows you to list to multiple resale platforms with one form, fulfill and ship orders in two clicks, leverage multi-carrier shipping, visualize top KPIs in pre-built dashboards, track inventory and employee touchpoints, save 30–50% of photography time for each listing with the mobile app, and more.
Channel Advisor’s
Channel Advisor’s integrations let you easily manage all your selling activities on the world’s most popular marketplaces and online shopping services—all from one central e-commerce platform. Market, sell and fulfill directly to eBay’s massive customer base, right from within ChannelAdvisor mission control: Improve your eBay Promoted Listings, fine-tune pricing and inventory, manage eBay Guaranteed Delivery, and more.
Auction Mangement Companies
Auction Cause
Auction Cause is the leader in Cause Marketing campaigns for brands, celebrities, and nonprofits, with over 15 years of experience utilizing the eBay for Charity platform. With over two billion media impressions for their clients’ campaigns and numerous world-record-setting sales, the team constantly innovates with mobile optimization and was the first agency to use video and audio placements within their eBay listings. Driving traffic to eBay via broadcast and social media channels allows Auction Cause to tap into a global audience. Connecting brand loyal consumers, enthusiastic nonprofit supporters, and safe celebrity interactions have raised over $60 million for great causes. Contact Auction Cause for a free evaluation or brainstorming session for your next project.
Matchfire
Since 2001, Matchfire has executed over 700 high-profile Cause Marketing campaigns. These campaigns, launched globally to large and diverse communities on eBay and social networks, have built brand awareness and goodwill for over 400 of the world’s best-known brands, celebrities, agencies, and charities. Matchfire campaigns have raised over $75 million for causes worldwide, attracted billions of impressions and engaged millions of consumers in cause-driven transactions. Matchfire provides a comprehensive auction management service focused on creating successful high-value, high-profile promotional campaigns. From the initial conversation until the proceeds are on their way to the charity, clients have a dedicated team, led by an experienced account manager. Matchfire and eBay have been working together for 19 years, ensuring our clients receive the best possible service and support.
