Paying for an eBay purchase
When should I pay?
In general, you're expected to pay as soon as possible and no later than 4 days after you win or buy an item. You can pay by clicking the Pay Now button in the email notification or in the listing. The seller will be paid and know to ship your item immediately. Contact your seller right away with any questions about payment.
What payment method should I use?
How you pay for items you buy on eBay depends on the payment options offered by the seller. Before you bid, read the item description carefully to learn what kinds of payments the seller accepts.
Cash, cheques, and other nonsecure methods aren't allowed for most eBay purchases, with a few exceptions.
All sellers offer at least one of the approved electronic payment methods—PayPal, or ProPay —or they can accept credit card payments through their merchant credit card account. (When you pay with a credit card to the seller's merchant account using the Pay Now button, your payment is securely processed without the seller seeing your credit card number.)
There's also the option of payment upon pickup, where you can use whatever method the seller specifies, including cash.
To compare payment methods, see choosing a payment method (for buyers).
If you have questions about your payment, contact your seller.
Tip: On search results pages, you can set the search option to show only listings that accept the payment methods you want to use.
How do I make an online payment?
After you’ve won an auction-style listing or clicked the Buy It Now button, you’ll see the Pay Now button:
In the confirmation email you receive from eBay
In the Won section of My eBay
On the invoice email we send you on behalf of the seller
To pay for an item:Click the Pay Now button.
Check your shipping information. If you need to correct or update anything, click the Change shipping address link.
Review your purchase, including shipping, insurance, and taxes. Select the box next to the items you want to buy. If you’re redeeming a coupon, gift card, or gift certificate, enter the redemption code (you’ll need to pay with PayPal to redeem any eBay coupons or gift cards). If you have questions about the total amount you owe, click the “Request total from seller” link.
Confirm your payment. Make sure your shipping details, payment method, and order details are correct.
Click the Confirm Your Payment button. You'll receive an email confirming receipt and letting you know when your item will ship.
What if a seller wants to change payment methods?
Sellers can’t require you to use payment methods that aren’t allowed on eBay or weren't described in the listing. If a seller wants to change payment methods after a listing ends, you can still pay using one of the methods mentioned in the original listing. For details, see the accepted payments policy.
The fine print
The Pay Now steps assume the seller is using the eBay Checkout system. If your seller doesn't use eBay Checkout, you’ll receive an invoice or other payment instructions from the seller to help you complete your purchase.
PayPal or ProPay don't apply to Motors, Real Estate, Business and Industrial, or capital equipment purchases.
Cheques, money orders, and bank wire transfers aren't allowed for most eBay purchases. But you can use these payment methods to buy vehicles, capital and business equipment, real estate, and items you pick up in person. For details, see the accepted payments policy.
Contact your seller right away with any questions about payment. Once you've won or bought an item, you need to pay within 3 days or the seller may open a case to work this out with you in our Resolution Centre. This creates a dialogue between sellers and buyers and helps them resolve transaction problems.
If you don't receive your item or it's not as described, you can open a case in our Resolution Centre to work it out with the seller. If you have questions about a payment or haven't received your item, contact your seller first, though—that's usually the fastest way to resolve any problems.
