eBay launched a bunch of new tools for sellers at their OPEN25 event last week (Aug 12). The theme: save time, improve profits, and build more trust.
Here are the highlights:
AI Assistant for Messaging
eBay now drafts reply suggestions to common buyer questions based on your listing and order details. You still get to review and edit before sending. A real time-saver for all those “What size is it?” questions already answered in the description.
Offers in Messaging
This is a good one. Buyers and sellers can now negotiate directly in the chat—send, counter, accept—all in one place. No need to switch screens, and you can track past offers too. Makes price negotiations smoother.
Track Your Costs
There’s now an optional “Your Cost” field in the listing flow. Enter what you paid for the item, and it feeds into reporting, promotions, ads, and pricing insights. Helpful, but also… a bit intrusive?
Inventory Mapping API
For larger sellers, eBay’s AI listing tools (titles, descriptions, item specifics) are now available via API. Basically, automation at scale.
Seller Protections on “Item Not Received”
If a buyer claims an item didn’t arrive, but it later shows up, eBay will reimburse you for the item cost and remove negative feedback. Notice the wording though—item cost, not profit.
Automated Feedback
Starting in September, if you ship on time with tracking and no issues, eBay will automatically leave positive feedback for you if the buyer doesn’t. Nice boost for new sellers since most buyers don’t bother leaving feedback.
Open Banking
eBay added Open Banking to its Seller Capital program. Sellers can securely share financial data so lending partners can approve faster and possibly offer better terms. Quicker access to cash, but it also means sharing more of your financials.
