If you’re building a reselling business on eBay, one of the biggest early hurdles is selling limits. eBay imposes monthly caps on how many items you can list or how much total sales volume you can handle. These limits are meant to protect buyers, ensure trust, and gradually scale sellers. But if you’re ready to grow faster, you’ll need to request a selling limit increase.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know in 2025—how eBay selling limits work, ways to increase them, best practices for approval, and what to avoid.
1. What Are eBay Selling Limits?
Every new or growing seller has restrictions on how many items they can list and the total sales value allowed per month.
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Item Limits: Maximum number of listings you can have active.
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Dollar Limits: Maximum total sales value across all listings.
Example: “You can list up to 200 items or $10,000 worth of merchandise per month.”
2. Why eBay Imposes Selling Limits
eBay uses these controls to:
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Prevent fraud or counterfeit sales.
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Ensure sellers can handle customer service, returns, and shipping at scale.
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Protect buyer confidence in the marketplace.
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Encourage gradual seller growth instead of instant mass listings.
3. How to Check Your Current Selling Limits
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Go to My eBay → Selling Overview.
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Look for the “Monthly Limits” box on your dashboard.
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You’ll see your current allowance (e.g., 100 items or $5,000).
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Also available via Seller Hub → Overview → Monthly Limits.
4. When and How to Request a Selling Limit Increase
You can request an increase if:
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You’ve met or exceeded your monthly limit.
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You’ve had positive feedback and no major policy violations.
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You’ve completed enough successful transactions to show reliability.
Ways to Request an Increase:
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From Seller Hub: Click “Request to list more.”
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Through eBay Help: Use the Help & Contact section to request an increase.
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Via Phone/Chat: Contact eBay customer service directly.
5. Methods to Increase Limits
There are three main ways:
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Automatic Increases
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eBay reviews your account monthly.
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If you’re performing well, limits may rise automatically.
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Manual Request
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You can request directly from Seller Hub or through customer support.
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Typically available once per 30 days.
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Linking Accounts
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If you have multiple eBay accounts with strong selling history, linking them can boost your overall limits.
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6. Step-by-Step: Requesting an Increase
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Log in to your eBay Seller Hub.
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Go to Overview → Monthly Limits.
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Click Request to List More.
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Follow prompts: you may need to confirm your identity, verify inventory sources, or provide business details.
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Submit and wait—decisions are usually instant, but sometimes require manual review.
7. Case Study: Small Reseller Scaling on eBay
Scenario: Alex started reselling sneakers on eBay in early 2024.
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Month 1: Selling limit = 10 items / $1,000. Sold out quickly.
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Month 2: Requested an increase; raised to 50 items / $5,000.
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Month 4: After 100+ successful transactions and 100% positive feedback, Alex’s limits were automatically increased to 200 items / $15,000.
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Key Insight: Steady sales growth + buyer satisfaction led to faster scaling.
8. Tips for Approval: What eBay Looks For
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Positive Feedback: Aim for at least 95–100%.
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On-Time Shipping: Use tracking and ship promptly.
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Low Defect Rate: Avoid cancellations and late deliveries.
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Verified Inventory: eBay may ask where you source your products.
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Consistent Activity: List regularly, not just in bursts.
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Clear Communication: Respond quickly to buyer inquiries.
9. Common Reasons Requests Are Denied
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Low feedback score or recent negative reviews.
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High return or cancellation rates.
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Policy violations (e.g., restricted items, keyword spamming).
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Inconsistent sales activity.
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New accounts with less than 90 days of selling history.
10. How Often Can You Request Increases?
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You can usually request once every 30 days.
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Automatic increases happen periodically, depending on performance.
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If denied, wait 30 days and improve performance metrics before retrying.
11. Final Thoughts
Selling limits can feel restrictive when you’re ready to grow, but they serve as a trust-building step between you and eBay. By consistently delivering excellent customer service, following policies, and requesting increases strategically, you can scale from 10 items/month to thousands.
For resellers serious about growth in 2025, treat your selling limits as a milestone system—prove your reliability, request increases when ready, and watch your business expand.
