In early 2021, I found myself standing in the back of a humid storage unit in central Ohio, staring at a stack of vintage "Uranium glass" plates. The seller wanted $150 for the lot, and my heart was racing. At the time, I was still a bit of a novice, and $150 felt like a massive gamble. I quickly pulled out my phone and spent about 45 seconds using the app's filter settings to see what collectors were actually paying. To my surprise, a single serving platter from that exact set had sold just three days prior for $110. That 45-second research session turned a potential "guess" into a $400 profit. Since then, I’ve realized that the most successful sellers on the platform aren't the ones with the best luck—they’re the ones who know how to read the data.
How to Check Sold Items on eBay: The Mobile Method
When you’re out "in the wild" sourcing at thrift stores or estate sales, you need to know how to check sold items on ebayquickly. The app is your best friend here, but eBay hides the most important data behind a few menu taps. If you just search for an item, you’re seeing what people hope to get, not what they actually got.
To see the truth, search for your item (be specific with model numbers!) and then tap the "Filter" button in the top right. You’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the list—past "Condition" and "Price"—to find the "Show More" section. Toggle the "Sold Items" switch to "On." (eBay will automatically toggle "Completed Items" as well, which is fine).
I remember a specific failure in September 2022 when I was in a rush and forgot to toggle "Sold." I saw a vintage Sony Walkman listed for $250 and bought a similar one for $100. When I got home, I realized those $250 listings had been sitting for months; the actual "sold" price was closer to $65. I lost nearly $50 after fees and shipping. Now the tricky part is making sure you don't just look at one high sale—you need to look at the average.
How to Check Recently Sold Items on eBay for Real-Time Comps
If you want to stay ahead of market trends, knowing how to check recently sold items on ebay is vital. Prices for things like electronics or trendy "TikTok-famous" toys can change in a matter of days. If you're looking at a sale from three months ago, you might be looking at outdated information.
Once you have your "Sold" filter turned on, you must look at the dates. eBay displays the sold date in bold green text right below the price. I always look for at least three sales within the last 14 days to establish a "current" market value. If there are no recent sales, I’m honestly a bit uncertain if the item is still in demand, and I’ll usually pass on the buy unless the price is pennies.
Here's where it gets interesting: I use Closo to automate my daily sharing and relisting tasks across platforms – it saves me about 3 hours weekly that I used to spend manually refreshing my listings. This gives me more time to focus on doing deep-dive research into these "recently sold" trends. You can also find advanced pricing strategies on the Closo Seller Hub that help you understand when to price at the top of the market versus the bottom.
How to Check All Sold Items on eBay Beyond the 90-Day Wall
The standard eBay search has one major limitation: it only shows you data from the last 90 days. But what if you’re selling a rare antique or a seasonal item like a heavy winter parka in the middle of July? To find out how to check all sold items on ebay from the past few years, you need to use Terapeak.
Terapeak is a tool built directly into the eBay Seller Hub (and it's free for most sellers). It allows you to look back through three years of data. I used this in October 2024 when I found a designer wool coat. The 90-day data was empty because, well, nobody buys wool coats in August. By using Terapeak, I could see that the coat consistently sold for $300 every December and January.
Why Terapeak is Better Than Standard Search:
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Actual Sold Prices: It reveals the real price accepted for "Best Offers" (standard search just shows the original price with a strikethrough).
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Sell-Through Rate: It calculates the percentage of listings that actually result in a sale.
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Shipping Trends: It shows whether successful sellers are charging for shipping or offering it for free.
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Trend Graphs: You can see if the value of an item is rising or falling over a 12-month period.
I’m of the opinion that Terapeak is the most underutilized tool in a reseller’s arsenal. If you aren't using it for your "long-tail" items, you're leaving money on the table. If you want to dive deeper into inventory management, learning how to sell items on Poshmark can also help you see how different platforms handle their sales data.
How to Sort by Sold on eBay to Find Winning Trends
Once you have your results, you need to know how to sort by sold on ebay to make sense of the noise. By default, eBay usually sorts by "Best Match," which isn't always helpful for pricing.
I always change my sort to "End Date: Recent First." This ensures I’m seeing the most relevant, up-to-date prices. If I see that prices have dropped from $50 to $30 over the last month, I know I need to list my item at $28 to get a quick sale.
Pro-Tip: Don't ignore the "Unsold" listings (items in black text under "Completed"). If you see ten items that didn't sell for $100 and only one that sold for $80, the market is telling you that $100 is too high. (Self-awareness is key in this business!).
eBay Price Checker vs. Manual Research: Which is Better?
A lot of beginners look for an automated ebay price checker or a third-party app to do the work for them. While tools like ZIK Analytics or WatchCount can be helpful for high-volume sellers, I still believe manual research is the gold standard.
Why? Because an automated tool can't see "condition." A "Used" iPhone 13 might sell for $300, but one with a cracked screen sells for $150. Most price checkers just average the numbers together, which can give you a very misleading "comp." I spent about two hours once trying to use a bulk price checker for a collection of vintage stamps, and the data was so messy that I ended up having to re-do it all by hand using Google Sheets anyway.
Now the tricky part is when you're cross-listing. I use Closo to automate the tedious parts of managing multiple shops, which allows me to spend my mental energy on this manual price checking. If you're looking for more ways to stay efficient, check out our guide on websites like eBay to see where else your items might thrive.
Price Tracker for eBay: Long-Term Data Tools
For items that fluctuate wildly—like collectibles or trading cards—a price tracker for ebay is essential. Tools like WorthPoint (which is paid) or CheckAFlip can help you see if an item is a "pump and dump" trend or a stable investment.
I personally use a combination of Terapeak and a physical "buy book" where I track my own sales. It’s important to remember that the "market price" is only what someone is willing to pay today. (Market volatility is the only constant).
Comparison Table: eBay Research Tools
People always ask me: Why do some sold prices have a line through them?
Common question I see: "I see a green price for $100, but it has a horizontal line through it. What did it actually sell for?" This happens when a seller accepts a "Best Offer."
Standard eBay search won't tell you the secret number, but Terapeak will. This is a huge advantage. If you see five items with "Best Offer" accepted, and Terapeak shows they all sold for $80 instead of the $100 asking price, you now know the true market ceiling. (Knowledge is power, especially when you're the one making the offer).
People always ask me: Is the "Completed" filter the same as "Sold"?
Not exactly! "Completed" shows you every listing that ended, whether it sold or not. "Sold" only shows you the winners. I always look at both. If I see 50 "Completed" listings but only 2 "Sold," I know that item has a terrible sell-through rate. I’m honestly a bit uncertain why some sellers ignore the "unsold" data—it's just as important for knowing what not to buy.
Conclusion: Pricing With Confidence
Ultimately, mastering how to check sold items on ebay is about moving from "hoping" to "knowing." My journey from that storage unit in 2021 to a full-time reselling business was built on the back of these data-checking habits. Is it perfect? No. Sometimes a buyer will overpay for no reason, or an item will sit despite "perfect" comps. However, by using tools like Terapeak and keeping a close eye on recently sold trends, you significantly stack the deck in your favor.
Honest assessment: manual research takes time, and the app can be clunky. But the $400 I made on that Uranium glass started with a simple filter toggle. If you're serious about making money, stop guessing and start checking the solds. You might just find a treasure hiding in plain sight.
FAQ Schema (Integrated Content)
How do I see sold items on the eBay app 2025? To see sold items, open the eBay app, perform a search, tap "Filter" at the top right, scroll down to "Show More," and toggle the "Sold Items" switch to "On." This will filter your results to only show items that have successfully sold in the last 90 days.
Can I see eBay sold items from a year ago? Yes, but not through the standard search bar. You must use the "Terapeak Product Research" tool within the eBay Seller Hub. This tool provides access to up to three years of historical sales data, including the actual final price for items sold via Best Offer.
