Paying for items

When you're ready to pay, simply go to checkout. You'll be able to select your payment method and review your order details, including your shipping address, before you pay.

Checks, money orders, and bank wire transfers aren't allowed for most eBay purchases. However, you can use these payment methods to buy capital and business equipment, and, on eBay sites that offer these categories, real estate and vehicles. You can also use these payment methods, along with cash, for items you pick up in person. See our Payment methods policy for more details.

Troubleshooting payment errors

If you have problems paying for your items or if you receive an error message at checkout, try the following troubleshooting tips to resolve the issue:

• Check you've entered your payment details correctly
• Make sure your billing address matches the address on your payment method
• Try checking out on another device. If you're using the eBay desktop site, try checking out on the mobile site or app, or vice versa
• Try checking out on another browser. You can also try signing out, clearing your cache and cookies, and signing in again before trying to check out again

Timelines for paying

When you buy an item on eBay, whether you won an auction or used Buy It Now, you'll need to pay the seller within 4 days. The sooner the seller receives your payment, the sooner they'll send your item. When making a bid or a Best Offer, we may ask you to provide your payment method and shipping address in advance. If you win the auction, or the seller accepts your Best Offer, payment will be taken immediately to ensure a smooth transaction.

If your Best Offer is accepted or you win an auction, the payment method you added when making the bid or Best Offer will be charged, even if you removed that payment method before accepting the offer or winning an auction.

You'll find everything you've bought recently – including items you still need to pay for – in your Purchase History - opens in new window or tab.

When you buy an item, it's important to pay as quickly as possible. If you haven't paid within 4 calendar days, a seller can cancel your order. If this happens, you won't receive your item and the unpaid item will be recorded on your account. Buyers who have excessive unpaid items or canceled orders may have limits imposed or lose their buying privileges.