Why Is eBay Asking For Proof Of Purchase? – Complete Answer

Why Is eBay Asking For Proof Of Purchase

Have you been wondering Why Is eBay Asking For Proof Of Purchase? Frankly speaking, you are not alone on this, many eBay sellers have often asked why the sudden request for proof of purchase by eBay. Truth is, eBay will never ask for a proof of purchase if it is not necessary.

It is the duty of eBay to ensure that the platform remains safe and secure for business, the company wants customers to continue feeling safe to make purchases in the platform.

The above explains why eBay has zero tolerance to fraudulent activities by sellers. When eBay requests for proof of purchase, it doesn’t necessarily insinuate the seller is engaging in fraudulent activities. Certain activities may trigger suspicions, this may prompt eBay to request for proof of purchase.

Ordinarily, a seller with genuine intentions should not have any problem presenting relevant receipts of items whenever they are requested.

On this article, you’ll understand why is eBay asking for proof of purchase, you’ll also learn what you should do to ensure your account is not restricted or banned.

eBay MC011


eBay MC011 is a restriction that eBay may place on an account due to suspicious activity. This can include a variety of things, such as a sudden increase in sales, especially of high-dollar items, a high rate of returns or cancellations, negative feedback from buyers, communication problems with buyers, or listings for counterfeit or prohibited items.

If eBay places an MC011 restriction on your account, you will not be able to create new listings or revise existing listings. You may also be unable to buy items on eBay.

To appeal an MC011 restriction, you will need to contact eBay customer service and provide documentation to support your case. This may include proof of ownership of the items you are selling, proof of delivery for completed orders, and a plan to address any issues that led to the restriction.

In general, eBay does not take MC011 restrictions lightly, and it can be difficult to get them lifted. However, if you are able to provide convincing evidence that you are a legitimate seller and that you have taken steps to address any problems, eBay may be willing to reinstate your account. Also read how to avoid eBay managed payments.

Why Is eBay Asking For Proof Of Purchase?

Every time eBay asks for a proof of purchase, you should know that they are trying to confirm if you actually bought the item as claimed. This is because they don’t want any seller listing and selling stolen item(s) in the eBay website.

There has been cases of some sellers listing items that were illegally obtained, this can hurt the image of the platform. A request for proof of purchase is to confirm that the seller rightly bought the listed item.
eBay is oblige to protect the interest of buyers in the marketplace, this is why they seem to be policing sellers.

As a seller in the eBay marketplace, safely keep receipts of your items to avoid getting into trouble should eBay requests for it.

eBay Asking For Documents

eBay may ask you to provide documents for a variety of reasons, including to verify your identity, verify your bank account information, to comply with tax laws, to investigate suspicious activity, or to resolve a dispute with a buyer or seller.

The types of documents that eBay may request include Government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, bank statement or other proof of bank account ownership, proof of address, such as a utility bill or lease agreement, taxpayer identification number (TIN), or business license or other business registration documents.

If eBay asks you to provide documents, it is important to do so promptly. If you do not provide the requested documents, your account may be suspended or terminated.

Understand that this doesn’t happen often, certain activities trigger this request and we’ll state some of these activities. Also learn How To Reprint Shipping Label on eBay

Why Is eBay Asking For Proof Of Purchase

What Type Of Documents Are Required During Account Restriction On eBay?

Based on a claim by a seller whose account was restricted and later reinstated, below are the required documents.

  • Front and back copy of driver’s license or any government issued ID.
  • A copy of credit card statement (must be recent), utility bill, or bank statement. The name on these documents must be same as your eBay account.
  • Invoices and/or receipts from manufacturers (must show that the items you recently listed on eBay were purchased by you).

eBay Asking For Supplier Invoice

Invoice from your supplier is one of the documents that may be requested by eBay to confirm ownership of the item. Usually, this happens when a seller lists items that are in high-stolen, high-counterfeit, and or high-scam categories.

This will alert the eBay system of possible illegal activity prompting the request for supplier invoice. Failure to present the supplier invoice might get your account restricted or permanently banned.

What Makes eBay To ask For Proof Of Purchase

eBay may ask for proof of purchase for a variety of reasons, including:

  • To verify the authenticity of an item. If eBay has received reports that a seller is selling counterfeit or stolen goods, they may ask for proof of purchase to verify that the seller legitimately owns the item and has the right to sell it.
  • To investigate a buyer complaint. If a buyer complains that they received a counterfeit or stolen item, or that the item they received was not as described, eBay may ask the seller for proof of purchase to help them investigate the complaint.
  • To protect buyers from fraud. If eBay suspects that a seller is engaging in fraudulent activity, such as selling items that they do not actually have, they may ask for proof of purchase to verify that the seller is in possession of the item and can actually ship it to the buyer.
  • To comply with the law. In some cases, eBay may be required to ask for proof of purchase in order to comply with the law. For example, if eBay is selling items that are subject to sales tax, they may need to collect proof of purchase from the seller in order to report the sale to the appropriate tax authorities.

MC011 Your eBay Selling Account Has Been Restricted

Anytime you receive this message from eBay, it means your seller account has been restricted from selling or making any new listing on eBay.

Additionally, your old listings may be taken down.
It is really rare for eBay to restrict a seller’s account except there has been record of incessant violating of eBay selling policy.

There are several offenses that can get your eBay seller account restricted, read some of these reasons under the next subhead. Also learn How To Print Packing Slip eBay

How To Avoid Getting My eBay Account Restricted?

Try as much as possible to avoid negative feedbacks, lots of negative feedbacks from buyers can get your account.

Ensure you haven’t listed Verified Rights Owner Program (VERO) items. Several brands do not permit usage of their copyrighted images or description, going against this may get your account restricted.

Also, your seller account can get restricted as a result of many cancelled orders. Ensure timely uploading of all tracking numbers of every order.

Maintain an active communication with your customers anytime there is an issue. Don’t allow many cases with buyers to linger without closing them.

Ebay Asking For Proof Of Merchandise

This is the same as saying eBay asking for proof of purchase. Anytime you are confronted with this situation, all you need to do is provide relevant receipts and invoices of items you have listed.

Understand that eBay wants to make sure that stolen or illegally obtained items are not sold in the platform. You must proof beyond any reasonable doubt that you actually own the items you’ve listed.

eBay Restricted Account

An eBay restricted account will be unable to sell or make new listing. Most of the times, every old listing in the account will be taken down.

A restricted account that is not verified or sorted out will eventually get permanently banned.

Is your eBay seller account currently restricted? Check your email for a mail from eBay, you’ll be told on what to do if you want to get your account restated. Ensure you provide needed documents promptly to avoid your account getting banned from selling on eBay permanently.

MC011 eBay Holding My Money

When a seller account is restricted, any funds in that account will be on hold, the seller will be unable to access such funds.

Typically, these funds are released once the account gets restated. If your money is still on hold after your account was restated, do well to check the document request mail you received from eBay, it is possible you may have missed a detail.

If you are sure that you provided all required documents, reach out to eBay customer service to find out why your money is still be held.

Why Is eBay Asking For Direct Debit?

eBay is asking for direct debit because it is the easiest and most convenient way to pay your eBay invoice. With direct debit, eBay will automatically deduct your invoice amount from your bank account, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to pay or making late payments.

Direct debit is also a very secure payment method. eBay uses a variety of security measures to protect your bank account information, and you can cancel your direct debit at any time.

What To Do If eBay Buyer Says Item Not Received But I Have Proof Of Delivery?

If an eBay buyer says they didn’t receive an item, but you have proof of delivery, you can take the following steps:

  1. Contact the buyer. Send them a message to confirm the delivery address and ask them to check with their neighbors or other household members in case the item was delivered when they weren’t home. You can also ask them to check the tracking information to see if it provides any additional details.
  2. Check the tracking information yourself. Make sure that the tracking information shows that the item was delivered to the correct address. If the tracking information shows that the item was delivered to a different address, or if it shows that the item was lost or stolen, you can contact the shipping carrier to file a claim.
  3. Provide proof of delivery to eBay. If you have a copy of the shipping label and the tracking information, you can upload it to the case that the buyer opened. You can also provide any other documentation that you have, such as a photo of the item being delivered or a signed delivery confirmation.
  4. Ask eBay to step in. If you and the buyer are unable to resolve the issue on your own, you can ask eBay to step in and help. eBay will review the case and make a decision based on the evidence that is available.

If you have valid proof of delivery, eBay is likely to side with you in the dispute. However, it is important to note that eBay is not a court of law, and their decisions are not always final. If you are unhappy with eBay’s decision, you can file a claim with the Better Business Bureau or another consumer protection organization.

How Do I Get Proof Of Purchase On eBay?

To get proof of purchase on eBay, you can follow these steps:

  1. Go to your My eBay Purchase History.
  2. Find the order for which you need proof of purchase and click “View Order Details.”
  3. On the Order Details page, click “Printer Friendly page.”
  4. On the Printer Friendly page, click the “Print” icon.
  5. In the print dialog box, select “Save as PDF” and save the file to your computer.

The saved PDF file will be a copy of your eBay receipt, which you can use as proof of purchase.

You can also print a copy of your eBay receipt directly from the Order Details page. To do this, click the “Print” icon in the top right corner of the page.

If you need proof of purchase for an eBay order that you placed more than 30 days ago, you can contact eBay customer support. Learn how to block user on eBay

How To Appeal eBay Selling Restriction

To appeal an eBay selling restriction, you can follow these steps:

  1. Go to the eBay Seller Center.
  2. Ensure you have logged into your account.
  3. Click on the “My Performance” tab.
  4. Click on the “Appeals” link.
  5. Click on the “Create New Appeal” button.
  6. Select the type of selling restriction that you are appealing.
  7. Provide a detailed explanation of why you believe that the selling restriction should be lifted.
  8. Attach any supporting documentation, such as screenshots or emails.
  9. Click on the “Submit Appeal” button.

eBay will review your appeal and make a decision within 3-5 business days. If your appeal is approved, your selling restriction will be lifted. If your appeal is denied, you will receive an email explaining the reason for the decision.