Ever wonder why and how to become an eBay top-rated seller? According to my selling experience, top-rated sellers on eBay have the chance to enjoy a number of outstanding benefits from the platform, like increased visibility for listings, a ‘top-rated seller’ badge, and increased protections. These privileges can help sellers like you increase organic search traffic and eventually boost sales both on eBay holiday sales and everyday sales.
Up to this point, does the title eBay top-rated seller sound familiar to you yet? Just in case you are new, here are some highlights about the program as well as ways on how to become an eBay top-rated seller:
- What is an eBay top-rated seller? It is a seller program, which is quite similar to Amazon Prime Seller with 3 major levels.
- What are eBay top-rated seller requirements? eBay requires an active account (at least 90 days), specific amounts of transactions and revenue, and several major seller metrics. Once adapted to these standards, you are ready to become an eBay top-rated seller.
- How to be a top-rated seller on eBay? Focus on shipping, reduce and resolve customer cases, and prevent transaction defects.
Looking for more details about the eBay top-rated seller program? Keep scrolling and check out the details! (I have every update)
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What is an eBay Top Rated Seller?
An eBay Top Rated Seller is a status awarded to sellers who consistently deliver exceptional customer service and meet specific performance standards set by eBay. This status can come with a badge on your listings, helping to show your credibility, build trust and attract more buyers.
When searching for guides on how to become an eBay top-rated seller, you may come across the term eBay power seller certificate or eBay star colors. However, these terms have been phased out for both eBay business accounts and personal accounts. eBay power sellers are now called eBay top-rated sellers.
There are three eBay seller levels that your business can achieve on the marketplace:
- Top Rated: A top-rated eBay store is the highest seller level you can acquire when you make a store on eBay. You’re exceeding eBay’s performance expectations, as well as having an established sales history and complying with other eBay policies. For details on eBay top rated seller requirements, we’ll cover them in the later part of this article.
- Above Standard: An above-standard seller account is what most sellers on eBay can easily achieve. Being at an above-standard level means you meet minimum sales requirements and deliver acceptable customer service.
- Below standard: The lowest level on the list is a below-standard seller account, which no seller wishes to become. With such an account, you may stand the risk of being ineligible for promoted listing and having sales restrictions.
However, each of these statuses is always contemporary. You can constantly improve and strive to achieve a better seller level when eBay re-evaluates seller accounts on the 20th of each month.
You might want to read also: How to Increase eBay Sales (with tactics and updates from experts)
What are eBay Top Rated Seller Benefits?
eBay provides valuable benefits to its Top Rated Sellers, supporting their business growth in multiple ways. Here are the 4 key benefits you’ll get when you become an eBay top rated seller:
- High visibility on eBay search results;
- Top rated seller fee discount;
- A top-rated plus seal on eligible listings;
- eBay seller protections for top rated sellers.
1. High visibility on eBay search results
As an eBay top-rated seller, your product listings will have increased visibility on eBay search results.
eBay search result pages will always feature the best match for each search query by default. The best match algorithm focuses on assessing the following:
- The relevancy of the items to buyers’ search queries (in terms of name, description, images, etc.);
- The impressions and sales of the items;
- The price;
- The seller’s profile and performance.
When everyone follows the guidelines on eBay listing optimization, your top-rated seller level is what sets your listing aside. This is why it’s important to aim for such a seller level.
2. Discounts on promoted listings and shipping
eBay provides top-rated sellers with an amount of 30$ towards their eBay credit for promoted listings every quarter. They will also receive eBay top-rated seller shipping discount if they use the eBay shipping label.
Such policies from eBay for top-rated sellers can help you save a decent amount on business operations as well as eBay seller fees or eBay shipping fees.
3. A top-rated plus seal on eligible listings
Top-rated sellers can also leverage certain listings and receive a top-rated plus seal for those product listings.
To be eligible for the seal, a top-rated seller must offer the following:
- Same day or within a day handling time;
- A 30-day return policy with a money-back guarantee.
Outstanding benefits from a top-rated plus seal include:
- 10% off on the Final Value Fee of the products;
- Prominent visibility in Best Match search results;
- A Top Rated Plus seal appears on product listings.
4. Additional seller protections for top-rated sellers
eBay seller protection is designed to protect the rights of all its sellers. It’s also an excellent service for eBay sellers to resort to when they don’t feel safe enough about their transactions.
As a top-rated seller, you will have additional benefits from this seller protection program. If you are a US or Canadian eBay seller and you offer 30-day-or-longer returns, you will receive:
- Return shipping label credit on monthly invoices for false “item not as described” claims;
- Up to 50% refund deduction to cover decreased values on used and damaged returns.
What are Top Rated Seller Requirements on eBay?
Aside from basic eBay seller requirements, the marketplace has set several top-rated seller requirements that business owners must meet if they want to be eligible for the program. The eligibility conditions vary among countries, I will list the requirements applied for sellers residing in either the US or Canada.
To become an eBay top-rated seller, you must meet the following requirements:
- An active eBay account for at least 90 days.
- 100 or more transactions and 1000$ in sales with US buyers for the past 12 months.
- A defect rate of up to 0.5% and a maximum of three defects from unique shoppers.
- A maximum of 0.3% of cases closed without seller resolution and up to or fewer than two cases.
- A late shipment rate of up to 3% and a maximum of five late shipments.
- Tracking updated within your stated handling time and carrier validation for 95% of transactions to US buyers.
You must also conform to eBay’s selling practice policy, including requirements on correct item locations and transparent terms & conditions.
It’s important to take note that the seller defect rate is not counted on damaged or defective products. Rather, the rate accounts for the number of times an eBay seller cancels transactions due to inventory issues and similar problems.
As a top-rated seller, you’re well-positioned to capitalize on seasonal sales opportunities. Learn about effective strategies to boost your revenue during holidays and special events in our guide on eBay holiday sales: 10+ ways to boost your revenue.
How to Become an eBay Top-Rated Seller
With clear requirements in mind, let’s get into details on how to become a top-rated seller on eBay.
You can see that most of the top-rated seller requirements focus on rating eBay seller performance. Therefore the strategy to acquire an eBay top-rated seller badge involves three performance-related activities, which are to
- Focus on shipping and fulfillment;
- Reduce and resolve customer cases;
- Prevent transaction defects.
#1. Focus on shipping and fulfillment
The first thing on this “to become an eBay top rated seller” list is to take full control of your inventory and shipping process. Make sure to learn and master eBay shipping.
For inventory and fulfillment, you should be doing the following:
- Keep close track of your stock level: Always update your inventory to see if there are any items running out or on low stocks. Then you should take such items down or restock them right away.
- Make use of eBay stock function: One of eBay selling preferences for eBay sellers is the “out-of-stock” function. When you turn on the Out-of-Stock option, eBay doesn’t delist your sold-out products. Instead, the listings are just hidden from searchers on eBay or appear as sold out. It helps you avoid accidental sales that you can’t fulfill.
- The exceptional delivery package is a thing: You are entirely responsible for the package until it reaches your customer. Despite having no control over postal service, you need to follow proper package techniques and use decent package materials to prevent possible damage.
- Use the item-tracking option: It’s required that you have valid tracking for at least 95% of your deliveries. Therefore you should adopt an automated tracking option. Having a tracking number helps customers feel more secure when making a purchase. You can also prevent false claims from buyers saying they haven’t received the items yet.
Manage Inventory Automatically with LitCommerce
LitCommerce is an automated stock management solution that can help you keep track of inventory on eBay. No more manual updates or abundant tracking files!
Manage Inventory Automatically with LitCommerce
LitCommerce is an automated stock management solution that can help you keep track of inventory on eBay. No more manual updates or abundant tracking files!
#2. Reduce and resolve customer cases
With two out of six listed top-rated seller requirements relating to customer service, reducing and resolving customer cases are how to become an eBay top-rated seller.
For customer inquiries, you should always manage to answer questions and address issues your customers may be having in a timely manner. The key is to make customers feel that you care about their problems and that you actually propose possible resolutions. Keeping them happy and satisfied is highly important.
One of the tips is to go with eBay’s guarantee policy. You should accept returns and refund requests when customers contact you about the Money-Back Guarantee policy. Doing so helps you
- Avoid being held accountable by eBay for any afterward issues;
- Prevent your seller account from getting poor eBay product reviews and a low service rating;
- Minimize the possibility of getting “Cases Closed Without Seller Resolution.”
#3. Prevent transaction defects
Transaction defect rate is counted on how many times sellers cancel orders with buyers, regardless of the reasons. This can be due to un-updated inventory, a customer accidentally buying an out-of-stock item, or unresolved issues where customers have an unhappy buying experience.
To keep the rate within the required number of 0.5%, make sure you are taking the following measures:
- Always follow through on all transactions in terms of inventory, shipping time, order tracking, return policies, etc.;
- Proceed with every transaction with a customer-first mindset.
How to Keep eBay Top-Rated Seller Status
So now, you have learned how to get Top Rated seller on eBay, but how to keep this status alongside your selling journey?
To maintain your eBay Top Rated seller status, here are the key areas you should prioritize:
#1. Keep up with eBay’s latest updates
eBay updates its policies quite often, so you should keep up with these changes to maintain your Top-Rated seller status.
eBay will notify you through different channels with important updates, so be sure not to overlook them. You’ll receive some notifications about the changes beforehand, giving you plenty of time to adjust your selling practices accordingly.
#2. Check your Seller Standards dashboard often
To keep your Top Rated Seller status on eBay, it’s important to keep track of your performance. eBay checks your status every month based on your transactions from the last three months, so it’s key to keep a steady flow of positive sales.
eBay makes it easy to track your progress with the seller standards dashboard. This tool shows your current and past rankings and even predicts what your ranking would be if reviewed today. You can also see any issues with your account, broken down by type, and get a monthly overview of your defect rates.
#3. Keep improving your customer service and ratings
To keep your eBay Top Rated seller badge, one of the keys is to reduce the amount of negative feedback by getting more positive transactions. The best way to do this is by paying close attention to what your buyers are saying. Whether it’s repeated problems with specific products, shipping issues with certain carriers, or packaging that leads to damage, listening to your customers helps you spot and fix these problems.
To stay on top, regularly check for common issues and make changes to prevent them in the future. This will help you avoid problems that could harm your seller account’s standing over time.
Moreover, while negative feedback and occasional issues might come, the key is to keep improving. As an online seller, you should always focus on offering better service to receive as much positive customer feedback as possible.
eBay Top Rated Plus vs Top Rated Seller
It’s easy to get confused between eBayTop Rated Seller and eBay Top Rated Seller Plus, so let us clarify that for you:
First off, A Top Rated Seller is a status seller can earn by meeting certain requirements on eBay. Meanwhile, Top Rated Plus applies to specific items that Top Rated Sellers sell. To get this badge on your listings, you need to offer some more services.
For more details and clarification, refer to this table:
| Feature | Top Rated Seller | Top Rated Plus |
| Applies to | Sellers | Individual items sold by sellers |
| Requirements | – Active account for at least 90 days | – Same-day or 1-business-day handling |
| – 100+ transactions and $1,000+ in sales | – 30-day or longer free return policy | |
| – Defect rate below 0.5% | ||
| – No more than 3 defects from unique buyers | ||
| – Timely tracking uploads | ||
| Benefits | – Return shipping label credits | – 10% discount on final value fees |
| – Deduct up to 50% from returns for used items | – Items receive a “Top Rated Plus” badge |
eBay Top Rated Seller: FAQs
Being a top-rated seller on eBay means you consistently meet the marketplace’s requirements for the top-rated levels, and your store has outstanding customer service. It also indicates that you may be qualified to receive a top-rated plus seal on specific listings. A top-rated seller plus on eBay receives a significant number of privileges including As an eBay top-rated seller, you will save more money in business operations and leverage your trust level via the top-rated plus seal appearing in your product listings. Such a seal helps you reassure buyers when making a purchase and eventually helps you earn more customers.
It’s 2024, and Let’s Become A Top Rated Seller!
For eBay sellers, the top-rated status is definitely a milestone to set. Even if you don’t achieve such a level after trying out all the methods, they will help you boost sales and improve your seller profile in the long run.
There are, however, some drawbacks to the program. Some sellers consider the program a difficult and time-consuming activity, and you may risk losing profits when trying to meet all the requirements.
While becoming a top-rated seller on eBay remains a major challenge for many sellers to maximize their profit, going multi-channel is a solution. With LitCommerce, multi-channel selling is now easier than ever. Our free tool helps you manage everything within a single dashboard.
You can always contact us for further support, follow our Retailer Blog for helpful eCommerce tips and news!
