How the eBay Refurbished Program Works for Sellers

As a seller on eBay, you have to be able to find ways to increase your sales and get the most out of your listings. The best way to do this is by joining the eBay Refurbished Program. Some of the most popular items on the refurbished programs are electronics, where you can find computers and cellphones in excellent condition at an affordable price. The program gives the seller and buyer peace of mind since qualified technicians inspect all items before being put up for sale.

When you buy refurbished goods from eBay, you know they have been checked over by experts and are as good as new! This article will discuss how the eBay refurbished program works for sellers, how to be a qualified refurbished seller, and become one of the Power sellers!

What is the eBay Refurbished Program?

Nowadays, many people are looking for ways to save money and conserve the environment. This is why refurbished items are in-demand on almost all e-commerce platforms. And one of the leading go-to destinations for shoppers looking for refurbished products is eBay.

The eBay Refurbished program allows sellers to sell refurbished items that have been professionally inspected and certified by experts. If you are unfamiliar, refurbished items are products that were returned under warranty due to defects and are being resold by the manufacturer after reconditioning and ensuring functionality.

However, sellers need to qualify and pass the requirements before they can start selling their refurbished inventory on eBay. There are different refurbished conditions that a seller can sell on eBay. Experts will determine whether the refurbished inventory qualified to be in Certified, Excellent, Very Good, and Good conditions. Each type has benefits such as up to 2 years warranty, a money-back guarantee, and free returns.

Most of the refurbished items are smartphones and computers. EBay Refurbished Program gives buyers assurance that their refurbished items are reconditioned directly from the manufacturer, manufacturer-approved refurbisher, or eBay vetted sellers.

eBay's strict standards in selling refurbished items instill trust and confidence in its buyer. Consumers can make sure they are buying a refurbished item at their expected condition, and sellers are more likely to lessen claims under "item not as described."

4 Types of Refurbished Conditions

eBay categorized their refurbished conditions into four types. The Certified, Excellent, Very Good, and Good Condition. We will break down each of these conditions, benefits, and how a seller can qualify in selling them.

Certified Refurbished Condition

A certified refurbished product means that the item is in mint (like-new) condition. It must also come in a new packaging along with a new or original manual and accessories. The seller must also provide evidence that the item has been professionally inspected, cleaned, and refurbished directly from the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved refurbisher.

eBay will review the qualification requirements first before the seller can use the "certified refurbished" condition in their listings. After they pass, they can add it to their listing titles, subtitles, and product description.

Program Benefits

Two years Allstate Warranty
Free shipping and 30-day free returns
Your listing will be found under the "Certified Refurbished Condition" on eBay to boost visibility.
Your listings will have the eBay refurbished badge in Search, View Item, Check-out, and Order confirmation pages.
More buyers will gain trust and confidence in buying refurbished items in your shop.

Criteria to be Certified Refurbished Seller

Sellers who wish to qualify as certified refurbished sellers must meet and comply with the following program requirements:

You must be the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor with authorization to resell the manufacturer's products.
Your account must be in a good standing position, with average or good service level metrics, and follow all eBay policies and standards.
You must be residing in the U.S.
Your inventory complies with certified refurbished condition requirements:

The refurbished items must be pristine with few or no visible flaws.
The item must be bought or sourced directly from the manufacturer, with proof of purchase or authorization and the manufacturer's warranty.
The refurbished item must be listed with free shipping and 30-day free returns.
The refurbished item must come in new packaging with its original or new accessories and manual.

The seller must meet and comply with all the requirements before qualifying to sell certified refurbished condition items. In this way, eBay can make sure certified refurbished sellers uphold high seller standards, and buyers can buy refurbished items confidently.

Becoming a Certified Refurbished Seller

If you meet and can provide all the needed requirements to become a certified refurbished seller, there are two ways to participate in this program.

If you are a U.S.-based seller, simply submit your application to participate.
If you are from eBay UK, Canada, or Australia, check their certified refurbished program pages to see how to participate.

eBay will contact you within two weeks (for US-based sellers) to notify you whether you qualified for the program or still need to improve some metrics.

Excellent, Very Good, and Good Refurbished Conditions

eBay offers a wide variety of refurbished item conditions buyers can choose from. Aside from the certified refurbished condition items that can only be given to the manufacturer or manufacturer-approved vendor. eBay also lets its vetted sellers sell refurbished items as long as they meet its grading requirements by condition.

Excellent - The item must be in like-new condition with few to minimal visible blemishes
Very Good - The item shows minimal signs of wear
Good - The item shows moderate signs of wear

Regardless of their condition, all refurbished items must be fully functional and professionally reconditioned. The refurbished items are also expected to come in new packaging with their original or new manuals and accessories. The vetted seller must also offer free shipping and 30-days free returns.

eBay will review and check if your listing is qualified to be sold under the Excellent, Very Good, and Good refurbished condition program. Once all qualifications are met, you can add this information in your listing titles, subtitles, and product descriptions.

Program Benefits

One year Allstate Warranty
Free shipping and 30-day free returns
Your listings will be found under eBay's Excellent, Very Good, and Good Conditions refurbished items.
Your listing will have the eBay refurbished badge in Search, View Item, Check out, and order confirmation pages.
Your listing will gain more views and attract potential customers looking for fully functional refurbished items at an affordable price.

Criteria to be an Excellent, Very Good, and Good Refurbished Condition Seller

Sellers who want to participate in this program must meet a strict set of requirements. This includes the following:

Your account must be in good standing, with average or better service level metrics, and comply with all eBay policies and standards.
You must be residing in the U.S.
You must be an eBay Top Rated Seller.
Your service metrics must be or above the following:
98.5% feedback score
< 0.5% defect rate
< 5.0% late delivery rate
< 10.0% return rate
1-2 days handling time
You must offer free shipping and 30-days free returns.
Your item must include diagnostic test results that show your refurbished item is fully functional, professionally cleaned and tested, and professionally refurbished to a high standard.
Your refurbished item must come in new packaging with original or new accessories and manuals.

eBay will review your account and qualification. If you have been accepted into the program, eBay will grade your item according to its grading criteria condition. If your application has been rejected, but you believe your refurbished inventory qualifies, you can re-submit your program application. eBay will usually respond to your dispute within 30 days.

Seller Refurbished vs. Certified Refurbished

Many buyers are still confused about the difference between a seller refurbished and a certified refurbished. Both of them undergo a strict set of requirements before being listed according to their grading criteria.

The certified refurbished condition means that the manufacturer has refurbished it. On the other hand, seller refurbished items mean that the seller has refurbished them through a third-party refurbisher or a retailer with an in-house refurbisher team. One example of these is iPhones.

Certified Refurbished iPhones are more expensive than seller Refurbished iPhones because of two things. The iPhone has been refurbished by Apple's refurbisher team, with an extended warranty (up to 2 years), and comes in new packaging with Apple-branded accessories and manuals.

Meanwhile, seller refurbished iPhones are sold at a more affordable price with a one-year warranty and come in new packaging with new accessories and manuals. However, most of the packaging and accessories of the refurbished items are unbranded ones.

Before you can list your items as certified refurbished or seller refurbished, your listing must qualify to eBay's strict requirements and protocols. This ensures that eBay remains a leading eCommerce platform for high-quality refurbished items and meets the consistent standard of buyers' expectations.

Do More with OneShop

While selling refurbished items on eBay can make your listing stand out and help boost your sales, you must also optimize and keep your day-to-day operations at bay. Aside from posting your listing, you must take a photo, add listing titles and descriptions, share it, or join promotions to help you make a sale.

With everything that comes in reselling business, it's good to have a helping hand. The good news is that there is a tool that can help you automate tasks, act as your virtual assistant with human-like activity, and have customizable features to help you reach your goals.

This tool is called OneShop. It acts as your marketing expert who can list across multiple online marketplaces like Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, and many other eCommerce platforms soon! It can also automate listing tasks such as liking, sharing, and following on Poshmark, and relist on Mercari.

You can utilize this tool to save you more time and do other essential things than spend hours doing listing tasks manually. Cross-listing to eBay will soon be available on OneShop to help you be one of eBay's PowerSellers!

See the difference OneShop makes to your reselling business. Try it yourself, register for free and enjoy a 7-day free trial on our exclusive seller tool with no credit card information required.