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eBay Account Deletion

Leave eBay on your terms

medium
10 minutes
Verified 11/8/2025
Updated 11/8/2025

Written & Verified By

Delete.Directory Content Team

Our team of privacy advocates and former social media employees verify every deletion process through hands-on testing.

This guide helps you permanently delete your eBay account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.

How We Verified This Guide

Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts

Quick Information

Time Required

10 minutes

Difficulty

medium

Steps

5 steps

Official Resources

eBay Help - Closing Your eBay Account

Official deletion guide from eBay

Additional Resources

[1]
Request Your eBay Data

Official guide for downloading your complete eBay data before account closure

[2]
eBay User Privacy Notice

Understanding how eBay handles your data and privacy

[3]
Resolve Outstanding Issues

How to resolve open transactions before account closure

Step-by-Step Guide

1

Resolve All Outstanding Issues

Before closing your account, you must cancel all active listings, resolve all open disputes, pay any outstanding fees, and complete all pending transactions as both buyer and seller.

Tips

  • End all active auctions and buy-it-now listings
  • Pay any outstanding seller fees
  • Complete or cancel all pending purchases

Warnings

  • You cannot close account with active listings
  • Outstanding balances must be paid first
2

Access Account Settings

Log into eBay.com and click on 'My eBay' in the top right corner. Then click on 'Account' in the left sidebar to access your account settings.

Tips

  • Use desktop site for easier navigation
  • Make sure you're fully signed in
3

Find Account Closure Option

In Account settings, look for 'Close my account' or navigate to the Account Closure page directly. eBay may require you to go through their help center to find the official closure link.

Tips

  • Search eBay Help for 'close account' if you can't find it
  • Option may be under 'Personal Information' section
4

Complete Account Closure Form

eBay will ask you to confirm your identity, provide a reason for closure, and verify you understand the consequences. You may need to answer security questions or verify your email.

Warnings

  • Account enters 60-day closure period
  • You cannot bid, buy, or sell during this period
5

Confirm Closure and Wait 60 Days

After submitting your request, your account enters a 60-day inactive period. During this time, you cannot buy or sell, but you can still access your account. After 60 days, your account is permanently closed.

Warnings

  • Logging in and making transactions cancels closure
  • After 60 days, closure is permanent

Important Warnings

Alternatives to Consider

Temporarily Stop Using eBay

easy

Instead of closing your account, simply stop using it. Remove payment methods, delete saved addresses, and unsubscribe from emails. Keep the account dormant for potential future use.

Pros

  • Can return to eBay anytime
  • Purchase history preserved for warranty claims
  • Username and reputation maintained
  • No 60-day waiting period

Cons

  • Account still active on eBay
  • Data remains on eBay servers
  • May receive occasional emails
  • Privacy concerns not addressed
15 min

Remove Personal Information Before Closing

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Before closing your account, manually remove as much personal information as possible: addresses, phone numbers, payment methods, and clear your purchase history where allowed.

Pros

  • Reduces stored personal data
  • Better privacy protection
  • Can be done before deciding on closure
  • Removes financial information

Cons

  • Time-consuming process
  • Some data cannot be removed
  • Purchase history may be retained
  • Doesn't close the account
30 min

Download Your eBay Data First

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Before closing your account, request a complete download of your eBay data including purchase history, seller activity, messages, and account information.

Pros

  • Keep record of all transactions
  • Useful for tax purposes if you sold items
  • Backup of purchase history for warranties
  • Free service from eBay

Cons

  • Takes time to process and download
  • Large file size for active users
  • Data in technical format
  • Doesn't remove data from eBay
5 min

Frequently Asked Questions

eBay requires a mandatory 60-day waiting period after you request account closure. During this time, your account is inactive but not deleted. After 60 days pass without any buying or selling activity, your account is permanently closed.

References & Citations

  1. [1]
    Request Your eBay Data

    Official guide for downloading your complete eBay data before account closure

    https://www.ebay.com/help/account/protecting-account/downloading-your-ebay-data

  2. [2]
    eBay User Privacy Notice

    Understanding how eBay handles your data and privacy

    https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-privacy-notice-privacy-policy

  3. [3]
    Resolve Outstanding Issues

    How to resolve open transactions before account closure

    https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-concerns/resolving-buyer-concerns

All citations verified as of 11/8/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.

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Related Guides

Critical Warnings

  • 60-Day Waiting Period Required

    eBay requires a mandatory 60-day waiting period before permanently closing your account. During this...

  • Must Resolve All Outstanding Issues First

    You cannot close your eBay account if you have active listings, open disputes, unpaid balances, or p...

  • Seller Feedback and History May Remain Visible

    Even after account closure, your past seller feedback and transaction history may remain visible on ...

Last Updated

November 8, 2025

Tags

ecommerce
ebay
account-deletion
privacy
marketplace
online-shopping
selling