eBay Bucks Rewards Program: Everything You Need to Know
You may have been wondering “What are eBay Bucks and how does it benefit me?”
In this article, we want to share everything you need to know about eBay bucks and why you should join the program as a buyer on eBay!
Here is a quick overview of the program:
To start earning eBay Bucks, sign up for the program, and then shop on eBay just as you do today. Once enrolled, you automatically earn a percentage of the item price of your qualifying purchases in the form of eBay Bucks. When you earn eBay Bucks in a calendar quarter (every 3 months), we send you an eBay Bucks Certificate after the quarter ends. Once we issue your eBay Bucks Certificate, you have 30 days to use it.
To participate in eBay Bucks you need to:
Be a US or Canada resident.
Be an eBay member in good standing (with no holds or suspensions).
Purchase a qualifying item (marked with a Bucks icon).
You can earn:
Up to $100 in eBay Bucks per transaction (regardless of the number of items purchased in that transaction)
Up to $500 in eBay Bucks per participant per 3-month earning period
Source: eBay
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What are eBay Bucks?
You may have heard of the eBay Buck Rewards Program, but you’re still wondering “what are eBay bucks?”
eBay Bucks is a reward program made just for eBay members who purchase qualifying items on eBay. By joining the program, you will earn eBay Bucks based on your purchases. After each calendar quarter, you will receive a reward equal to the amount of the eBay Bucks made during that calendar quarter in the form of an eBay Bucks Certificate. You can use this Certificate to buy more things on eBay!
How to Sign Up for eBay Bucks?
To sign up for eBay Bucks, go to eBay Bucks and select Sign Up. Then just look for the Bucks icon when you’re shopping on eBay.
When you buy qualifying items, eBay automatically tracks how many Bucks you earn, and send you a certificate at the end of every 3-month earning period.
You can then use that certificate to purchase other items on eBay with a discount.
Does the eBay Bucks program cost anything to join?
No, joining the eBay Bucks Rewards Program and participating is completely FREE. There is no cost.
Is there an eBay Bucks Canada Rewards Program?
The eBay Bucks program is available to those who live in Canada, just the same as those in the United States.
Can anyone participate in eBay Bucks?
You can participate in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program if you meet the following qualifications:
You have a US address tied to an eBay account and the account has no holds or suspensions.
You have your own eBay account registered on eBay.com
You have a valid PayPal account or have successfully signed up for a valid PayPal account and such account is in good standing.
Can I join eBay Bucks if I do not have an account in the United States?
If you live in the United Kingdom, you may be able to earn points through Nectar rewards.
Can I earn eBay Bucks on multiple accounts?
No. There is a maximum of one eBay account per person that can be enrolled in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program. Members are not permitted to have or create multiple eBay Bucks accounts to circumvent the quarterly earn limit.
Can I transfer my eBay Bucks balance to another eBay member?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. eBay Bucks are non-transferable.
How do I join eBay Bucks?
You can join by enrolling or simply by responding to an invitation email that eBay may send from time to time.
How do I earn eBay Bucks?
Earning eBay Bucks can be super easy! After you sign up, start buying on eBay and you’ll immediately earn eBay Bucks on qualifying purchases. When you earn eBay Bucks during a calendar quarter, you will then be gifted an eBay Bucks Certificate for your total amount earned after that quarter ends.
Do all my eBay purchases qualify?
Most of your purchases on eBay qualify, but some restrictions do apply.
For an example, to qualify, your purchases must meet the following rules:
It must be paid for with PayPal
Payment will need to be made on eBay’s checkout system. The payments made directly via PayPal to a seller’s account aren’t eligible.
All of your eBay Bucks will be made AFTER you enroll in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program (can be a winning bid or Buy it Now).
Your bought items must have been purchased on the US eBay site (www.eBay.com). Some third-party automated bidding applications (sniping tools) are actually placing their bids on international sites as opposed to bidding on the US site directly. Items bought completed by these applications do not qualify to earn eBay Bucks.
Among other rules and restrictions, purchases made in the following categories DO NOT qualify:
eBay Motors
Classifieds
Real Estate
eBay Gift Cards, Gift Cards, and Digital Gifts within the Gift Cards & Coupons category
Coins & Paper Money, but only for Bullion within that category
Heavy Equipment within the Business & Industrial category
PLEASE NOTE: While eBay Bucks can’t be earned on purchases in these categories, the eBay Bucks Certificates can still be used for redemption in these categories, except eBay Gift Cards within the Gift Cards & Coupons category.
How is the base earn amount determined for a qualifying purchase?
The base earn amount is figured by taking the item price times quantity selected times your earn percentage. Any additional fees such as shipping, handling, and taxes are not included in this calculation; eBay Bucks are earned wholly on the item price.
What is the base earn percentage?
The base earn percentage is the percent amount used to calculate how many eBay Bucks a member will earn on qualifying purchases. The current base earn percentage is 1%
Are all aspects of my qualifying purchase included in the calculation?
No, eBay Bucks are earned wholly on the item price. Any other fees (including, but not limited to, shipping, handling, and taxes) will not be included in the calculation of the earn amount.
Can the base earn percentage change?
eBay has the right to change the base earn percentage higher or lower. Every once and a while, eBay may offer special promotions. Including bonus offers and selling offers, that would provide members with extra eBay Bucks. As well as additional earn percentages in addition to the base earn a percentage for qualifying purchases during the promotion period. If the item you have bought qualifies for more than one promotions, you will immediately earn credit for the highest value promotional offer.
How do I know if I am signed up to receive emails from eBay Bucks?
To see if you’re signed up to get emails from eBay Bucks, follow these steps:
Log in to your account and go to My eBay
Click on the Account tab
Select Communication Preferences
Scroll down to Promotions and Surveys and click Show
Select General Email Promotions and click Save
By signing up for general email promotions, you will receive emails from eBay Bucks.
How do I find out about promotions that might affect how much I earn?
Most of eBay’s promotions are sent through email to the email address you have given in your account.
Are there any limitations on how many eBay Bucks I can earn?
Yes. You can earn up to $100 in eBay Bucks on any single eBay purchase. This means that if the eBay Bucks earn percentage is 1% and the purchase price (excluding tax, shipping fees) is in excess of $10,000, you will not be allowed to earn any more eBay Bucks for that purchase beyond the $100 eBay Bucks purchase earn limit.
You can earn up to $500 in eBay Bucks for all qualifying purchases during a given calendar quarter. This means that if the eBay Bucks earn percentage is 1% and the total value of qualifying purchases is more than $50,000 during a given calendar quarter, you would be restricted from achieving any more eBay Bucks beyond the $500 eBay Bucks quarterly earn limit.
How to Get eBay Bucks Code?
You can earn eBay Bucks throughout each calendar quarter. For example, you can earn eBay Bucks from January 1 through March 31. Then a new earn quarter starts on April 1 and runs through June 30. Your eBay Bucks Certificate will arrive in your account exactly 15 days after the quarter ends.
Can I earn eBay Bucks while taking advantage of another eBay promotional program?
Yes, you can earn eBay Bucks in conjunction with most other eBay promotions such as while using an eBay Coupon.
When are my eBay Bucks posted to my account?
eBay Bucks are given out after you purchase and have paid for your item(s) with PayPal (either auction-style or Buy It Now). Note: If you make a purchase during one calendar quarter but you don’t pay for it with PayPal until the next calendar quarter, the eBay Bucks will be added to your account during the quarter when you pay for the item(s).
I received an extra eBay Bucks promotional offer; when will my eBay Bucks be posted to my account?
On promotion day(s), you will be required to purchase and pay (and/or sell depending on the promotion) for your item(s) with PayPal on that exact day(s) to qualify for the extra eBay Bucks.
Can I earn eBay Bucks without a PayPal account?
No, you will be required a PayPal account to pay for qualifying purchases to acquire eBay Bucks. Sign up for a PayPal account.
Where are my eBay Bucks and how many eBay Bucks to I have?
You can see your eBay Bucks balance by clicking “My eBay” at the top right of the page, a menu pops up and at the bottom it shows “eBay Bucks”. Or simply click here to be directed to the “eBay Bucks” page on your account.
Why does my eBay Bucks account show a negative balance?
You likely returned an item after you spent the eBay Bucks Certificate that you earned for it. This often happens when you buy an item in one quarter, spend the eBay Bucks Certificate you received for buying that item, and then returned that item. Any other purchases in the future will be offset against that negative balance as you continue to earn eBay Bucks.
Why does my eBay Bucks show $0.00?
At the beginning of each calendar quarter, your eBay Bucks amount listed in the left navigation bar on the My eBay page will reset to $0.00. If you have made eBay Bucks the previous quarter, we will process your eBay Bucks Certificate and make it available to you in approximately fifteen (15) days. You can check to see if the Certificate has been issued by scrolling down to the Activity section on the eBay Bucks page under My eBay.
Why does My eBay show less eBay Bucks than I expected?
The eBay Bucks page in My eBay will show your activity for the current quarter, and the eBay Bucks you have earned on your purchases.
If your purchase has not posted there yet, please wait 48 hours for it to clear. In the rare event that your purchase still doesn’t post here after 48 hours, please contact eBay’s Customer Service.
There may be some purchases that may not qualify for eBay Bucks or may be under a restriction. You may be able to see these purchases as the amount in the earn column should be shown as a hyperlink. You can click that link to learn more about the reason for the restriction.
You should also know that from time to time, purchases may be subject to review, so what first appears as a “$0.00” earning could turn into the earn amount you expected.
If you decide to return a purchase, the eBay Bucks had received for that purchase will be deducted from your eBay Bucks balance total. If the return occurred in the next earn period, you may even start off with a negative balance.
When will I get my eBay Bucks Certificate?
If you receive eBay Bucks in a calendar quarter, you will get your eBay Bucks Certificate around 3–15 days after the end of the quarterly earn period. Please check the eBay Bucks page in My eBay; keep an eye on the “Certificates” section. You will also get an email when your Certificate is ready to be redeemed.
Where can I redeem my eBay Bucks Certificate?
You can redeem your Certificate for any qualifying item on eBay.com that allows PayPal. See Terms & Conditions for details and restrictions.
How to use eBay Bucks
When you find what an item you want to buy, here’s how to redeem eBay Bucks (ams 390) certificate:
Make sure the username on your account is the same as the username you used to sign up for eBay Bucks.
At checkout, select the checkbox next to your subtotal to apply your eBay Bucks to your purchase and pay.
In some cases, the eBay Bucks certificate may not appear at checkout. If you’re sure you have an eBay Bucks certificate available, you can still redeem it manually. Here’s how:
Get your certificate code from the eBay Bucks section of My eBay. Continue to checkout to make your purchase.
Enter your code in the Gift cards, coupons, eBay Bucks box at the bottom of the checkout page, then select Apply.
You can’t transfer your eBay Bucks certificate to someone else, and you can’t combine eBay Bucks earned on multiple accounts.
How long do I have to redeem my eBay Bucks Certificate?
Your eBay Bucks Certificate is valid for 30 days. Please check your eBay Bucks Certificate for specific dates. Your unredeemed eBay Bucks Certificate will completely expire after the 30 day redemption period.
Can I give or sell my eBay Bucks Certificate to another member?
No, eBay Bucks Certificates are only allowed to be redeemed by the member it was given to. eBay Bucks Certificates are not transferable.
Can I donate my eBay Bucks?
No, at this time, you cannot donate your eBay Bucks Certificates to anyone. The eBay Bucks Certificates may only be redeemed for purchases on eBay by the person who received them.
What do I do if my eBay Bucks Certificate isn’t available at checkout?
If your Certificate isn’t available at checkout, follow these steps:
Get your code from the eBay Bucks section of My eBay
Keep going to the eBay checkout page
Enter your code in the “Coupons, gift cards or certificates” promotional box at the bottom of the page
What if I pay for an item with my eBay Bucks and I return that item? Do I lose my eBay Bucks?
No, you will not lose your eBay Bucks Certificate. When you do return the item, we will re-issue your eBay Bucks Certificate and you will then have either 21 days or until the end of the remaining redemption period (whichever is longer) to spend your eBay Bucks Certificate.
Are selling fees impacted?
No, there is no impact to seller fees as a result of this Program.
Are my listings eligible for eBay Bucks?
You don’t have to do anything as a seller to enable eBay Bucks. eBay Bucks members will see the eBay Bucks offer as long as a seller’s item qualifies for eBay Bucks. Please note that as the seller, you will not see eBay Bucks information for your own inventory. This is because as a seller you can’t buy your own items and you also would not earn Bucks in these cases.
How can I verify that eBay Bucks are offered on my items?
If you are using different accounts for buying and selling and have signed up for eBay Bucks with your buyer account, you can see the eBay Bucks information from your buying account. In fact, eBay Bucks are displayed for any eBay account other than the account from which an item was listed under these conditions:
That eBay account MUST be enrolled in the eBay Bucks Program
You must be signed in to eBay.com with that account
The item qualifies for earning Bucks
Should I mention eBay Bucks in my item listings?
Since signing up for eBay Bucks is voluntary, not all eBay members will be joining in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program. In that case, we strongly do not advise you from mentioning eBay Bucks in your listings as some eBay members who are not eBay Bucks members may get confused and hesitate to buy from you.
How can I make sure that eBay Bucks members can earn eBay Bucks when they purchase my listing?
As long as these three criteria are met, you don’t have to do anything for members to earn eBay Bucks from your listing:
You must offer PayPal as a payment option
Your items are not listed in any of the restricted categories (see Terms & Conditions for details)
The buyer must pay with PayPal
Can buyers use their eBay Bucks Certificate on my listings?
Yes, buyers can use their eBay Bucks Certificate on your listings as long as they pay using PayPal. Please note that using an eBay Bucks Certificate on a purchase has no effect on how sellers receive their payment.
Can I participate as a buyer?
Definitely. eBay understands that many of its best sellers are also buyers on the eBay site. But please remember that only one eBay Bucks account per person is allowed. Therefore, we recommend you enroll the account that you use for buying in the eBay Bucks Rewards Program.