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Registering for the First Time

Registering at eBay is free and easy. You only have to register once, although you can register a second eBay account. Your information will be kept private on eBay's secure servers.

Note: If you're already registered as an eBay member, there is no need to register a second time. If you want to change your registration information, see Changing Your Contact Information.

When registering for the first time, you will be asked to enter some personal information. See About the Registration Process for a list of the information that you’ll be asked to enter.

To register for the first time:

  1. Click the “register” link at the top of most eBay pages.
    Note: To register as a business instead of as an individual, click the “register as a business” link on the right side of the registration page. (See Registering as a Business to learn more.)

  2. Enter your name, address, and phone number.

  3. Enter your email address. Be sure to enter an email address that you can check right away.
    Note: If you register using a Web-based (anonymous) email address, such as an email address from Yahoo! or Hotmail, you'll need to place a valid credit or debit card on file to verify your identity. Your card will be used for identification only and will not be charged. If you don't want to place a credit card or debit card on file, you'll need to register with an email address from a company or paid Internet Service Provider, such as Telstra BigPond. Learn more about Providing Identification for Registration.

  4. Choose a User ID and password.

  5. Select a secret question and enter your answer.

  6. Enter your date of birth.

  7. Read the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy, and then select the I agree to the following check box.

  8. Click the Register button.

  9. Check your email for a message with a link and instructions for confirming your registration. Haven’t received your registration email yet?

  10. Open your registration email and click the “Activate Your eBay Membership” link. A registration confirmation message displays.

  11. If you've done this but nothing happens, or if you’d rather copy the confirmation code and paste it into the confirmation page, do the following:

    • Find your confirmation code in the registration email.

    • Enter your confirmation code in the specified box (if it isn't already entered for you).

    • If your email address is not already displayed on this page, be sure to enter the email address you originally registered with, and then click the Continue button.

    • Click the Create my account button

If you have any problems registering, see Problems Registering?

Registering two different eBay accounts

Many members find that they need two accounts. They may use different accounts to organise a large number of items they are selling, to sell different types of items, or to keep accounts used for buying and selling separate. You can register two different eBay accounts. However, keep in mind that:

  • Both accounts must have different User IDs and different email addresses.

  • The two accounts will never be used in the same listing, nor will they be used with each other's Member Profiles.

In addition, if you ever decide to have just one account again, you can Merge Accounts.


Contact Customer Support

If you have an additional question about this subject, email us at Customer Support.
If you would like to ask a question on another subject, please use the Contact Us page.


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