eBay’s U.S. return address rule

The short version

• The rule started on November 3, 2025. It covers items you ship from within the U.S. while your return address is outside the U.S.
• You need to provide one of three things: a return address in the U.S., a prepaid return shipping label, or a partial or full refund with no request to send the item back.
• Items shipped from outside the U.S. and items that already have a U.S. return address are not covered.
• A warehouse can receive and inspect a return. The reply to the buyer and the refund stay with you.

What changed and when

eBay announced the policy on its site for export sellers. From November 3, 2025, a seller who ships from within the U.S. with a return address outside the U.S. needs to provide one of three return options.

eBay’s reason is that international returns can be costly and inconvenient. The policy is meant to make returns simpler for U.S. buyers.

Which items and sellers it covers

eBay says: “This policy only applies to items shipped from a US address.” It excludes:

• Items shipped from outside the U.S.
• Items that already have a U.S.-based return address.

The page does not limit the rule by the country where the account is registered. In practice it reaches sellers based abroad who hold stock in the U.S. and whose return address is still at home.

The three options eBay gives

1. A return address in the U.S. The buyer sends the item to a U.S. address.
2. A prepaid return shipping label. You supply the label for the return.
3. A partial or full refund with no request to send the item back. The buyer keeps the item.

eBay asks for one of the three. With a U.S. return address, an item that comes back in sellable condition can go back into your U.S. stock.

What happens if you do not follow it

eBay’s Australian seller news page on the same rule explains what happens. If a buyer reports that you failed to provide a U.S. return address, a free return label or a full refund, your service metrics may be affected.

eBay’s general return rules also apply. You have 3 business days to respond to a return request. If you do not respond, eBay says it may in some cases refund the buyer and seek reimbursement from you without asking for the item back.

How to set a return address on eBay

eBay’s policy page says you can update your return address to a U.S. location, and it links to your return preferences. eBay’s pages describe the settings this way.

• Primary return address. eBay defines it as the preferred address to which all returns are sent within a country. eBay’s Australian seller news page tells sellers to make sure they have a U.S. primary return address or a plan to provide a return label.
• Return address rules. In your return preferences you can create a rule that sends some returns to a different address, based on the refund amount, the return reason or the item category.
• The listing. eBay says it is important to include your return address when you list an item. If you do not, and a buyer requests a return, the item is automatically returned to your registered address.

Screen labels change, so follow eBay’s help page if yours look different. Before you enter a warehouse address, make sure the warehouse has confirmed in writing that it accepts your returns.

What a warehouse does with a return

The usual steps:

1. The parcel arrives and is matched to your account from the label or the paperwork inside.
2. On your instruction, the warehouse opens it and records what came back and in what condition.
3. You tell the warehouse what to do with the item: restock it, hold it, forward it to another address or dispose of it.

The return case on eBay stays with you. Once the item has been received, eBay gives you 2 business days to review it and refund the buyer, or to ask eBay to step in. After that, eBay may issue the refund on your behalf, so it matters how quickly the warehouse reports an arrival.

We accept returns for our clients. Read about our returns service.

Who does what

Mistakes to avoid

• Moving stock to the U.S. and leaving the return address in your home country.
• Entering a warehouse address without asking the warehouse first.
• Waiting for the item to arrive before answering the buyer. eBay’s 3 business days run from the request.
• Changing the item location to match a return address. eBay’s item location policy for export sellers says the two do not have to match.