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eBay top rated seller status: how to get it and keep it!

Last updated September 4, 2023 6 min to read
eBay top rated seller
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eBay top rated seller status is an incentive for sellers to provide excellent customer service and offer a generous returns policy.

Top rated sellers on eBay enjoy a number of benefits including increased visibility for listings, a ‘top rated seller’ badge to and increased protections.

However, sellers need to meet quite a few strict requirements to obtain this status. Let’s take a look at how to become a top rated seller on eBay.

How to become an eBay top rated seller

Top rated sellers have very little room for error and need to consistently maintain some key sales metrics. To become a top rated seller on eBay, you must have:

  • An active account for 90 days or more
  • A minimum of 100 transactions and $1,000 in sales with US shoppers over the past year
  • A history of resolving customer issues; cases closed without a seller resolution can’t exceed 0.3% – or two cases
  • A maximum defect rate of 0.5% on transactions
  • No more than 3% of transactions with late shipping – or five late shipments
  • Tracking uploaded within your stated handling time and carrier validation for 95% of transactions
  • Adherence to eBay’s selling practices policy, which includes requirements like providing accurate item location and clear T&Cs

It’s worth noting that a seller’s defect rate isn’t related to damaged or defective products. This metric is actually about counting defective transactions. In other words, it’s about how many times a seller cancels transactions because of inventory problems or other issues.

What this means for sellers

Phew! That may seem like a daunting list, but these things are largely within a seller’s control. They’re all about providing great customer service in a way that is flexible, responsive and fast.

You can check to see how you’re doing by looking at your seller dashboard. eBay will show you if you’re eligible to be a top rated seller. If you meet the above requirements, your account will automatically be upgraded during its next evaluation – this takes place on the 20th day of each month.

For low volume sellers, these metrics are based on your seller performance over the past year. Higher volume sellers, who process 400 transactions or more every quarter, will be judged on their performance over the past three months.

Becoming an eBay top rated seller in other countries

It’s possible to be an eBay top rated seller in another country if you meet the criteria set out for that specific marketplace.

For eBay.com, your metrics are based on your sales performance with US shoppers. Even if you’re located in the US, you can also become a top rated seller on eBay.co.uk based on your performance with British buyers.

Want to know how to become a top rated seller on eBay marketplaces around the world? Check out the requirements for Australia, for Germany and Austria and for the rest of the world. Some of the requirements vary slightly. For example, the global guidelines allow for a late shipment rate of 5%, rather than 3%.

What are the benefits of being a top rated seller on ebay

Because of the level of service provided, eBay top rated sellers are likely to benefit from positive reviews, feedback and repeat purchases. But beyond this, eBay also throws in some extra benefits to really reward great seller accounts. These include:

eBay top rated sellers in the US who also give shoppers 30 days or more to return their purchases also benefit from increased seller protections, which include:

  • Return shipping label credits when a buyer returns an item falsely claiming that it wasn’t as described in the listing
  • Refund deductions of up to 50% when a buyer has returned a product which they damaged or used
  • Automatic removal of negative or neutral buyer feedback and transaction metrics in the above situations

eBay top rated plus sellers

For some or all listings, you can go even further and become an eBay top rated plus seller. This comes with even greater benefits to help you increase eBay sales, as well as even stricter service requirements.

What you need to be eligible for top rated plus listings on eBay

For a listing to be upgraded to top rated plus, you already need to be a top rated seller and then provide:

  • Lightning fast handling – completed on the same day or within one business day
  • Flexible and free returns – giving customers at least 30 days to return something for free with a money back option

Some products, like food and plants, are exempt from these return requirements.

What are the advantages of eBay top rated plus?

It will take some significant investment to implement such speedy turnarounds and free returns, but taking these actions are also likely to drive more sales. It’s worth considering, especially when you take into account the added benefits provided by eBay.

Any listings which meet eBay’s top rated plus requirements, receive:

  • 10% off the product’s Final Value Fee
  • Further visibility in Best Match search results
  • The Top Rated Plus seal of approval, which appears prominently in search results and listings
Top Rated Plus BAdge
The eBay Top Rated Plus badge appears prominently on listings.
eBay top rated seller badge
The Top Rated Seller badge can set you apart from your rivals on eBay

The Top Rated Plus badge can really impress shoppers, but it can also stress sellers. Can you handle same-day handling? And can you afford free returns? You’ll need to weigh up the costs involved and calculate how it will impact your profit margins.

We suggest trialing free returns and fast handling for just a couple of products. Focus on the listings which will benefit most from a reduced Final Value Fee. It is more likely to be worth the effort if it saves you money. Then if everything goes well, you can introduce these policies for more and more of your product offering.

eBay top rated plus badge
The Top Rated Plus badge appears at several stages in the buyer journey.

How to get and maintain eBay top rated seller status

Great customer service is important at every stage of the customer journey. If you’re after top seller status, here are the specific areas you’ll need to focus on.

1. Providing punctual shipping and handling

Be realistic when setting out your handling and shipping estimations. If it will take you a couple of days to process an order, just say so. You may have to sacrifice your top rated plus eligibility, but at least you’ll be able to achieve regular eBay top rated seller status.

2. Reduce and resolve customer cases

Cases closed without a seller resolution need to be kept to an absolute minimum. To do this, sellers can prevent new cases by:

  • Writing accurate product descriptions: Include as much detail as possible and if there are any faults in your products, be honest about it
  • Providing plenty of product images: This will reduce cases where customers claim a product didn’t come as described
  • Use appropriate packaging: Top quality eCommerce packaging will reduce the chance of a product arriving damaged

When a case is opened, sellers should make sure to resolve it by:

  • Responding to messages quickly: Politely deal with customer complaints before they contact eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Buyer Protection about the case. Prioritizing customer service is one of your most effective eCommerce marketing strategies!
  • Compensating customers generously: Where customers didn’t receive a product or it didn’t come as described, do your best to make the customer happy. Refunds may hurt your bottom line in the short term, but it’s important to keep your eBay metrics in good standing

Related article: How to Remove Negative Feedback on eBay

3. Prevent transaction defects

You can keep your defect rate to a minimum by staying on top of your stock. The moment you’re out of an item, make sure to take down the listing. You can use eBay’s out-of-stock feature to do this automatically. Alternatively, you can use multichannel inventory software like OrderWise or TradeGecko to manage stock across several platforms.

Related article: The Best eBay Software for Online Sellers

Final thoughts

eBay top rated seller status is certainly something to aim for. Even if you don’t achieve it, you’re likely to see a boost in positive feedback, happy customers and repeat purchases.

If you do hit this milestone, you can then consider if you should go for gold and pursue eBay top rated plus status. There are more costs and risks involved here, but you can take it one product at a time to understand exactly how it will impact your bottom line.

Did you know that over 60% of US online retail purchases were made through Amazon last year? Amazon’s hold over eCommerce is well established, with 9.1 million active Amazon sellers worldwide and an average of 66 thousand orders per day. Newer sellers may be wondering how they can get more sales on Amazon in such a competitive environment.

The truth is, they absolutely can because with Amazon’s booming market share come many opportunities. We’ve assembled this digestible list of 14 quick wins and strategic moves, to help you up your game and sell more on Amazon.

1. Do keyword research

Having the right keywords can be one of the most important tactics in reaching your target audiences. Using the keywords that are common to searches for your products is the objective, but search engine optimisation (SEO) is a constantly evolving game. That means that keywords used successfully in the past may not be as effective with updated search engine algorithms today.

The terms used by customers to find products change daily and are affected by seasonal, cultural, and economic factors. Hence, it’s important to stay on top of the latest SEO trends and make sure you cast a wide net when implementing keywords for each product listing.

Each product should be optimized with as many relevant keywords as possible – into the hundreds! This gives you the best possible chance of getting your products found by customers, helping you sell more on Amazon.

Amazon keyword research tools like Helium 10, SellerApp, Jungle Scout, and AMZ One can help by generating a list of related keywords with search volume, competition level, and other useful metrics, making it easier for you to choose the best keywords for your product listing

2. Use a repricing tool to get more sales on Amazon

When it comes to sealing the deal and making a sale, price is a main deciding factor for many customers. As an Amazon seller, you always want to make sure you’re pricing your products competitively, but equally, you don’t want to lose your margin! 

This is something that using repricing software can help with. Repricing software automates the pricing process in real-time, ensuring your prices stay in line with those of competitors, and with market fluctuations, while you get more sales on Amazon.

Repricing software also has many customisable features that allow you to set prices at optimal levels to help drive sales, without compromising profit. It’s worth taking a trial to see how it can help lift your sales. 

3. Get more Amazon reviews

Online reviews are important to spread confidence through word of month and for building credibility for your brand. It’s also a fact that 72% of shoppers won’t buy until they’ve read reviews of a product from people like themselves – people they trust. 

Even a strong product with great marketing behind it still has to overcome the fear of the unknown if there’s no social proof. Plus, positive reviews are a significant factor in deciding which products win the Amazon Buy Box.

Get more Amazon reviews by encouraging feedback from your customers. The best way to do this is by utilizing feedback software to automate the process.

4. Provide great customer service

Customer service is absolutely essential in eCommerce. Offering top-quality customer service not only adds value, but helps retain customers. A big part of making a sale is assuring the customer that they can trust you to deliver, and that trust is hard earned but easily lost. Providing good eCommerce customer service is critical, and committing to providing great customer service is all the more so!

As an Amazon seller, you need to be on top of your customer service. Responsiveness, a friendly manner and quick and easy resolution processes are all ingredients that make for a winning approach to great customer service. 

But it can be confusing trying to streamline it all. Thankfully, there are all sorts of tools available to make this job easier, like helpdesk software to keep all your customer interactions in one place. This helps you to respond quickly and accurately to customer inquiries when they come in, so that your customers always know you’ve got their back.

5. Leverage Amazon seller tools

The best part about being an Amazon seller is that you don’t have to go it alone. There are numerous tools available to help you maximize your business and get the most out of selling on Amazon, whether third-party or FBA. 

From repricing tools, to help desk software, to review software and even shipping assistance, many tools exist on the market today that specifically help Amazon sellers optimize their listings, prices, feedback, shipping, customer service and even their taxes. 

There are many different seller tools available, so it’s worth reading about options and making an informed decision about the right ones to choose for your business. With the right tools, you can grow your business more than you ever thought possible. 

6. Get more sales on Amazon with ads

Running ads is almost guaranteed to help you get more sales on Amazon, but it’s easy to just throw money at them and hope for the best. You can do better! Pay attention to your advertising cost of sales (ACOS) metric, the figure for how much ad spend you need in order to make a sale.

By advertising more efficiently, you lower your ACOS and ensure you get more bang for your buck. Over time, you’ll learn what works and you can employ a strategy with regards to how you run your ads. Taking an insight-driven approach to Amazon ads results in a more profitable Amazon business!

7. Optimise your product pages

The old saying goes that 80% of readers never make it past the headline of any piece of content. That means once you’ve written your product title, you’ve effectively spent 80 cents of your dollar.

When writing product titles, stick to the formula of:

  • Brand name
  • Product name
  • Features (size, colour, gender etc). 

This lets you include the right keywords in the right order to immediately tell shoppers that this is the product for them.

Moreover, making sure to visually design your product pages so that they’re clean, simple and easy to read will also help win over shoppers. No one wants to read through a cluttered page. The more straightforward (yet informative) and the cleaner you make your design, the more likely you’ll be to win over those elusive eyeballs!

8. Win the Amazon Buy Box

The quickest way to get more sales on Amazon is by ensuring that your products show up consistently in the Amazon Buy Box (the area in the top right of a product page, where shoppers can ‘Add to Cart’ or ‘Buy Now’). This is because over 82% of sales happen through this highly sought after space.

Although the exact formula to win the Buy Box is unknown, there are a few things that we know are essential. These are mainly metrics that prove the seller is providing a good customer experience. Customer reviews play a big role here. The more positive reviews a seller can amass, the likelihood of winning the Buy Box increases. 

In addition to reviews, something else that’s obviously very important to Amazon shoppers is price! By using repricing software, you can automatically set your prices at the optimal level to win the Buy Box and maximize profit, even if you’ve got an enormous inventory.

9. Amazon account health rating

The Amazon account health rating (AHR) is a new feature that helps you monitor your account health based on its adherence to Amazon seller policies. 

It considers both negative factors (such as the number of unresolved policy violations on your account) as well as positive factors (how your account positively impacts the customer experience through its selling activities). 

Each account will be given a rating, which is regularly reviewed as Amazon monitors the performance of its sellers. If your account is off-target, you will be notified so that you can improve your performance. Conversely, a good AHR rating will work in your favor, helping assure customers that they’re doing business with a compliant seller. 

10. Maintain your Amazon SLA

A big part of being a seller is cultivating trust with your customers. That means showing them that you operate in an above-board manner and that you’ll make good on your promise of fulfillment to them. One way of doing that is by making sure your Amazon store has a Service Level Agreement (SLA). This is a promise to your customers that they’ll receive their orders on time. When it comes to fulfillment, the SLA is based on the capacity to fulfill open orders and on-time shipping and delivery. 

SLAs help manage customer expectations by defining standards and outlining circumstances under which you as the seller won’t be liable for unfulfilled promises (e.g., natural disasters preventing shipping, etc). 

eDesk’s customer service solution is designed to alert you when your SLA is expiring, so your business is never caught without one. Having a current SLA helps you maintain transparency with customers, thereby building trust which helps ensure customer loyalty.  

11. Focus on products that already sell

Most ambitious business owners want to try new streams of revenue, but it’s important not to lose sight of the things that are making you money now. 

By doubling down on the products that already provide your Amazon store with a reliable revenue stream, you not only deliver to market demand but ensure that you have the financial runway required to take risks on innovative new products, if need be. 

Review your financial statements every quarter and look at the items that are performing best in your store. Think about how you can continue to market these with ads, SEO keywords and upgraded images to maximize their selling potential in your online store. 

12. Sync your inventory

Inventory can be a delicate balancing act. Hold too much inventory for too long and you need to pay over the odds to store it. But hold too little inventory and you lose out on vital sales, or even customers, due to an inability to fulfill. Amazon can also penalize you if your inventory performance isn’t up to standard.

Stock control is something every seller needs to understand and have the capability to manage for optimal results. Smart inventory management is an under-appreciated way to increase your Amazon sales and profit margin. Fortunately, there are tools that can help. Investing in the right tools and software can help sellers take the stress out of balancing supply and demand.

13. Expand into new Amazon marketplaces 

Amazon currently has 20 marketplaces around the world, which include the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Australia and more. 

You can scale your brand by moving into some of these marketplaces. This can involve doing market research to find out which products are popular in each market and then uplevelling your shipping operations in order to be able to ship globally.  

But expanding into new markets also means you’ll need to take language into consideration and localize your listings so that they feature each marketplace’s local language and SEO keywords in the appropriate language. Multilingual customer service is also needed in order to be able to service customers across various marketplaces in their local language. 

Sounds complicated? It doesn’t have to be. eDesk’s help desk solution is designed to support customer service and workflow in multiple languages, so you can expand your business without investing in the overhead of hiring a global team. 

14. Spy on your competitors

Ok, maybe “spy” is a bit of an exaggeration, but profitable sellers are always on the lookout for what their competitors are doing. You want to make sure you’re offering the right inventory for your market at the right prices. Repricing software will monitor this for you, taking the guesswork out of pricing at the right levels. 

Using data gleaned from helpdesk reporting can also help you gather valuable insights and feedback from your customers, which will help you to better understand what customers want and need. Acting on analytics-driven insights from easy-to-read reports means you’re always one step ahead of the competition. 

Final thoughts

The quest to increase your store’s Amazon sales doesn’t need to be an uphill struggle. There are many resources available to Amazon sellers today to help them optimize their store and develop a healthy sales pipeline. 

By staying in touch with how the Amazon platform grows and using the right tech tools to drive your business, you can continue to do what you do best: building a great brand, winning customers, retaining existing customers and improving your bottom line. 

Looking for more great content like this? We’ve curated a list of related resources for you down below 

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