eBay has its own classification system for listing products called the eBay Item Number. Each listing is assigned a unique number.
Let’s go over where to find it and how they can be used.
eBay Item Number is a 12 digit unique identification number given to each listing that a seller posts. This goes for both auctions and buy-now items. You will see this number on every single listing on eBay.
It's unique by listing, not by product. For example, if you and another seller have listed the same item (even at the same time) both listings will still have their own item number.
These numbers are automatically generated by eBay when a listing is created. Once the listings are live, shoppers will be able to see them as well.
Once you have an item number, you can use it to search eBay’s website for that specific item. It can be done anywhere the main search bar is visible, or by going to ‘Advanced search’ and choosing the option ‘Sort by item number’.
This can be especially useful for easy communication when there’s an issue with the order since the shopper will be asked to provide it.
If you don’t know where to look, it might be tricky to find an item’s number on an eBay listing. But they’ll always be located in the same place.
You’ll find the item number in different places depending on how you’re browsing eBay.
If you’ve made a purchase then you’ll be able to find the item number for the products you bought in a few different places:
Plus, if you’ve been making bids or saving items to your wishlist then you’ll also be able to find these items (and their numbers) in the My eBay drop down menu as well.
For merchants
Sellers can find their item numbers on their current listings or for their sold items by going to My eBay > Sold.
Like we mentioned earlier, any communication post-purchase will need to include the listing’s item number.
As a seller, you can use the item number to:
A tip for sellers giving a better buying experience is to include a packing list when shipping the order where you can also include the item number for easy access.
Shoppers can also use this number in the future if they’re wanting to buy the same product again or find the seller they originally purchased from.
They’re different from other unique product identifiers in that they’re only for eBay and have a one time (or one listing) use, but are important for eBay’s ecosystem.
Besides the item number, other unique product identifiers are used in eBay listings, but for a different purpose. eBay item numbers are used mostly for internal organization and are specific to each listing (not item), while unique product identifiers are specific to each individual item and are the same across online channels and physical stores. And, unlike the item number, sellers will need to provide unique identifiers on their own.
The 5 main product identifiers used on eBay are:
Different product categories have different required identifiers. It’s also possible to vary by subcategory as well. There’s an extensive list on the Seller Central site.
Other than them being required, they also will help the performance of your listings by automatically including additional product information if your product is matched with one already in the eBay catalog.
Yes, every live listing will have an item number that can be found in the ‘Description’ box for desktop users and in the ‘About this item’ section for mobile users.
Sellers cannot create item numbers for their listings because they are automatically generated by eBay once a new listing is created.
eBay sellers have tried to speculate about any potential categorization behind the numbers, but nothing has been confirmed.
Yes, item number will always be 12 digits (unless that’s updated by eBay). When eBay first started out they were only 10 numbers, but there haven’t been any recent updates to this.
You’ll be able to access them in your eBay account, but if you’d like to keep your own records (or use it to organize how you ship) then you can keep them in a spreadsheet, for example.