Managing Orders

Complete guide to order fulfillment, shipping, refunds, and dispute handling with the eBay MCP Server

Managing Orders

Learn how to efficiently manage your eBay orders from receipt through fulfillment, including shipping, refunds, and dispute resolution using the eBay MCP Server.

Prerequisites

• eBay MCP Server installed with user OAuth token
• sell.fulfillment scope for write operations (or sell.fulfillment.readonly for viewing only)
• Active eBay listings with orders (use Sandbox environment for testing)

Order Management Workflow

1. Discover Orders

   Retrieve new orders filtered by status, date range, or buyer

2. Process Payment

   eBay handles payment processing automatically

3. Create Fulfillment

   Add shipping carrier, tracking number, and shipment details

4. Mark as Shipped

   Update order status and notify the buyer

5. Handle Issues

   Process refunds or manage disputes if needed

Retrieving Orders

Get All Orders

View all orders with basic filtering:

Ask your AI assistant

Show me all my eBay orders from the past 30 days

The server uses ebay_get_orders to retrieve orders with configurable filters:

• Date range: Filter by creation or modification date
• Order status: NOT_STARTED, IN_PROGRESS, SHIPPED, CANCELLED
• Limit and offset: Pagination for large order volumes

By default, eBay returns orders from the past 90 days. You can specify custom date ranges using ISO 8601 format (e.g., 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z).

Filter by Status

Focus on orders requiring action:

Unfulfilled Orders

Show me all orders that need shipping (status: NOT_STARTED or IN_PROGRESS)

Use this to prioritize fulfillment tasks

Get Order Details

View complete information for a specific order:

Ask your AI assistant

Get full details for order ID "12-34567-89012"

The ebay_get_order tool returns comprehensive data:

• Buyer information: Username, email, shipping address
• Line items: Products ordered, quantities, prices, SKUs
• Payment details: Total, payment method, transaction ID
• Fulfillment status: Shipping requirements and current state
• Timestamps: Order creation, payment, and modification dates

Fulfilling Orders

Understanding Fulfillment

A fulfillment record contains:

• Shipping carrier: USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, or other
• Tracking number: Package tracking identifier
• Line items: Which products are included in this shipment
• Shipment date: When the package was shipped (defaults to current time)

For orders with multiple items, you can create partial fulfillments by shipping items separately. Each fulfillment should specify which line items it includes.

Create Shipping Fulfillment

Ship an order and add tracking information:

Ask your AI assistant

Mark order "12-34567-89012" as shipped via USPS with tracking number "9405511899223456789012"
Include all line items in this shipment

The server will:

1. Use ebay_create_shipping_fulfillment to record shipment details
2. Update order status to SHIPPED
3. Send automatic notification to buyer with tracking information
4. Return fulfillment ID for your records

Partial Fulfillment

Ship items separately when needed:

Example: Multi-item order

For order "12-34567-89012":
1. Ship line item 1 via UPS tracking "1Z999AA10123456784"
2. Keep line item 2 for separate shipment later

Benefits of partial fulfillment:

• Ship available items immediately
• Send out-of-stock items when restocked
• Use different carriers for different items
• Improve buyer satisfaction with faster delivery of available products

Supported Shipping Carriers

The eBay MCP Server supports all major carriers:

US Carriers

• USPS (United States Postal Service)
• FedEx (all services)
• UPS (all services)
• DHL (DHL Express, eCommerce)
• OnTrac (regional)

Retrieve Fulfillment History

View all fulfillments for an order:

Ask your AI assistant

Show me all shipping fulfillments for order "12-34567-89012"

The ebay_get_shipping_fulfillments tool returns:

• Complete fulfillment history
• Tracking numbers and carrier information
• Line items included in each shipment
• Shipment dates and delivery estimates

Handling Refunds

When to Issue Refunds

Common refund scenarios:

• Buyer cancellation: Before shipment
• Out of stock: Cannot fulfill the order
• Damaged in transit: Item arrived broken
• Wrong item shipped: Seller error
• Buyer return: Item returned per return policy

Issue Full Refund

Refund the entire order amount:

Ask your AI assistant

Issue a full refund for order "12-34567-89012"
Reason: Item out of stock

The server uses ebay_issue_order_refund with:

• Reason code: OUT_OF_STOCK, BUYER_CANCEL, DAMAGE, etc.
• Refund amount: Automatically calculates full order total
• Optional message: Explain the situation to the buyer

Refunds are final and cannot be reversed through the API. Double-check order ID and amount before issuing refunds.

Issue Partial Refund

Refund specific items or amounts:

Ask your AI assistant

For order "12-34567-89012", issue a partial refund:
- Refund line item 1 (damaged during shipping)
- Keep line item 2 active
- Include a $5 shipping refund for the inconvenience

Partial refunds are useful for:

• Refunding individual items in multi-item orders
• Offering price adjustments for minor defects
• Compensating for shipping delays
• Resolving buyer complaints without full cancellation

Refund Reasons

eBay supports these refund reason codes:

BUYER_CANCEL

Buyer requested cancellation before shipment. Use this for voluntary buyer cancellations.

OUT_OF_STOCK

Item is no longer available. Triggers inventory warnings and may affect seller metrics.

DAMAGED

Item was damaged in transit or during handling. Consider requiring return photos.

WRONG_ITEM

Seller shipped incorrect product. May affect seller defect rate.

FOUND_BETTER_PRICE

Buyer found a better deal elsewhere. Valid reason for returns within return window.

OTHER

For situations not covered by standard reasons. Include detailed explanation in message.

Managing Payment Disputes

Understanding Disputes

Payment disputes occur when:

• Buyer claims item not received (INR)
• Buyer claims item not as described (SNAD)
• Payment processor flags transaction
• Buyer initiates chargeback

Disputes are separate from eBay’s Money Back Guarantee cases. The eBay MCP Server provides tools for payment-related disputes. For eBay cases, use eBay’s Resolution Center directly.

Retrieve Disputes

View all active disputes:

Ask your AI assistant

Show me all open payment disputes for my account

Filter options:

• Status: OPEN, WAITING_FOR_SELLER, WAITING_FOR_BUYER, CLOSED
• Order ID: Disputes for specific order
• Buyer username: Disputes from specific buyer

Respond to Disputes

You have two options when responding to disputes:

Accept Dispute

Agree with the buyer’s claim and process refund:

Accept the dispute for order "12-34567-89012"
Issue full refund to buyer

The server uses ebay_accept_payment_dispute to:

• Close the dispute in buyer’s favor
• Process automatic refund
• Update seller metrics

Submit Evidence

Provide documentation to support your case:

Ask your AI assistant

For dispute ID "5051234567", upload evidence:
- Tracking shows delivered to buyer's address on [date]
- Buyer sent message confirming receipt
- Photos of item condition before shipping

Accepted evidence types:

• Proof of delivery: Tracking confirmations, signatures
• Communications: Messages with buyer, email confirmations
• Product documentation: Photos, videos, serial numbers, receipts
• Shipping records: Labels, weight certificates, customs forms

The server uses ebay_add_dispute_evidence to attach files and descriptions.

Retrieve Dispute Activity

View complete dispute history:

Ask your AI assistant

Show me all activity for dispute ID "5051234567"

Returns chronological log of:

• Dispute opening and reason
• Seller and buyer responses
• Evidence submissions
• eBay reviewer actions
• Final resolution and outcome

Best Practices

Ship Promptly

Ship within your stated handling time to maintain seller standards and improve buyer satisfaction.

Add Tracking Always

Always use tracked shipping for seller protection. Tracking proves delivery in disputes.

Communicate Proactively

Send updates to buyers about shipping delays, backorders, or issues before they open cases.

Document Everything

Take photos of items before shipping, especially high-value products. Save all buyer communications.

Automation Opportunities

Consider automating routine tasks:

Daily order processing workflow

Daily at 9 AM:
1. Get all unfulfilled orders from the past 24 hours
2. For each order, retrieve full details
3. Generate packing slips with line items
4. Update internal inventory system
5. At 5 PM, sync tracking numbers for shipped orders

The eBay MCP Server integrates seamlessly with automation tools and AI assistants for hands-free order management.

Common Issues and Solutions

Error: Invalid tracking number format

Problem: Carrier rejected tracking number format

Solution:

• Verify tracking number matches carrier’s format
• Remove spaces and special characters
• For USPS: 20-22 digits; UPS: 18 characters starting with “1Z”; FedEx: 12 digits
• Use carrier’s website to validate tracking number first

Error: Line item already fulfilled

Problem: Attempting to ship an item that’s already been shipped

Solution:

• Check fulfillment history for the order
• Verify which line items remain unfulfilled
• For replacement shipments, contact buyer separately

Warning: Late shipment

Problem: Shipping after handling time expired

Solution:

• Still create fulfillment (better late than never)
• Contact buyer proactively with apology and updated delivery date
• Consider offering partial refund or discount on future purchase
• Late shipments may affect seller defect rate

Error: Cannot refund shipped order

Problem: eBay requires return before refund for shipped items

Solution:

• Request buyer to return item first
• Provide return shipping label if appropriate
• Issue refund after receiving returned item
• For exceptional cases, contact eBay seller support directly

Monitoring Seller Performance

Key Metrics to Track

Use the eBay MCP Server to monitor:

Order Defect Rate

What is my current seller defect rate?

Track transactions with:

• Item not as described cases
• Item not received cases
• Low detailed seller ratings

Target: Below 2%

See Analytics & Reporting for detailed performance tracking.

Next Steps

First Listing

Create listings that generate orders

Running Promotions

Drive more sales with marketing campaigns

Order Fulfillment API

Complete API reference for fulfillment tools

Troubleshooting

Solve common order management issues

Related Topics

• Order Fulfillment Features - Detailed fulfillment documentation
• Account Management - Seller standards and metrics
• OAuth Setup - Configure fulfillment scopes
• Rate Limits - Optimize order processing performance