Cursor IDE Integration - eBay MCP Server

Cursor is an AI-first code editor with built-in MCP support, allowing you to manage your eBay business directly from your development environment.

Why Cursor?

Native MCP Support

Built-in Model Context Protocol integration in your code editor

Developer-Focused

Perfect for building eBay integrations and automation scripts

230+ eBay Tools

Full access to all eBay Sell API operations while you code

Multi-Model Support

Use Claude, GPT-4, or other AI models with eBay tools

Prerequisites

Before connecting Cursor, ensure you have:

eBay MCP Server installed and configured
Cursor IDE installed (Download here)
eBay Developer credentials (Client ID and Secret)
Node.js 18+ installed

Installation

Install Cursor

Download and install Cursor for your operating system:Download Link: cursor.shAvailable for:

macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)
Windows
Linux

Cursor is free to use with a Pro plan available for advanced features

Locate Configuration File

Find your Cursor MCP configuration file location:

macOS
Windows
Linux

~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/globalStorage/mcp.json

Or check Cursor settings location:

~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json

To open in Finder:

open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/globalStorage/

In recent Cursor versions, MCP configuration might be in: ~/.cursor/mcp_settings.json or configured via Settings UI

%APPDATA%\Cursor\User\globalStorage\mcp.json

Or:

%APPDATA%\Cursor\User\settings.json

To open in Explorer:

explorer %APPDATA%\Cursor\User\globalStorage

~/.config/Cursor/User/globalStorage/mcp.json

Or:

~/.config/Cursor/User/settings.json

To open in file manager:

xdg-open ~/.config/Cursor/User/globalStorage/

MCP configuration location may vary by Cursor version. Check Cursor’s documentation or settings UI for the current location.

Configure via Settings UI (Recommended)

Cursor provides a settings interface for MCP configuration:

Open Cursor
Go to Settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
Search for “MCP” or “Model Context Protocol”
Click “Edit in settings.json”

Add the eBay MCP Server configuration:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "YourAppId-12345",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "YourCertId-67890",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
        "EBAY_REDIRECT_URI": "http://localhost:3000/callback"
      }
    }
  }
}

Important:

Replace /absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server with your actual installation path
Use absolute paths, not relative paths
Replace the example credentials with your actual eBay Developer credentials

Example paths:

macOS: /Users/yourname/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js
Windows: C:\\Users\\yourname\\ebay-mcp-server\\build\\index.js
Linux: /home/yourname/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js

Add User Tokens (Optional but Recommended)

For full API access and higher rate limits, add user tokens:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "YourAppId-12345",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "YourCertId-67890",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
        "EBAY_REDIRECT_URI": "http://localhost:3000/callback",
        "EBAY_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
        "EBAY_USER_REFRESH_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
        "EBAY_USER_TOKEN_EXPIRY": "2025-12-31T23:59:59.000Z"
      }
    }
  }
}

How to get user tokens

Run the setup wizard in your eBay MCP Server directory:

cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
npm run setup

The wizard will:

Guide you through OAuth authorization
Generate user access and refresh tokens
Save tokens to your .env file

Then copy the token values from .env to your Cursor settings.

Rate Limits:

Without user tokens: 1,000 requests/day (client credentials)
With user tokens: 10,000-50,000 requests/day

Reload Cursor

Open the Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
Type “Reload Window” and select it
Or simply restart Cursor

After reloading, Cursor will connect to the eBay MCP Server

Alternative: Configuration File Method

If your Cursor version uses a dedicated MCP configuration file:

Create MCP Configuration

Create or edit the MCP configuration file (location varies by version):Common locations:

~/.cursor/mcp_settings.json (macOS/Linux)
%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp_settings.json (Windows)
Or check Cursor documentation for your version

Add this configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "YourAppId-12345",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "YourCertId-67890",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    }
  }
}

Verify Configuration

Check that the file is valid JSON:

# Validate JSON syntax
python -m json.tool ~/.cursor/mcp_settings.json

Or use an online validator like jsonlint.com

Verification

Test your connection to ensure everything is working:

Check Cursor AI Chat

Open Cursor AI chat (Cmd/Ctrl + L or click the chat icon)
Look for an indication that MCP tools are loaded
You may see “230+ tools available” or similar

Test Basic Query

In the Cursor AI chat, try:

“Can you list my eBay fulfillment policies using the MCP tools?”

Cursor should use the getFulfillmentPolicies tool and return your configured policies.

Verify in Code

You can also use Cursor’s inline chat while coding:

Open any file in Cursor
Use Cmd/Ctrl + K (inline chat)
Type: “Show my eBay inventory items”

Cursor will call the eBay MCP tools and show results.

Success! You now have eBay automation capabilities directly in your code editor.

Usage Examples

Here are practical ways to use eBay MCP with Cursor:

Building eBay Integrations

Generate code for creating listings

Prompt in Cursor chat:

“Write a TypeScript function to create an eBay listing using the MCP tools. It should accept product details and create both the inventory item and offer.”

What happens: Cursor will:

Use eBay MCP tools to understand the API structure
Generate TypeScript code that uses createOrReplaceInventoryItem and createOffer
Include proper error handling and types

Debug eBay Sell APIs integration

Scenario: Your code for fetching orders isn’t workingPrompt:

“My eBay order fetching code is failing. Can you use the getOrders tool to show me what the actual API response looks like?”

What happens: Cursor uses getOrders to fetch real data and helps you fix your code based on the actual response structure.

Generate API documentation

Prompt:

“Generate documentation for all available eBay inventory management tools”

What happens: Cursor will enumerate eBay inventory tools and create markdown documentation with parameters and usage examples.

Quick eBay Operations

Check order status while coding

Inline chat (Cmd/Ctrl + K):

“Are there any new orders today?”

What happens: Cursor uses getOrders with today’s date filter and shows results inline.

Update listings during development

Chat prompt:

“Update the price of SKU LAPTOP-001 to $599.99”

What happens: Cursor uses updateOffer to change the price, useful when testing price update features.

Automated Scripts

Generate bulk update script

Prompt:

“Create a Node.js script that increases all my product prices by 10% using the eBay MCP tools”

What happens: Cursor generates a script that:

Fetches all inventory items
Calculates new prices
Updates each offer
Includes progress logging and error handling

Configuration Options

Multiple MCP Servers in Cursor

Run multiple MCP servers alongside eBay:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "your_id",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_secret",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/directory"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "your_github_token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment-Specific Configurations

Maintain separate configurations for different environments:

Sandbox (Testing)
Production (Live)
Both Environments

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay-sandbox": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "SBX-AppId-12345",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "SBX-CertId-67890",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay-production": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "PRD-AppId-12345",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "PRD-CertId-67890",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "production",
        "EBAY_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
        "EBAY_USER_REFRESH_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Production configuration affects real listings and transactions. Test thoroughly in Sandbox first.

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay-sandbox": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "SBX-AppId",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "SBX-CertId",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    },
    "ebay-production": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "PRD-AppId",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "PRD-CertId",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "production"
      }
    }
  }
}

Access each environment by referring to the server name in your prompts.

Advanced Logging

Enable detailed logging for debugging:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "your_id",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_secret",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "debug",
        "LOG_REQUESTS": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

MCP tools not appearing in Cursor

Possible causes:

Configuration file location is incorrect
JSON syntax errors in config
Server path is wrong

Solutions:

Check Cursor version and verify correct config location
Validate JSON syntax: python -m json.tool your-config.json

Verify server exists:

ls /path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js

Check Cursor’s output panel (View → Output) for MCP-related errors
Reload window: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P → “Reload Window”

Error: Cannot find module

Cause: The eBay MCP Server hasn’t been built yet.Solution:

cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

Verify build/index.js exists after building.

Error: Invalid credentials

Cause: eBay Client ID or Secret is incorrect.Solution:

Verify credentials in eBay Developer Portal
Ensure you’re using the correct environment (Sandbox vs Production)
Check for typos in your settings
Remove any extra spaces or quotes around values

Tools visible but API calls fail

Cause: Authentication or permission issues.Solutions:

Ensure user tokens are valid and not expired
Verify your eBay app has required OAuth scopes
Check that tokens match the environment (Sandbox/Production)

Regenerate tokens:

cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
npm run setup

Cursor becomes slow or unresponsive

Cause: MCP server startup issues or too many concurrent requests.Solutions:

Check if server starts correctly:
```
cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
npm start
```
Look for errors in Cursor’s Developer Tools (Help → Toggle Developer Tools)
Temporarily disable eBay MCP server in settings
Restart Cursor
Re-enable with simpler configuration

Rate limit errors

Cause: Exceeded daily API request limit.Solution:

Using client credentials? Add user tokens for 10-50x higher limits
Already using user tokens? Wait 24 hours or upgrade your eBay seller account
Reduce the number of API calls in your scripts
Implement caching for frequently accessed data

Best Practices

Use Sandbox for Development

Always test in Sandbox environment when developing eBay integrations to avoid affecting real listings.

Add User Tokens

Configure user tokens for full API access and higher rate limits (10,000-50,000 requests/day).

Version Control Safety

Never commit MCP settings with credentials to version control. Use environment variables or separate config files.

Separate Environments

Configure both Sandbox and Production servers with distinct names to avoid accidental production changes.

Viewing Logs

Check Cursor and server logs for debugging:

Cursor Output Panel
Developer Console
Server Logs

Open Cursor
Go to View → Output
Select “Model Context Protocol” from the dropdown
Look for eBay MCP server connection logs

If you enabled logging in your configuration:

# Check server output
cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
npm start

# Or check log files if configured
tail -f /path/to/ebay-mcp-server/logs/server.log

Developer Tips

Optimize Your Workflow

Create custom Cursor rules

Create a .cursorrules file in your project to optimize eBay integration:

# eBay Integration Rules

When working with eBay Sell APIs:
- Always use the eBay MCP tools instead of direct API calls
- Prefer Sandbox environment for testing
- Include proper error handling for rate limits
- Use TypeScript for type safety with eBay Sell APIs responses

Available eBay MCP tools include:
- Inventory: createOrReplaceInventoryItem, getInventoryItems, updateOffer
- Orders: getOrders, createShippingFulfillment
- Marketing: createItemPromotion, getPromotions
- Analytics: getTrafficReport

Use keyboard shortcuts

Maximize productivity with Cursor shortcuts:

Cmd/Ctrl + K: Inline chat (quick eBay queries while coding)
Cmd/Ctrl + L: Open main chat panel
Cmd/Ctrl + I: Composer for longer tasks
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P: Command palette (reload window, etc.)

Combine with other MCP servers

Use eBay MCP alongside filesystem and database servers:Example workflow:

Use filesystem MCP to read product CSV
Use eBay MCP to create listings from CSV data
Use database MCP to log results

All orchestrated through natural language in Cursor!

Next Steps

Build eBay Tools

Create automation scripts and tools for eBay

API Reference

Explore all 230+ available eBay tools

Best Practices

Learn tips for optimal eBay integration development

Testing Guide

Set up testing for your eBay integrations

Additional Resources

Cursor Documentation

Official Cursor IDE documentation

Troubleshooting

Comprehensive solutions for common issues

Getting Started

Authentication

Core Features

Guides

MCP Integration

Advanced

Support

​Why Cursor?

Native MCP Support

Developer-Focused

230+ eBay Tools

Multi-Model Support

​Prerequisites

​Installation

​Alternative: Configuration File Method

​Verification

​Usage Examples

​Building eBay Integrations

​Quick eBay Operations

​Automated Scripts

​Configuration Options

​Multiple MCP Servers in Cursor

​Environment-Specific Configurations

​Advanced Logging

​Troubleshooting

​Best Practices

Use Sandbox for Development

Add User Tokens

Version Control Safety

Separate Environments

​Viewing Logs

​Developer Tips

​Optimize Your Workflow

​Next Steps

Build eBay Tools

API Reference

Best Practices

Testing Guide

​Additional Resources

Cursor Documentation

Troubleshooting

Why Cursor?

Prerequisites

Installation

Alternative: Configuration File Method

Verification

Usage Examples

Building eBay Integrations

Quick eBay Operations

Automated Scripts

Configuration Options

Multiple MCP Servers in Cursor

Environment-Specific Configurations

Advanced Logging

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Viewing Logs

Developer Tips

Optimize Your Workflow

Next Steps

Additional Resources