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How to make money

 

How exactly do I make money with the API? Here are six popular ways:

Marketing

If you're a seller, highlight your eBay auctions on other sites, and sell more items. Choose one of our pre-built widgets, or build your own using the Shopping API.

Commissions

Make eBay Affiliate commissions by driving new users or bids to eBay. Each of our pre-built widgets supports affiliate tracking. Or use the Shopping API to create your own widget.

Editor Kit

These are some of the eBay Developers making use of the affiliate business model:

Marketing + Commissions

eBay sellers can earn commissions on their own items. So you can highlight your own auctions on your site, get money from the sale of that item, and get a commission too!

  1. Join the eBay Partner Network and get an affiliate ID (campid).
  2. Use one of our pre-built widgets, or create your own.
  3. Add your affiliate ID to the widget and set it to display items from your seller ID.
  4. Get paid for the item, and get a commission check too.

Selling Your App

Write a creative application and you can charge users to download your application or use it in their eBay listings. You write the app once and get paid for it many times. Here are some areas where you might be able to sell a cool application:

  • Help sellers list and manage inventory.
  • Provide a widget for the View Item page that helps sellers brand themselves, display item features, or cross-merchandize.
  • Make it easy for buyers to find a great deal, or a rare item.

These are some of the eBay Developers who are selling their apps:

  • CarThink: Downloadable software used to manager bidders, second change offers, etc.
  • Deal4It: Enhances seller listings with an interactive video character that can even haggle on Best Offers.
  • i2i Action: Embed video and audio in your eBay listing.

One caveat, we've hit our limit on video providers for the View Item page, but there are plenty of other ways to spice up a boring listing.

Selling Your Services

Use your API-driven direct connection to eBay to offer eBay buyers and sellers assitence in doing things like market research and custom listing templates. These are some of the eBay Developers who are selling their services:

  • ChannelAdvisor: Inventory management, automation, multi-channel selling, and more.
  • Kyozou: Inventory management, branding, integration, and more.
  • Vendio: Market research, buyer relationship management, automated listing, and more.

Selling Your Development Skills

Really big eBay buyers and sellers often need their own, custom listing management tool. These are some of the eBay Developers who specialize in custom development and consulting:

  • JDT Technologies: Custom end-to-end eCommerce solutions.
  • CanDo: Custom web- and desktop-application development.

All of the Above!

Why limit yourself to just one revenue stream? Write an app and offer a service add-on. Or throw affiliate revenue into the mix. As long as you comply with eBay Site Policies and the API License Agreement, you are limited only by your imagination!