eBay have announced the launch of their new unique order number system.  Coming into effect during the Summer of 2019, it is designed to make tracking orders and dealing with disputes easier.

We’ve already started receiving questions from customers who were used to short order numbers, and who have had to update their training, software and web sites to reflect the change.

 

So why did eBay make this change?

eBay say that this new format aims to benefit both buyers and sellers.  Helping to facilitate order tracking from payment to post transaction, aid dispute resolution and support customer service contact with a consistent point of reference.

They’re phasing out the old short eBay record numbers, which were essentially started at zero before.  This means that the number assigned is truly unique to that order across eBay.

 

How will I know when it has happened to my account?

As a phased changeover, it may be some time until your account changes over. In Seller Hub you will see only one order number once the changes happens.  If you’re selling via an API, Ebay will provide both the old and new numbers for a period of time.

We already know that the new order format will be on the new version of the APIs only.  This has already happened in systems such as Click & Drop and some channel integration systems on Magento and Woocommerce.

 

Will this affect my own API?

If we have configured a specific API for you, we will be in touch to let you know of any changes you may need to make.  If we don’t manage your API, you can find out more on eBay’s own Developer web site at https://developer.ebay.com.

 

Where can I find more help?

If your query relates to eBay directly, you can find more help on their Seller Centre.  Just follow the link to https://sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/business/unique-order-number to find out more.

For any queries regarding your web site, channel integrations or logistics systems such as Click & Drop – contact us for help and advice.