eBay have given notice of an an important update coming soon which will give more flexibility in deciding when you receive payouts from eBay. In line with this, eBay account security is being enhanced
Enhanced eBay account security mean that you’ll receive requests for authentication as you continue selling on eBay—including text messages that help eBay verify your identity as the account holder.
Important action needed
As some authentication requests require a text message, eBay need you to check the registered number you have on file, to ensure it has the ability to receive text messages. This will ensure that you have a frictionless experience when eBay enhance your account security.
Here is how to check your registered number on file:
- Go to the Account section of My eBay.
- Select Personal /Business information depending on your account type (you might be requested to log in again).
- If you need to update your phone number, select Edit.
- Enter your up-to-date phone number which can receive SMS.
- You’ll be then prompted to Save, Submit, or Confirm.
Who gets the text message?
This is going to be a bit of a bug bear for some – generally to receive text messages you’ll be thinking you need to have a mobile phone number registered and that’s largely true. Some landlines are capable of receiving text messages but that’s not going to work for larger businesses that have a switchboard.
eBay don’t have full flexibility on registered phone numbers with say one for contacting the account owner and one for the accounts team (who would likely want the eBay account security text messages). Many sellers would also prefer yet another phone number for customer service, whether for buyers to contact them or when eBay needs to step in to help with a transaction.
eBay account security is crucial, especially for larger businesses, so you’ll need to think this one through carefully to decide which number to register and what happens if the owner of the number is on holiday, sick, or decides to leave the business.
6 Responses
I think two factor authentication is a good idea.
But eBay seem to have done this in a bit of a strange way? We have updated our number to a business mobile we keep in the office for such things, But it seems that they only let you put one phone number? This wouldn’t be the best number if eBay wanted to call us for examble, and certainly not a number we would want given as a customer service number – will this be displayed on listings? Or is eBay hiding numbers now?
Sounds great but would be good if they could sort multi user access first, to allow colleagues to access elements they require.
Bit worried about this. What is a seller misplaces his phone. What if you need to change the number? I have had occasions on other sites when i need to change a number but ot sends the OTP to change the number to the old number.
There was an occasion December 2019 when the entire o2 network was down for hours
Whats the backup to ensure sellers are not locked out of their account?
When eBay had a login loop glitch the other day, it triggered a security prompt, that’s when I realised they had my landline number registered as being a mobile one. I changed it to mobile, but never received the security text message (ended up having to do it via email). I also have a really poor reception where I live, so have to run about trying to get a signal, which is what I’m currently doing for Paypal.
I have just gone into one of my business accounts and changed my landline number (which can’t receive texts) to my mobile number, complete with correct country code. I received nothing. Instead the verification page very quickly moved to an email security prompt giving me no time to receive a SMS code and enter it even if I wanted to.
After retrieving the email code, and getting access back to my account I saw that it returned the phone number to the landline. I tried again. Still got no SMS from eBay, despite I use this phone for Paypal. In the end I tried my wife’s mobile number and it worked right away. It’s really odd that it will work for one mobile phone but not another. Clearly very impractical if I’m at home working and the wife is in the office. I doubt I’m going to be the only one having problems with this newly planned implementation.