How to block someone on eBay

You can block a buyer or seller on eBay through your account settings in under a minute. Go to Account, then Preferences, then find Blocked Buyers and Blocked Sellers. Enter the username you want to block and click Add. That person can no longer bid on your items, contact you through eBay messages, or see your listings — though they can still see your feedback.

Blocking works one direction: if you block someone, they cannot interact with you, but you can still see their listings and feedback. If they block you, you will not be able to bid on their items or message them. The block stays in place until you remove it, even if the other person's account closes.

Blocking is different from reporting. If someone is harassing you, breaking eBay rules, or running a scam, report them to eBay instead of (or in addition to) blocking them. eBay investigates reports and can suspend or remove accounts. Blocking only protects you from that specific person.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block a buyer or seller through Account > Preferences > Blocked Buyers or Blocked Sellers by entering their username.
  • A blocked person cannot bid on your items, message you, or see your listings, but they can still view your feedback and you can still see theirs.
  • Blocking is one-way: it stops them from contacting you, but does not prevent you from seeing their activity.
  • Report harassment, scams, or rule violations to eBay instead of only blocking, because eBay can investigate and remove accounts.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going back to the same settings and removing their username from your blocked list.

When to block a buyer

Block a buyer if they have a pattern of backing out of purchases, leaving unfair feedback, or sending hostile messages. You might also block someone who repeatedly bids on your items and then cancels, or who asks you to sell outside of eBay to avoid fees. Blocking prevents them from bidding on future listings.

If a buyer is currently winning an auction or has an active purchase, blocking them does not cancel that transaction — you will still need to complete the sale or cancel it through the normal process. Blocking only affects future bids and purchases.

When to block a seller

Block a seller if you have had a bad experience and do not want to see their listings in search results or be tempted to buy from them again. You might block a seller who shipped slowly, sent damaged items, or was unresponsive to messages. Blocking a seller removes their listings from your search results and prevents them from contacting you.

Blocking a seller does not refund a past purchase or change feedback you have already left. If you had a problem with an order, open a case through Resolution Center first to try to resolve it or get your money back. Then block them if you do not want to deal with them in the future.

How to find your blocked list

To see who you have already blocked, go to your eBay Account, select Preferences, and look for Blocked Buyers and Blocked Sellers. You will see a list of every username you have blocked. From this same page, you can remove anyone from your blocked list by clicking the X or Delete button next to their name.

If you have blocked many people and want to find a specific username, use your browser's Find function (Ctrl+F on Windows, Command+F on Mac) to search the page. This is faster than scrolling through a long list.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a buyer, they cannot place new bids on your items or buy anything from you through the Buy It Now option. If they try to bid, they will see an error message saying they cannot bid on your items. They also cannot send you messages through eBay's messaging system.

When you block a seller, their listings will not appear in your search results, and they cannot contact you through eBay messages. However, if you search for their username directly or go to their store page, you can still see their listings — blocking just hides them from general searches. They can still see your feedback and bid on items you are selling.

Reporting instead of blocking

If someone is harassing you, threatening you, or running a scam, report them to eBay's Trust and Safety team instead of only blocking them. Go to the person's profile or the listing, click the three dots menu, and select Report. Describe what happened and include any messages or evidence.

eBay takes reports seriously and investigates accounts that break their rules. They can suspend or permanently remove accounts, which protects other buyers and sellers. Blocking only stops that one person from contacting you — reporting can stop them from harming others.

Unblocking someone later

You can unblock someone at any time by going back to Account > Preferences > Blocked Buyers or Blocked Sellers, finding their username, and clicking the remove or delete button. Once you unblock them, they can bid on your items and message you again when ready.

There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock the same person. If you unblock someone and they contact you again with the same behavior, you can block them again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked person still see my feedback?

Yes. Blocking prevents them from bidding on your items and messaging you, but they can still view your feedback profile and see the ratings and comments other buyers have left. If you want to hide your feedback from someone, you would need to remove that feedback entirely, which requires eBay's approval.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them when ready by going to the same Blocked Buyers or Blocked Sellers page and clicking remove next to their username. There is no waiting period or approval needed — the unblock takes effect right away.

Does blocking someone prevent them from leaving feedback on my past purchases?

No. Blocking only affects future interactions. If you have already bought from someone or they have already bought from you, they can still leave feedback on that transaction. Blocking does not remove or hide feedback that has already been posted.

Can I block someone if I do not know their exact username?

You need the exact username to block someone. If you are not sure of the spelling, go to their profile or the listing and copy their username directly from the page. Usernames are case-insensitive, so "JohnSmith" and "johnsmith" are the same account.

Will the person know I blocked them?

eBay does not send a notification to someone when you block them. However, if they try to bid on your items or message you, they will see an error message. They may figure out they are blocked, but eBay does not tell them directly.