eBay

luckylindey · ‎03-18-2025

I am devastated, not only because my spouse is very near death, but because I was also told that I will have to start all over with a new ebay account . We have over 11000 feedbacks and have been selling on ebay since the year 2000. I even spoke with a person there who told me they will not transfer a name under any circumstances. How unfair since I am the person behind his ebay. He was the pack and ship part. Has anyone else encountered this, and does anyone have any suggestions how I can keep some reputation on ebay? Thank you.

fern*wood · ‎03-18-2025

I'm so sorry about your husband and for what you are going through right now. I can't imagine.

As far as ebay goes, I know that is one more thing to add to the list of worries. Unfortunately I don't have an answer, but hopefully others may. It does seem rather unfair if transfers aren't even permitted for a spouse that participated jointly in selling on the account. Since only one party has their social security number tied to the account, I suppose it's a hairy situation to switch out. Every couple selling will possibly be faced with the same situation, which I hadn't even thought about until now.

wirkaholic · ‎03-18-2025

@luckylindey My heart goes out to you. You are not alone here. We're all pulling for you.

Just to confirm, is his SS# on this account or yours?

If it is his:

To alll our helpers here. What if she opened a LLC and turned it into a business account? I switched over my account many years ago and used the business tax number instead of my SS#. This might be a loophole to be able to keep it. It may be alot of paperwork but might work. Anyone have any insight or recently changed yours?

mommaknows · ‎03-18-2025

I'm sorry that I don't have a answer for you, but I do want to send you warm hugs and love.

iamalwaysright · ‎03-18-2025

@wirkaholic wrote:
@luckylindey My heart goes out to you. You are not alone here. We're all pulling for you.
Just to confirm, is his SS# on this account or yours?

If it is his:
To alll our helpers here. What if she opened a LLC and turned it into a business account? I switched over my account many years ago and used the business tax number instead of my SS#. This might be a loophole to be able to keep it. It may be alot of paperwork but might work. Anyone have any insight or recently changed yours?

Yes I was thinking the same thing. Open an LLC in your state and convert your husband’s personal eBay account into a business one using the company EIN. I forget the details but also make sure you name yourself as one of the owners of the LLC. You’ll need a business bank account too to move your funds to when buyers pay you. Might want to talk to a business professional to help you like a CPA or something.

silverstatetreasureboxes · ‎03-18-2025

@wirkaholic

Yes but it was your account initially. This ebay account according to the OP is registered under her husband's and he is near death. OP cannot transfer/ keep this account with the " deceased " S.S. attached and filing for an LLC requires legal signatures with a sound mind.

This is heartbreaking indeed.

drkenb · ‎03-18-2025

I am so very sorry to hear about your spouse's condition. Please find joy in all the years you had together & be thankful for those years.

Simple solution: continue with his account. No real reason you need to abandon his account and start your own account. You can even change the name of the account, even if they won't let you change the ownership name of the account. Make sure that there is a bank account solely in your name to which the joint eBay account is linked, that way you won't have the hassles of bank assignment when he passes.

drkenb

sin-n-dex · ‎03-18-2025

If it makes you feel any better I'm starting over on Ebay Canada. My customers here are finding me over there with my auctions. It's not as bad as you think to start over.

C.

lacemaker3 · ‎03-18-2025

@iamalwaysright wrote:
@wirkaholic wrote:
@luckylindey My heart goes out to you. You are not alone here. We're all pulling for you.
Just to confirm, is his SS# on this account or yours?

If it is his:
To alll our helpers here. What if she opened a LLC and turned it into a business account? I switched over my account many years ago and used the business tax number instead of my SS#. This might be a loophole to be able to keep it. It may be alot of paperwork but might work. Anyone have any insight or recently changed yours?

Yes I was thinking the same thing. Open an LLC in your state and convert your husband’s personal eBay account into a business one using the company EIN. I forget the details but also make sure you name yourself as one of the owners of the LLC. You’ll need a business bank account too to move your funds to when buyers pay you. Might want to talk to a business professional to help you like a CPA or something.

I think that this is definitely the direction to try. The only possibility, I think.

The first question, as someone has already asked, is whose SSN is being used on the account? I think it is probably the husband's SSN, because otherwise there would not be an issue. If so, then OP can't continue as is, because she won't be able to continue filing tax returns using a deceased person's SSN.

@luckylindey, you will probably need to speak to a business advisor who also has expertise in filing business taxes for all types of businesses. They should be able to evaluate your situation and lay out a plan forward so you can continue with the business.

Presumably, you have been filing as a sole proprietor, using Schedule C and reporting the business expenses and income with your personal form 1040. If you filed jointly, with both SSN's on the form 1040, that may be a different situation than if you were filing separately (hopefully, it may make things a bit easier).

I don't know if there will be a way to change the SSN that is being used for the sole proprieorship; I'm not aware of any way to do that.

I think that it should be possible to form a different business structure where the business is a legal entity, which files tax returns as a legal entity using an EIN (employer ID number). You have to also provide the legal names and SSNs for the beneficial owners of the business, which would include both you and your husband for now. This business would have to be set up and finalized before your husband passes.

Later, you would update the information to remove your husband as an owner of the business, after he passes. I know it will be hard to manage this now, but if you wait, then it may be too late and you would have to start again with a new eBay account.

I'm very sorry this is happening, and I'm sorry for your loss.

wirkaholic · ‎03-18-2025

@drkenb Very good point. One problem. The 1099K will be in his name. She needs to view the 1099 from last year to see if that is what it says. That will tell her if the account is truly in his name only. Talking to reps on the phone doesn't acctually mean it's true, as we all know. Ebay should put forward something for things like this. A simple death certificate should let her keep it. My heart breaks for her just saying that. We should all have a backup plan. You never know what life will throw at you.

mam98031 · ‎03-18-2025

@wirkaholic wrote:
@luckylindey My heart goes out to you. You are not alone here. We're all pulling for you.
Just to confirm, is his SS# on this account or yours?

If it is his:
To alll our helpers here. What if she opened a LLC and turned it into a business account? I switched over my account many years ago and used the business tax number instead of my SS#. This might be a loophole to be able to keep it. It may be alot of paperwork but might work. Anyone have any insight or recently changed yours?

You do not have to be an LLC to change to a Business account. I've been a sole proprietorship all my years selling here. For many years my account was labeled as a personal account, then just a couple years back I changed it to a business account. I saw no difference in my account at all nor was I required to enter any additional information. I'm honestly not sure what this designation change actually does in the system.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

mam98031 · ‎03-18-2025

@luckylindey

I am deeply and sincerely sorry for the troubles you are going through right now. That is beyond tough to be in losing your partner in life. You must be in great pain right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your partner. ❣️

Part of what this is about is Ebay doesn't allow the selling of an account, so naturally they don't allow the reassignment of who owns the account. There is a part in your Site Preferences for Owner Details. You cannot change the ownership of an eBay account as eBay prohibits transferring accounts and feedback to maintain a safe and fair marketplace.

I know this just adds to the troubles you are going through right now and you simply don't need it, but it is how Ebay works. It is a security thing, sorry!

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

iamalwaysright · ‎03-18-2025

@mam98031 wrote:
@wirkaholic wrote:
@luckylindey My heart goes out to you. You are not alone here. We're all pulling for you.
Just to confirm, is his SS# on this account or yours?

If it is his:
To alll our helpers here. What if she opened a LLC and turned it into a business account? I switched over my account many years ago and used the business tax number instead of my SS#. This might be a loophole to be able to keep it. It may be alot of paperwork but might work. Anyone have any insight or recently changed yours?

You do not have to be an LLC to change to a Business account. I've been a sole proprietorship all my years selling here. For many years my account was labeled as a personal account, then just a couple years back I changed it to a business account. I saw no difference in my account at all nor was I required to enter any additional information. I'm honestly not sure what this designation change actually does in the system.

Correct. But for the OP's situation an LLC would be necessary since the govt will assign you an EIN that isn't necessarily tied to your SSN. I believe sole proprietorship's typically uses your SSN still and if you do have an EIN it is linked to only your SSN. I could be wrong, a tax professional would probably know this more than me.