An order line item is created in the eBay system after the buyer has purchased or committed to purchase a seller's item. The timing and logic of the buyer's "commitment to purchase" depends on the listing type, as indicated in the following table.
| Listing Type or Feature | Order Line Item Creation Time |
|---|---|
| Auction listing | An order line item is created at the end of the auction between the seller and the highest bidder. If a Reserve Price is set on a listing and is not met by the highest bidder, the listing ends without a winning bidder. |
| Fixed-price listing | An order line item is created once the buyer clicks the Buy It Now button on the listing page. Only one order line item is created even if the buyer is buying a multiple quantity of the same line item. For fixed-price items that require immediate payment, the order line item is actually not created until the buyer pays for the item. Until payment is made, the fixed-price item is still available for purchase by other buyers. Refer to How immediate payment works for complete information. |
| Buy It Now in Auction Listing | An order line item is created once the buyer clicks the Buy It Now button on the listing page. Note that the Buy It Now option is no longer available once a bid is made on an auction listing. If a buyer uses the Buy It Now option on an auction listing, the auction automatically ends regardless of how much time is left. For auction Buy It Now items that require immediate payment, the order line item is actually not created until the buyer pays for the item. Until payment is made, the auction Buy It Now item is still available for purchase by other buyers. Refer to How immediate payment works for complete information. |
| Best Offer | An order line item is created when the seller accepts the buyer's Best Offer or counteroffer price, or if the buyer accepts the seller's counteroffer price. |
| Second Chance Offer | An order line item is created when a previous bidder (on the seller's listing) decides to accept a seller's Second Chance offer and clicks the Buy It Now button. Second Chance offers can appear on a closed listing page, in My eBay Messages, or under the Didn't Win tab of My eBay. |
Review an order line item
After the order line item has been created between the buyer and seller, the checkout process involves the buyer reviewing the purchase, selecting the shipping and payment method, and payment.
Before payment is made, the buyer also has the option of contacting the seller to ask a question about the item(s), or to request more information about payment or shipping.
The buyer can send a message to the seller through one of the checkout screens or through My Messages in My eBay. A buyer and seller with an order relationship can also communicate through the API using the AddMemberMessageAAQToPartner call. The seller can approve any changes and/or provide more information to the buyer through the same communication channels.
The Review your purchase page is the final page a buyer sees before proceeding to actually making a payment. This is where the buyer can:
- Review the final cost of the order line item
- Request the total price of the order line item (including shipping and handling) from the seller
- Modify the shipping address
- Select a shipping service option (if multiple options are offered by the seller)
- Select one of the payment methods
- Request a change in final price (if allowed by the seller upon listing).
- Send a message to the seller
- Redeem a gift certificate or coupon