Wouldn’t you think that it would be fairly straightforward to figure out how to change or update your phone number on eBay? eBay has been around long enough that when some people first opened their accounts they may even have had landlines (imagine that)! However, it’s not obvious how to update your telephone number on eBay, so here is how to change that phone number.
If you are reading this you may have already experienced the frustration of trying to find just where to change your phone number, because it’s not in any of the obvious places. You would think that it’s maybe in your general account information, or your personal information, or maybe your communications preferences. And, you would be wrong.
Then, after exhausting those somewhat more obvious options, you might click on ‘Addresses’, and…nope, no obvious way to change your phone number there, either.
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However, at least with the Addresses section, you were on the right path.
So, here is how to update or change your phone number that is associated with your eBay account.
How to Change or Update Your Telephone Number in eBay
First, log into eBay, and then click on the drop-down menu triangle next to your name in the upper left-hand corner.
Now, select ‘Account settings’ from that drop-down menu.
This will take you to the overview for your account settings; click on ‘Addresses’.
This will take you to that addresses page, where you can modify various addresses (ship-to addresses, ship-from addresses if you sell on eBay, etc.).
Stay with us here.
Click on ‘Change’ next to your ‘Registration address’.
This will bring you to the following screen, which has the info with which you originally signed up with eBay..including… wait for it… your phone number! Tah dah!
Click on ‘change your Primary phone number’.
At this point you may be prompted to log in to eBay again, so that they can confirm it is you making the changes. Then you will see this screen:
Enter your number and hit confirm. Note that if you prefer to use a non-mobile number just hit the line that says “I don’t have a mobile phone.”
Now, that said, we have no idea why eBay has you distinguish between a mobile number and a non-mobile number, because the next step sets you up to confirm the change by eBay “sending” a PIN to your phone which you will have to enter to confirm the change:
Regardless of whether you enter a mobile number or a non-mobile number, the eBay system will call you with the PIN. There is no option to get the PIN ‘sent’ by text message.
Once you have received and entered the PIN, you will be all set.
And that is the incredibly convoluted way to change your telephone number on eBay!
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Your advice in brief is to “log into your account then change the number” which is wrong if you have had to CHANGE the number after a scam attack. The six digit code send before you can log is is then sent to the old number, that is, not sent to your new number and hence login is impossible!
I have been trying to change my phone number for over two hours and am dizzy with being sent round and round in circles. Ebay can’t understand that without a phone number, it was stolen, I can’t do 2 step notification to add the new number. To do anything you need to log in, I can’t do that. The original number is gone, lost forever so it’s no good sending the 2 step crap to that number.
Ebay could not make this more difficult if they tried. They obviously don’t want people to contact them.
Can someone suggest what to do?
eBay have made everything difficult and not the least bit user friendly.
Get your act together eBay and make your site easier to navigate, how elderly people get on is beyond me, they no doubt give up and say “it’s all too hard”.
i need to change my phone #
this doesn’t work anymore the screen is changed you can click edit phone number but ti will never change.
eBay is very difficult to deal with or get anything done. Can’t sign in to my own account and can’t set up new one!! Crazy!!
I can’t believe Ebay is already 20 something but couldn’t get it right and simple.
Brilliant – thank you!
Was just as frustrated as you said……. Updated successfully now
Thanks
Thank you so much!! So ridiculous how much time and energy is wasted changing a silly phone number. Ebay get it together!
I am trying to do that right now. Ebay don’t seem to understand that I can’t sign in because my phone was stolen so 2 step notification won’t work.
I have been going round in circles for over two hours.
Thank you so much for this information. I was going crazy trying to figure it out. That is really poor web design on the part of E-bay.
Why distinguish between mobile and landline?
Because SMS can be sent to mobiles and some VOIP based numbers (google voice comes to mind), but not to landlines.
They may not use that feature here, hence the non-SMS confirmation, but it is likely that notifications can be configured to use SMS.