How to Hide Purchases on eBay
By Alan Sembera
By accessing your public feedback profile, anyone who knows your eBay ID may be able to see your recent eBay purchases. The profile lists every seller for whom you’ve given or received feedback, and may show the cost and description of every item purchased in the past 90 days. If you prefer to keep your buying habits to yourself, you can make the profile private so that it only shows your overall score. When you hide your feedback, however, you won’t be able to sell your own items through that eBay account.
Step 1
Navigate to your eBay feedback profile where your purchases are visible. Sign in to eBay and click the “My eBay” tab. Click your eBay username to view your profile page, and then click “See All Feedback.”
Step 2
Click the “Feedback Forum” link at either the top or the bottom of the page.
Step 3
Click the “Make Feedback Public or Private” link.
Step 4
Click the radio button next to “Make Your Feedback Profile Private,” and then click “Save.” EBay hides your feedback history for individual items. Only your total feedback ratings remain visible to others.
Tips
- If you have items listed for sale on eBay or eBay’s subsidiary Half.com, the website won’t allow you to hide your individual feedback. If you want to sell items while keeping your purchases hidden, consider establishing a separate eBay account for selling purposes. EBay allows multiple accounts, although you must use a separate email address for each one.
- Many eBay sellers use a private listing option that prevents the item description and cost from showing up in your public feedback profile; however, the date and seller ID will still appear if either party gives feedback.
Warnings
- Although making your feedback profile private hides your own purchase history, anyone can still see the transaction along with your eBay ID on the seller’s profile if feedback was given.
Writer Bio
Alan Sembera began writing for local newspapers in Texas and Louisiana. His professional career includes stints as a computer tech, information editor and income tax preparer. Sembera now writes full time about business and technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Texas A&M University.