How to Search Closed Auctions on eBay

View closed eBay listings to help get a sense of typical prices.

In addition to letting you browse through items that are currently available for sale, eBay lets you view recently completed items. This is true whether the item in question sold or not. You can view the item's description, pictures, number of bidders (if applicable) and final price. This ability to search past auctions can help you as a seller by giving you an idea of what people are willing to pay for an item. If you're a buyer, viewing closed auctions helps you figure out whether to bid higher on an item you want.

Instructions

1. Direct your preferred browser to eBay's site.

2. Type a search term into the search field near the top of the screen. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard or click "Search" to search for this term. You should see current listings.

3. Scroll down until you see the "Completed listings" option in the "Show Only" section in eBay's left panel. Click the box beside "Completed listings" to select this option. EBay now shows all the recent completed listings -- both auctions and fixed-price listings -- that match your search criteria.

4. Click the box beside the "Auction" option in the "Buying formats" section in the same left panel. You should now see only completed auction listings that fit your search term.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also view completed listings by clicking the "Advanced" option near the search field on eBay's home page. Enter your search terms into the appropriate field, then click the boxes beside "Completed listings" and "Auction." Click the "Search" button to search for items.

• You may need to log into your eBay account before you can see completed listings.

References

• eBay: How Can I See How Much an Item Sold For?

Resources

• eBay: Customer Support