This server lets Claude (or any MCP client) search and read eBay listings through the official eBay Browse API, with read-only tools for finding products, inspecting individual listings, spotting discounts, and verifying API connectivity.
Search eBay listings (search_ebay): keyword search with filters for price range, condition, buying option (auction, buy it now, accepts offers), free shipping, seller location, and sorting by price, newest, or ending soonest.
Get listing details (get_listing_details): fetch full details for one listing, including price, condition, availability, seller rating, item specifics, return policy, and auction end time.
Find discounted deals (find_deals): search for listings with an advertised discount, filter by minimum savings percentage and max price, and get cheapest landed-price-first results.
Check eBay connection (check_ebay_connection): show current configuration and run a live test call to confirm credentials work.
All tools are read-only: the server never bids, adds to cart, or places orders — it returns listing links so you can check out manually.
Provides read-only tools to search and inspect eBay listings via the official Browse API, including keyword search with filters, listing details, and discounted deals.
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@shopping-mcp find me a mechanical keyboard under $100, buy-it-now only, free shipping"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
An MCP server that lets Claude (or any MCP client) search eBay listings through the official Browse API.
Ask "find me a mechanical keyboard under $100, buy-it-now only, free shipping" and the assistant can actually go and look.
eBay results for "mechanical keyboard" — showing 3 of about 41,208 matches
1. Keychron K8 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard - Brown Switches — $79.99
total $79.99 · free shipping · New · was $99.00 (19% off)
seller keeb_supply · 99.6% positive (8421 ratings) · top rated, ships from US
Item v1|335894120043|0 · https://www.ebay.com/itm/335894120043
2. Ducky One 3 TKL Mechanical Keyboard RGB Hot-Swappable — $84.50
total $92.45 · $7.95 shipping · New
seller pc_parts_direct · 98.9% positive (3310 ratings) · accepts offers
Item v1|326770118254|0 · https://www.ebay.com/itm/326770118254Every tool is read-only. This server searches and reads listings. It cannot bid, add to a cart, place an order, or spend money. When you want to buy, it hands you a listing link and you check out yourself.
It's built on the official eBay Browse API — no scraping, no browser automation, no cookie replay. It won't break on a layout change and won't put you in breach of eBay's terms of use.
Related MCP server: ebay-mcp
Tool | What it's for |
| Keyword search with price, condition, buying-format, shipping, and location filters. |
| Full record for one listing: item specifics, seller, returns, auction end time. |
| Only listings discounted at least N % off their original price, cheapest first. |
| Show the current config and make a live test call. Run this first when something isn't working. |
Two things worth knowing about search_ebay, because they're what eBay has and a fixed-price catalogue doesn't:
buying_option filters to auction, buy_it_now, or accepts_offers.
sort: "ending_soonest" — combined with buying_option: "auction", that's how you find auctions about to close.
Sign in at developer.ebay.com/my/keys.
Create an application and open the Production keyset.
Copy the App ID (Client ID) and the Cert ID (Client Secret).
That's all. This server uses the OAuth client-credentials flow, so you do not need a user token, a redirect URI, or an "RuName".
New developer accounts may need to clear eBay's verification before the keys page opens up — that typically takes about a business day.
git clone https://github.com/Kirat5690/shopping-mcp.gitcd shopping-mcp && npm install && npm run buildclaude mcp add shopping --env EBAY_CLIENT_ID=your-app-id --env EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET=your-cert-id -- node /absolute/path/to/shopping-mcp/dist/index.jsEdit claude_desktop_config.json:
macOS — ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows — %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"shopping": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["C:\\path\\to\\shopping-mcp\\dist\\index.js"],
"env": {
"EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "your-app-id",
"EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "your-cert-id",
"EBAY_MARKETPLACE_ID": "EBAY_US"
}
}
}
}Restart the client, then ask it to run check_ebay_connection to confirm the credentials work.
Registering a server and restarting a client is a slow way to discover a typo. To check credentials straight away:
EBAY_CLIENT_ID=your-app-id EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET=your-cert-id npm run checkOn Windows PowerShell:
$env:EBAY_CLIENT_ID="your-app-id"; $env:EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET="your-cert-id"; npm run checkIt prints the resolved configuration, makes one live call, and exits non-zero if anything is wrong. npm run check also reads a .env file if you have one, so cp .env.example .env, fill it in, and just run npm run check.
Variable | Required | Default | Notes |
| yes | — | App ID from the production keyset. |
| yes | — | Cert ID from the same keyset. |
| no |
|
|
| no |
| Set to |
| no | — | Returns affiliate-tagged listing links. |
| no | — | Improves shipping-cost accuracy. |
| no | — | ISO country code, e.g. |
| no |
| Per-request timeout. |
Landed price is what gets ranked. Sorting by price uses item price plus shipping, so a cheap item with expensive postage doesn't win on a technicality. eBay's own price sort doesn't always do this.
Some listings have no total. Where eBay reports shipping as calculated at checkout, there's no landed price until a delivery address is known, and the listing says so rather than guessing.
No currency conversion. Prices are shown in the marketplace's own currency, exactly as eBay returns them.
Listings are individual sales, not catalogue entries. Two results with near-identical titles can differ in condition, bundle contents, or region. Worth checking before treating them as the same item.
find_deals only sees advertised discounts. It filters on eBay's strikethrough "was" price, so a genuinely cheap listing that never claimed a discount won't appear.
npm testThe suite runs without any eBay credentials. It covers the money and landed-price logic, output formatting, and an end-to-end MCP protocol test that boots the server over stdio and exercises tool registration, schema validation, and the unconfigured-credential paths.
npm run watch # recompile on change
npm run typecheck # types only, no emitLayout:
src/
index.ts server entry point and stdio wiring
tools.ts MCP tool definitions
ebay.ts Browse API client and OAuth token cache
config.ts environment parsing and marketplace table
money.ts price parsing, landed totals, ranking
format.ts human-readable output
http.ts fetch with timeout and retryEarlier versions also supported Amazon through the Product Advertising API. That was removed in v0.2.0: PA-API requires an approved Amazon Associates account, and Amazon revokes access if the account makes no qualifying sales — too high a bar for most people to get the server running at all.
The Amazon client and its AWS SigV4 signing are preserved in git history at tag v0.1.0-amazon if you have an approved account and want them back.
MIT — see LICENSE.
Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by eBay. Your use of the eBay API is governed by the eBay API License Agreement.
Report how eBay is configured and make one live test call to confirm the credentials work. Run this first whenever a search fails or returns nothing.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No parameters | |||
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
The annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, but the description adds important behavioral context: 'make one live test call to confirm the credentials work.' This clarifies that despite being read-only, the tool performs an actual network call to the eBay API for testing, which is beyond the basic read-only label. It also implies credential validation, adding value over the annotations.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is extremely concise: two sentences, with the purpose front-loaded and the usage guidance immediately after. No wasted words, and it covers purpose, behavior, and usage in a compact form.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the tool has no parameters and no output schema, the description fully covers what an agent needs to know: what it does (reports config, tests credentials), when to use it (after a failed search), and the side-effect (live call). It is complete for its simplicity.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
There are no parameters in the schema, so the baseline is 4. The description does not need to explain parameters since none exist. It adequately explains the tool's behavior without needing parameter-level detail.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Report how eBay is configured and make one live test call to confirm the credentials work.' This is a specific action (report/test) on a specific resource (eBay configuration), and it distinguishes itself from sibling tools like search_ebay and get_listing_details by focusing on connection/credential verification rather than data retrieval.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description gives explicit when-to-use guidance: 'Run this first whenever a search fails or returns nothing.' This is a clear trigger condition that indicates precedence over sibling tools. However, it does not explicitly mention when not to use it or list alternative tools, so it falls short of a 5.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Search eBay for listings currently discounted off their original price. Returns only items whose advertised saving meets the threshold, cheapest landed price first.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | How many listings to scan before filtering (default 25). Raise this if nothing comes back. | |
| query | Yes | Product or category to hunt for deals in, e.g. 'mechanical keyboard'. | |
| condition | No | Item condition (default new). | |
| max_price | No | Ignore listings above this price. | |
| min_savings_percent | No | Minimum advertised discount off the original price (default 20). |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, covering the safety profile. The description adds behavioral details: it filters by advertised savings threshold and sorts by landed price, which goes beyond the annotations. It does not describe pagination or response format, but with the annotations covering the basic side effects, this is adequate.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description consists of two concise sentences: the first states the primary action, the second adds the filtering and ordering behavior. There is zero fluff, and every word earns its place.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given 5 parameters, no output schema, and helpful annotations, the description is sufficiently complete. It explains the core filtering and ordering behavior, which is the key differentiator. While it doesn't describe return fields or pagination, the simplicity of the tool and schema richness compensate. It could add more detail on the response structure, but it is not critically missing.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema has 100% description coverage for all 5 parameters, each with its own description. The tool description does not add additional parameter-level clarification beyond what the schema provides, so the baseline of 3 is appropriate per the rubric.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the verb 'Search' and the resource 'eBay listings' with a specific scope: discounted items meeting a savings threshold. It distinguishes itself from siblings like search_ebay by focusing on advertised discounts and cheapest landed price first, making its purpose unique.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description implies when to use it (when seeking discounted items) via its focus on savings thresholds and ordering, but it does not explicitly mention alternatives or exclusions. The existence of sibling tools like search_ebay suggests a differentiation, but no direct comparison is made, so it's clear context without explicit when-not guidance.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Fetch the full record for one eBay listing: price, condition, availability, seller rating, item specifics, return policy, and auction end time. Accepts either the v1|...|0 item id or the legacy numeric id from an eBay URL.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| item_id | Yes | eBay item id — either 'v1|326012345678|0' or the numeric id from the listing URL. |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the agent knows it's a safe read operation with external side effects. The description adds the specific data returned (price, condition, etc.) but doesn't discuss error behavior, latency, or rate limits. With annotations covering the safety profile, a 3 is appropriate.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is two sentences: the first states the purpose with a clear list of fields, the second explains the parameter format. No fluff, front-loaded with the core function.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given a simple single-parameter tool with full schema coverage and safety annotations, the description is complete. It covers what data is returned, which is sufficient. No output schema exists, but the listed fields serve as a partial return description.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The input schema description already explains the item_id formats fully (100% coverage). The tool description reinforces that it accepts either format but adds no new meaning beyond the schema. Baseline 3 is correct.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the tool fetches full details for one eBay listing, enumerating specific data fields (price, condition, availability, seller rating, etc.). It distinguishes from siblings (search_ebay, find_deals) by focusing on a single item rather than searching or finding deals.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description implies usage when you need full details for a specific listing, as opposed to search or deals tools. It does not explicitly say when NOT to use it or name alternatives, but the context is clear given the sibling names.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Search eBay for listings matching a keyword query, with optional price, condition, buying-format, and shipping filters. Returns title, price, shipping, landed total, seller rating, and a link for each listing. Read-only: this never bids, adds to a cart, or places an order.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| sort | No | Result ordering (default relevance). 'ending_soonest' is most useful combined with buying_option='auction' to find auctions about to close. | |
| limit | No | How many listings to return (default 10). | |
| query | Yes | What to search for, e.g. 'Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones'. | |
| condition | No | Item condition (default any). | |
| max_price | No | Maximum price, in the marketplace's own currency. | |
| min_price | No | Minimum price, in the marketplace's own currency. | |
| buying_option | No | Buying format (default any). Use 'auction' for bidding, 'buy_it_now' for fixed price. | |
| seller_location | No | Two-letter country code to restrict where items ship from, e.g. 'US' or 'CA'. | |
| free_shipping_only | No | Only return listings that ship free. |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
The description adds value beyond annotations: it explicitly states 'Read-only: this never bids, adds to a cart, or places an order,' which is more specific than the generic readOnlyHint annotation. It also discloses the output fields (title, price, shipping, etc.), which is a behavioral trait not covered by annotations or schema. No contradiction; this enhances transparency.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is two sentences: the first states the core action and filters, the second clarifies read-only behavior. It is front-loaded with the key information and contains zero fluff. Every word serves a purpose, making it highly efficient.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
The tool has 9 parameters, but the schema fully documents them, and the description explains what the tool returns and its read-only nature. It lacks mention of pagination or how to interpret structured results, but given the schema coverage and the read-only clarification, the description is complete enough for an agent to invoke correctly. The openWorldHint is not elaborated, but that's acceptable since it's a hint rather than a requirement.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 100%, so each parameter has detailed descriptions. The tool description itself only gives a high-level overview ('optional price, condition, buying-format, and shipping filters'), adding marginal value beyond the schema. However, it does connect the filters to the search intent, which aligns with the baseline of 3. No specific parameter semantics beyond what schema already provides.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description is specific and action-oriented: 'Search eBay for listings matching a keyword query' with optional filters and a clear list of returned fields (title, price, shipping, landed total, seller rating, link). It distinguishes from siblings by focusing on search behavior, and the read-only note further clarifies scope. The verb-resource pair is unambiguous and distinct from check_ebay_connection, get_listing_details, and find_deals.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides some usage context (search for listings, optional filters) but does not explicitly tell when to use this tool over siblings like get_listing_details or find_deals. It also includes a helpful tip in the schema about using 'ending_soonest' with auctions, but that guidance is embedded in the schema description, not the main description. No clear when-not or alternative tool mention, so it is adequate but not explicit.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.2.0check_ebay_connectionfind_dealsget_listing_detailssearch_ebayScored across 4 tools
Most tools are clearly distinct: check_ebay_connection, search_ebay, get_listing_details each target different actions. search_ebay and find_deals have some overlap, but find_deals is specifically for discounted listings with a savings threshold, so the boundary is clear enough.
Tool names follow a readable snake_case verb_noun pattern: check_ebay_connection, search_ebay, get_listing_details, find_deals. The only minor inconsistency is using both 'search' and 'find' for similar retrieval actions, but the pattern remains predictable.
Four tools is on the small side but appropriate for a focused eBay look-up server. The surface is tight and avoids unnecessary endpoints, though it is slightly minimal for a general 'shopping' MCP.
The tool set covers the core read-only shopping workflow: connectivity verification, keyword search, deal discovery, and listing details. It intentionally omits purchase actions, and while category browsing or seller info could be added, the current surface is not severely incomplete.
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If you are the server author, to access and configure the admin panel.
Read-only product discovery, merchant trust, shipping and returns for SVV-Schatzoekers.
Search and browse global classifieds across 80 markets. No auth required for read-only access.
Search 100+ US retailers, 260M+ products with real-time pricing, stock, and price history. Documentation - https://www.lemmebuyit.com/developer Homepage - https://www.lemmebuyit.com
Live eBay market intelligence: underpriced listing scans, price distributions, flip margins.
