> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ebaymcp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Claude Desktop Integration

> Connect eBay MCP Server to Claude Desktop for AI-powered eBay automation

Claude Desktop provides native MCP support, making it one of the easiest ways to use the eBay MCP Server with AI assistance.

## Why Claude Desktop?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Native MCP Support" icon="plug">
    Built-in Model Context Protocol integration - no plugins needed
  </Card>

  <Card title="230+ eBay Tools" icon="toolbox">
    Full access to all eBay Sell API operations
  </Card>

  <Card title="200K Context Window" icon="file-lines">
    Handle large product catalogs and complex operations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Advanced Reasoning" icon="brain">
    Claude's exceptional analysis for business decisions
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Prerequisites

Before connecting Claude Desktop, ensure you have:

<Check>
  * eBay MCP Server [installed](/installation) and [configured](/configuration)
  * Claude Desktop app installed ([Download here](https://claude.ai/download))
  * eBay Developer credentials (Client ID and Secret)
  * Node.js 18+ installed
</Check>

## Installation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install Claude Desktop">
    Download and install Claude Desktop for your operating system:

    **Download Links:**

    * [macOS](https://claude.ai/download)
    * [Windows](https://claude.ai/download)
    * [Linux](https://claude.ai/download)

    <Tip>
      You'll need a Claude Pro or Max subscription to use Claude Desktop
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Locate Configuration File">
    Find your Claude Desktop configuration file location:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="macOS">
        ```bash theme={null}
        ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
        ```

        To open in Finder:

        ```bash theme={null}
        open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Windows">
        ```
        %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
        ```

        To open in Explorer:

        ```bash theme={null}
        explorer %APPDATA%\Claude
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Linux">
        ```bash theme={null}
        ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
        ```

        To open in file manager:

        ```bash theme={null}
        xdg-open ~/.config/Claude/
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    <Info>
      If the file doesn't exist, create it with an empty JSON object: `{}`
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure eBay MCP Server">
    Edit `claude_desktop_config.json` and add the eBay MCP Server configuration:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "ebay": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": ["/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
          "env": {
            "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "YourAppId-12345",
            "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "YourCertId-67890",
            "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
            "EBAY_REDIRECT_URI": "http://localhost:3000/callback"
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    <Warning>
      **Important:**

      * Replace `/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server` with your actual installation path
      * Use **absolute paths**, not relative paths (e.g., `~/ebay-mcp-server` won't work on Windows)
      * Replace the example credentials with your actual eBay Developer credentials
    </Warning>

    **Example paths:**

    * macOS: `/Users/yourname/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js`
    * Windows: `C:\\Users\\yourname\\ebay-mcp-server\\build\\index.js`
    * Linux: `/home/yourname/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add User Tokens (Optional but Recommended)">
    For full API access and higher rate limits, add user tokens to your configuration:

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "ebay": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": ["/absolute/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
          "env": {
            "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "YourAppId-12345",
            "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "YourCertId-67890",
            "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
            "EBAY_REDIRECT_URI": "http://localhost:3000/callback",
            "EBAY_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
            "EBAY_USER_REFRESH_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
            "EBAY_USER_TOKEN_EXPIRY": "2025-12-31T23:59:59.000Z"
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    <Accordion title="How to get user tokens">
      Run the setup wizard in your eBay MCP Server directory:

      ```bash theme={null}
      cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
      npm run setup
      ```

      The wizard will:

      1. Guide you through OAuth authorization
      2. Generate user access and refresh tokens
      3. Save tokens to your `.env` file

      Then copy the token values from `.env` to your Claude Desktop config.
    </Accordion>

    **Rate Limits:**

    * **Without user tokens:** 1,000 requests/day (client credentials)
    * **With user tokens:** 10,000-50,000 requests/day
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restart Claude Desktop">
    1. **Quit** Claude Desktop completely (not just close the window)
       * macOS: `Cmd + Q`
       * Windows: Right-click system tray → Quit
       * Linux: Close all windows and quit from system tray

    2. **Reopen** Claude Desktop

    3. **Verify** the connection by looking for the 🔨 tools icon

    <Tip>
      If you don't see the tools icon, check the Claude Desktop logs for errors
    </Tip>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verification

Test your connection to ensure everything is working:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Check for Tools Icon">
    Look for the 🔨 **tools** icon in the Claude Desktop interface. This indicates MCP servers are connected.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test Basic Query">
    Try a simple query in Claude Desktop:

    > "Can you list my eBay fulfillment policies?"

    Claude should use the `getFulfillmentPolicies` tool and return your configured policies.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Tool Access">
    Ask Claude:

    > "What eBay tools do you have access to?"

    Claude should list the 230+ available eBay MCP tools.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Check>
  **Success!** You now have full eBay automation capabilities in Claude Desktop.
</Check>

## Usage Examples

Here are some practical ways to use eBay MCP with Claude Desktop:

### Inventory Management

<Accordion title="List all inventory items">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Show me all my eBay inventory items"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `getInventoryItems` to retrieve and display your listings with details like SKU, title, price, and quantity.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Create a new listing">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Create a new eBay listing for a vintage camera. SKU: CAM-001, Title: 'Vintage Canon AE-1 35mm Film Camera', Price: \$199.99, Quantity: 1, Condition: Used"

  **What happens:**
  Claude will:

  1. Use `createOrReplaceInventoryItem` to create the inventory item
  2. Use `createOffer` to create a publishable offer
  3. Confirm the listing details
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Update pricing">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Increase the price of SKU CAM-001 to \$249.99"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `updateOffer` to modify the price of the specified item.
</Accordion>

### Order Fulfillment

<Accordion title="View recent orders">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Show me all orders from the last 7 days"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `getOrders` with date filters to retrieve recent orders with buyer info, shipping details, and payment status.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Fulfill an order">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Mark order ID ABC123 as shipped with tracking number 1Z999AA10123456784 via UPS Ground"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `createShippingFulfillment` to mark the order as shipped and provide tracking information to the buyer.
</Accordion>

### Marketing & Analytics

<Accordion title="Run a promotion">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Create a 20% off sale for all items in category 'Electronics' running from Dec 1-15"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `createItemPromotion` to set up a promotional campaign with the specified discount and date range.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="View traffic reports">
  **Prompt:**

  > "Show me my traffic report for the last 30 days"

  **What happens:**
  Claude uses `getTrafficReport` to display page views, click-through rates, and other analytics for your listings.
</Accordion>

## Configuration Options

### Multiple MCP Servers

You can run multiple MCP servers alongside eBay:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "your_id",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_secret",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/directory"]
    }
  }
}
```

### Environment-Specific Configurations

Use different configurations for Sandbox and Production:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Sandbox (Testing)">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "ebay-sandbox": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
          "env": {
            "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "SBX-AppId-12345",
            "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "SBX-CertId-67890",
            "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Production (Live)">
    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "ebay-production": {
          "command": "node",
          "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
          "env": {
            "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "PRD-AppId-12345",
            "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "PRD-CertId-67890",
            "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "production",
            "EBAY_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#...",
            "EBAY_USER_REFRESH_TOKEN": "v^1.1#i^1#..."
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    <Warning>
      Production configuration affects real listings and transactions. Test thoroughly in Sandbox first.
    </Warning>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Advanced Logging

Enable detailed logging for debugging:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ebay": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "EBAY_CLIENT_ID": "your_id",
        "EBAY_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_secret",
        "EBAY_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "debug",
        "LOG_REQUESTS": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Tools icon (🔨) not appearing">
    **Possible causes:**

    * Configuration file has syntax errors
    * Path to server is incorrect
    * Claude Desktop didn't fully restart

    **Solutions:**

    1. Validate your JSON syntax using [jsonlint.com](https://jsonlint.com)
    2. Verify the path exists:
       ```bash theme={null}
       ls /path/to/ebay-mcp-server/build/index.js
       ```
    3. Fully quit and restart Claude Desktop
    4. Check Claude Desktop logs:
       * macOS: `~/Library/Logs/Claude/`
       * Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\`
       * Linux: `~/.config/Claude/logs/`
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Error: Cannot find module">
    **Cause:** The eBay MCP Server build directory doesn't exist or wasn't compiled.

    **Solution:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
    npm install
    npm run build
    ```

    Verify `build/index.js` was created.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Error: Invalid credentials">
    **Cause:** eBay Client ID or Secret is incorrect.

    **Solution:**

    1. Verify credentials in [eBay Developer Portal](https://developer.ebay.com)
    2. Ensure you're using the correct environment (Sandbox vs Production)
    3. Check for typos in your config file
    4. Remove any extra spaces or quotes
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Error: Rate limit exceeded">
    **Cause:** You've exceeded your daily API request limit.

    **Solution:**

    * **Using client credentials?** Add user tokens for 10-50x higher limits
    * **Already using user tokens?** Wait 24 hours or upgrade your eBay seller account
    * Check your current usage in the eBay Developer Portal
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Tools working but API calls fail">
    **Cause:** Authentication or permission issues.

    **Solutions:**

    1. Ensure user tokens are valid and not expired
    2. Verify your eBay app has required OAuth scopes
    3. Check that tokens match the environment (Sandbox/Production)
    4. Regenerate tokens: `npm run setup`
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Claude Desktop crashes on startup">
    **Cause:** Server startup error or resource exhaustion.

    **Solutions:**

    1. Test the server independently:
       ```bash theme={null}
       cd /path/to/ebay-mcp-server
       npm start
       ```
    2. Check server logs for errors
    3. Temporarily remove eBay config from `claude_desktop_config.json`
    4. Restart Claude Desktop to verify it works without eBay MCP
    5. Re-add configuration with simpler settings
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start with Sandbox" icon="flask">
    Always test in Sandbox environment before using Production to avoid affecting real listings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use User Tokens" icon="key">
    Configure user tokens for full API access and higher rate limits (10,000-50,000 requests/day).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Monitor Usage" icon="chart-line">
    Keep track of API usage to avoid hitting rate limits. Ask Claude to check rate limit status periodically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Secure Credentials" icon="shield">
    Never share your `claude_desktop_config.json` file - it contains sensitive API credentials.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Viewing Logs

Check Claude Desktop logs for debugging connection issues:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # View logs
    tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

    # Open log directory
    open ~/Library/Logs/Claude/
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # Open log directory
    explorer %APPDATA%\Claude\logs

    # View with PowerShell
    Get-Content "$env:APPDATA\Claude\logs\mcp*.log" -Wait
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Linux">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # View logs
    tail -f ~/.config/Claude/logs/mcp*.log

    # Open log directory
    xdg-open ~/.config/Claude/logs/
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Your First Listing" icon="plus" href="/guides/first-listing">
    Step-by-step guide to creating an eBay listing via Claude
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage Orders" icon="box" href="/guides/managing-orders">
    Learn how to fulfill orders and handle returns
  </Card>

  <Card title="Run Promotions" icon="megaphone" href="/guides/running-promotions">
    Set up marketing campaigns and promoted listings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Best Practices" icon="lightbulb" href="/guides/best-practices">
    Tips for optimal usage and performance
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Additional Resources

<Card title="Troubleshooting Guide" icon="life-ring" href="/support/troubleshooting">
  Comprehensive solutions for common issues
</Card>