eBay Connection — Mock / Fallback Mode (Waitlist Period)

Use this guide if you tried to connect eBay and saw a message like "eBay integration pending — joining waitlist enables priority access".

airsource's eBay Developer Production keyset is currently in review (application submitted 2026-05-24). During this waitlist period, customers can validate their airsource setup against a deterministic mock dataset and switch to live eBay data with a single click once approval lands. For the standard 1-click connect flow (post-approval), see customer-ebay-setup.md.

What "mock / fallback" mode is

While we wait for Production keyset approval, airsource exposes a built-in mock eBay dataset so customers can:

Verify their destination (Airtable, Notion, Google Sheets) is wired correctly
See the exact shape of eBay records (orders, transactions, inventory) that will sync
Confirm AI mapping produces the column names they want
Test sync interval, error notifications, and webhook delivery

No real eBay account is required during this period. When Production approval lands, airsource swaps the mock adapter for the live OAuth flow with no customer action required for accounts on the waitlist.

What gets returned in mock mode

The mock dataset is deterministic — every customer sees the same fixture data — and is designed to exercise every field the live adapter will populate.

Resource	Mock record count	Notes
Orders	3 sample orders	Includes paid / unpaid / cancelled states
Transactions	5 sample transactions	Includes fees, refunds, payouts
Inventory	4 sample SKUs	Includes in-stock and out-of-stock variants

Mock records are clearly labeled with ebay_mock_ prefixes on IDs (e.g. ebay_order_ebay_mock_001) so they are obvious in your destination and easy to filter out after switchover.

How to use mock mode

Step 1: Join the waitlist

On the airsource onboarding screen, choose eBay as the source. You will see:

eBay integration pending — joining waitlist enables priority access.

Click Join waitlist + use mock data. airsource will:

Add your account email to the eBay activation waitlist
Create an integration row using mock credentials
Run the first sync against the mock dataset within a minute

No eBay credentials, App ID, Cert ID, or RuName needed at this stage.

Step 2: Verify your destination

Open your destination (Airtable / Notion / Google Sheets) and confirm:

A new tab / table named eBay Orders exists (or your chosen name)
3 mock orders, 5 mock transactions, and 4 mock inventory rows are present
Column headers match what you expected

If anything looks wrong, you can adjust headers, sync interval, or AI mapping rules now — they will apply automatically once the live adapter activates.

Step 3: Wait for approval notice

When eBay Production keyset approval arrives (typically 2-6 weeks after submission), waitlist customers receive an email titled "Your eBay integration is ready to activate" with a single-click activation link.

Switching from mock to live

After clicking the activation link in the approval email:

You will be redirected to eBay's OAuth consent screen
Sign in with your eBay seller account and click Allow
airsource exchanges the authorization code for live OAuth tokens
The integration record is updated in place — credentials swap from mock to live
Mock records are marked as superseded (not deleted; you choose whether to clear them)
The first live sync runs within a minute

Behind the scenes, the same eBay adapter (ebay-adapter.ts) handles both modes — only the credentials object changes, so your destination columns, sync interval, AI mapping rules, and webhook subscriptions all carry over unchanged.

Cleaning up mock data after switchover

By default, airsource leaves mock records in place after the switchover so you can compare mock vs. live side-by-side. To remove mock rows:

Airtable / Google Sheets: Filter by ebay_order_id starting with ebay_mock_ and delete those rows
Notion: Filter the database by the same prefix and archive matching rows

A cleanup_mock_records button will be added to the dashboard shortly to do this in one click.

FAQ

Q. Will mock data overwrite real eBay data I already have? A. No. Mock IDs use the ebay_mock_ prefix and will not collide with real eBay order or transaction IDs (which are numeric).

Q. Can I connect a real eBay account before Production approval? A. Not through the official 1-click flow — that requires the approved Production App ID and Cert ID. If you have your own eBay Developer App ID and Cert ID, contact support@airsource.io for legacy User Token onboarding (manual setup, 15 minutes).

Q. How long does eBay Production approval typically take? A. 2-6 weeks for first-time applicants in good standing. We will email all waitlist customers as soon as activation is live.

Q. Will my mock-mode integration count against my plan limits? A. No. Mock-mode integrations are free during the waitlist period and do not count toward your active source quota.

Q. What if eBay rejects the application? A. We will notify all waitlist customers, refund any paid annual plans pro-rated, and offer Etsy as the closest alternative (already live and approved).

Support

Contact support@airsource.io with the subject "eBay waitlist" if you need help during the preview period.