HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SELL ON EBAY

Selling on eBay is a fantastic way to make money but before you start listing everything in your house you should know that eBay does not let you sell for free. Like an enthusiastic but slightly greedy go-between, eBay takes a cut of your sales through various fees. The trick to making a profit is understanding what these costs are and how to keep them as low as possible.

The first cost you will encounter is the listing fee also known as the insertion fee. The good news is that private sellers get 1,000 free listings per month which should be more than enough unless you are running a small warehouse from your garage. After that eBay charges 35p per extra listing so if you plan to sell in bulk a business account might be a better option.

Once you make a sale eBay takes a final value fee which is a percentage of the total sale price including postage. For most categories this is around 12.8% plus a fixed charge of 30p per transaction. If you are selling high-value items like electronics or luxury goods, the percentage may be slightly lower, but eBay will still take a noticeable chunk of your profits.

If you want to make your listings stand out eBay offers optional extras like bold titles subtitles and special promotions but these come at an additional cost. While they can help increase visibility, they are not always necessary especially if your product is already in demand. It is usually better to focus on great photos and a strong description rather than paying extra for fancy listing features.

For business sellers eBay offers subscription plans that can help reduce fees. These start at £19.99 per month for a Basic Shop and go up to £399.99 per month for an Anchor Shop. A shop subscription gives you more free listings and lower final value fees so if you are selling regularly, it is worth considering.

Finally, there are payment processing fees. If you use eBay’s Managed Payments system, these are already included in the final value fee but if you accept PayPal or other payment methods additional charges may apply. Always check eBay’s latest fee structure to avoid unexpected costs eating into your profits.

Selling on eBay can be profitable, but the fees can quickly add up if you are not careful. To maximise earnings, take advantage of free listings keep an eye on final value fees and avoid unnecessary paid features. By understanding the costs involved you can sell smart and keep more of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.