Promoted Listings Standard charges your chosen ad rate only when a buyer clicks a promoted listing and buys within 30 days.
The true cost of selling on eBay in 2026
Every fee below comes from one verified data source (last checked 2026-10). Pay attention to the "charged on" column — most fees apply to the whole order, not just your item price.
| Fee | Percentage | Fixed | Charged on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final value fee | 13.6% | $0.30 / $0.40 | Total sale incl. shipping & tax (≤$10 / >$10) |
| FVF with store | 12.7% | $0.30 / $0.40 | Total sale |
| Promoted Listings | 2%–15% | — | Attributed total sale |
Shipping you charge the buyer is part of the fee base on most platforms. That means "cheap shipping, higher item price" and "higher shipping, cheaper item" cost you exactly the same in fees — the only way to lower fees is to lower the order total or move sales to cheaper channels.
Finding your maximum ad rate
Your maximum ad rate is your margin before ads. If you make 22% after fees and costs, an ad rate above 22% loses money on every promoted sale.
eBay suggests 'trending' rates, often 8–12%. Start around half your margin, then adjust based on the sales lift you actually see.
Real-world worked example: breaking down a sale
Using this page's default inputs:
- Item price $45.00 + shipping charged $5.00 = order total $50.00.
- Final value fee: −$7.20
- Promoted Listings: −$3.00
- Total platform fees: −$10.20 (20.4% of the order).
- Your costs (product, shipping, packaging): −$18.00.
- Net cash in pocket: $21.80 — a 43.6% margin. Break-even list price: $17.89.
How to protect your profit margins on eBay
- Promote only listings with enough margin headroom.
- The ad fee applies to the total sale including shipping.
- Count packaging, labels, tape and inserts in your costs — at $0.50–$1.50 per order they're often the forgotten 3% of margin.
- Use reverse mode before you list: decide the profit you want, then price to it, rather than discovering your margin after the sale.
Frequently asked questions
Does eBay charge fees on customer shipping?
Yes. Transaction and payment processing fees are levied against the entire transaction total, including buyer-paid shipping and any gift wrap options.
What is the minimum selling price to avoid losing money (break-even)?
The break-even threshold is the exact price at which revenue covers product cost, packaging, shipping, ad spend and all platform percentage and flat fees. FeeOrbit computes it live in the results card.
How does the reverse pricing calculator work?
Reverse mode lets you set the net profit you want (for example $20). The engine solves for the list price needed after deducting every percentage and flat fee: price = (profit + costs + flat fees) ÷ (1 − percentage fees) − shipping charged.
Is my financial or product data saved or shared?
No. FeeOrbit runs entirely in your browser. Inputs are only stored in your own browser's local storage so they're there next visit — nothing is sent to a server.
How current are these fee rates?
All fee constants were last verified in 2026-10 against each platform's published fee schedule. Platforms change fees regularly, so always confirm with your seller dashboard.