Can someone explain eBay fees?? Help!!

[erin12311]

I am soooo confused!!! Why is it I never even get close to what I think I will get after sale. I sold a purse for $10 and did not promote and buyer paid shipping and tax. My end profit was $5.76 which is like 43-46% taken out by eBay??? When they claim to take 13-18% I believe?? Can someone help me understand their real true policy?? Please! I have been selling my jewelry on Mercari since they only ever take a flat 10% and no shenanigans. EBay takes more for jewelry!! I wonder how eBay makes sense to sellers anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated 💕

[soh.maryl]

Yes, I understand that.  My point was that there CAN be items where the shipping costs more than the item itself.

I understand your statement about selling patterns.  Have been sewing for about 70 years or so.  Now I mostly do doll clothes and some little girl garments.  

Years ago, my daughter and I found a pattern that made a very simple little top or dress and made it for the girls in the family which at that time were 3.  As the family grew, finally to 6 girls, we kept using the pattern.

The problem was that it was a 1-2-3 and these girls kept growing.

Recently was able to find this pattern in a 5 to sew for a great granddaughter as a top.  And let me admit how pleased I was when her mother and grandmother reported to me several times that people they met at parks, shops etc often asked where the top was purchased.  

Guess I widely diverged, didn't I? Hope you will forgive me. 

[mam98031]

You are doing just fine.  That is all I sell is craft patterns of all kinds of crafts and some craft supplies.  While I personally don't have much time to do crafts anymore, by daughter has picked up where I left off !!!

[johnrj1226]

That is young from where  I  stand - a '44 model..  At age 50 I quickly learn Microsoft Office, excel was one of software.   Never  touch a  PC  or laptop in my life -  the boss gave use a a new IBM Think Pad laptop and a quick 1.5 hr. training after business hours and challenge us all to learn the whole package ASAP or else it was swim or die time.  Loved my  job - "Learnt"  easy enough with  help from our  former secretaries  who   were doing the work ( Excel, Word,, Power Point).  The secretaries were  assigned other positions manages assistant.  .

Believe in this "Where there is the will there is the way" and ditch the words  can't, cannot, cain't from you  vocabulary -one  just don't know how - solution - fix it. people will help you learn.. Heck my 7 year old grandson teachs me some stuff.. and read, read, read.

[johnrj1226]

Glad to  have helped - enjoying the "Feel Good" this morning.

[erin12311]

Yes, I replied too soon before I had read through more of the answers and learned the basic formula. I feel pretty dumb now that I see how easy it is to get a good grasp of my profit margin. I apologize for making it seem harder or more confusing than it needed to be! I move forward with a great spreadsheet plan and an understanding of the fee breakdown. Thank you for helping me out.

Be well,Erin

[mam98031]

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@erin12311 wrote:

Yes, I replied too soon before I had read through more of the answers and learned the basic formula. I feel pretty dumb now that I see how easy it is to get a good grasp of my profit margin. I apologize for making it seem harder or more confusing than it needed to be! I move forward with a great spreadsheet plan and an understanding of the fee breakdown. Thank you for helping me out.

Be well,Erin

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Us mere humans make mistakes from time to time.  I'm very glad to hear you now understand the process.  That is always a good thing.  I hope your holiday sales are strong !!!!

[ul_7898]

eBay takes its final value fee on the item plus shipping plus tax and adds a per-order fee (and jewelry has a higher % tier), so it often feels like 20%+ in real life; You can plug a few sales into a third-party calculator/dashboard (Maxmerce is one option) so you can see the exact breakdown instead of guessing.

[mam98031]

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@ul_7898 wrote:

eBay takes its final value fee on the item plus shipping plus tax and adds a per-order fee (and jewelry has a higher % tier), so it often feels like 20%+ in real life; You can plug a few sales into a third-party calculator/dashboard (Maxmerce is one option) so you can see the exact breakdown instead of guessing.

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The OP now has a handle on this issue.  There is even a Best Answer for the thread selected.

Ebay charges their FVF on the TOTAL amount the buyer pays, period.  Then there is a 30 cent per transaction fee if the transaction was 9.99 or less and 40 cents if it is 10.00 or higher.

[erin12311]

Thank you! I love the calculator option. I will be looking up those now. I appreciate your response and helping a rookie seller. 

Be well, Erin

[soh.maryl]

Thank you very much for thanking those who have helped with your questions.  So many times, people ask for help here, but do not respond either negatively or positively.  Are they still wandering through the forest, looking for the bread crumb trail? 

[mam98031]

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@ul_7898 wrote:

eBay takes its final value fee on the item plus shipping plus tax and adds a per-order fee (and jewelry has a higher % tier), so it often feels like 20%+ in real life; You can plug a few sales into a third-party calculator/dashboard (Maxmerce is one option) so you can see the exact breakdown instead of guessing.

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Except so many forget that the buyer actually paid the seller to ship the item.  So the costs associated with shipping is not part of the fees charged the seller.  The seller needs to understated shipping or offered free shipping.  

[soh.maryl]

Actually, in the case that touched off this discussion, that particular seller offered free shipping.

Let's just hope that he realized that that meant the shipping had to come out of his pocket.