" . . . am I missing something or not reading it right . . . ."
Both.
Your Seller Information shows you are a top rated seller who has been around eBay for a long time.
I know I assume a lot, but one would think you should know eBay's policies and procedures on a lot of things including how the final value fees are structured.
Simply put, the final value fee is a percentage of the total amount paid by the buyer, plus 30 cents per order.
Let's say that Betty Buyer bought a white fur stole from you. The cost of the stole was $195. Then Betty paid the postage, which I'll assume was $15. I'll also assume that the sales tax in Betty's state is 7% AND her state also taxes postage, considering it a service. Item $195 plus postage $15 = $210. Seven percent tax on $210 = $14.70. So, Betty would have paid you $224.70.
Not knowing for sure what eBay's fee percentage is on fur stoles, I'll again assume it is 12.9%. $224.70 x .129 = 28.9863, which eBay probably rounds up to $28.99. PLUS 30 cents = $29.29. That would be the final value fee based on the assumptions I spelled out.
But you asked "WHY?"
The why of eBay's fee on postage or other shipping costs is because in the past too many sellers were cheating eBay by selling a white fur stole for $14.00 plus $210.00 for postage. Too many lying and cheating sellers spoiled an honest and good deal for honest sellers.
The why of eBay's fee on sales tax is due to the marketplace facilitator laws that require eBay to calculate, collect, and remit taxes to the states. A large percentage of sellers that post here recognize that it's a good value, because we don't have to keep track of thousands of different tax rates throughout the country and we don't have to send tax money to the treasuries of something like 45 states.
I have a "why" question for you, too: Why are you selling on eBay?
I can tell you why my selling ID sells on eBay: To Make Money, to help me pay my bills, property taxes, condo special assessments, and buy milk and shoes. When the prices of milk and shoes go up, if I choose to raise the prices on items I'm selling on eBay, does that make me "more and more hungry for [myself]"?
Why is only eBay bad when they (seem to) want to make money?
