eBay


I have recently sold some audio equipment on eBay and noticed that eBay charges 13.25% on the sale of the item sold, but they also charge that same % on the sales tax that they collect! 🤔 is this legal? This just seems strange to me. 🤷🏻‍♂️

thedoc2004

They charge 13.25% of whatever the complete total you pay for an item. I have sold on eBay since the beginning and have sold many thousands of items. Combining the approximate shipping cost to the furthest city away from me, factoring in box & packing helps me determine a Buy it Now price. Then I add 7% to the final cost to the buyer as I always offer free shipping. This way sharing the the eBay fees with the buyer and only pay about 7%. Selling on eBay might seem expensive, however the results, due to massive exposure, lead to quick, easy turnarounds. Then there are the easy shipping labels, checkouts, buyer & seller protection. I am now nearing the end of liquidating my record collection of over 700 album, only about 200 to go. To me it is not a rip off at all and an easy way to buy & sell online.

I just feel that eBay charging me 13.25% on the sale + the tax + the shipping isn’t fair. They should be only charging me the 13.25% on the sale price not the shipping and tax. That’s all I’m saying. They are making more money on the tax and shipping and they shouldn’t be charging me for it. But what do I know! 

"They are making more money on the tax and shipping and they shouldn’t be charging me for it."

- maybe, but they are handling the funds and dispersing funds to the IRS, and the shipping companies to make it easier for buyers & sellers. That requires management and attention, therefor money. stereo5 is correct, maybe eBay is not for you.

@ OP

That was part of the User Agreement when you sign up, so it's legal.

A little background around fees on shipping. Years ago, sellers tried to circumvent ebay fee system by selling an item at a very low price $1 and charge a shipping $1000 (for demonstration purposes) because ebay charges fee only on the Sell Price, not shipping fee. To solve this problem, fee on shipping cost was added.