Posted by eBay is a popular online marketplace famous for helping you get buyers for your goods, but the platform has an insertion fee. These are the fees that eBay charges for listing your item. They usually range from $0.35 to $4.00, depending on the category you list your item. If an auction-style listing has a winning bidder or if a fixed price listing sells on eBay, an insertion fee credit is given for one insertion fee at the time of sale.
For example, let’s say you listed two pairs of shoes at $0.50 each, and they sold on eBay within seven days, and there were no other listings that ended during those seven days (so no credits were used before this point). You would receive one free insertion fee credit and one free ending soonest credit equal to the amount charged per shoe ($0.50) each time they sell. This is because they sold in less than 30 days from listing (and again, if they sell within 48 hours after being relisted).
Additionally, if you want extra features such as bolding or highlighting the title of your item, there is an additional fee associated with these features. In this piece, you will learn everything about the eBay insertion fee and what it entails.
Understanding the eBay Platform
Whether you want to sell your fabulous designer handbag or a bag of used socks, eBay is the place to go. As one of the biggest online marketplaces, you’ll have access to millions of potential buyers and thousands of categories for different items. All these potential customers are looking for great deals on products from all over the world.
The platform also allows you to utilize auction-style selling. This will enable you to start with a low price and work your way up as bidders compete for an item. Your item may end up selling for much more than you ever expected.
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eBay Insertion Fee
An insertion fee, also known as a listing fee, is an up-front fee that eBay charges for each listing you create. If you list 100 items at once, you’ll pay the insertion fee 100 times. The amount of your insertion fee depends on the category or categories you choose to list your item and the price it sells.
Generally, insertion fees are charged for each item you list for sale. The amount of the insertion fee depends on which category your listing is placed in and if you’re listing an auction-style or fixed price listing.
Auction-style listings have a maximum of 12 pictures per listing so that buyers can easily see the product details and decide to purchase. You will be charged an insertion fee each time you list an item.
The insertion fee is a one-time, upfront fee based on your item’s starting price. You’ll be charged an insertion fee each time you create a listing and offer items for sale on eBay. The starting price is the lowest amount you’re willing to accept for an item.
- Auction-style listings: You can set the starting price to 0.99 or higher (or equivalent in other currencies) for auction-style listings. If your item sells, you pay us a final value fee when it sells.
- Fixed price listings: For fixed price listings, you can choose any starting price that’s at least 0.99 or higher (or equivalent in other currencies).
- Listing upgrades are optional and come with a cost.
You don’t get charged an insertion fee if:
- Your item doesn’t sell
- You have a Store.
How Much Is The Insertion Fee?
It’s important to know that the insertion fee is calculated based on the category the item is listed under, except books, DVDs, movies, and music. (Those are charged a flat rate of $0.30.)
The insertion fees for any other category are as follows:
- Fashion: $0.40 per listing
- Home & Garden: $0.40 per listing
- Electronics: $1.00 per listing
- Sports: $1.00 per listing
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QnA About eBay Insertion Fee:
– Is there an eBay Insertion Fee Limit?
When discussing eBay insertion fees, you can think of them as the maximum number of listings you can create in a given month at the end of the day. Many names know these limits, such as insertion fee limits, listing limits, and monthly allowance. But what they mean is just that: there are a certain number of items you can record in any given month without paying an insertion fee for each one.
If you have more than that number to sell, don’t worry; additional listings will still be allowed. They just come with an insertion fee attached to them. These limits are different for everyone and depend on your seller level (Starter, Basic, Premium or Anchor). Sellers who subscribe to stores also have an increased limit based on their store subscriptions.
– How Can I Lower My Insertion Fees?
Try selling in the Store Inventory Format or Auction Format to lower your insertion fees. As long as you offer free shipping on your items, you can run fixed price or auction listings for free.
If you have a Basic or Premium store subscription, you can create up to 50,000 fixed price Store Inventory Format listings per month. These do not accrue insertion fees and provide more advanced listing tools than standard fixed-price listings, such as multi-variation listings.
If you don’t want to upgrade your membership but still want to avoid insertion fees on all of your items, choose Run an auction when creating a listing. If your item sells at auction with no reserve, it is entirely free with no insertion fee and final value fee.
You can also combine all three options and save even more money by creating one multi-variation listing with too many variations for the Fixed Price format.
Another way to defer paying any amount on the insertion fee is to set up timed listings, letting buyers know how long they have to complete their transaction before an alert pops up saying that your item has been purchased. This makes it easier for buyers to complete their purchases without delay to get paid quickly.
– Do I Have To Pay More Than One Insertion Fee For My Item?
If you have an item that you’d like to list again, don’t worry. You won’t have to pay more than one insertion fee. The eBay platform charges a single insertion fee of $0.30 for each item you list, even if it’s listed multiple times in the same listing period or format. If your listing is relisted after 30 days or if eBay removes it for any reason, the platform will relist your item free of charge if you request it within 90 days from the date when the listing ended.
When you list an item on eBay, the insertion fee is usually $1. The site will also charge you a final value fee when an item sells. The amount depends on what kind of item it is and how much it’s sold. Before using any credits from eBay, check out the listing fees for your items so you don’t incur unexpected charges.
– What Are Other Fees Charges By eBay?
In addition to insertion fees, eBay charges final value fees. Final value fees are charged when your item sells and are calculated as a percentage of the total amount of the sale. This is simply the price plus any shipping and handling you might charge.
The final value fee depends on what category the item is listed. For example, auctions for electronics have a final value fee of 9%, while video games treated as a different category have a slightly lower final value fee at 6.15%.
To keep track of your eBay fees, you can use the Seller Hub or eBay’s spreadsheet tool called the fee illustrator. This tool lets you input how much you plan on selling an item for and will give you an estimate of how much money will go towards listing and selling it on eBay.
Technically, eBay will calculate the final value fees and charge you for them right off the bat. However, several other expenses can help your listing stand out and potentially decrease your insertion fee, mainly scheduled shipments.
Conclusion
Insertion fees are one of the few costs that sellers must pay when listing their items for sale on eBay as a side hustle. The cost of insertion fees depends on the category in which you list your item, the price at which your item sells, and how many items you sell in a calendar month. This cost of insertion fee is often negligible when you consider the fact that eBay provides access to a large audience of potential buyers. Also, your reach is global, ensuring you stand a high chance of making more from your online selling. You also need to factor this cost into your eventual price to break even.
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