How eBay UK fees work
eBay charges UK sellers in two very different ways. Private sellers pay no final value fee on most sales, and get 300 free listings a month. Business sellers pay a final value fee on every sale, worked out on the total the buyer pays, postage included, plus a small fee per order and a regulatory operating fee.
| Business seller fee | Rate |
|---|---|
| Final value fee · Trainers7% when the item price is £100.00 or more | 11.9% |
| Final value fee · Clothes, Shoes & Accessories | 11.9% |
| Final value fee · Collectables | 10.9% |
| Final value fee · Toys & Games | 10.9% |
| Per-order feeOrders up to £10.00 | £0.30 |
| Per-order feeOrders over £10.00 | £0.40 |
| Regulatory operating feeOn the total sale | 0.35% |
eBay’s business fees are quoted before VAT. The calculator adds 20% VAT on top by default; switch it off if you reclaim it.
Private or business?
It changes the answer more than anything else. On the same sale, a private seller keeps £56.04 and a business seller keeps £44.71. eBay’s own rule is plain: “An eBay seller must register as a business if, for example, they sell items they have bought to resell.” If you buy stock to flip, work your numbers out as a business seller.
Buying to resell can also make your profit taxable income. Being a business seller on eBay and owing tax are separate questions; HMRC decides the second.
A worked example
A pair of trainers bought for £62.00 and sold for £118.00, with £4.99 postage charged to the buyer. The label cost £4.35 and the box and tape £0.60. Sold as a business seller in Trainers.
Sold on eBay
Trainers · Business sellerBecause the item price is £100.00 or more, Trainers drop to 7%. eBay takes £11.33 in all, 9.2% of what the buyer paid.
Mistakes that cost you profit
- Forgetting the fee is on postage tooA business seller’s final value fee is on the total the buyer pays. Charging more postage raises the fee.
- Leaving VAT off the feeseBay quotes business fees before VAT. Unless you reclaim it, the real fee is 20% higher.
- Using a US calculatorMost calculators that rank for this search use eBay’s US fees. UK fees are different, and so is the private seller rule.
- Not counting the label and the boxPostage you pay and packaging come out of your profit, sale after sale.
- Promoting without counting the ad rateA promoted listing’s ad rate is a fee on the sale. Add it under VAT and promoted listings.
Questions
Do private sellers pay fees on eBay UK?
Not on most sales. UK private sellers pay no final value fee or regulatory operating fee, except in Cars, Motorcycles & Vehicles. You get 300 free listings a month; selling to a buyer abroad adds an international fee.
How much does eBay take from a £100.00 sale?
For a business seller in Clothes, Shoes & Accessories with no postage: £15.18, VAT included. That’s final value fee £11.90, per-order fee £0.40, regulatory operating fee £0.35, VAT on eBay’s fees £2.53. A private seller pays nothing.
Does eBay charge fees on postage?
For business sellers, yes: the final value fee and the regulatory operating fee are worked out on the total the buyer pays, postage included.
What’s the difference between margin and ROI?
Margin is your profit as a share of what the buyer paid. ROI is your profit as a share of what you paid for the item. A small margin can still be a great ROI on cheap stock.
Is this profit before tax?
Yes. It’s the profit on this one sale, before tax and running costs.
Small print
Results are estimates from eBay’s published UK fees, checked 22 Oct 2026. Fees change, and your own account may differ (offers, promotions, your level or region). Always check the figure eBay shows you before you list. Nothing here is tax advice. Sources: