eBay fees for trading cards
Trading cards have their own fee rate on eBay. Here's how it works, what changes it, and what eBay keeps on sales from $5 to $10,000.
The trading card rate
Without an eBay Store, or with a Starter Store, eBay's final value fee on trading cards is 13.25% of the order total up to $7,500, and 2.35% on any part above that. Basic and higher stores pay 12.35% up to $2,500 and 2.35% above it.
Every order also has a per-order fee: $0.30 on orders of $10 or less, $0.40 on orders over $10.
The fee covers the whole order
The percentage applies to everything the buyer paid: the price, the shipping you charged and the sales tax eBay collected for the state. You don't keep the tax, but you pay the fee on it. That's why the real fee on a card sale works out to a bit more than 13.25% of the price.
What eBay keeps at common prices
This assumes no store, $4.99 shipping charged to the buyer, 8% sales tax and no promoted listing.
| Sold price | Order total | eBay fees | Fees as share of price | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $10.79 | $1.73 | 34.6% | $8.26 |
| $10 | $16.19 | $2.55 | 25.5% | $12.44 |
| $20 | $26.99 | $3.98 | 19.9% | $21.01 |
| $50 | $59.39 | $8.27 | 16.5% | $46.72 |
| $100 | $113.39 | $15.42 | 15.4% | $89.57 |
| $250 | $275.39 | $36.89 | 14.8% | $218.10 |
| $500 | $545.39 | $72.66 | 14.5% | $432.33 |
| $1,000 | $1,085.39 | $144.21 | 14.4% | $860.78 |
| $5,000 | $5,405.39 | $716.61 | 14.3% | $4,288.38 |
| $10,000 | $10,805.39 | $1,071.83 | 10.7% | $8,933.16 |
Promoted listings
A standard promoted listing is charged only when the sale came through the ad, and the ad rate is added on top of the final value fee. At a 5% rate, a promoted card sale costs about 18% instead of 13%.
How to keep more of each sale
- Combine cards to the same buyer into one order, so you pay the per-order fee once.
- Match shipping to the card. A plain envelope on a $5 card or a box on a $20 card both waste money. The shipping calculator compares the options.
- Use promotion for slow movers, not for cards that sell on their own.
- Run the numbers on any sale with the eBay fee calculator before you set a price.
Questions
How much does eBay take from a $100 card sale?
About $15 with $4.99 shipping and 8% sales tax: 13.25% of the $113.39 order total is $15.02, plus the $0.40 per-order fee.
Is an eBay Store worth it for card sellers?
A Basic store lowers the card rate to 12.35%, but it has a monthly subscription. It tends to pay off once you sell enough each month that the fee savings beat the subscription.