Understanding eBay Fees When Selling Baseball Cards
Whether you have a collection of baseball cards you want to sell individually or in lots, eBay is one of the largest and most popular marketplaces for collectors. It’s important to understand how eBay makes money through various fees applied to transactions. As a seller, you’ll want to account for these fees when pricing your cards so you can maximize your profits after a sale. This article provides an in-depth look at the different types of fees eBay charges on baseball card sales.
Insertion Fees
The first fee eBay charges is an insertion fee, which is the cost to list an item for sale. For trading cards and other collectibles, the insertion fee is currently 35 cents per listing. This fee is charged regardless of whether the item sells. So if you list 10 cards individually, you’ll pay $3.50 total in insertion fees upfront before any cards are sold. It’s important to factor this cost in when determining your minimum price for each card.
Final Value Fees
Once an item sells, eBay charges a final value fee based on the total sale price, not including shipping costs. For trading cards and collectibles, the final value fee is generally 10% of the sale price, with a maximum fee of $250 per transaction. The percentage can be lower if you sell a high volume of items. For example, sellers with over $10,000 in quarterly sales pay an 8.5% fee instead of 10%.
Payment Processing Fees
In addition to insertion and final value fees, eBay charges payment processing fees to cover the costs of accepting various payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, etc. For domestic card sales within the US, the payment processing fee is generally 2.9% of the total sale price plus $0.30 per order. International sales may have higher processing fees depending on the buyer’s country.
Additional Feature Fees
If you opt to use certain promoted listing or product listing features on eBay, there may be additional fees as well. For example, eBay offers a “Best Offer” option that allows buyers to submit offers lower than the listed price. If the seller accepts a best offer, eBay charges a 1% fee on top of the final value fee. Promoted listings that appear higher in search results also incur extra fees on a sliding scale.
Tax Collection and Remittance
In states where eBay is required to collect sales tax, the fees are generally calculated and collected by eBay at checkout on behalf of the seller. Sellers are still responsible for remitting their own use tax to their state. eBay does not handle tax filings or payments for sellers. International sellers may have additional tax obligations depending on their country’s laws.
Tips for Maximizing Profits
To maximize your profits when selling baseball cards on eBay, consider the following tips:
Bundle common or lower value cards into themed lots to save on insertion fees.
Price cards higher than your minimum acceptable sale price to account for fees. Factor in at least a 10-15% buffer.
Offer combined shipping discounts to encourage buyers to purchase multiple listings from you.
Consider a store subscription for added features like discounted fees if you sell a high volume.
Use promoted listings strategically during high traffic periods like weekends.
Accept offers to potentially save on fees compared to the full 10% on an auction.
Remit sales tax payments timely to avoid penalties from your state.
Understanding all the applicable eBay fees upfront allows baseball card sellers to most accurately price their items and estimate potential profits. With the right pricing strategies and product bundling approaches, you can help offset eBay’s fees and maximize the money you earn from selling your collectibles online. Let me know if you have any other questions!
