Selling collectible baseball cards on eBay can be a lucrative way to make money from your collection or find buyers for singles you no longer want. It’s important to understand the various fees associated with selling on the popular auction and marketplace platform. From insertion fees to final value fees, eBay takes a small percentage of each transaction to maintain the site and provide seller tools and services.
When you list an item for sale on eBay, you will need to choose an auction or fixed price listing format. Both have their pros and cons for selling baseball cards depending on the card and your desired selling strategy. Auctions usually generate more interest and competition between bidders but may end with a lower sale price. Fixed price listings give you more control over the final cost but may take longer to sell.
Regardless of which listing format you choose, eBay charges an insertion fee each time you list an item. For baseball cards, the basic insertion fee for a fixed price listing is $0.30 and $0.50 for an auction. Some categories have slightly different rates, so always double check the fees for Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop before listing. Insertion fees are deducted from your PayPal account immediately at the time you create the listing.
In addition to the insertion fee, eBay also collects a final value fee from the total sale price once an item is sold. This is where they generate the majority of their revenue from marketplace transactions. For baseball cards, the final value fee is generally 10% of the total sale amount, including shipping costs. The fee drops to 5% for sellers who reach certain monthly sales volume thresholds.
Sellers with over $100 in monthly sales are charged 8% instead of 10%. Those with more than $1,000 in monthly sales pay 6.5% and the elite Platinum level sellers with over $100,000 per month only pay 5% on final value fees. So the more you sell on eBay, the lower your average fees will be as a percentage of each transaction.
In addition to insertion and final value fees, eBay also charges a payment fee for receiving funds through PayPal. This is currently 2.9% of the total sale price plus $0.30 per transaction. So on a $10 sale, the payment fee would be 2.9% of $10 = $0.29 plus $0.30, for a total of $0.59. Payment fees are deducted from the money in your PayPal account before it is transferred to your linked bank account.
There are some additional fees sellers may encounter depending on their activities. For example, eBay charges a fee if you offer returns on an item and the buyer later returns it. This fee is $6.50 per return. There is also a fee for promoting your listings through features like Best Offer, Buy It Now, or Gallery Plus picturing options. Promotional fees typically range from $0.05 to $0.30 per listing.
To avoid fees, you can opt to offer free shipping on baseball card listings. This helps your listings stand out in search results since buyers can see the total cost up front with shipping included. You’ll want to factor shipping costs into your pricing to ensure you still make a profit after fees. USPS First Class Mail is a popular low-cost option for shipping most baseball cards under 3 ounces.
Some tips for minimizing eBay fees include using fixed price listings instead of auctions when possible, bundling cheaper cards together in one listing, utilizing free shipping, and selling enough volume each month to qualify for the lower fee tiers. You can also check for coupon codes and special promotions eBay occasionally runs that waive insertion or final value fees for limited time periods.
EBay fees are relatively low compared to the potential revenue that can be generated from selling collectibles online to a huge worldwide buyer base. With the right pricing, photography, and description strategies, the fees are easily outweighed by the sales for dedicated baseball card sellers. Just be sure to understand all the applicable charges up front so you know your true profit on each transaction. With practice and experience using the platform, you can maximize your sales and minimize your fees over time.
The key fees baseball card sellers need to budget for on eBay include:
Insertion fee: $0.30 for fixed price, $0.50 for auction listings
Final value fee: 10% of total sale by default, dropping to 8%, 6.5%, and 5% at higher monthly sales volumes
Payment fee: 2.9% of total sale plus $0.30 per transaction
Optional fees for returns, promotions, shipping supplies, and other ancillary services
With over 180 million buyers worldwide, eBay is unparalleled for finding collectors interested in your cards. Take time to learn the selling process and optimize your listings for search and you’ll be well on your way to moving cards and making money in the trading card resale market. Just don’t forget to account for all applicable fees in your pricing strategy.
