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HOW MUCH DOES EBAY CHARGE TO SELL BASEBALL CARDS

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eBay offers multiple listing formats for sellers to choose from when listing baseball cards for auction or fixed-price sale. The most relevant listing formats are:

Standard listings – These are the basic listing types available on eBay. For a standard auction listing of a baseball card, eBay charges an insertion fee of $0.35 and a final value fee of 10% of the winning bid amount. For a standard fixed-price listing, eBay charges an insertion fee of $0.35 and a final value fee of 10% of the sale price if the item sells.

Featured listings – For a small additional fee on top of the standard listing fees, sellers can feature their listings prominently on search result pages and category pages to receive more visibility. The insertion fee for a featured auction listing is $0.55 and the final value fee remains 10%. For a featured fixed-price listing, the insertion fee is $0.55 and the final value fee is still 10% of the sale price.

Classified listings – Baseball cards priced under $25 can be listed using eBay’s Classified Ad format. The insertion fee is $0 for a classified ad and the final value fee is a flat rate of $0.30 for items that sell. This lower-cost listing option is best for lower value cards.

In addition to listing fees, sellers also need to factor in PayPal and/or eBay payment processing fees if they accept payment through one of these services. PayPal charges a fee of 2.9% of the total sale price plus $0.30 per transaction. eBay deducts an additional fee ranging from 1% to 2.5% of the sale price if using their managed payments services for checkout.

Sellers may also choose to offer additional features on baseball card listings for an extra fee, such as:

Bold listing – $0.20 fee to make the listing title appear in bold text.

Gallery Plus – $0.30 fee per listing to include up to 25 additional photos.

Shop Explorer – $0.25 fee per listing for potential increased exposure in Search and category pages.

Promoted Listings – Variable fee per click starting at $0.05 for prominent placement in search results through paid advertising.

When determining the total fees for selling baseball cards on eBay, it’s also important to factor in any applicable sales or value added tax requirements. Most countries and states charge a percentage tax on the sale price of the item that the seller is responsible for collecting and remitting.

In addition to listing and payment processing fees, sellers need to understand other non-fee costs involved with selling baseball cards on eBay such as:

Product and material costs for items like shipping supplies, toploaders, team bags for higher value cards.

Labor costs for taking photos, writing descriptions, packing/shipping orders which can each take 5-10 minutes per order.

Costs associated with researching baseball card values, grades, conditions and key identifying details which is important for accurate listings.

Cost of potentially replacing cards if they are lost or damaged during transit. Buyers can open item not received or significantly not as described cases against sellers if issues arise.

By carefully calculating all applicable eBay fees, payment fees, taxes due and other costs involved, baseball card sellers can determine their true profit margins on the platform and appropriately set minimum prices needed to make listings worthwhile. Effective inventory and account management practices are also necessary to minimize fees and sustain an eBay selling business over the long run. With planning and efficient operations, many serious sellers are able to turn baseball card sales into a profitable small business venture on eBay.

While eBay offers very low cost listing options starting at $0.35, sellers need to consider all fees applicable to each transaction as well as their own labor and material costs to determine the full expense of selling baseball cards on the site. Careful accounting is necessary to maintain profitability over many listings and ensure sustainability as an eBay baseball card seller over the long term.

HOW MUCH DOES PSA CHARGE TO GRADE BASEBALL CARDS

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PSA, or Professional Sports Authenticator, is one of the leading third-party grading services for collectibles like sports cards and memorabilia. They authenticate and assign grades to items to assess their condition and increase their value. For baseball cards, PSA has several different membership and submission tier options that determine the cost of having cards graded.

One of the most affordable options is PSA’s value tier program, which has a flat fee structure and offers the cheapest per card rates. For submissions of 25 cards or less, the cost is $10 per card for regular service taking around 75 business days. For bulk submissions with 26 or more cards, the value tier rate drops to $8 per card. Major league cards from the modern era can be submitted under this tier.

For collectors wanting faster turnaround times or to submit higher value vintage cards, PSA offers several premium membership and submission plans. The standard tier, targeted at the mainstream collector market, charges $15 per card for regular 45 business day service, or $22.50 per card for a 20 business day express option. Submissions in the standard tier are limited to 500 cards.

Above the standard tier is the premium membership, which removes restrictions on submission quantities and lowers rates. Premium members pay $13 per card for regular service or $19 per card for express 20 days. This tier is beneficial for dealers or larger collectors submitting hundreds of cards on a regular basis. The elite tier charges $11 per card for regular service or $16 per card for express, and also provides concierge support from PSA representatives.

In addition to membership fees, there are also optional value-added services collectors can choose to utilize. For example, there is a $5 listing fee to have a card and its grade reported online in the PSA authentication database, providing resale value. An authentication sticker service adds $2 more to ensure the authenticity of vintage cards. And insurance coverage ranging from $0.25 to $1 can be purchased per card to protect against damage or loss during the grading process.

For high-value vintage cards, PSA also has special submission programs that cater to the needs of major leagueauthenticated cards dating back to the 1800s. The vintage tier for pre-1980 cards charges $30 per card for regular service or $45 for a 10 business day priority, with higher bulk rates available. Similarly, the ultra-modern tier for 1980 to 1999 graded cards charges $20 regularly or $35 for priority service.

In addition to the per card fees, PSA also collects a one-time non-refundable submission registration fee for each order processed, ranging from $15 to $50 depending on membership tier. And for international submissions, extra shipping fees usually need to be factored in as well. The combined cost of membership dues, tiered card rates, and optional add-on services means that submitting a large collection to PSA for authentication and grading can easily add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars. For many collectors and investors, it is seen as a worthy investment to greatly enhance the value and liquidity of their vintage sports card assets.

In summary, PSA offers a full spectrum of membership and submission tiers to fit various collecting and budget levels, with per card rates starting at $8 for bulk value submissions and topping out around $30-$45 each for highest priority service on pre-1980 vintage cards. While requiring a substantial initial outlay, the added legitimacy and easy resell potential that professional grading provides to collections usually enables collectors to earn back their costs once cards are re-marketed with their new certified PSA grades attached. That additional value is what drives many serious sports card traders and investors to utilize PSA’s authentication services despite their added expense.