How eBay’s fee base works
eBay’s final value fee (FVF) is a percentage of the total amount of the sale: item price, shipping and handling, sales tax and any other amount the buyer pays. For most categories, sellers without an eBay Store pay 13.6% on the first $7,500 of that total, plus a per-order fee of $0.30 (orders of $10 or less) or $0.40 (over $10). There is no separate processing fee.
eBay collects sales tax and sends it to the state, so the tax never reaches you. But because it sits inside the fee base, you pay 13.6% of it as fee.
Worked examples: the same sale at four tax rates
| Sales tax | Final value fee | Per-order fee | Total fees | Fee caused by tax | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 (0%) | $7.89 | $0.40 | $8.29 | $0.00 | $41.71 |
| $2.90 (5%) | $8.28 | $0.40 | $8.68 | $0.39 | $41.32 |
| $4.64 (8%) | $8.52 | $0.40 | $8.92 | $0.63 | $41.08 |
| $5.80 (10%) | $8.68 | $0.40 | $9.08 | $0.79 | $40.92 |
Each row is computed, not quoted. The “fee caused by tax” column is simply 13.6% of the tax, rounded to the cent. Whether shipping is taxed, and at what rate, depends on the buyer’s state; the table assumes it is.
How this compares with other platforms
- Whatnot charges commission on the item only, but its 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee includes tax.
- Depop charges 3.3% + $0.45 processing on item, shipping and tax.
- Mercari charges 10% on item plus shipping, not tax. Poshmark charges on the item price only.
So eBay is the platform where tax costs sellers the most: it is the only one charging its full main rate on it. The fee comparison shows the same sale on every platform.
Can you avoid it?
Not as a seller. eBay calculates and collects the tax, and the fee base is eBay’s rule. What you can do is price knowing it is there. This page describes how fees are calculated, not your tax obligations; for questions about your own taxes, talk to a qualified tax professional.
Estimates, fees as of Oct 2026. Not affiliated with any marketplace.