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eBay Profit Calculator 2026: what you actually keep
By Jules Bege · Updated
Short answer: net profit = item price + buyer-paid shipping − final value fee − per-order fee − real shipping cost − cost of goods − packing. On a standard category the published final value fee is 13.6% of item plus buyer-paid shipping, with a per-order fee that applies above $10, so a "10% margin" calculated on the item price alone is usually a loss once shipping and the fixed fee are counted.
Most resellers price from the item cost and a rough percentage. The number they compare against is not the number eBay subtracts, because the fee applies to a base that includes the shipping the buyer paid, and a fixed per-order fee is added on top. This page shows the calculation, a worked example you can copy, and the four mistakes that make a losing sale look profitable.
The formula, in the order money actually moves
- Gross revenue = item price + shipping paid by the buyer.
- Final value fee = published percentage × gross revenue (the fee is charged on both components).
- Per-order fee = a fixed amount, applied when the order total passes a threshold (published as $0.40 above $10 in the standard case).
- Real costs = what you paid the carrier, the cost of the item, packing material, and any return you accept.
Everything after step 1 is subtracted. The mistake is treating shipping as revenue-neutral: it is fee-bearing revenue on one side and a cost on the other.
Which eBay site? The percentages below are eBay.com's published figures. They are not universal: on eBay.fr a private seller in the EEA pays 0% since 1 September 2026 (10% outside the EEA). Plainly check the fee schedule of the site you actually sell on — our eBay fees explained page lists both.
Worked example: the same item, three shipping strategies
| Line | A · free shipping, price raised | B · $10 shipping charged | C · under-priced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item price | $60.00 | $50.00 | $40.00 |
| Buyer-paid shipping | $0.00 | $10.00 | $0.00 |
| Fee base | $60.00 | $60.00 | $40.00 |
| Final value fee (13.6%) | −$8.16 | −$8.16 | −$5.44 |
| Per-order fee | −$0.40 | −$0.40 | −$0.40 |
| Shipping you paid | −$8.00 | −$8.00 | −$8.00 |
| Cost of goods | −$30.00 | −$30.00 | −$30.00 |
| Net profit | $13.44 | $13.44 | −$3.84 |
| Margin on item price | 22.4% | 26.9% of item price — but 22.4% of revenue | negative |
Two lessons from the table. A and B are the same deal expressed differently — the fee base is identical, which is why "free shipping" is a pricing decision, not a tax optimisation. C is the failure mode: $40 looked like a $10 margin against a $30 cost, and it is a $3.84 loss.
The four mistakes that inflate a margin
1. Applying the percentage to the item price only
If the buyer paid shipping, that amount is in the fee base. On a $50 item with $10 shipping, the difference is $1.36 — more than a third of a typical margin on a low-cost item.
2. Forgetting the fixed per-order fee
It is small in absolute terms and large in relative terms: $0.40 is 1% on a $40 sale and 4% on a $10 sale. Cheap items sold individually are the category where this matters most.
3. Recording the cost of a lot at sale time
A $100 lot of 50 items is $2 per item, not $100 against the first sale. If cost is attached only when an item sells, the first three sales look catastrophic and the rest look free.
4. Ignoring returns and packing
A 5% return rate on a 20% margin consumes a quarter of the profit on the returned units, before the return shipping. Packing is small per order and real per month.
When a spreadsheet stops being enough
A sheet with the fee base and the per-order fee in separate columns is accurate. What breaks first is not the formula, it is the maintenance: the fee percentage differs by category, the per-order fee has a threshold, and the same item may sell on another marketplace with a different base. Once you sell the same stock on two platforms, the cost of goods must be counted once — not once per platform.
Record the cost once, see profit per sale
Margeo records item costs, sales and expenses, then calculates overall net profit from recorded sold-item costs, commissions and expenses. French tax estimates are separate. Starter is free, no card required.
Start free — no credit cardFrequently asked questions
What is the formula for eBay profit?
Net profit = sale price + buyer-paid shipping − final value fee − per-order fee − shipping you actually paid − cost of goods − packing and any returns cost. The fee is charged on the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, so free shipping does not remove the fee, it moves it into the item price.
How much does eBay take on a $50 sale?
In a standard category at the published 13.6% final value fee, a $50 item with no buyer-paid shipping costs $6.80 in final value fee, plus the $0.40 per-order fee that applies above $10 — $7.20 total, or 14.4%. The fee percentage and per-order fee vary by category, store subscription and region: check eBay's fee page for your category before pricing.
Should I include shipping in the fee calculation?
Yes. eBay charges the final value fee on the item price plus the shipping the buyer pays. Charging $10 shipping and paying $8 to the carrier does not make $10 of profit: the $10 is fee-bearing revenue and the $8 is a cost, so the net contribution is lower than the sticker difference.
Does a spreadsheet calculate eBay profit correctly?
A spreadsheet is correct only if the fee is applied to the right base and the per-order fee is included. The two common errors are applying the percentage to the item price alone while the buyer paid shipping, and forgetting the fixed per-order fee, which adds roughly one percent on a $40 sale and much more on cheap items.
How do I know my real profit after several sales?
Record the cost of each item when you buy it, not when you sell it. Once costs are attached to items, profit per sale is a subtraction rather than an estimate, and monthly net profit becomes the sum of recorded sales minus commissions and expenses. Margeo Starter is free with no card and records item costs, sales and expenses.
Sources
This page is written by Margeo, which sells the tracking software linked below. Nothing here is sponsored. Fee rates were read from eBay's official fee documentation; they change, and category rules differ, so verify before you price a listing.
- Source: eBay selling fees — ebay.com/help — selling fees.
- Source: eBay final value fee update — ebay.com — final value fees.
- Source: worked fees for a specific category, eBay sneakers — ebay.com/Sell-Sneakers.
- Internal: eBay fees explained: 13.6% + $0.30, Vinted profit calculator, reseller spreadsheet vs app.
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Record sales, item costs, commissions and expenses to track overall net profit. Margeo estimates French taxes separately.
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