PLATFORM COMPARISON
Shelfkit vs eBay: Complete Fee Comparison
eBay fees can eat into your profits quickly. Learn exactly how much you could save by selling on your own store, with real fee calculations and side-by-side comparisons.
This comparison covers eBay business seller accounts — the account type most small makers and cottage industries use.
Disclaimer: Pricing and fee information was accurate at the time of publishing and is provided for general comparison purposes only. eBay may have updated their fees, features, or terms since this page was last updated. For the most current and complete information, please visit eBay's official fees page.
eBay takes from a £100 sale
Shelfkit takes from a £100 sale
You save per £100 in sales
Understanding eBay's Fee Structure
eBay's fees can be confusing, with multiple charges that add up quickly. Here's a complete breakdown of every fee you'll encounter as a UK business seller in 2025.
1. Final Value Fee (10-15%)
The final value fee is eBay's main revenue source and is charged as a percentage of your total sale amount, including postage. Rates vary by category:
Most Categories: 12.8%
- • Home & Garden
- • Crafts
- • Collectibles
- • Pottery & Glass
- • Toys & Games
Higher Fee Categories: 15%
- • Clothing & Accessories
- • Shoes
- • Jewellery & Watches
- • Health & Beauty
2. Per Order Fee: £0.30
Every single order you receive incurs an additional £0.30 fee, regardless of order value. For sellers with many lower-value items, this fee can significantly impact profitability. Sell a £5 item? That £0.30 is 6% of your sale before any other fees.
3. Regulatory Operating Fee: 0.35%
Introduced in April 2024 to cover eBay's compliance costs, this additional percentage is charged on every sale. While it seems small, it's yet another layer of fees eating into your margin.
4. Insertion (Listing) Fees: £0.35+
Private sellers get a limited number of free listings per month. Beyond that allocation, you pay insertion fees starting at £0.35 per listing. If your item doesn't sell and you relist, you pay again.
Free Listing Allowances (UK)
- • No store: Limited free listings/month
- • Basic Shop (£27/mo): 1,000 free listings
- • Featured Shop (£77/mo): More free listings + promotional tools
- • Anchor Shop (£437/mo): Unlimited fixed-price listings
5. Promoted Listings: 2-15%+
Want your items to actually be seen? eBay heavily promotes their advertising platform. With millions of sellers competing for visibility, many find promoted listings necessary to generate sales.
Hidden cost: You only pay when a buyer purchases after clicking your ad, but at rates of 5-15%, this can add significantly to your total fees—potentially pushing total fees above 25% per sale.
Real Fee Calculations
See exactly how much you'd pay on eBay versus Shelfkit across different sale values. All examples use standard category rates (12.8% final value fee).
£25 Sale (Handmade Candle)
eBay Fees
- Final value fee (12.8%)£3.20
- Per order fee£0.30
- Regulatory fee (0.35%)£0.09
- Total eBay fees£3.59 (14.4%)
Shelfkit Fees (Starter Plan)
- Transaction fee (2.5%)£0.63
- Stripe processing (~2.4%)£0.60
- Total Shelfkit fees£1.23 (4.9%)
You save £2.36 per sale with Shelfkit
£50 Sale (Handmade Jewellery)
eBay Fees
- Final value fee (15% jewellery)£7.50
- Per order fee£0.30
- Regulatory fee (0.35%)£0.18
- Total eBay fees£7.98 (16%)
Shelfkit Fees (Starter Plan)
- Transaction fee (2.5%)£1.25
- Stripe processing (~2.4%)£1.20
- Total Shelfkit fees£2.45 (4.9%)
You save £5.53 per sale with Shelfkit
£100 Sale (Pottery Set)
eBay Fees
- Final value fee (12.8%)£12.80
- Per order fee£0.30
- Regulatory fee (0.35%)£0.35
- Total eBay fees£13.45 (13.5%)
Shelfkit Fees (Growth Plan)
- Transaction fee (1%)£1.00
- Stripe processing (~2.4%)£2.40
- Total Shelfkit fees£3.40 (3.4%)
You save £10.05 per sale with Shelfkit
£500 Sale (Custom Furniture)
eBay Fees
- Final value fee (12.8%)£64.00
- Per order fee£0.30
- Regulatory fee (0.35%)£1.75
- Total eBay fees£66.05 (13.2%)
Shelfkit Fees (Growth Plan)
- Transaction fee (1%)£5.00
- Stripe processing (~2.4%)£12.00
- Total Shelfkit fees£17.00 (3.4%)
You save £49.05 per sale with Shelfkit
Annual Savings Example
A seller doing £1,000/month in sales (about £12,000/year) could save:
eBay fees/year (~13.5%)
Shelfkit fees/year (~3.4%)
Saved per year
Beyond Fees: Why Sellers Leave eBay
Build Your Own Brand
On eBay, your handmade products compete with mass-produced imports and second-hand goods. Buyers can't distinguish your quality craftsmanship at a glance. With your own store, every element—from domain name to checkout—reinforces your brand identity.
Own Your Customer Relationships
eBay deliberately keeps you from building customer relationships. You can't email customers, access full contact details, or communicate outside eBay's system. With your own store, customers are yours—you can send newsletters, announce new products, and build loyalty.
Control Your Policies
eBay's Money Back Guarantee often favours buyers, even in cases of buyer fraud or unreasonable claims. Run your own store and you set your return policy, handle disputes directly, and aren't at the mercy of eBay's automated systems.
No Algorithm Dependency
Your eBay sales depend entirely on their search algorithm. Policy changes, algorithm updates, or increased competition can devastate your business overnight. With your own store, you control your marketing, SEO, and don't compete on someone else's platform.
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shelfkit | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | £0 (Free tier available) | £0 - £437/month |
| Final Value Fee | 1-3.5% | 10-15% (category dependent) |
| Listing Fee | £0 | £0.35+ per listing |
| Payment Processing | Stripe/PayPal rates (~2.4%) | Included in final value fee |
| Your Own Domain | ||
| Own Your Brand | ||
| Customer Data Access | Full access | Very limited |
| Standalone Store | ||
| Compete with Others | Millions of sellers | |
| Control Over Policies | Full control | eBay rules apply |
| Product Variants | Unlimited (Growth plan) | Basic variations only |
| Store Appearance | Fully customisable | Template-based |
| Buyer Disputes | You decide | eBay Money Back Guarantee |
| Auction Format | ||
| Promoted Listings Required | Often needed for visibility |
Using eBay and Your Own Store Together
You don't have to choose one or the other. Many successful sellers use a hybrid approach.
The Smart Transition Strategy
- 1
Keep your eBay presence
Continue selling on eBay for new customer discovery and the traffic they provide.
- 2
Set up your Shelfkit store
Create your branded store with your full product range. Include inserts in eBay orders mentioning your website.
- 3
Transition repeat customers
Happy customers will bookmark your store and return directly, where both you and they benefit from lower fees.
- 4
Gradually reduce eBay dependency
As your direct customer base grows, you can scale back eBay listings to only those that make financial sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are eBay's fees for UK business sellers in 2025?
eBay charges UK business sellers multiple fees: a final value fee of around 10-13% depending on category (plus VAT on fees), a £0.30 per order fee, and a regulatory operating fee of 0.35%. Store subscribers pay monthly fees from £27 (Basic) to £437 (Anchor) and receive lower final value fees and more free listings.
How much does eBay take from a £100 sale?
For a typical £100 sale in most categories, eBay takes approximately £13.45 in total fees. This breaks down as: final value fee (around 12.8% = £12.80), per order fee (£0.30), and regulatory operating fee (0.35% = £0.35). If you used promoted listings, add another 2-15% depending on your ad rate.
Is it cheaper to sell on your own website or eBay?
For most sellers, having your own website is significantly cheaper. With Shelfkit, you pay 1-3.5% transaction fee plus payment processing (~2.4%), totalling around 4-6%. On eBay, fees typically total 13-15% or more. For a £100 sale, you'd save £8-10 with your own store.
What is eBay's final value fee?
eBay's final value fee is a percentage taken from your total sale amount including postage. Rates vary by category: most categories pay 12.8%, but some like musical instruments pay 6.5% and others like clothing pay up to 15%. Store subscribers get reduced rates of 9.9-12.2% depending on their subscription level.
Do I need an eBay store subscription?
An eBay store subscription (starting at £24.99/month for Starter) makes sense if you list more than 40-50 items per month, as you get free insertion fees and lower final value fees. However, even with a store, your total fees will typically exceed what you'd pay with your own Shelfkit store.
What are eBay promoted listings fees?
eBay promoted listings charge you an additional percentage (typically 2-15%, you choose the rate) when a buyer purchases after clicking your promoted listing. While promoted listings can increase visibility, they significantly add to your costs. With your own store, you control your marketing spend directly.
Can I use eBay and my own store together?
Yes, many sellers use eBay for discovery and direct new customers to their own store for repeat purchases. This hybrid approach lets you benefit from eBay's traffic while building your own customer base and brand. Over time, you can transition more sales to your own store where fees are lower.
What happens to my customers on eBay?
On eBay, customers belong to eBay, not you. You have limited access to customer data, cannot email them marketing messages, and they're constantly shown competing products. With your own store, you own the customer relationship and can build loyalty through direct communication.
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