Expert: Russell Smiley - 7/30/2009

Question
Hi there. I am new to the selling on ebay and am trying to figure out what the fees are to sell items. I am confused as an email stated I would receive the first 5 free, yet I sold my first item and was charge $3.50. Now, we are moving and I thought about listing some clothes that my daughter has grown out of before donating them and am just curious if I am going to be charged fees even if them items do not sell???? Thanks for your help!

Answer
The fees you pay depend on how much you are selling the item for. You first have the insertion fee. The fees depend on what you are selling and what category your item is listed in. Here is the link that will tell you what the fees are.
http://pages.ebay.com/HELP/SELL/fees.html#auction
This fee is just to list your item. If you set a reserved price, then it will usually cost you a dollar more. Their is also a 34 cent fee called a picture gallery fee, if you wish to have a picture for your item. Its recommended that you do, so they can see the item before they even click on it. The first picture is free, and then 10 cents for each additional picture. Then theirs the final value fee. The link I gave you contains the final value fee as well. If you choose to add buy it now to your auction, then it will most likely add $1.50 to the total fees. Their may also be another fee depending on if they paid via Paypal and what Paypal account you have. If your item does not sell, you still have to pay the fee, but if you realist your item and it sells, then your second fee will be refunded to your account. I do not know anything about the email you received because I never received anything like that. I would contact eBay and let them know about the email they sent you, maybe a mistake on their part. Here is eBay Live help link, so you can quickly contact them about the fee you received. I hope this helps you, and if you have any more questions, then feel free to ask a follow up question.
https://cschatlb-na.corp.ebay.com/chat.asp?profile=15