Seller fees removal at eBay boosts fashion listings

Digital resale giant eBay has scrapped fees for private sellers for all categories but vehicles in a bid to compete with rival platforms such as Depop and Vinted.

The online marketplace already removed seller fees for fashion in April, and it believes scrapping them altogether “will boost reselling and customer experience at the same time”.

In a similar move earlier this year, Depop removed its selling fees, which accounted for 10% of the total sale price, and instead introduced a ‘marketplace fee’ for the buyer of up to 5% of the purchase price. However, Depop sellers are still required to pay a payment processing charge.

eBay said the removal of seller fees for fashion in April had already led to a double-digit increase in listings for popular items such as jeans, shirts, and dresses, while also keeping items out of landfill.

It said the removal of fees across its German website last year had led to a doubling in new seller numbers.

The latest move means sellers no longer have to pay final value or regulatory operating fees on items except for cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles on the platform.

However, buyers are set to face a charge. How it will be applied is yet to be determined though it will take effect early next year, the company said. However, its UK boss told Sky News the fee would be “small”.

The site, which trails only Amazon in terms of customer visits in the UK, was under pressure to introduce the change as Facebook Marketplace and Vinted are among competitors which don’t charge people to sell.

Kirsty Keoghan, eBay’s UK general manager, said: “eBay is constantly improving the marketplace experience in order to deliver on what our customers want.

“Removing selling fees across categories is designed to give buyers access to greater breadth and depth of inventory, while creating a simplified and streamlined experience for sellers.”