To eBay or Not To eBay, That is The Question.
There has been a lot of talk in the last few months as to whether eBay is still worth using as a way to make online income. For us, the answer is still yes, but it’s getting harder and harder with each new change in policy.
One very real lesson The Roadmap course teaches is not to confuse quick money with long term money. eBay is perfect for quick money, and we can all do it. Look around the house. Is there anything you’ve had for a few years and not used? Old mobile phones, radios, camera’s? I had an old Nikon Coolpix camera, it’s not been used for a few years because my wife’s phone is better. I listed it on eBay see here and sold it for £54.95 plus fees etc.
That’s the power of the eBay quick money route. Long term money is more like this site, building a business that will run and run for years. Too many people use “course selling” as quick money. It may work short term but it will always dry up as moods and trends change.
Anyway, back to the point, can you still earn money on eBay. In my opinion, yes. It’s still the biggest market place to move on unwanted items, so what’s all the fuss about? eBay have made big changes in the last few months. On the positive side, for private sellers, it’s now free to sell. They’ve introduced Simple Delivery, which for me, takes away to much fuss about who to use. Royal Mail, Evri etc. Now, eBay decides and charges a reduced rate, which works out about 10% cheaper. If things go wrong, like Global Shipping, they sort it.
So, What Are The eBay Negatives?
The new “Buyer Protection” fee is said to be a real killer. You list an item as a private seller for 19.95. You’ve done your research using completed listings of course. 19.95 isn’t the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive, but, with your great images and amazing SEO’ed title and description, your listing stands out. However, when a buyer clicks on your listing your 19.95 has become 21.50.
Now, if you are competing with Business sellers, where the fee is included, you are now 1.55 more expensive. There is an option for the private seller to absorb this fee, but then, where has the free listings gone? It’s a real case of rubbing Peter to pay Paul, or fees by smoke and mirrors.
So, What Can Be Done
Nothing can be done, so there’s no point in moaning. eBay make the rules, so you can either moan and leave eBay or suck it up and adapt. They are a business. that needs to generate income in a busy market. Here’s how I approach it. I either just list knowing my selling price will be increased by 4% plus 75p, or I set my margins to absorb the protection fee (possible at the listing stage).
This is one reason why I developed my eBay Fees calculator. I know my costs, postage and the selling point I want. I then use the Fee Calculator to workout my profit margins. That way, I can see if I can absorb the protection fee and still keep the selling price inline with similar listings. Check out our Fees Calculator here.
eBay Simple Delivery
The other big talking point in recent months is the new Simple Delivery. People have been complaining that it takes away choice and forces a service on us. I personally welcome this change. Prior to Simple Delivery, I exclusively used Royal Mail 48. This allowed for a fair postage cost including tracked delivery and I was covered if things went wrong. With simple delivery, I’m happy to use EVRI, eBay carries the risk if a parcel goes missing and we offer slightly cheaper shipping costs. For me, this is a win win situation.
Promoted Listings on eBay
The final major gripe at the moment are changes to promoted listings as of 24th June 2025. The major complaint is that if someone sees your listing via a promoted listing and clicks, but doesn’t buy, you still pay if someone just finds it organically. I promote most of my eBay listings and with our calculator, you can input the % you choose to calculate if you can afford to promote. For me, as long as it sells, I’m happy. If my margins are not enough to promote an item, I don’t.
Conclusion
eBay are not here to be your Buddy. They are a business and need to make a profit. If you don’t like it, switch to Vinted, but you will be missing out on a vast user base.