eBay Insertion Fee UK: What It Is and How to Avoid It

Quick answer: The eBay insertion fee is the charge for creating a listing, paid whether or not the item sells. On eBay UK, private sellers get 300 free listings a month (400 with a £19.99 shop), then pay 35p per listing. Business sellers without a shop pay 30p per listing. With a shop, the fee drops to 10p (Basic), 5p (Featured) or nothing (Anchor) for fixed-price listings, after a monthly free allowance.

"eBay insertion fee UK" is one of the top searches bringing people to our blog. Tekovex manages eBay stores for UK and US sellers, and our client stores have passed £1 million in UK sales. Here's exactly how the fee works, from eBay's own fee pages.

eBay insertion fees for private sellers

• Free listings: 300 a month, or 400 with a £19.99/month shop.
• After the free allowance: 35p per listing.
• Vehicles: different fees apply. See our eBay car fees guide.

eBay insertion fees for business sellers

• No shop: 30p per fixed-price listing, 30p per auction listing.
• Basic shop (£27/month): 250 free fixed-price and 100 free auction listings, then 10p fixed-price and 15p auction.
• Featured shop (£77/month): 1,500 free fixed-price and 600 free auction listings, then 5p fixed-price and 15p auction.
• Anchor shop (£437/month): unlimited free fixed-price listings and 1,000 free auction listings, then 15p per auction.

Rules that catch sellers out

• Non-refundable: listing fees aren't refunded, even if the item doesn't sell.
• Good 'Til Cancelled listings: listing and upgrade fees apply again each month the listing renews, and every time you relist.
• Two categories: listing in a second category doubles the listing and upgrade fees.
• Upgrades: extras such as a subtitle or Gallery Plus add to the cost of each listing.

How to avoid eBay insertion fees

• Stay within your monthly free listing allowance.
• End listings that haven't sold in 60–90 days instead of letting them renew.
• List in one category only, unless a second category clearly brings sales.
• Combine similar items into one multi-variation listing (sizes or colours), which counts as one listing.
• Get a shop once your insertion fees go over the subscription cost. If you pay more than £27 a month in insertion fees, a Basic shop usually pays for itself.

Worked example

A business seller with no shop lists 400 fixed-price items that renew every month. That's 400 × 30p = £120 a month in insertion fees. A Featured shop (£77/month) covers 1,500 free fixed-price listings, saving about £43 a month.

Frequently asked questions

What is an insertion fee on eBay?

The fee for creating a listing, charged whether or not the item sells, once you've used your free listings.

How much is the eBay insertion fee in the UK?

35p for private sellers after 300 free listings, and 30p for business sellers without a shop. With a shop it drops to 10p, 5p or nothing for fixed-price listings.

Is the eBay insertion fee refundable?

No. Listing fees aren't refunded if the item doesn't sell.

Do I pay insertion fees again when a listing renews?

Yes. Good 'Til Cancelled listings are charged again each month they renew, once your free allowance is used.

What other eBay fees are there?

Business sellers also pay a final value fee, a per-order fee and the 0.35% regulatory operating fee. See our full eBay fees UK guide.

Paying too much in eBay fees?

Tekovex reviews eBay stores, cuts unnecessary fees and manages listings day to day. See our eBay services or book a free consultation.