How the eBay UK Buyer Protection fee works
eBay adds the fee in tiers to eligible items listed by UK private sellers. Each percentage applies only to the portion of the item price within that band.
£100 Buyer Protection fee example
| Seller's item price | £100.00 |
|---|---|
| Flat fee | £0.10 |
| 7% of first £20 | £1.40 |
| 4% of next £80 | £3.20 |
| Buyer Protection fee | £4.70 |
| Price shown to buyer | £104.70 + postage |
eBay Buyer Protection fee questions
How is the eBay UK Buyer Protection fee calculated?
For an eligible item from a UK-based private seller, eBay charges £0.10 per item, plus 7% of the item price up to £20, 4% of the portion from £20 to £300, and 2% of the portion from £300 to £4,000. The portion above £4,000 adds no further fee.
Who pays the eBay Buyer Protection fee?
The buyer pays the fee to eBay when purchasing an eligible item from a UK-based private seller. The fee is included in the item price the buyer sees, so it is not a surprise charge added at checkout.
Does the Buyer Protection fee reduce a private seller's payout?
No. For an eligible UK private-seller listing, the seller receives the item price they set and eBay adds the Buyer Protection fee to the price shown to the buyer. Postage and optional seller costs are separate.
Which eBay UK listings do not have the Buyer Protection fee?
Buyer Protection is included at no extra cost on business-seller listings and purchases from private sellers outside the UK. Cars, Motorcycles and Vehicles, Classified Ads and Property are excluded from the private-seller fee.