topic Re: Buyer protection fee in Selling

Buyer protection fee

scott_cnp — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:46:14 GMT

Hi, if anyone can help me with the following, it would be greatly appreciated.

I recently had a buyer offer of $15 on one of my ‘buy it now’ items. While I rejected the offer, I received the attached sale break-up from eBay, saying that I would be charged a $1.39 ‘Buyer protection fee’. Essentially, I would receive $13.61 from a $15.00 sale.

I don’t have a pro account and so was under the impression that the buyer would pay this fee. I’ve checked my plan and it’s definitely ‘free selling’.

Perhaps I’ve misunderstood the process and I’m being about thick. I’ve tried using eBay’s help option, but I didn’t find it very helpful at all.

Thanks.

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 02:08:50 GMT

Hmmm…the buyer protection fee is paid by the buyer….so, savvy buyers will get around that by making an offer (which is total cost).
I don’t do ‘offers’, so this is my guess.

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 02:19:58 GMT

This is what I see, after clicking on ‘buy it now’

Re: Buyer protection fee

scott_cnp — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:26:00 GMT

Thanks for your reply, twyngwn. It appears as you’ve suggested that buyer offers aren’t covered under the fee free terms.

That’s really helped me out. Much appreciated.

Re: Buyer protection fee

*casey* — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:34:44 GMT

"buyer offers aren’t covered under the fee free terms"

"If a buyer bids on an auction or makes an offer on a listing, the Buyer Protection fee is included in their auction or offer amount, so they know exactly how much they'll pay if they win the auction or if their offer is accepted.

As a seller, you see the auction or offer price without the fee, so you know exactly how much you'll receive. As the Buyer Protection fee is variable, the fee amount that the buyer actually pays is calculated as part of the final auction selling price"

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/selling/selling/pricing-items/buyer-protection-information-sellers?id=5595&srsltid=AfmBOoqE-KrH85UgN0rB50dXCMfpI3nCY_R05G33fQ938wnvTJDMonnQ

Re: Buyer protection fee

*casey* — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 03:54:49 GMT

"buyer offers aren’t covered under the fee free terms"

They are .

Your example shows the buyer offer of $15 which is what the buyer would pay.

The buyer protection fee of $1.39 would be paid to ebay and you receive the balance

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:02:59 GMT

I wonder how widespread ‘make an offer’ is?

The upshot of all this is the seller ends up paying the buyer’s fee, if they accept an offer….how lucrative for eBay 🤑💰

How many infrequent sellers will get caught? Get ready for umpteen threads…

Re: Buyer protection fee

*casey* — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:34:09 GMT

Make an offer is very common.

It's still fee free as far as selling fees go.

BUT eBay's done it very sneakily.

Free Selling sellers like the OP are fully aware when listing an item that a buyer protection fee is added on.

The total price is what the buyer sees and is what the buyer would pay on a Buy It Now.

eBay hides the fact that the price includes a buyer protection fee until they get to checkout ! Why ?

With offers, most sellers would initially assume it was added on to an offer , not taken from the offer.

But eBay knows buyers would query that !

So I guess you could say the seller's paying the fee.

Re: Buyer protection fee

scott_cnp — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:37:05 GMT

“How many infrequent sellers will get caught? Get ready for umpteen threads…”

Glad to have gotten in first. LOL.

Re: Buyer protection fee

domino-710 — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:48:08 GMT

So to all intents and purposes - free selling - is not ' free selling '. ??

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:01:20 GMT

Not if you accept an offer and haven’t done the maths on their sneaky way of going about it 🤬

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:08:22 GMT

My take on this FWIW, don’t do offers….go to auction instead and start with price you’re willing to accept

Re: Buyer protection fee

pnc75 — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:26:25 GMT

Looks like it, dom. 😠 So typical of ebay

Re: Buyer protection fee

*casey* — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:43:59 GMT

Just be aware that if you list as an auction , the buyer protection fee is added to the starting price when you list and increases with higher bids.

The final calculation is shown at checkout when the auction ends.

IMO, where buyers have used Buy It Now and see the breakdown in checkout they may query it with a seller. A one time query.

Buyers of auctions 'may" say they wouldn't have continued bidding if they knew there was a buyer protection fee involved , which they won't see until they get to checkout.

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:45:41 GMT

The whole thing is fraught….the only winner is eBay….but it’s still cheaper than paying fvf

Re: Buyer protection fee

countessalmirena — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:46:55 GMT

@*casey* wrote:
Just be aware that if you list as an auction , the buyer protection fee is added to the starting price when you list and increases with higher bids.

The final calculation is shown at checkout when the auction ends.

IMO, where buyers have used Buy It Now and see the breakdown in checkout they may query it with a seller. A one time query.

Buyers of auctions 'may" say they wouldn't have continued bidding if they knew there was a buyer protection fee involved , which they won't see until they get to checkout.

Good point, casey.

It’s not straightforward.

Re: Buyer protection fee

domino-710 — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:59:06 GMT

Someone - like twyn or casey - perhaps should begin a thread on the ' free selling ' wrought.

Both are very aware of the pitfalls -but the number of those who aren't and are going to get caught should at least have a heads up.

List the pros and cons.

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 06:10:32 GMT

Thanks dom, but I’m still trying to work it all out ie….. a free seller has free postage and accepts an offer….then fee is on the whole transaction??

casey, do you know?

Re: Buyer protection fee

pnc75 — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 06:13:43 GMT

What a mess the whole thing is. I thought I understood, but I obviously don't.

Re: Buyer protection fee

twyngwyn — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 06:15:36 GMT

My head’s spinning and I’ve got a store 🤯