Sellers may charge reasonable postage & packaging charges to cover the costs of posting, packaging, and handling the items they are selling. While eBay will not prescribe exactly what a seller may or may not charge, eBay will consider member reports when determining whether or not a seller’s postage, handling, packaging, and/or insurance charges are excessive. Postage & packaging and handling charges may not be listed as a percentage of the final sale price.
In addition to the final listing price, sellers are permitted to charge:
Actual Postage cost: This is the actual cost of delivering the item.
Handling Fee: Actual packaging materials costs may be charged. A handling fee in addition to actual postage cost may be charged if it is not excessive. Sellers who want to be sure they are in compliance with this policy may charge actual postage costs plus actual packaging materials cost.
Insurance: Sellers offering insurance may only charge the actual fee for insurance. No additional amount may be added, such as “self-insurance”. Sellers who do not use a licensed third-party insurance company may not require buyers to purchase insurance.
Some specialist couriers may charge extra for delivery to certain parts of the UK, e.g. Northern Ireland and some parts of the Highlands and Islands. If you are using a specialist courier (e.g. for bulky items) and offering UK delivery, you should make buyers aware in your listing that extra delivery charges may apply to certain parts of the UK. You are not allowed to add the surcharge after the listing has completed.
For cross-border transactions, sellers may not collect tariffs and duties. However, buyers may be responsible for actual, applicable tariffs, and duties as requested by respective country laws.
Breaches
of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status
Examples of offending listings:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2001, DVD)
BIN: £1
P&P:UK £10 Royal Mail First Class
Explanation: The actual cost to post this DVD would be less than £2 using Royal Mail First Class Mail stated in the listing. This seller is charging all costs for this item in the postage price thus hiding the “true” cost for this item from buyers.
New Pink Motorola L6 L 6 Unlocked Slvr GSM World Phone
BIN: £70.00
International Postage: £25.00
Explanation: The seller has clearly stated that Airmail will be used to post this item, thus overall postage charges are inflated as actual price will be around £6.00.
iPod 4th Generation Battery
BIN: £14.00
Domestic Postage: £25 Recorded Signed For
Explanation: The seller states that the item will be posted via Recorded Signed for which is a premium service but the price is inflated at £25 given the small size/weight of this item.
Examples of Listings that comply:
NEW SONY ERICSSON K800i *
BIN: £300
Domestic Postage: UK Special Delivery Next Day £6.00
Explanation: The seller is posting this item via Royal Mail Special Delivery and states the actual postage cost in the listing.
The Matrix Reloaded DVD
BIN: £3.99
Domestic Postage UK £2.00 Royal Mail Second Class
Explanation: The seller is sending the item via Royal Mail First Class parcels and is charging actual postage prices plus a reasonable fee for packaging and handling.
SOLID STATE Abstract Art Painting Taylor HUGE
Painting measures 36” x 24” / canvas supported by panel
Starting bid: £20
Shipping: UK £30 ParcelForce 48
Explanation: The postage charge is greater due to the size/bulk of the item being delivered and special crating.
Why does eBay have this policy?
This policy reduces the potential for confusion among bidders about the full cost of an item. Listings that include excessive P&P fees lead to a poor buying experience and unlevel the playing field by putting sellers who charge reasonable P&P charges at a disadvantage. These listings undermine the trust and legitimacy of eBay’s marketplace.
