Optimize listing titles and descriptions

By optimizing your listings, you increase your chances of attracting organic traffic and potentially selling your items faster without relying solely on paid upgrades.

• Start with relevant keywords: Use tools like Google Trends or Semrush to research what buyers are searching for and include those keywords in your titles and descriptions. This helps your listings appear higher in search results.
• Be specific and informative: Clearly describe the item’s brand, model, size, color, and condition.
• Use bullet points: Highlight key features and benefits for easy reading. Focus more on benefits, implying how your product solves a problem or improves someone’s life.
• Write clearly and concisely: Avoid jargon and technical terms buyers might not understand.
• Proofread carefully: Ensure your titles and descriptions are free of typos and grammatical errors.

Choose the right category for your item

Select the most accurate category, so your listing reaches the right audience and avoids unnecessary fees.

Take advantage of free listings

To minimize insertion fees, make the most of eBay’s monthly free listings. Strategically plan your items to ensure you stay within those limits.

Additionally, eBay frequently offers promotions with free insertion fees. Keep an eye out for these deals and schedule your listings accordingly to maximize your free allowance.

Consider an eBay Store subscription

 If you sell many items on eBay, subscribing to an eBay Store can significantly reduce costs and raise sales. Here’s how to get started:

1. Analyze your sales: Track your past sales volume and estimate your future sales to determine if the subscription cost is worthwhile.

2. Choose the right plan: eBay offers various Store plans tailored to different sales volumes and budgets:

• Basic Store: Ideal for sellers with moderate sales volume. Offers more free listings, discounted fees, and basic promotional tools.
• Premium Store: Suitable for higher-volume sellers. Provides even more zero insertion fee listings, deeper fee discounts, and advanced promotional features.
• Anchor Store: Designed for large-scale sellers with extensive product catalogs. Offers significant free listings, highest fee discounts, and dedicated customer support.
• Enterprise Store: For high-volume businesses with the highest listing needs. Provides the highest number of zero insertion fee listings every month, deepest fee discounts, and comprehensive support.

3. Subscribe and activate:

• Visit the My eBay section and navigate to Subscriptions.
• Choose your plan and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the subscription.

Avoid optional listing upgrades unless necessary

Consider the potential return on investment before adding optional listing upgrade fees to your products, and use upgrades only when they add significant value to your offerings.

Offer combined shipping discounts

Offering combined shipping discounts encourages buyers to purchase multiple items at once, lowering their overall shipping costs and making your listings more appealing. 

Additionally, since the final value fee per order is calculated on the total sale price (including shipping), offering combined shipping can potentially lower your final value fees as well.

Here’s how to implement it:

1. Enable combined shipping: Go to your eBay Shipping Preferences and ensure Allow combined payments and shipping is selected.
2. Set up rules: Create shipping policies in your Business Policies section. Offer discounts based on the number of items purchased or a fixed rate for combined shipping.
3. Promote your offer: Clearly state your combined shipping policy in your listings and consider offering additional discounts for larger purchases.

Regularly review and remove unnecessary listings

Unused or inactive listings can reduce your free listing allowance. Regularly review and remove unsold or underperforming items to free up space for new inventory.

Misclassifying items in incorrect categories

Items listed in the wrong categories can lead to additional fees and lower visibility for your listings.

Overusing optional listing upgrades

Don’t get carried away with upgrades. Analyze their effectiveness and use them strategically. While upgrades can be beneficial, overusing them can quickly add up in costs. 

Ignoring eBay store subscription benefits

For high-volume sellers, eBay store subscriptions can significantly cut costs, while not subscribing may lead to higher fees. Evaluate the benefits of each plan to find one that best fits your business needs.

Underestimating shipping costs

When calculating your final price, factor in precise shipping costs to avoid losing money on shipping fees.

Referral fees

Referral fees are Amazon’s primary source of revenue calculated as a percentage of your product’s selling price, including the item price and shipping cost, but excluding taxes collected through Amazon’s tax services.

The percentage varies by category, ranging from 6% to 45%, with most categories falling between 8-15%. 

Additionally, a minimum referral fee of $0.30 per item ensures that even low-priced items contribute to Amazon’s earnings.

Closing fee

In addition to Amazon referral fees, sellers in specific categories must pay a variable closing fee. This primarily affects media items. A flat fee, typically ranging from $1.35 to $1.80 per item, is applied to each media item sold to cover order processing and handling.

Specific products subject to these fees include:

• Books: Physical copies of novels, textbooks, and other printed literature.
• DVDs and Blu-rays: Movies, TV shows, and other video content on discs.
• Music: CDs, vinyl records, and other physical music formats.
• Software: Physical copies of computer software and video game discs.
• Video Games: Video game consoles and PC game discs/cartridges.

Optimize your listings and highlight the value of your products to justify the price increase due to the closing fee. For instance, emphasize special editions or bundled offers in your product descriptions.

Individual seller fees

Individual sellers who sell less than 40 items per month are charged $0.99 per item sold. This fee is ideal for casual or most sellers with limited inventory who aren’t ready to commit to a monthly subscription.

Professional seller fees

Professional sellers pay a $39.99 monthly subscription fee. This plan is most suitable for high-volume sellers, being cost-effective for those who move over 40 items monthly. 

A professional selling plan gives access to advanced selling tools, promotional features, and bulk listing capabilities.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees

FBA allows sellers to store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, where Amazon handles storage, pick-and-pack, shipping, and customer service. The fees for FBA inventory management include:

• FBA Fulfillment fees: These vary based on the product’s size and weight. For example, standard size items can range from $2.50 to $5.50 per unit, while oversize items incur higher fees.
• Monthly FBA Storage fees: Charged based on the volume of inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses. Rates increase during the October-December holiday season, ranging from $0.75 to $2.40 per cubic foot.
• Amazon FBA Low Inventory Level fee: Amazon allegedly created this fee in December 2023 to address the inefficiencies caused by low inventory turnover. This fee has generated controversy among sellers and underwent changes during Q1 and Q2 2024, varying according to the items’ size, shipping weight, and days unsold:  

Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) fees

FBM allows sellers to handle their own storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service. While there is no specific Amazon fulfillment fee, sellers must cover shipping costs, which can be significant depending on the size and weight of the items, the chosen carrier, and the service level. You’ll still pay Amazon closing fees.

Here are some factors to consider:

• Calculate shipping costs: Use carrier calculators (e.g., USPS, UPS, FedEx) to estimate shipping fees for each product. Consider factors like weight, dimensions, destination, and delivery speed.
• Negotiate carrier rates: If you ship in large volumes, negotiate better rates with carriers. Many offer discounts for businesses that ship regularly.
• Choose cost-effective packaging: Use lightweight, durable packaging to minimize shipping fees while protecting the product. Optimize package size to avoid dimensional weight pricing.
• Automate shipping: Utilize shipping software to find the best rates, print labels, and streamline your fulfillment process. Tools like ShipStation or Shippo can save time and reduce errors.
• Offer multiple shipping options: Provide customers with a range of shipping options (standard, expedited, free shipping over a certain amount) to balance cost and customer satisfaction.

Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) fees

SFP enables sellers to offer Prime shipping benefits while fulfilling orders from their own warehouse. To participate, Amazon sellers must be approved and meet strict performance requirements. The costs involved include:

• Shipping expenses: Sellers are responsible for the shipping costs, which must align with Amazon Prime’s delivery speed.
• Service fees: These additional charges cover maintaining Prime standards, including handling customer service and returns.

High-Volume Listing fee

Sellers with catalogs exceeding 100,000 ASINs (product listings) monthly incur high-volume listing fees. This amounts to $0.005 per active non-media ASIN per month, which can add up for extensive inventories.

Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS) fees

How much does it cost to sell on Amazon globally? For international sellers who receive payments in non-local currencies, Amazon applies ACCS fees. These fees cover the currency conversion expense and typically range from 0.75% to 1.5% of the converted amount.

ACCS applies to 44 payout currencies on 19 Amazon stores. Observe the following to minimize the impact of currency conversion costs on your profits:

• Understand conversion rates: Regularly monitor Amazon’s exchange rates compared to market rates. Knowing the difference can help you predict the exact fees.
• Evaluate frequency of conversions: Streamline your payments to reduce the number of conversions. Instead of converting small amounts frequently, opt for fewer, more significant transactions to minimize fees.
• Compare alternatives: Consider using third-party currency conversion services that might offer better rates. Services like Payoneer or TransferWise can sometimes provide more favorable exchange rates with lower fees.
• Local bank accounts: If possible, set up a local bank account in your selling region. This can reduce the need for frequent currency conversions and minimize associated fees.

Textbook Rental fees

Renting textbooks through Amazon incurs specific fees. These include rental book service fees and potentially additional charges for late returns or damaged books. 

To manage costs effectively, it’s important to know all the fees involved in this process. Understanding these fees ensures you can price your rentals competitively while covering all associated expenses.

Refund Administration fees

When a customer returns an item, Amazon refunds the referral fee percentage but keeps a portion as the applicable refund administration fee. This fee is less than 20% of the applicable referral fee or $5.00.

To manage these fees effectively:

1. Monitor return rates: Track and resolve common issues to minimize returns.
2. Enhance listings: Provide accurate descriptions and images to meet customer expectations.
3. Improve quality control: Ensure high product quality to minimize defects.
4. Offer excellent customer service: Address customer concerns proactively to prevent returns.
5. Review return policies: Communicate clear return policies to manage expectations.
6. Consider return costs: Factor potential return costs into your pricing strategy.

Media and Special Category fees

Certain categories, such as apparel, footwear, media, jewelry, watches, and fine art, have unique fee structures. These fees often include a higher referral fee or additional charges to cover the specialized handling and verification processes.

Here are some tips to deal with these fees: 

• Understand category-specific fees: Familiarize yourself with the fee structure for your product category. 
• Streamline handling: For categories requiring special handling, such as jewelry and fine art, invest in proper packaging and shipping solutions to minimize damage and returns.
• Verify authenticity: For items like watches and fine art, ensure authenticity and compliance with Amazon’s guidelines. Proper documentation and certification can prevent issues and additional fees.

Lithium Batteries fee

A per-unit fee applies to products containing lithium batteries due to the complexities of safely shipping and handling these items. These fees vary based on the product’s size and battery specifications.

Observe the following:

• Understand regulations: Familiarize yourself with shipping regulations for lithium batteries. Compliance with regulations from carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx is crucial to avoid penalties.
• Classify batteries correctly: Determine whether your product contains lithium-ion or lithium-metal batteries. Fees and shipping requirements can vary significantly between these types.
• Package safely: Invest in compliant packaging that meets safety standards for lithium batteries. This includes using materials that prevent movement and protect against short circuits.
• Label accurately: Ensure all packages containing lithium batteries are properly labeled with the required hazard warnings. Incorrect labeling can lead to delays and additional fees.
• Use certified suppliers: Source batteries from reputable suppliers with certification and documentation. Proper certification can help streamline the shipping process and reduce complications.
• Consider alternative fulfillment methods: For international shipments, explore Amazon’s FBA Export service, which simplifies complex shipping requirements and lightens your workload.

Listing fees ($0.20)

You must pay the Etsy listing fees when adding new products to your store. The fee keeps each product published for four months. Once added, you can edit the product freely without additional costs.

Printify’s Etsy integration will automatically set your listing quantity to 999 – the highest possible amount when listing on-demand products with no stock limits. After four months, regardless of whether you’ve sold none, some, or all of your stock, Etsy will automatically renew your stock for the new listing amount. You’ll be charged a renewal fee of $0.20, plus the same cost for each sale. Learn more about managing listing renewals.

The Etsy listing fee is converted from USD to your payment account currency using the current exchange rate. Renewed listings will maintain their original view count, favorites, and website address.

Here is how an Etsy listing fee can appear on your Payment account:

• Listing fee – Initial fee for adding a new item for four months.
• Auto-renew expired – Automatic renewal fee for unsold stock items after four months (disable auto-renewal in the listings settings menu to apply your renewal manually).
• Auto-renew sold – Automatic fee for selling extra quantities of items (more than one listed item).
• Multi-quantity – Fee for selling multiple variations of the same item in one payment transaction.
• Private listing – Fee for a private sale to a designated buyer, unlisted to the public.

Transaction fees (6.5%)

Etsy collects a 6.5% transaction fee in your listing currency for every sale you make. If you’re an Etsy Payments user, the transaction fee is automatically processed through your account once you make a sale.

Etsy’s transaction fees are calculated as a percentage of the sale, including fees for the product, shipping, and gift wrapping. Together, these fees make up the final transaction rate.

For example, let’s say you sell an item with a $10 retail price and $4 shipping. Etsy will charge a fee of $0.65 (6.5%) for the listed product price plus the shipping transaction fee of $0.26 (6.5%) – a total of $0.91.

Payment processing fees (3% + $0.25)

When you sell a product, Etsy deducts a payment processing fee, which varies based on your payment processing service and your region’s applicable sales tax or VAT. With Etsy Payments, this fee is a fixed rate plus a percentage (3%-6.5%) of the total sale price.

In the US, the payment processing fee is 3% + $0.25. For fees in other countries, please refer to the Etsy Help Center for more details.

Currency conversion fee (2.5%)

You’re subject to currency conversion fees if you’ve set your Etsy Payments in a different currency than your product listings. 

The Etsy currency conversion fee charges an additional 2.5% of the total sale amount. The fee is automatically subtracted from your Etsy Payments account.

VAT and sales tax

VAT

Etsy merchants in the European Union and select countries are subject to VAT (value-added tax) fees on the total buyer’s price of an Etsy listing: VAT on items sold on Etsy.

Additionally, Etsy is required to collect VAT on payment processing fees in eligible countries: VAT on seller fees. Explore Etsy’s Help page to see if your country has additional taxable fees.

Etsy Payments users receive an invoice that lists VAT-eligible seller fees and applicable charges.

Sales tax

Etsy collects monthly sales tax in most US territories to remit to government authorities. Contact your local tax authority if you’re unsure of your applicable state or regional taxes.

All tax remits are calculated and summarized in your Etsy Payments account under the Sales and Fees section – sales tax paid by the buyer (Remitted). You can also opt out of this service and remit taxes independently.

Sales tax fees may vary depending on whether you sell physical or downloadable items. Check out which US regional sales taxes apply to your Etsy listings. 

Etsy calculates and collects VAT and sales tax fees on your behalf. You’ll receive a downloadable invoice summarizing the previous month’s fees at the beginning of each month.

Regulatory operating fee

In specific countries, sellers are charged a Regulatory Operating fee due to new regulatory standards for digital transactions, aiming to balance costs with in-person selling fees. Increased business costs have resulted in Digital Services Tax policies.

If you want to incorporate these fees into your final product cost, it’s crucial to clarify price differences or increases with customers through your store policies. Create a clear run-down using Etsy shop policies.

With regulatory operating fees, sellers are charged a percentage of the total cost of the product, including the shipping cost, gift wrapping, and personalization, if applicable.

• United Kingdom – 0.32%
• France – 0.47%
• Italy – 0.32%
• Spain – 0.40%
• Turkey – 1.1%
• India – 0.29%
• Vietnam – 1.24%

Etsy Ads fees (cost per click)

Etsy marketing techniques can fit multiple advertising strategies. Etsy Ads are the primary way to advertise on the marketplace. With Etsy Ads, your chosen listing is featured prominently in the user catalog, search results, and category pages.

Etsy evaluates your ads and gives you higher visibility if your listing is in high demand due to optimized tags and product quality or if your cost-per-click budget is higher than that of competitors. Monitoring these metrics is a great way to learn how to increase sales on Etsy.

Regarding the advertising fee, Etsy offers options for a daily budget – from $1 to $25. A higher budget will impact how often your Etsy Ads appear on users’ pages. With a paid Etsy subscription, you can earn Etsy Ads credits to receive a bonus for ad listings.

Check out our in-depth article to learn how to start an advertising campaign with Etsy Ads.

Offsite ads fees (12%-15%)

Offsite advertising promotes listings on social media apps, Etsy partner websites, and search engines. Offsite ads are a great way to extend your advertising efforts and establish a multi-channel marketing strategy.

Offsite ads are available for everyone, but Etsy monitors its listings on other platforms based on performance and relevance to the user base. Create offsite ads targeting a specific audience, identifying their preferred social media channels and the best time to start an advertising campaign.

Websites have criteria for the types of products they’re more likely to advertise. To profit from offsite ads, your listing needs existing user traffic via successful Etsy SEO.

Etsy Ads on different platforms work at a percentage rate, reflected by the amount your store has earned in the past year:

• Less than $10,000 – a 15% fee of the total sale price.
• At least $10,000 – a 12% discount on offsite ad fees for any sale attributed to the ad.

The offsite advertising fee has a $100 limit, even if the total sale percentage might be higher. Sales are attributed to the ad if a user has clicked on your promoted post and purchased a product in the next 30 days.

Subscription fee ($10/month)

Apart from the free default Etsy Standard, the marketplace offers Etsy Plus. Your online store can benefit from a monthly subscription fee with added features and discounts on store personalization:

• Etsy Ads credits
• Custom web address discount
• Restock requests from shoppers
• Advanced store customization options
• Discounts on custom promotional materials

These features can enhance your shop and positively influence buyer attraction.

The subscription fee is $10 a month. While it won’t directly influence how your listings appear in search results, it can significantly impact your growth potential and increase traffic to your store.

Shipping label fees

Etsy provides a discounted service for printing postage labels for your package. Packaging sets the first impression for buyers – purchase postage labels to customize your orders further, adding more value and branding for customers. 

Custom shipping labels are available through these carriers:

• Australia Post
• Canada Post
• FedEx
• Global Postal Shipping
• UPS
• USPS
• Royal Mail & Evri

Label shipping costs depend on your package’s origin, destination, and dimensions.

In-person selling fee ($0.20)

While creating best-selling items on Etsy can generate profit through your online store, sellers can significantly benefit from selling in person, with the same listing fee, at trade shows, seasonal markets, and other physical locations.

You’ll need to connect your Etsy account to the marketplace’s point-of-sale system to easily display your listings in person while conducting card payments as if they were an online Etsy item order.

Etsy partners with Square Reader for in-person purchases. Sync your listings with Square for the same $0.20 listing fee. Without Square, you are subject to an additional $0.20 transaction fee.

Using Square, you can eliminate Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee and payment processing fee. However, Square applies its own smaller transaction fee, along with a percentage based on the total sale cost (2.6%-3.5%) for its services.

Pattern fee ($15/month)

Etsy’s Pattern feature lets you design a custom store website. You can start with a 30-day free trial to see if it works for your business. After the trial period, you’ll be charged a $15 monthly subscription fee.

Using Pattern incurs additional small fees, including domain registration, protection, and an Etsy payment fee. However, with Pattern, you are no longer subject to selling and listing fees for your items.

Ways to save on Etsy fees

Offer free shipping

Shipping fees vary based on the delivery location and can affect your projected business expenses.

One way to ensure limited expenses is by offering free shipping. While this isn’t a sustainable practice for items under $100, free shipping for mid-tier and high-end products significantly impacts buyer behavior.

Limited shipping options are the primary reason consumers abandon a purchase. Charging hidden shipping costs can negatively influence how customers calculate their expenses.

Set your prices in your bank account’s currency

Skip Etsy’s 2.5% currency conversion fee by using the same currency for your listings and payment account. This way, your Etsy shop won’t have to convert the currency of each sale.

Evaluate what listings to run ads for

Ads are where you put your best face forward. When deciding on your primary ad listing, use your best-selling item or one with the highest demand among customers.

Etsy’s ads are carefully monitored on and off-site. The algorithm prioritizes listings with carefully selected tags, curated descriptions, and a high click-through rate.

When selling off-site, approach your advertising idea with the platform’s terms of service and demographics in mind. Market your products based on the audience you want to cultivate.

Increase prices

The easiest and final way to save on Etsy fees is by increasing your profit margins. If you have items consistently receiving sales, don’t be afraid to raise your prices to reflect the value provided.

However, increasing sales prices can deter existing customers if they find the new prices too high. In this case, try to compensate by increasing your ad spending budget to attract new buyers.

Consider how selecting new prices will affect your competitiveness. Avoid setting prices too high above the market average. Stay within the range you see among other Etsy sellers, and assess how your price changes influence long-term sales.

Make a profit on Etsy with Printify

1. Sign up

Register for free and get access to all of our beginner-friendly print-on-demand features.

2. Choose a product

Select from over 900 high-quality items in the Printify Catalog – from apparel and accessories to home decor and everyday items.

3. Design your product

Bring your vision to life with our intuitive Product Creator. Customize your products with precise measurements and free assets.

4. Sell it on Etsy

Seamlessly connect your Printify account to Etsy. List your custom products for free and set flexible prices to balance out Etsy fees.

Choose Printify for the most competitive product prices in Print on Demand, a 24/7 Merchant Support Team, and complete marketplace compatibility through the Printify x Etsy partnership.