eBay makes major change for private sellers and 'scraps' rule

eBay users will now only pay transaction fees on the salves of vehicles, as eBay mirrors Depop and Vinted in the UK.

eBay has scrapped fees for private sellers in the UK in a major change aimed at saving people money. eBay users will now only pay transaction fees on the salves of vehicles, as eBay mirrors Depop and Vinted in the UK.

In April, eBay UK removed sellers’ fees for fashion and had double-digit increases in the most popular listings. Now it has scrapped fees for private sellers across almost all of its categories and it means eBay’s UK sellers no longer have to pay transaction fees, except for cars, motorcycles and other vehicles.

In April this year, eBay removed fees for private sellers of pre-owned clothes, and the company said it was “now evolving the experience even further”. eBay said its move, which has taken effect immediately, meant private sellers would no longer pay so-called final value fees or regulatory operating fees when they sold on the site.

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Kirsty Keoghan, the eBay UK general manager, said: “Removing selling fees across categories is designed to give buyers access to greater breadth and depth of inventory, while creating a simplified and streamlined experience for sellers.”

eBay will be introducing several new features which aim to "simply" the platform. These include simplified selling meaning sellers can list items across categories within minutes using guidance to help with pricing and shipping options, alongside AI-generated descriptions and photo-enhancing tools.

It also includes simple delivery which offers sellers a tracked and fully covered delivery, prepaid by the buyer, for a "simple and secure" shipping experience. And eBay Local lets shoppers find nearby items available for in-person collection, with local listings having increased visibility with local buyers - all sales will be protected by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee.

Keoghan said in a statement: "eBay is constantly improving the marketplace experience in order to deliver on what our customers want."