If you've heard that eBay UK private sellers pay no fees, you might be wondering if it's too good to be true. Here's the full breakdown for 2026.
Private Sellers Pay ZERO Final Value Fees
Since September 30, 2024, eBay UK has not charged Final Value Fees to private (non-business) sellers on domestic sales. This means:
- No Final Value Fee (normally 10.9% for most categories)
- No regulatory operating fee (normally 0.35%)
- No per-order fee (normally £0.30-£0.40)
Your only costs are: - Listing fees if you exceed 300 free listings per month (£0.35 per extra listing) - International selling fees — 3% if selling to buyers outside the UK - Promoted Listings fee if you choose to run ads (optional)
How Much Difference Does This Make?
Let's say you sell a product for £20:
Business seller: £20 - £2.18 FVF - £0.07 regulatory - £0.40 per-order = £17.35 (you keep 86.7%)
Private seller: £20 - £0 = £20 (you keep 100%)
That's a £2.65 difference per item. Over 100 items, that's £265 more profit as a private seller.
When Do You Need to Register as a Business?
HMRC considers you a "trader" if you're selling regularly with the intention of making a profit. There's no specific number of items that triggers this, but if you're buying products specifically to resell (which is what retail arbitrage is), you should consider registering as a business.
However, many casual sellers — people clearing out their house, selling unwanted gifts, or doing occasional car boot flips — can legitimately sell as private sellers.
How Does This Affect Other Countries?
- Germany: Private sellers also pay zero fees (since March 2023)
- US: No private seller discount — everyone pays the same rates
- Australia: Moving to zero fees for sellers under AU$25,000/year (from late April 2026)
How to Calculate Your Profit Accurately
Whether you're private or business, you need to know your exact profit before buying stock. [ScanJunki](https://scanjunki.com) has a Private/Business toggle in settings — switch between the two and see how fees change for each product you scan.
As a private seller, your profit calculation is simpler (no fees to deduct), but you still need to know what items sell for and whether the margin is worth your time.
Try ScanJunki free — scan any barcode and see your exact profit as a private or business seller. [Start your 7-day trial](https://scanjunki.com).