eBay Germany Raises Fees On Some New Items To Subsidize Recommerce Push
eBay Germany is changing how fees work for some business sellers in a bid to boost recommerce in key home and electronics categories, but will those selling new items balk at paying higher fees to subsidize discounts for used and refurbished?
The fee updates will take effect July 1, 2026 and will bring variable Final Value Fees down to a flat 5% rate for commercial sellers with refurbished or used items while increasing fees for commercial sellers of new items in select categories.
Here's what's changing (translation by Google):
The world of online retail is evolving rapidly. Buyers are actively seeking more sustainable products and innovative shopping experiences.
Against this backdrop, we are continuously optimizing eBay as a marketplace and investing strategically in growth areas, including re-commerce and new shopping formats like eBay Live.
We are therefore reducing the sales commission for items with the following conditions in selected categories:
- New: Other
- Certified/Excellent/Very Good/Good – Refurbished
- Seller Refurbished
- Used
- Used – Excellent/Good/Acceptable
We want to help you leverage the increasing demand in re-commerce for your business.
To continue enabling these investments and to strengthen eBay as a trusted, safe marketplace, we will also adjust our fee structure from July 1, 2026.
In selected categories, the tiered system is eliminated for all sellers, and the variable sales commission is increased to a uniform percentage fee rate per category.In the same categories, the sales commission for offers with the aforementioned item conditions drops to 5%, resulting in savings of up to 60%.
The full list of categories can be found here, but it looks like this change will mostly impact electronics, appliances and home goods.
For example, items listed in the Computers, Tablets & Network category with any condition are currently charged 6.5% for each portion of the sales price up to EUR 500.00 plus 3% for each portion of the sales price exceeding EUR 500.00 if the seller has a shop or 6.5% for each portion of the sales price up to EUR 990.0 plus 3% for each portion of the sales price exceeding EUR 990.00 with no shop.
Starting July 1st, both shop and non-shop sellers with items in that category in "new" condition will pay 7% while items using any of the non-new conditions listed above will only be charged 5%.
Note: these changes only apply for commercial/business accounts as eBay removed Final Value Fees for private sellers in most categories in 2023.
Liz Morton
When eBay went fee-free for private/consumer sellers in Germany, the UK and most recently in Australia, many business sellers expressed concern about increasing competition from private sellers who can afford to lower prices without fees baked in.
Those concerns have only grown in recent months as eBay continues to double down on renewed Consumer to Consumer and Live selling focus.
Liz Morton
That dynamic is similar to how eBay has handled some Authenticity Guarantee rollouts in recent years, raising fees on items that do not qualify for authentication while leaving fees unchanged for authenticated items, effectively making one group of sellers help subsidize the program for another.
Liz Morton
eBay says the higher fees will support marketplace growth and trust, while sellers of new goods may see themselves paying more as eBay makes used and refurbished inventory more competitive.
Will the 5% fee bring more refurbished and used inventory to eBay Germany, or will higher costs for new goods give business sellers another reason to look elsewhere?
Let us know in the comments below!
