eBay charges 13.25% on everything — including shipping. Add insertion fees, promoted listings, and payment processing, and you're giving up 18–25% of every sale. Here's how Walmart compares.
eBay's fee structure is complicated and charges you on everything — including the shipping you collect. Walmart's is straightforward: a referral percentage on the item price, and that's it.
| Factor | Walmart Marketplace | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $0 (basic) / $7.95–$299.95 (stores) |
| Selling Fee | 6–15% referral | 13.25% final value fee |
| Fee on Shipping | $0 (not charged) | 13.25% on shipping too |
| Per-Order Fee | $0 | $0.30/order |
| Insertion Fees | $0 (unlimited) | 250 free, then $0.35/listing |
| Promoted Listings | Walmart Connect (optional) | 2–20% ad rate (practically required) |
| Payment Processing | Included | Included in 13.25% (non-transparent) |
| Fulfillment | WFS: $3.45+/unit | Self-ship or 3PL (varies) |
| Buyer Demographics | Families, mainstream shoppers | Bargain hunters, collectors |
| Average Order Value | $50+ | $30–$40 |
| Return Policy | Seller-friendly with WFS | Heavily buyer-favored |
| Brand Perception | Premium retail (Walmart brand) | Auction / secondhand stigma |
| New Seller Incentives | Up to $75K in savings | 250 free listings/month |
This is the detail most sellers miss. eBay's 13.25% final value fee is calculated on the total payment amount — including shipping charges the buyer pays.
If you sell a $50 item with $8 shipping, eBay charges 13.25% on $58 = $7.69 in fees. Then add the $0.30 per-order fee. That's $7.99 before you even ship the product. Walmart would charge 15% on $50 = $7.50, with no fee on shipping.
eBay's organic search is increasingly pay-to-play. Promoted Listings Standard charges 2–20% of the sale price as an ad fee — on top of the 13.25% final value fee. Most competitive categories require 5–15% promoted listing rates to maintain visibility.
Walmart Connect advertising runs on a CPC model ($0.30–$0.75/click), so you control spend precisely. No percentage-of-sale fees on top of your referral fees.
Many eBay sellers offer "free shipping" by building the cost into the item price. But this backfires: eBay still charges 13.25% on the higher item price. You're paying fees on shipping costs either way. On Walmart, shipping revenue is never fee-eligible.
$50 product, $8 shipping, standard category
$50 product, $8 shipping, promoted at 8%
Annual difference on the same product
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