Like many of you we have been wondering how eBay will account for final value fees on postage, especially for multiple purchase orders from different categories with different final value fee percentages and combined postage discounts.
We couldn’t figure it out so we asked eBay.
We suggested the example of buying a laptop with a 5% final value fee and a laptop bag on the same order from the same seller at 8% final value fees and asked how the postage final value fee will be calculated.
eBay told us that Electronics is slightly different to most categories as the cap on the device will override any part of the total FVF above £10 but the principle is to allocate FVFs based on their relationship to the first listed postage service.
Final Value Fee calculation for a combined postage order
- The laptop has a first listed postage of £15 and the accessory one of £5 so the basic postage total is £20
- The seller offers discounted combined postage of £10
- Effectively they have offered a 50% discount on postage
- eBay apply that discount to the first listed service to arrive at the amount the postage element of FVF will be charged on
- So the laptop will attract 5% final value fees on £7.50 (50% of £15.00), although if the overall value on this item is over £200 the FVF cap will kick in at £10. Then for the laptop bag final value fees would be charged at 8% of £2.50 (50% of £5)
Complicated, yes… but at least we now know how the postage element will be calculated.
6 Responses
Are you certain that’s correct?
Specifically the step “eBay apply that discount to the first listed service to arrive at the amount the postage element of FVF will be charged on”.
If the ‘first listed service’ happens to be a zero/low charge economy delivery but the buyer has selected a 24hr tracked and insured service at a higher cost the discount will be zero when the seller might expects something else.