Payment: Surcharges
Sellers may not charge eBay buyers an additional fee for their use of ordinary forms of payment, including acceptance of checks, money orders, electronic transfers or credit cards. Such costs should be built into the price of the item-this policy reduces the potential for confusion among bidders about the true cost of an item. Further, some forms of payment surcharges, such as credit card surcharges, are forbidden under the laws of many states, including California.
Can a seller add a surcharge to the final price of an eBay item? Yes, in three instances:
Sellers may charge a reasonable shipping and handling fee to the final price of their item, providing that this fee is disclosed in the listing. A shipping and handling fee can cover the seller's reasonable costs for mailing, packaging and handling the item. Shipping and handling fees cannot be listed as a percentage of the final sale price.
Sellers may pass along the costs associated with using escrow, if the buyer chooses to use escrow. Use caution when considering escrow. To avoid being deceived by fraudulent escrow services, use www.escrow.com, eBay's approved escrow service.
Sellers may choose to accept payment in a different currency than the currency listed on eBay. If the buyer chooses to take advantage of this optional payment method, the seller may pass along to the buyer any costs associated with the currency exchange, provided that the costs are disclosed and agreed to in advance by the buyer.
Note: Some types of payment surcharges are permitted on some of eBay's international sites.
Related Help topics
Listing Policies for Sellers: Overview
|