eBay Postage & Shipping Guide 2024
Discover everything you need to know about shipping and delivery on eBay as a seller. Sign up to Smart Send for free and access exclusive shipping prices from £1.99 for eBay and all major marketplaces!
You’ve sold your first item on eBay. Now what?
eBay is an online marketplace which is great for online sellers and ecommerce businesses. Whether you’re selling a one-off piece of clothing to make some money, or selling car accessories and car parts as a small business, eBay is an ideal solution to easily list and sell your items.
However, navigating eBay shipping and delivery can be daunting, whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting out. With Parcel2Go, we’re here to make your parcel delivery options simple. As the largest parcel broker in the UK, you can find the best option across all couriers in a click - from next day delivery to international shipping.
What is eBay Shipping?
Once you’ve sold your item or items on the eBay platform, the next step is to organise the shipping and delivery. eBay offers a variety of shipping options to suit every seller's needs. From standard shipping to courier collection and even international shipping, understanding these options is key to improving your eBay sales. Here, we break down the essentials, including postage prices, eBay courier services, and tips for offering appealing delivery times to your buyers.
How to Ship on eBay for Beginners
Selling on eBay for the first time? Our beginners guide on how to sell on eBay covers step by step how to set up your eBay account, list your items and manage delivery.
eBay Postage Prices - Find the Cheapest eBay Prices with Parcel2Go
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to send eBay parcels in the UK, then you’ve come to the right place! Our eBay shipping calculator tool Quick Quote lets you easily compare the cheapest eBay delivery prices for courier services across the UK and internationally, with prices starting from just £1.99 with Parcel2Go.
To use our price calculator, have your parcel dimensions such as height, weight and width ready to find the cheapest rates in a click!
If you send multiple parcels or are an online business, our free eBay shipping integration tool Smart Send connects directly to eBay to allow you to manage deliveries all in one place. Our eBay integration tool connects to your account to automate shipping, provide free eBay parcel tracking and find the cheapest eBay courier prices in the UK.
eBay Courier Services & Delivery Options
There are a variety of eBay postage options available, including standard shipping, courier collection and next-day delivery. Find the best way to send your eBay parcels by comparing options from all couriers, all in one place with Smart Send. There are courier options available for multiple postage sizes and shapes, to deliver everything from car parts, second hand clothes, musical instruments and so much more.
eBay Postage Fees
eBay postage fees depend on what courier service you select. The cheapest eBay shipping rates are with Parcel2go, with prices starting from just £1.99.
Offering free or express delivery can elevate your eBay listings and help increase your sales. Find out how much eBay postage fees are for your parcels in advance with Parcel2Go’s shipping calculator, Quick Quote, and you can then set your item price with the postage fee included to offer free shipping to your customers.
Standard Shipping
eBay offers multiple delivery options for shipping and sellers can select their preferred shipping option from a list of services, such as collection, drop off and local pickup. In terms of pricing, you can add this yourself or have eBay calculate this for you based on how other sellers sent items.
Sellers often see benefits of offering free postage and packaging by selecting ‘Free P&P’ and then absorbing the cost of postage into the total item price. If you want to ensure you know the final price, without any unexpected higher delivery costs, you can use Parcel2Go to find the cheapest shipping option and calculate the shipping cost in advance using our Quick Quote tool.
eBay Courier Collection
An eBay courier collection is a great option when you’re selling heavy and bulky items such as furniture or car parts. Arranging a courier to pick up your eBay item means the courier will come to your home or office to collect your item and deliver it door to door.
Our eBay delivery calculator Quick Quote and Smart Send will show you all the options for heavy items. Our heavy parcel couriers can take parcels between 15 kg - 70 kg. If your item is larger than this, then a pallet collection may be a better option for you. Our pallet delivery services can take items from 150 kg to 1000 kg.
Next Day Delivery
Offering next day delivery is a great option which can also positively impact your sales by providing a better customer experience. Adding express delivery options such as next day delivery, alongside free postage, can allow your listings to qualify for the free next day postage message, which can give your listings a positive edge.
You can use Parcel2Go to offer next day delivery and 2-day delivery options by navigating to the ‘other 24 hour courier’ and ‘Other 48 hour courier’ within the eBay platform.
Combined eBay Shipping for Multiple Items
For sellers dealing with multiple orders from a single buyer, combined shipping is an ideal solution.
How to Combine Postage and Shipping on eBay:
You will first need to opt in to offering combined postage, which can then unlock postage discounts for buyers. To do this, simply head to ‘manage postage settings’, select ‘edit’ and click ‘allow combined payments and postage’. You will then be able to send a combined invoice for the purchased items.
Combined postage on eBay allows you to merge shipping costs effectively, improving customer experiences and can help improve repeated orders.
If you are shipping in bulk on eBay and need to send multiple parcels, then our shipping integration tool Smart Send can automate your delivery orders to save you time and money.
International Shipping
Take your online sales worldwide by offering international shipping with eBay. Opening up your store or listing to additional countries can help you to sell more items. First, you can add international postage to your listing and then select the countries you are happy to ship to.
You can avail of eBay’s dedicated Global Shipping Program to handle international delivery if you’re based in the UK. However, please note that the item must weigh no more than 30 kg and be no larger than 125,000 cm³, and no longer than 120cm on the longest side. If you want to send larger items, you can check this using Parcel2Go’s heavy item and pallet delivery options.
Cheap eBay International Shipping Options
You can also handle international postage yourself by selecting ‘create your own international postage’ option. You can quickly compare and find the cheapest prices for eBay overseas shipping with Parcel2Go’s international couriers, with prices starting from just £6.89.
This also allows you to filter by options which are based on reliability, highly trusted and fully tracked services. Free eBay parcel tracking is included as standard, which can be shared with your buyer to keep them updated on delivery times for international shipping. Express services are included alongside the relevant customs information so you don’t receive any unexpected charges.
Our Lowest Price Guarantee means you won’t find a cheaper price elsewhere, and if you do, we’ll match it!
Drop Shipping
Drop shipping is the practice of fulfilling orders directly from a wholesale supplier. Also known as sourcing, drop shipping is permitted on eBay as long as it follows the relevant guidelines. However, it's important to remember that even when using drop shipping, the responsibility for ensuring the item is delivered safely within the promised time frame and ensuring the customer's satisfaction with their purchase rests with the seller.
Please note it is against eBay's policy to list an item for sale and then order it from another retailer or marketplace to ship directly to your customer.
eBay Delivery Times
How Long Does eBay Delivery Take?
You can find an estimated delivery date on any eBay listing that offers postage. You can usually have a good understanding of the delivery time depending on how the seller lists the delivery options within the original listing, for example, when listed with ‘Free in 1, 2 or 3 days postage’, you should expect to receive your item within 3 business days.
However, some deliveries may take longer, depending on how far away you are from the seller. International delivery will also take longer, however, when you are in the checkout process, this will update the estimated delivery date based on your address information. Some sellers also offer next day delivery, although this will depend on what time of day you purchase the item. It’s best to purchase an item in the morning before noon for the best chance of next day delivery.
How Long Do eBay Sellers Have to Ship?
Typically the time sellers have to ship is dependent on what shipping option they included in the listing, alongside any time it may take to package the item and what courier service is being used. A seller's handling time can be from one day to a maximum of 30 days, and a seller must ship the items within the handling time listed.
eBay recommend specifically mentioning the courier and delivery service you’re using. To receive an automatic 5 star DSR rating for postage, sellers must provide free postage with same day or 1 business day handling.
Postage & Packaging
Once you’ve sold your item, the next step is packaging! To ensure your item arrives safely and avoids any damage along the way, we recommend using protective packaging such as bubble wrap, packing peanuts or packing foam for any delicate items such as collectibles, bulky items like car parts, or valuable items such as electronics and jewellery.
Types of eBay Packaging
Types of packaging which are suitable to pack your eBay items include cardboard boxes of many sizes, mailing bags such as poly mailers or shipping bags, alongside padded envelopes or jiffy bags for smaller items. Very large or heavy items may require a specialist courier service, such as pallet delivery, which the courier will provide for you. Using parcel bags of jiffy bags can be useful when sending smaller or light items, such as clothing. These can usually be purchased in bulk from eBay itself, the post office or online on Amazon.
If items are of significant value, you can always choose a ‘recorded delivery’ service via Parcel2Go, so the recipient has to sign for the delivery. This also provides proof of delivery so you can be sure your parcel is in the right hands.
Once you’ve added protective coverings to your items, you can place them in a cardboard box, and seal it up with plenty of packing tape.
eBay Postage labels
Once your parcel is packaged securely, the next step is labelling. You can either print your own labels or organise a postage service which will print the label for you.
If printing your own eBay postage label, simply head to the ‘sold’ section of eBay for your items and enter your parcels details, such as weight and dimensions, and choose your courier. And that’s it! Simply print your label and attach it to the front of your package and it’s ready to send.
If you need to reprint your label, you can do this within 5 days. You can also cancel or void shipping labels within the eBay app, by heading to the seller centre, clicking ‘manage shipping’ and then choosing your preferred label options. Here you can choose labels for combined shipping, buy multiple labels or cancel your eBay postage label.
Do You Have to Print an eBay Postage Label?
Ideally you will have a postage label, but if you don’t have access to a printer, don’t worry. You can either select a service such as a ‘send a parcel with no printer’ courier via Parcel2Go or Smart Send, or you can choose the QR code option. With a QR code, bring this to your chosen courier or drop off service and they will then print the label for you there.
With Smart Send, our free eBay shipping integration tool, you can easily compare courier services online and find the right shipping option for you - including parcel delivery options when you don’t have a printer. Plus because we compare all courier services, you can find the cheapest prices - and if you find one cheaper, we’ll match it with our Lowest Price Guarantee!
Returning Items to eBay
If you have bought an item from a seller on eBay and are not satisfied, there is an option to return the item and apply for a refund. Simply head to the ‘recent purchases’ area of your account, select the item you wish to return, and click ‘start a return’.
You can also apply for a return within the ‘Purchases’ area of your account. When returning your item, it’s important to list the reasons why. If the item arrived faulty or damaged, you should also include pictures of the fault to support your claim. Once submitted, the seller has 3 working days to respond.
Returning an Item to eBay in the Post
It’s important to return your item to the seller on time to increase your chances of receiving a full refund. You should carefully package the item to ensure it is not damaged during transit, as the seller can deduct any damage from your refund.
You can use Parcel2Go to return your item and choose the best courier service for you, which includes free tracking as standard so you know the item has reached the seller. You should expect to receive a refund within 2 days of the seller receiving your item, although this can take longer. If you do not hear back from the seller within 3 days of receiving your item, you can reach out to eBay to help escalate your case.
How to Change Your Address on eBay
Changing your address on eBay is simple. Navigate to the ‘Addresses’ section of your account, and then you can select or edit your saved addresses. Here you can delete any old shipping addresses, and select your primary address for your default option.
Once you have bought an item, we recommend always carefully checking your address in the ‘Ship To’ section of the checkout process. If you have already bought an item, you cannot change your eBay shipping address.
However, you can contact the seller directly to flag this to them - we recommend doing this as soon as possible. You can also request that they cancel your order. It’s important to always double check your shipping address and keep this up to date regularly to avoid any issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cancel an order on eBay?
For eBay cancellations, buyers can often cancel directly from their account if done shortly after purchase, but must wait for delivery to return the item if it's already shipped. Sellers can cancel orders before shipping through the eBay dashboard, but if the item is en route, they should arrange a return and refund with the buyer upon delivery.
How to refund on eBay?
Issuing a refund on eBay as a seller can be done for various reasons and involves a few straightforward steps.
Start by navigating to "My eBay" or "Seller Hub" and locating the transaction in your sales history. From there, select "Cancel Order" from the dropdown menu and choose the reason for the cancellation. Once you've selected the cancellation reason, eBay will automatically process the refund.
What percentage does eBay take?
There are various charges that sellers need to be aware of, but the final value fee is the most significant fee for most sellers. It’s a percentage of the total amount of the sale, including the item price and any shipping charges. The percentage typically ranges from 10% to 12.55%.