eBay Promoted Listings Calculator
Compare profit on organic eBay sales vs. Promoted Listings Standard sales. Promoted Listings fee is charged as a % of sale price only on promoted sales.
By Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & POD
Promoted Listings Standard: You only pay the ad fee when the promoted listing leads to a sale. The fee is a % of the sale price you set.
Category
$
$
$
$
0 = free shipping
%
You set this %
Organic vs. promoted profit
Profit (organic sale)$20.57 (41.1%)
Promoted Listings fee (5%)-$2.50
Profit (promoted sale)$18.07 (36.1%)
How this is calculated
Promoted Listings fee = Sale price × 5%
Profit (promoted) = Revenue − FVF − Managed Payments − Promoted fee − Product cost − Shipping
Assumptions:
- Promoted Listings Standard: pay fee only when promoted listing makes a sale
- Fee is based on the % you set (bidding or fixed rate)
Source: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/promoted-listings/promoted-listings-standard · Last verified: 2025-06-01
Related Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How does eBay Promoted Listings Standard work?
With Promoted Listings Standard, you set an ad rate (1–20%+ of sale price). You only pay the ad fee when a buyer clicks your promoted ad and purchases within 30 days. There's no pay-per-click cost — you pay only on conversion.
Is eBay Promoted Listings worth it?
Promoted Listings can be worth it if the increased visibility drives enough additional sales to offset the fee. At 5% ad rate on a 25% margin item, your margin drops to 20% on promoted sales — but if promoted listings add 30% more volume, total profit increases. Test at 3–5% first.
What ad rate should I set for eBay Promoted Listings?
eBay suggests a 'Trending rate' per category — typically 5–15%. Start at the lower end of the trending rate. Your promoted listings profit per order must still be positive: Sale price − FVF − payment − ad rate% − costs > 0.