FOR EBAY RESELLERS

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See whether Standard still pays after the cut on a sale you already had.

Promoted Listings Standard is not the same decision as Promoted Offsite. Offsite is a bill either way. Standard is a percent of a completed sale — including the one you already would have made. A 5% campaign that actually produces one extra sale can still pay. Zero extra sales just take $2.07 off that $40 listing.

Listing and Standard campaign

Standard vs skip

$—
extra kept by Standard versus skip

Skip after returns
Standard after the ad cut
If they keep the extras
Extra sales after returns
Ad fee on those sales
If extras are zero
Extra sales that still tie skip
Rate that still ties skip
Monthly gap vs skip

Same listing, two ad paths

Path Extra sales Ad fee Extra sales after returns If they keep the extras Expected after ads vs skip

Standard is a percent of a completed sale. Extra-sale counts and the rate are inputs — not eBay’s Promoted Listings attribution.

What this checks

Resellers search “are eBay Promoted Listings worth it” because 2% looks cheap until it is 2% of item plus shipping. Standard takes that percent only when the listing sells. Offsite bills the campaign even if they bounce.

On the defaults — a $40 item, $6 shipping charged, 13.6% final value fee, $0.40 fixed, $12 cost, $5 outbound, $1 pack, $5 return label, 10% returns, 5% Standard, one extra sale — skip expects $18.11 and Standard expects $32.08. Standard keeps $13.97 more (+$13.97) on this listing and +$279.39 across twenty listings. Extra sales have to stay at about 0.13, or the rate has to stay at about 21.87%, before Standard matches skip.

Zero extra sales flips. Keep the same 5% campaign and get no extra $40 sale. Skip still expects $18.11; Standard expects $16.04 — $2.07 less. Five percent of $46 is $2.30, not $2.00. The sale you already had paid the campaign.

It does not tell you to turn Promoted Listings on, and it is not tax or financial advice. Promoted Offsite, combined shipping, Standard Envelope, and a return-rate mix are different questions. Compare Promoted Listings Advanced versus skip, Promoted Offsite versus skip, combined shipping versus two labels, a quantity discount versus selling separately, Standard Envelope versus a tracked label, local pickup versus the label, what a return rate still leaves, a partial refund versus taking the return, or auction vs Buy It Now on the main eBay fee calculator.

Common questions

Are eBay Promoted Listings worth it?

Promoted Listings Standard is a percent of a completed sale, including the sale you already would have made. Promoted Offsite is a campaign billed even if they bounce. On the calculator defaults (a $40 item, $6 shipping, 13.6% final value fee, $12 cost, $5 outbound, $1 pack, 10% returns, 5% Standard, one extra sale) skip expects $18.11 and Standard expects $32.08. Standard keeps $13.97 more. Extra sales have to stay at about 0.13 before Standard matches skip. That is arithmetic on your inputs, not advice to turn Promoted Listings on.

What if Promoted Listings produce no extra sales?

Then the campaign only takes a cut of a sale you already had. On the same $40 listing, 5% of the $46 order is $2.30. After a 10% return mix that leaves $16.04 against $18.11 for skip — $2.07 less. Two percent of $46 is $0.92, not $0.80.

Is Promoted Listings Standard the same as Promoted Offsite?

No. Standard is a percent taken only when the listing sells. Offsite is a campaign spend billed even if they bounce. Extra Offsite sales can still pay Standard too if the listing is already promoted.