FOR EBAY RESELLERS

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See whether local pickup still beats the label after no-shows.

Local pickup is not the same decision as a return rate or Authenticity Guarantee. You skip the outbound label and return postage. You pay meetup time and take a lower sell-through because only local buyers can collect. A committed buyer still ghosts. The table keeps the original sale, then drops postage and multiplies by sell-through and the no-show rate.

Order, fees and pickup

Pickup vs the label

$—
extra kept by pickup versus shipping

Ship expected listing profit
Pickup expected listing profit
Meetup time on a scheduled pickup
If they collect
Outbound label that still ties pickup
Monthly gap vs shipping

Same SKU, two listing paths

Path Sell-through No-show Time cost If it sells Expected after sell-through vs ship

Meetup time is paid on every scheduled pickup, including no-shows. Completed-sale profit is only counted when the buyer collects. Transparent arithmetic from your inputs — not eBay’s pickup or cancellation policy.

What this checks

Resellers search “should I offer local pickup on eBay” because skipping the label looks free and the meetup is easy to forget. A 25-minute handoff at $18/hour plus a 20% no-show rate can wipe the postage you saved on a $40 SKU with a $5 label.

On the defaults — $40 item, $6 shipping charged, 13.6% final value fee, $0.40 fixed, $12 cost, $5 outbound, $1 pack, $5 return label, 10% returns if you ship, 70% ship sell-through vs 35% pickup, 20% no-show, 25 minutes at $18/hour — shipping expects $12.68 and pickup expects $3.46. Pickup keeps $9.22 less (−$9.22) on this listing and −$73.77 across eight listings. The outbound label has to rise to about $18.17 before shipping matches pickup. Set the outbound label to $40.00 (a freight box) and pickup expects $3.46 against −$11.82 — $15.28 more.

The bulky case flips harder. A $180 dresser, $85 freight, $8 pack, $45 return postage, and an 8% return rate expects −$6.36 if you ship it at 70% sell-through. The same listing as local pickup at 50% sell-through, a 20% no-show rate, and the same $7.50 meetup expects $33.54 — $39.90 more.

It does not tell you to offer or refuse pickup, and it is not tax or financial advice. A return-rate mix on completed orders, a one-case concession, Authenticity Guarantee, and listing format are different questions. Compare what a return rate still leaves, a partial refund versus taking the return, Authenticity Guarantee versus skip-AG, or auction vs Buy It Now, or a lot versus individual listings on the main eBay fee calculator.

Common questions

Should I offer local pickup on eBay?

Local pickup skips the outbound label and return postage, then costs meetup time and a lower sell-through. On the calculator defaults ($40 item, $6 shipping, 13.6% final value fee, $12 cost, $5 outbound, $1 pack, 10% returns, 70% ship sell-through vs 35% pickup, 20% no-show, 25 minutes at $18/hour) shipping expects $12.68 and pickup expects $3.46. Pickup keeps $9.22 less. The outbound label has to rise to about $18.17 before shipping matches pickup. That is arithmetic on your inputs, not advice to offer or refuse pickup.

When does eBay local pickup beat shipping?

When the label is freight. On the same $40 SKU a $40 outbound label flips pickup ahead ($3.46 vs −$11.82). A $180 dresser with an $85 freight label, $8 pack, and $45 return postage expects −$6.36 if you ship it at 70% sell-through and $33.54 as local pickup at 50% sell-through with the same 20% no-show and $7.50 meetup.

Does a no-show still cost me on eBay local pickup?

This page treats meetup time as paid on every scheduled pickup, including no-shows. Completed-sale profit is only counted when the buyer actually collects. Enter the minutes and wage from your last meetup; this is not eBay’s cancellation policy.