Promoted listings are worth it when the extra sales they bring are worth more than the ad rate you give up on every promoted sale. With eBay.com fees already around 14% of most sales, a 5–10% ad rate can take a big bite out of a thin margin. Here's how to work out whether — and how much — to promote.
Fees verified against eBay's official United States fee pages on 19 October 2026. Checked daily for changes (fee change tracker). Source: eBay eBay.com fee page.
How promoted listings are charged
In a general (cost-per-sale) campaign you choose an ad rate as a percentage of the sale. You pay it only when a buyer clicks your promoted listing and buys the item within the attribution window. It's charged on top of the final value fee and per-order fee — the two don't interact. Priority (cost-per-click) campaigns charge per click instead, whether or not the item sells.
What an 8% ad rate does to a sale
A $100 jacket that cost you $55 including shipping:
- eBay fees (13.6% + $0.40): $14.00
- Profit without ads: $31.00 (31.0% margin)
- Promoted at 8%: another $8.00 → profit $23.00 (23.0% margin)
The ad took 26% of the profit on that sale. It's worth it only if promoting gets you sales you wouldn't otherwise make — or makes them sooner, freeing up cash to buy more stock.
The highest ad rate you can afford
A $50 item, $20 cost, $8 shipping, and you want at least $10 profit:
- eBay fees: $7.20
- Left after fees and costs: $14.80
- After your $10 minimum: $4.80
- Maximum ad rate: 9.6%
When promoting makes sense
- High margins: vintage, handmade and thrifted items with 50%+ margins can absorb 5–10%.
- Crowded searches: where dozens of near-identical listings compete, visibility decides who sells.
- New listings: a short boost can get a listing its first sales and watchers.
- Ageing stock: a few percent can be cheaper than a price cut.
When it doesn't
- Margins under about 15% after fees — the ad can wipe out the profit.
- Unique items that already rank at the top of search for their keywords.
- Low-price items where the per-order fee already takes a big share.
- If your account is Below Standard you can't use promoted listings at all — and you'd already be paying +6 points in surcharges.
What about a store plan?
A Basic store lowers the final value fee in several categories (12.7% instead of 13.6% for most; 9.35% for phones and cameras), which leaves a little more room for ads. It doesn't reduce the promoted listings fee itself. See our store break-even guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ad fee charged on shipping?
The ad rate applies to the sale amount eBay uses for the campaign — treat it as applying to the total including shipping when you plan your margin.
What ad rate do most sellers use?
It varies by category and competition. Start low, check the sales attributed to ads in Seller Hub, and raise it only where the extra sales justify it.
Can I see the effect on my items?
Yes — the eBay profit calculator has a promoted listings slider that shows the profit at each ad rate.