The ‘Unofficial‘ eBay Fee Hike

eBay is "unofficially" increasing fees on May 31 when the USPS raises rates for certain services. That's because eBay charges a commission fee on the shipping and handling portion of transactions. Ever since eBay instituted a commission fee on shipping in July 2011, sellers have criticized the policy. And every time FedEx, UPS and the USPS raise their rates, it's bad news for sellers and buyers, but revenue-positive for eBay. Even when sellers choose to offer "free shipping," eBay benefits, since sellers must build their shipping costs into their product price.