eBay

If purchasing an item from a different country, watch the conversion rate eBay offers to you. Perform a quick currency swap price  online. Every time I have checked before a purchase, eBay has undervalued the USD. Having the credit card company set the conversion rate vs eBay doing so saved a significant amount of money. 

Many missed the point of this.  Don't know if it is legal but it isn't ethical.  their fees should be based on sales price (and they used to be).  Then the figured out that most won't notice if they charge the fees on the shipping  too.  So if your shipping is $10, you'll have to charge $12 or pay $2 yourself.  I guess they argued that they do this so you won't sell a $10 itm with $2 shipping for $2 with $10 shipping.  So 1% of ebay sellers tried to work the system and the other 99% get to pay and ebay reports an earnings gain.

As for sales tax, ebay keeps all of that and sends it to the state etc.  so I don't think they are charging fees on it.  But if they caluculate your fee based on it, then they are really just adding a defacto fee increase.

Jerry

"their fees should be based on sales price "

It is, the total sales price. What the buyer actually pays for the item and that includes taxes & shipping costs. It's the same as if you bought it from a store. For example: The retail price of the generator on the shelf has the shipping to the store, taxes paid, etc. built into the retail price on the sticker and (if you are a sales tax state) more tax. eBay is just a big store that shares it's info because it's participants are both buyers & sellers on the same venue.

BTW: The buyer does pay 13.25% of the added sales tax.

I haven’t had any problems with eBay and I’ve sold and purchased quite a bit. They charge their commission and my state sales tax. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. It’s mind boggling that they can expose your items to a huge audience of buyers interested in just what you’re selling. And that’s what you’re paying for. If that’s not a good deal for you sell your things another way. 

@thedoc2004   List  on AudioMart where it is free.  I have sold every item I have ever listed on that site.  Why pay any fees when there is a site dedicated to Audio equipment.  Ebay may give you exposure, but AudioMart gives you exposure to the right audience.  IMHO