Selling fees on over $500 trading cards: what you keep
On cards over $1,000 the percentage gap is large in real dollars, and handling matters as much as fees: insurance, authentication, and safe fulfillment. eBay's estimated individual rate stays 13.25% up to $7,500 per item; an eBay Store subscription lowers the rate but caps the higher tier at $2,500, so the Store math only helps below that. Marketplace keeps 91%–95% by seller level, and a storefront keeps the full price.
A $750.00 card, no shipping
Compare seller proceeds using the published fee schedules. eBay figures are estimates; Pulltrader figures use the stated rates and assumptions.
| Selling method | Basis | Seller deductions | Seller deduction rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay (individual) | Estimated | $99.78 | 13.3% | $650.22 |
| eBay (Store subscriber) | Estimated | $93.03 | 12.4% | $656.97 |
| Marketplace — Free | Exact | $67.50 | 9% | $682.50 |
| Marketplace — Business | Exact | $37.50 | 5% | $712.50 |
| Your Pulltrader storefront3.25% + $0.40 per card transaction, covered by the buyer by default; no separate seller commission | Exact | $0.00 | 0% | $750.00 |
Your storefront keeps the full item price because the buyer pays the 3.25% + $0.40 platform fee at checkout — but you bring the buyer. The marketplace brings buyers and pays out 91–95% of the item by plan.
Why this is the answer for over $500 cards
A 6–8 point fee difference on a four-figure card is hundreds of dollars, and a lost or damaged high-value card is catastrophic — so where you keep the most and how it ships both drive the decision.
What we recommend
Keep the most on your storefront or Marketplace on a higher plan, and use Fulfilled by Pulltrader with vault storage for insured, authenticated fulfillment instead of mailing a grail yourself.
Alternatives & trade-offs
- Vault high-value inventory and let Fulfilled by Pulltrader handle insured outbound.
- For consignment-style auction houses, weigh the buyer's-premium model separately.
Methodology & sources
- Pulltrader figures are exact, from the authoritative fee configuration (version 2026-06-01, effective 2026-06-01).
- eBay figures are estimated from eBay published selling fees, Trading Cards category (version 2026-06-27, effective 2026-06-27) and exclude promoted listings, international fees, sales tax, and your own shipping-label cost.
- Calculation version:
ebay:2026-06-27+pulltrader:2026-06-01.
Estimates for trading cards in USD. eBay figures are estimates of published rates, not guaranteed proceeds, and this is not financial advice. Spotted something off? support@pulltrader.app.
See how Fulfilled by Pulltrader works
Vault storage and insured fulfillment for high-value cards.