The actual listing (advert) would have cost most likely 40p. The 'Final Value' fee (auctioneers commission in other words) is indeed 10%, But that is now 10% of the total amount the seller has to pay including carriage costs. It used to be 10% of the sale price but too many people sold items for a low price and added a huge carriage cost. There was one particular Car Dismantler who did this for years listing things like s/h Audi TT Turbo unit. Sale price ￡10, carriage cost ￡89.

So, if you sold your laptop on Buy it Now for ￡280 plus ￡20 carriage, ebay would charge a Final Value Fee of ￡30. But it does not stop there, the buyer will almost certainly pay for the item by paypal. Paypal charge 3 3/4% handling fee.

The way it works is that paypal immediately take their 3 3/4% from the money the seller sends and credits your mums paypal account with the remainder. Then ebay take their 10% at the end of the month (you pay sellers fee's monthly).

So from the total money you charge, both selling price and carriage, 13 3/4% will be taken by ebay and paypal. If you were including carriage costs in your ￡280 your mum would end up having to pay Final Value Fee ￡28 Pay pal Fee ￡10.50 Listing fee [say] ￡0.50 so you would actually have to give her ￡39 not ￡28 !!! If you think that is high it is still less than your local bricks and mortar Auction house would charge for auctioning it.

Yes it is ten percent, so your mother is right, it does not make any difference that the buyer bought it as a buy it now option, Ebay are still entitled to their commission because they put the buyer in touch with you, if they had not then you may not have sold the laptop. What I don`t understand is why you think that it is wrong, do you expect Ebay to do it for nothing? if you advertized the laptop in a paper, you would have to pay an insertion fee but then you would not reach as many potential buyers. Ebay make no secret that they charge a commission for helping to sell items and the rules are there for all to read.

Sounds like you need to get up to speed on seller protection if you don't know what fees are.

Use special delivery or a signed for courier.

Log into PayPal to check that funds are actually there, and use the recipient address that PayPal gives you.

Seller fees for the UK:

Well I don't know where I can see how much it will be but I just sold my old laptop for ￡280, and my mother says they take 10 percent, so I'd have to give her ￡28 for doing it through her paypal and stuff, but I feel that is wrong and inaccurate. The buyer bought it as "Buy it Now" and stuff if that makes a difference. Please help.