One sale. Four platforms. See the gap.
Enter the same item, cost, and shipping once. Compare what eBay, Etsy, Shopify, and Amazon FBA leave you per sale — before you decide where the listing belongs.
What the comparison includes
| Platform | Fee model used | Monthly fixed cost |
|---|---|---|
| eBay | 13.6% of item + shipping, plus $0.40 per order | $0 (no Store) |
| Etsy | $0.20 listing + 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing | $0 |
| Shopify | 2.9% + $0.30 processing, plus plan spread across orders | $29 Basic |
| Amazon FBA | 15% referral + $4.50 FBA + 3.5% surcharge + $0.50 storage | $39.99 Professional (not included) |
Why the spread is wider than the percentages suggest
On a $55 buyer total, eBay’s 13.6% looks close to Etsy’s 6.5% + 3%. But eBay also adds a $0.40 per-order fee, and Etsy adds a $0.20 listing fee plus a $0.25 processing fixed fee. Amazon’s 15% is only the start: fulfillment and storage add roughly $5 per unit, which is why its total fee rate lands above 20%.
Shopify wins the fee comparison because it is not a marketplace. It charges for software and processing, not for demand. That is the trade-off the table cannot show: a Shopify store with no traffic has no profit at all.
How to use the result
- If the item is unique or handmade: Etsy’s audience often supports a higher price; run the comparison at the price you can actually get.
- If the item is commoditized: eBay’s lower fixed costs and buyer base may beat Etsy, even with a higher percentage.
- If you already have traffic: Shopify keeps more per sale, but only after you subtract ad spend. Add your CAC to the Shopify column before declaring a winner.
- If you need logistics: Amazon’s fee is high because it includes fulfillment and Prime demand. Compare total profit and sell-through, not fee percentage alone.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Shopify so much cheaper than the marketplaces?
Shopify charges a payment-processing fee plus a monthly plan, not a marketplace commission. The trade-off is that Shopify does not bring buyers — you pay for traffic through ads, content, or email. The comparison shows platform fees only, not customer-acquisition cost.
Is Amazon really the most expensive?
On a $50 item with FBA fulfillment, usually yes. The referral fee is 15%, then fulfillment and storage stack on top. Amazon brings Prime buyers and logistics, so the higher fee can still produce more total profit — the table shows the per-sale math, not the demand side.
Should I compare at the same sale price?
Only as a starting point. The same item may sell for more on Etsy or eBay than on Amazon, and sell-through speed differs. Run the comparison at the price you can realistically get on each platform, then weigh fee differences against volume and sell-through.
Does the comparison include promoted listings or ads?
No. It uses the base fee stack for each platform. Add your own ad rate in the individual calculators — eBay Promoted Listings, Etsy Offsite Ads, Amazon PPC, or Shopify ad spend — to see the fully loaded number.