EBay's listing fees range from 25 cents for items that start for sale at less than a dollar to US$4.80 for items on which the bidding begins at $500 or more. The so-called final value fee starts at 5.25 percent of the total sale price.

Depending upon the category and other factors, the savings on an item that sold at auction for $100 could be more than $5, depending upon the number of extras a seller chooses to draw attention to its listing. For sellers who peddle dozens of items each week, that could represent a significant bottom-line difference.