eBay Promoted Listings can be worth testing when the extra sales leave enough profit after advertising. A higher sales total alone does not answer the question. For a reseller with one-off stock, the useful comparison is how much money the campaign leaves behind and how quickly it moves the items you want to sell.
Start with our reseller ROI calculator, then use the worked example below to set a spending limit. Figures are in Australian dollars; campaign rules were checked on 5 November 2026.
General versus Priority: what are you paying for?
| Strategy | Charging model | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| General | A percentage of an attributed sale | The fee can apply even if the final buyer was not the person who clicked the ad |
| Priority | A charge for valid ad clicks | Click costs can accumulate without an order |
Under eBay Australia’s current General attribution rules, the promoted item must sell within 30 days of an ad click by any buyer, and be promoted at both the click and the sale. The rate in effect when it sells determines the fee. Promoting the same item through both strategies can create charges from both. See eBay’s Australian advertising overview.
That makes “attributed to advertising” different from “would never have sold without advertising”. You cannot establish that second claim from an attributed-sales figure alone.
What a 5% ad rate costs on a $70 order
For General campaigns, eBay calculates the percentage on the total sale amount, including postage, taxes and other applicable fees. Applicable GST can be added to the advertising charge. eBay’s General campaign guide explains the fee base; its Australian fee overview states that Australian registered addresses pay 10% GST on eBay fees.
Here is an illustrative cash-cost example, using $11 of ordinary selling fees as an assumption, not a universal eBay rate. Use your own account’s actual fees.
| Item | No advertising | General at 5%, plus 10% GST on the ad fee |
|---|---|---|
| Item price | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Postage paid by buyer | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| Stock purchase | −$20.00 | −$20.00 |
| Ordinary selling fees, assumed inclusive of GST | −$11.00 | −$11.00 |
| Postage label | −$8.00 | −$8.00 |
| Packaging | −$1.00 | −$1.00 |
| Advertising | $0.00 | −$3.85 |
| Contribution before labour, overhead and tax | $30.00 | $26.15 |
The calculation is $70 × 5% × 1.10 = $3.85. Do not add GST again to an invoice amount that already includes it. This example counts the cash paid; it does not calculate input tax credits.
A $3.85 charge sounds small, but it uses 12.8% of this item’s $30 pre-ad contribution. The same fee is much harder to absorb on an item that only had $8 left.
Set an ad-rate ceiling from your minimum profit
Choose the amount you want left after advertising, then work backwards:
Maximum ad spend = contribution before ads − minimum acceptable contribution.
In our example, keeping at least $25 leaves $5 available for advertising. Where 10% GST is added to the displayed General rate:
Maximum displayed rate = $5 ÷ ($70 × 1.10) × 100 = 6.49%.
That is a ceiling under these assumptions, not a recommended rate. Test below it to leave room for a lower accepted offer, extra packaging or a return. If your minimum includes payment for your time, subtract that time cost before calculating the ceiling.
In the ROI calculator, open Fine-tune the numbers and compare the same item with and without advertising. Its promoted-rate field directly multiplies the buyer total; it does not add GST separately. For the example above, enter an effective 5.5% to model a 5% charge plus 10% GST. Enter the ordinary marketplace fee separately and avoid counting ads twice.
Run a small test you can learn from
Choose a manageable group of comparable listings: similar category, price band, condition and listing age. Fix missing measurements, weak lead photos and obvious pricing problems first. Record the starting price and avoid changing several things at once.
For General campaigns, eBay offers fixed and dynamic rates. A dynamic rate follows its daily suggestion; a fixed rate stays set unless you edit it. Use the Advertising dashboard instructions to check availability for your account and eligible listings. A fixed rate can make an initial margin test easier to interpret.
Keep a short review record:
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Test dates, items and starting prices | Defines what you actually tested |
| Actual ad charges, including tax and credits | Captures the cost that reached your account |
| Total orders and contribution after ads | Shows whether more sales left more money |
| Days to sale and unsold items | Shows whether stock moved sooner |
| Offers, discounts, refunds and postage changes | Explains changes unrelated to advertising |
Compare with a similar unpromoted group where possible. With a handful of unique items, treat the result as a useful signal, not proof of a precise sales uplift. Allow for the attribution window when reviewing campaign reports. Reconcile final costs against Payments, then enter actual amounts in our free inventory spreadsheet.
When might Priority make sense?
Priority needs a separate click-cost budget. eBay describes its target daily budget as an average across the month, with a monthly limit affected by changes during that month. Read the current Priority campaign budget rules before treating the displayed daily number as a hard daily cap.
For a simple planning example, 100 clicks at an assumed $0.20 cash cost per click cost $20. If they produce two orders, that is $10 of advertising per order; if they produce none, the $20 still leaves your account. These are hypothetical figures, not typical eBay performance.
Priority is easier to assess when you have enough repeatable stock and conversion history to estimate what a click is worth. Thin-margin, one-off items leave less room for experimentation.
When to pause or reduce advertising
Review the campaign when actual costs exceed your ceiling, contribution falls despite more orders, or clicks fail to turn into purchases. Check the listing, price and shipping offer before simply increasing spend.
Also compare advertising with other uses of the same money: better photography, buying stock with clearer demand, or reducing listing time. Our eBay plan savings calculator answers a separate question: whether a different subscription lowers your ordinary selling costs.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage should I promote my eBay listings at?
Start with your margin and minimum acceptable profit. Calculate the most you can spend on advertising, allow for any GST, and choose a test rate below that ceiling. A suggested rate is not a profit guarantee.
Does eBay charge advertising fees on postage?
For General campaigns, the percentage applies to the total sale amount, including postage, taxes and other applicable fees. Use that total when estimating your advertising cost.
Can I pay an advertising fee without making a sale?
Yes, with Priority campaigns you pay for valid clicks even when they do not produce a sale. General campaigns use a sale-based fee instead.