The quick answer (with caveats)
Amazon is better if: you have new branded products, buy wholesale or private label, and want to tap into Prime's massive buyer base. Amazon buyers are high-intent and buy at full price. The tradeoff is that Amazon is competitive, restrictive, and expensive.
eBay is better if: you're reselling used items, selling collectibles, flipping thrift finds, or selling in categories where condition and uniqueness matter. eBay buyers are deal-seeking and treasure-hunting. The tradeoff is lower average sale prices and more hands-on listing work.
The honest answer for most sellers is eventually both. But where you start, and where you focus your energy, depends on your inventory.
Fee comparison
| Fee Type | Amazon | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $0 (Individual) or $39.99/mo (Professional) | $0 (Individual) or $4.95-$349.95/mo (Store) |
| Listing fee | $0.99/item (Individual) or $0 (Professional) | $0 (first 250/mo), $0.35 after |
| Referral/final value fee | 8-15% depending on category | ~13.25% most categories |
| FBA/fulfillment fee | $3.22-$6.00+ per unit (FBA) | N/A (seller fulfills) |
| Payment processing | Included in referral fee | ~2.9% + $0.30 |
Total fees on a $50 item:
- Amazon (FBA, no subscription): ~$6.50 referral + $4.00 FBA fee = approximately $10.50 (21%)
- eBay (Individual, no store): ~$6.63 final value + $1.75 payment processing = approximately $8.38 (16.8%)
eBay's total cost is usually lower per transaction. Amazon's advantage is volume: the massive buyer base can compensate for higher fees with more sales. For the full breakdown, see our guides on Amazon seller fees and eBay fees.
Buyer base and traffic
Amazon Buyers
- Over 300 million active accounts globally
- High purchase intent (ready to buy)
- Price-sensitive but loyal to Prime
- Buy new, expect fast shipping
- Brand-agnostic in many categories
- Rarely have a relationship with the seller
eBay Buyers
- ~135 million active buyers globally
- Treasure-hunters, deal-seekers, collectors
- Buy new and used
- Comfortable with auctions
- Will pay premium for rare/hard-to-find
- More likely to engage with the seller
Fulfillment options
Amazon FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon)
Send your inventory to Amazon's warehouses. Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for those orders. Your products become Prime-eligible with 2-day delivery. FBA costs money but removes the fulfillment burden. It's the main reason Amazon sellers can scale to high volumes.
The risks: FBA fees add up, Amazon can commingle your products with other sellers' inventory (leading to potential quality issues), and if Amazon loses or damages your inventory, the reimbursement process can be slow.
Amazon FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant)
You fulfill orders yourself. No FBA fees, more control, but you lose Prime eligibility (unless you qualify for Seller Fulfilled Prime, which has requirements). Good for oversized items, custom products, or items with irregular shipping needs.
eBay fulfillment
eBay sellers always self-fulfill (there's no eBay equivalent to FBA). You pack and ship every order. This gives you full control over packaging and presentation but scales linearly with volume. As you grow, fulfillment becomes a significant time investment.
Selling on both Amazon and eBay?
Commerce Kitty syncs your inventory across both platforms in real-time. No more overselling, no more double entry.
Start FreeSeller control and restrictions
Amazon: significant restrictions
Amazon has categories that require approval to sell in. Many brand-name products require ungating. Amazon controls how your listing looks (you're adding to an existing product page, not creating your own). Amazon can suppress your listings, restrict your account, or deactivate you for policy violations, sometimes without clear explanation.
The tradeoff is access to the most valuable buyer base in e-commerce. Sellers who work within Amazon's rules can build very profitable businesses. But Amazon is a landlord with significant power over your store.
eBay: more flexibility
eBay's seller restrictions are lighter. You create your own listings rather than adding to a shared product catalog. Used items, one-of-a-kind pieces, and unusual products are all welcome. eBay's policies are enforced, but the platform is generally more flexible for independent sellers.
Which platform for which product types
Should you sell on both?
For most sellers who have scalable inventory, yes, eventually both. They serve different buyer segments and the incremental effort of adding a second channel is often worth the additional sales.
Start with one. Learn the platform, establish your feedback/reviews, and get your operations running smoothly. Then add the second. Once you're on both, you need to manage inventory carefully to avoid overselling the same item twice.
See our guide on how to sell on Amazon and eBay at the same time and Amazon-eBay inventory sync. For a broader look at the benefits, read benefits of selling on multiple platforms.
Also see: should I sell on Etsy or Shopify? and which platform has the lowest selling fees?
Selling on both Amazon and eBay?
Commerce Kitty syncs your inventory between Amazon and eBay in real-time. One inventory, every platform. Free to start.
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