Marketplace payout fees: a worked example
Updated
This is a hypothetical item at a made-up sale price, using each marketplace's own fee pages as read on 10/22/2026. It is not a quote and not a prediction of what any seller will receive.
Assumptions: the buyer pays shipping; shipping label cost, sales tax, ads, returns and income tax are left out; item price is the whole fee base. TikTok's fee base includes customer-paid shipping, and Whatnot's processing fee is charged on the whole order including shipping and tax, so both figures are best cases.
Example A: sneakers sold for $220
| Marketplace | Seller fee | Processing | Fixed | Take-home before payout fee | Payout fee | Take-home after payout fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StockX, Level 1 | 9% x 220 = $19.80 | 3% x 220 = $6.60 | none ($5 minimum doesn't bind) | 220 - 19.80 - 6.60 = $193.60 | PayPal: none listed, so $0. Debit card: 2% x 193.60 = $3.87 (inside $1.95 to $9.95) | PayPal $193.60. Debit $189.73 |
| StockX, Level 5 | 7% x 220 = $15.40 | $6.60 | none | 220 - 15.40 - 6.60 = $198.00 | same rules; debit 2% x 198.00 = $3.96 | PayPal $198.00. Debit $194.04 |
| eBay | 8% x 220 = $17.60 (sale is over $150) | not a separate line | no per-order fee at $150 or more | 220 - 17.60 = $202.40 | Standard payout: none listed, $0. Express: $2.00 | Standard $202.40. Express $200.40 |
| TikTok Shop | 6% x 220 = $13.20 | included in referral fee | none | 220 - 13.20 = $206.80 (fee base also includes any shipping the buyer pays) | Bank: $0.05 | $206.75 |
| GOAT, US prepaid shipping | 9.5% x 220 = $20.90 | none listed | $5 seller fee | 220 - 20.90 - 5 = $194.10 | 2.9% cash out x 194.10 = $5.63 | $188.47 |
| GOAT, US drop-off | 9.5% x 220 = $20.90 | none listed | $0 seller fee | 220 - 20.90 = $199.10 | 2.9% x 199.10 = $5.77 | $193.33 |
| Whatnot, Standard tier | 8% x 220 = $17.60 | 2.9% x 220 + $0.30 = $6.68 (on item price only; buyer-paid shipping and tax raise it) | the $0.30 above | 220 - 17.60 - 6.68 = $195.72 | none listed, $0 | $195.72 |
Example B: electronics sold for $400 (for example, a game console)
| Marketplace | Seller fee | Processing | Fixed | Take-home before payout fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StockX, Level 1 | 9% x 400 = $36.00 | 3% x 400 = $12.00 | none | 400 - 36 - 12 = $352.00 |
| StockX, Level 5 | 7% x 400 = $28.00 | $12.00 | none | 400 - 28 - 12 = $360.00 |
| eBay ("Most categories" row; electronics is not a special category) | 13.6% x 400 = $54.40 | included in the final value fee | per-order $0.40 (order over $10) | 400 - 54.40 - 0.40 = $345.20 |
| TikTok Shop | 6% x 400 = $24.00 | included in referral fee | none | 400 - 24 = $376.00 (before the $0.05 bank withdrawal) |
| Whatnot, Standard tier | 8% x 400 = $32.00 | 2.9% x 400 + $0.30 = $11.90 (item price only) | the $0.30 above | 400 - 32 - 11.90 = $356.10 |
| GOAT | not listed for electronics | left out |
How to read this
- The lowest-fee row is not automatically the best place to sell. Sell-through speed, buyer traffic and returns are not in the table.
- TikTok's 6% includes processing, and its bank withdrawal costs $0.05. Its fee base includes any shipping the buyer pays, so the real fee can be a little higher.
- Whatnot's processing fee is charged on the whole order, including shipping and tax the buyer pays, so its take-home here is a best case.
- GOAT's 2.9% cash out fee is the biggest payout cost in the table. Dropping off instead of using prepaid shipping saves the $5 seller fee.
Sources
Next step
Read the full story behind these numbers in what a $220 pair of sneakers pays on each marketplace. To pay for inventory, see the Shield business credit card.