3 min article

Buying and selling on eBay to benefit nonprofit organizations

With eBay for Charity, you can support the causes you care about when you buy and sell items on eBay.

eBay for Charity - opens in new window or tab makes it easy for buyers and sellers to support causes that are important to them.

Buying to benefit charitable organizations

eBay buyers can donate to their favorite charities in the following ways:

Donations made during eBay checkout and Donate Now are tax deductible. Generally, you can’t claim a tax deduction for eBay for Charity items that you buy. If you’re unsure about your tax obligations, you should consult a tax professional about your specific circumstances.

Selling to benefit charitable organizations

eBay for Charity - opens in new window or tab has partnered with the PayPal Giving Fund - opens in new window or tab to make it easy for sellers to donate some or all of the proceeds from eBay listings to their favorite charities.

Sellers have two options when listing items to benefit charities on eBay:

  • Community selling: Donate up to 100% of your final sales price to support your chosen charities. You can customize the donation percentage and the charity you want to support for each individual listing. The minimum donation amount is 10% or $1 (or 1% for eBay Motors listings)
  • eBay charity selling: When you create an eBay business account and register as an eBay charity seller, the net proceeds from your sales will be sent directly to the bank account associated with your eBay account

When your item sells, you don’t have to do anything. Three weeks after the sale, PayPal Giving Fund will automatically collect the donation from you.

When you designate a charity in your listings, the organization’s logo and description will appear in your listing description, and the charity is notified of the listing’s creation. The organization can request to have the listing canceled if they prefer not to be associated with the listing.

Charitable fundraising is a highly regulated area, so be sure to read the Charity listings policy for specific guidelines on listing items that benefit charitable organizations. There are some category restrictions for charity listings. For example, you can’t list eBay for Charity items in the Adult Only or Real Estate categories, and you can’t list items that aren’t allowed on eBay. See our article on prohibited and restricted items for more details.

Fees and discounts for community sellers

Community sellers will receive a discount on their final value fees that is equal to the donation percentage for each listing. For example, if you choose a 30% donation on your listing, you’ll receive a 30% discount on the final value fees.

All other eBay fees and charges still apply and do not qualify for a discount. For more information, see our article on selling fees.

Information for charitable organizations

If you’re registered as an eBay charity seller, you’ll pay a final value fee at a special charity rate. Your fees will be deducted and the net proceeds from your sales will be sent directly to the bank account associated with your eBay account.

If you’d like to increase your fundraising potential, you can set up your charity to receive donations at checkout. For more information, see our eBay for Charity website - opens in new window or tab.

Tip
Every eBay member can view the Donation Preferences - opens in new window or tab section in their account settings to help manage their donations, pay their donation invoices, and view their donation history.

When you designate a charity in your listings, the organization’s logo and description will appear in your listing description, and the charity is notified when items are listed to benefit the organization.

Was this article helpful for you?