eBay fee credits and refunds after a sale
eBay fees can change after a sale: credits for cancelled or refunded orders, and late fees. See how ProfitClerk picks them up and updates the order's profit.
Yes, eBay fees can change after the sale. When eBay gives a fee back, for example after a cancellation or a refund, it records a credit in its finance data. ProfitClerk reads it on the next sync, takes it off the order's fees by type and works the order's profit out again. You do not need to do anything.
What can change after a sale
- Fee credits: eBay gives back some or all of a fee, often the final value fee, when an order is cancelled or refunded. Each credit comes off the fee type it belongs to, so a final value fee credit lowers the Final value fee line.
- Refunds: money you returned to the buyer shows under Refunds as Refunded to buyer, with the date. Any fees eBay hands back with the refund come off the fees.
- Promoted Listings credits: if eBay credits an ad fee, the Promoted listing (ad) fee goes down.
- Late fees: some fees, for example for below-standard performance or a payment dispute, can arrive days after the sale. They show under Other eBay fees.
- Voided eBay labels: a credited label comes off the order's label cost, not its fees. See eBay Labels bought one at a time.
How ProfitClerk keeps up
Every transaction eBay records is kept once. On each sync (every 15 minutes), ProfitClerk reads what eBay recorded since the last read and works out again only the orders that got something new. Each night it re-reads the last 30 days, because eBay sometimes dates a transaction in the past. On any order, Refresh finance entries reads it from eBay at once.
When a refund on a recent order raises its refund amount, ProfitClerk can send you a notification that the order was refunded.
See what changed on an order
Open the order and scroll to eBay finance entries. Every transaction is listed with its type, amount and date:
- Fee: a fee eBay charged.
- Fee credit: a fee eBay gave back.
- Refund: money returned to the buyer.
- Shipping: eBay Labels.
The Net of all entries is what the order left you from eBay, before your own costs.
Where credits land in your reports
- Order page: the fee lines show what you paid after credits. A fee type that was fully credited shows as zero.
- Fee breakdown report: fees are grouped by the month of the sale, so a credit lowers that month, even if it arrived later. Past months can therefore move a little.
- Profit and loss: eBay fees follow the sale's period too. Refunds to buyers count in the period they were paid.
When a credit does not seem to arrive
- Check the order in eBay Seller Hub: has eBay actually credited the fee? Some credits take a few days, and some cases get no credit.
- Press Refresh finance entries on the order in ProfitClerk.
- Look under eBay finance entries for a Fee credit line.
If eBay shows a credit and ProfitClerk does not after a refresh, see eBay fees missing or wrong.
Cancelled orders
When a sale is cancelled before it is sent, eBay usually refunds the buyer and credits its fees. Once those reach the finance data, the order's fees and refund come through as above, and its status changes to match.
Questions people ask
Does eBay give fees back when I refund a buyer?
Often, in full or in part, depending on eBay's rules for that case. Whatever eBay credits shows in its finance data, and ProfitClerk takes it off the order's fees automatically.
How soon does a fee credit show in ProfitClerk?
On the next sync after eBay records it. Credits eBay dates in the past are caught by the nightly re-read of the last 30 days.
Which month does a fee credit count in?
Fees belong to the order, so a credit lowers the fees of the month the item sold, in the fee report and the profit and loss.
Why did an old order's profit change?
eBay recorded something new on it, such as a fee credit, a late fee or a refund. Open the order and check eBay finance entries to see what arrived and when.
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