eBay is Australia's biggest resale platform. Here's how to flip items profitably, and handle the business side correctly.
eBay has over 10 million active buyers in Australia, making it the largest online marketplace for secondhand and resold goods. For resellers, this means the widest possible audience for your listings. Unlike Depop (fashion-focused) or Facebook Marketplace (local-only), eBay covers every category and ships nationwide, giving you maximum flexibility in what you sell and who you sell to.
Before buying anything to flip, check eBay's completed and sold listings. Search for the item, then filter by "Sold items" to see real prices that buyers actually paid. This 30-second research step is the difference between profitable sourcing and wasting money. Pay attention to the condition of items that sold well, the listing titles used, and whether they were auction or Buy It Now.
Your listing title is the most important element — it's what determines whether buyers find your item in search. Include the brand, model/style, size (if applicable), condition, and key features. Use all 80 characters. For descriptions, be honest about condition, include measurements for clothing, and mention any defects. Good photos are essential — natural light, clean background, multiple angles.
eBay's fees typically total 12-15% of your sale price (including postage). This means on a $50 sale, you're losing $6-7.50 in fees alone. Add COGS, postage, and packaging, and your margin shrinks fast. The key to profitable flipping is factoring these costs into your maximum buy price before you source. If you can't sell an item for at least 3x what you paid after fees and postage, it's usually not worth picking up.
Free postage gets more views and often faster sales, but it eats into your margin. Calculated postage is more honest but can deter buyers. Many successful eBay flippers offer free postage on lightweight items (where the cost is small) and calculated postage on heavier items. Using Australia Post's MyPost Business discounts can save 10-20% on postage costs.
If you're flipping items regularly on eBay, you're running a business. That means declaring income, claiming deductions, and keeping proper records. See our eBay seller tax guide for the full obligations, and our eBay fees accounting guide for tracking fees correctly.
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