eBay's sold prices for Nintendo Switch games look appealing - $44 for Mario Kart, $52 for Zelda. But those numbers are pre-fee, pre-shipping, and pre-hassle. Once you run the full math, local trading wins for most popular Switch titles.
The True Cost of Selling on eBay
eBay charges sellers 13% on the total sale amount including shipping. On a $44 Mario Kart sale:
- eBay fee (13%): -$5.72
- Shipping (USPS Ground Advantage, game in bubble mailer): -$5-7
- Packing supplies (bubble mailer, tape): -$0.50-1.00
- Your time (listing, packing, post office trip): 30-45 minutes
Net received: $30-33 in cash, 45 minutes of your time.
CartridgeBond local sale at $43: you keep $43, the meetup takes 15 minutes.
When eBay Is the Better Choice
eBay's national buyer pool makes it worth the fee for certain types of games:
- Rare or limited print titles - local demand may not exist, but national collectors will pay premium
- Older titles with low local demand - if nobody in Milwaukee wants it, you need a national audience
- High-value bundles - a complete-in-box collector's edition might justify the fees on a $150+ sale
- Games where local pricing is saturated - if Facebook Marketplace has 20 listings for the same game at the same price
The Chargeback Problem Nobody Talks About
eBay and PayPal chargeback fraud is real and disproportionately affects low-to-mid value transactions like game sales. A buyer receives your game, claims it "wasn't as described" or "never arrived," and PayPal reverses the payment. You're out the game and the money.
In a local cash transaction, there is no chargeback. The exchange is final the moment it's complete. That risk elimination has real value that doesn't show up in the headline price comparison.
The Local Marketplace Comparison
| Platform | MK8 Net (Seller) | Fees | Shipping | Chargeback Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CartridgeBond (local) | $43 | None (beta) | None | None |
| Facebook Marketplace | $35-40 | None | None | None |
| eBay | $30-33 | 13% | $5-7 | Moderate |
| Swappa | $32-36 | Buyer-side | $5-7 | Low |
| GameStop | $22 | N/A | None | None |
Ready to trade smarter?
Sell locally in Milwaukee. Keep the full price - no eBay fees, no shipping, no chargebacks.
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