What it costs to sell and ship a textbook
On a $40 textbook, Amazon takes $7.80 (15% plus its $1.80 media closing fee), eBay $6.52, Mercari $4.00 and TikTok Shop $2.40, before shipping. Textbooks qualify for Media Mail, which costs $5.13 for 2 lb, $5.86 for 3 lb and $7.34 for 5 lb anywhere in the US; Media Mail includes no insurance, so a $150 book insured for full value adds $4.50.
This page is about textbook price points. For packing books and Media Mail against Ground Advantage at any weight, see the cheapest way to ship books.
Rates verified on
USPS and platform rules checked
- USPS Media Mail for textbooks
- Allowed
- eBay fee on a $40 sale, no shipping charged
- $6.52
- a hardcover textbook, 3 lb, Media Mail
- $5.86
- Insuring a $150 book sent by Media Mail
- $4.50
Selling fees on a $15, $40, $90 and $150 textbook
What each platform takes and what's left of the sale price, computed with the same code as our fee calculators. Fee pages checked Oct 14, 2026.
| Platform | $15 | $40 | $90 | $150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon15% + $1.80 closing fee | $10.95 ($4.05) | $32.20 ($7.80) | $74.70 ($15.30) | $125.70 ($24.30) |
| eBay15.3% of the total + $0.30/$0.40 per order | $12.30 ($2.70) | $33.48 ($6.52) | $75.83 ($14.17) | $126.65 ($23.35) |
| Mercari10% of item + shipping | $13.50 ($1.50) | $36.00 ($4.00) | $81.00 ($9.00) | $135.00 ($15.00) |
| TikTok Shop6% of item + shipping | $14.10 ($0.90) | $37.60 ($2.40) | $84.60 ($5.40) | $141.00 ($9.00) |
If the buyer pays $5.86 shipping
Here the buyer pays the Media Mail price for 3 lb and all of it goes on the label. eBay, Mercari, Etsy, Amazon and TikTok Shop take their percentage from buyer-paid shipping too, and Whatnot's and Depop's processing fees cover it; Poshmark buyers pay Poshmark's own label instead.
| Platform | $15 | $40 | $90 | $150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $10.07 ($0.88) | $31.32 ($0.88) | $73.82 ($0.88) | $124.82 ($0.88) |
| eBay | $11.41 ($0.89) | $32.58 ($0.90) | $74.93 ($0.90) | $125.75 ($0.90) |
| Mercari | $12.91 ($0.59) | $35.41 ($0.59) | $80.41 ($0.59) | $134.41 ($0.59) |
| TikTok Shop | $13.75 ($0.35) | $37.25 ($0.35) | $84.25 ($0.35) | $140.65 ($0.35) |
- $15: with buyer-paid shipping, TikTok Shop leaves $13.75 and Amazon $10.07, a gap of $3.68.
- $40: with buyer-paid shipping, TikTok Shop leaves $37.25 and Amazon $31.32, a gap of $5.93.
- $90: with buyer-paid shipping, TikTok Shop leaves $84.25 and Amazon $73.82, a gap of $10.43.
- $150: with buyer-paid shipping, TikTok Shop leaves $140.65 and Amazon $124.82, a gap of $15.83.
- Amazon: Amazon's pricing page lists “Media - Books, DVD, Music, Software, Video” at 15% with no minimum referral fee, and says “media items incur a closing fee $1.80 per item” (Amazon, saved copy Oct 14, 2026). The Individual plan adds $0.99 per item sold.
- eBay: Books & Magazines pays eBay's 15.3% media rate (eBay fee page).
- TikTok Shop: TikTok Shop lists Books, Magazines & Audio > Education & Schooling at 6% (TikTok Shop Academy).
- eBay's rule for this category word for word, the price where its rate changes, and a worked example with shipping and sales tax are on eBay fees for books; this page covers the other platforms and the shipping.
- eBay also charges its percentage on sales tax, which the tables leave out: eBay fees on sales tax.
- Your own numbers: where to sell calculator · selling fees compared
Shipping a textbook: USPS prices by weight
Books qualify for Media Mail when they meet DMM 173.4.1a: “Books ... of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books” (DMM 173.4.1a). Media Mail is priced by the pound and “any fraction of a pound is considered a whole pound” (DMM 173.1.2), so a book that weighs 2 lb 3 oz packed pays the 3 lb price.
USPS can open the package to check: “the mailing of articles at Media Mail or Library Mail prices constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents” (DMM 173.2.2). Media Mail includes USPS Tracking (USPS) but no insurance: “Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage” (DMM 503, Exhibit 1.4.1).
Workbooks count: the standard includes reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations.
| Packed weight | Media Mail | Ground Advantage, commercial, Zone 1 | Ground Advantage, commercial, Zone 4 | Ground Advantage, commercial, Zone 8 | Ground Advantage, retail, Zone 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lba paperback or thin hardcover | $5.13 | $8.39 | $8.91 | $13.42 | $13.50 |
| 3 lba hardcover textbook | $5.86 | $9.04 | $10.07 | $16.30 | $14.20 |
| 5 lba large hardcover | $7.34 | $10.35 | $11.67 | $20.24 | $16.60 |
| 8 lbtwo or three books | $9.55 | $10.75 | $13.08 | $23.95 | $18.45 |
Your exact weight and zone: postage calculator · Ground Advantage rates · Media Mail rates · USPS holiday prices
Platform labels
A label bought through a selling platform follows that platform's price list. These are the label prices on our change tracker for the platforms above, from each platform's own page; each note says when that page was checked if it wasn't re-checked for this update.
- Mercari Media Mail. Since Oct 19, 2026, Mercari's prepaid Media Mail labels cost $4.47 for 1 lb, $5.22 for 2 lb, $5.97 for 3 lb, against USPS's own $4.39, $5.13, $5.86 (tracker entry).
- eBay Labels and other label services use their own prices; this page uses USPS's published prices so every platform is compared on the same postage.
Insurance and signature on a textbook
“Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage” (DMM 503, Exhibit 1.4.1); Media Mail isn't on that list and includes none. Beyond that, “additional insurance may be purchased for no more than a maximum coverage of $5,000.00” (DMM 503.4.2), and “Insurance coverage only covers the actual value of mail contents” (USPS). “Insurance fees are based on the item's declared value” (USPS). “An item insured for more than $500.00 receives a delivery scan ... and USPS provides a signature as the delivery record to the mailer electronically” (DMM 503.4.3.1). Under that, Signature Confirmation costs $4.15 online or $5.15 at the counter (Notice 123).
| Declared value | Ground Advantage insurance fee | Media Mail insurance fee | Registered Mail fee | Delivery signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | included (up to $100) | $2.80 | $21.50 | Signature Confirmation, $4.15 online |
| $40 | included (up to $100) | $2.80 | $21.50 | Signature Confirmation, $4.15 online |
| $90 | included (up to $100) | $3.50 | $21.50 | Signature Confirmation, $4.15 online |
| $150 | $4.50 | $4.50 | $25.00 | Signature Confirmation, $4.15 online |
- Insured for more than $500, the buyer “may be required to show an acceptable primary ID before USPS will deliver the mailpiece” (USPS).
Platform rules that apply to textbooks
Amazon's closing fee on cheap books
Amazon's referral fee is 15% of the total, and “An item's total price includes its list price, as well as shipping costs and any gift-wrapping charges” (Amazon pricing page). On top of it, “media items incur a closing fee $1.80 per item” (Amazon). On a $15 textbook that's $4.05 of $15; on a $150 one $24.30. Floor prices by weight: Amazon book minimum prices.
eBay's media rate
Books pay 15.3% on eBay, and the percentage covers buyer-paid shipping too: $14.17 on a $90 textbook with no shipping charged, $15.07 with $5.86 of Media Mail. eBay's rule and more prices: eBay fees for books.
TikTok Shop and Mercari charge on shipping too
TikTok Shop's 6% and Mercari's 10% both apply to buyer-paid shipping; “The Referral Fee calculation base includes the shipping fee paid by the customer” (TikTok Shop Academy). On a $40 book with $5.86 of shipping, TikTok Shop takes $2.75 and Mercari $4.59.
Packing a textbook
From USPS's packaging standards (DMM 601.3) and its packing steps (USPS: How to send a package):
- DMM 601.3.8 sets the rule for books: printed matter “more than one inch thick or one pound must not be accepted in letter-style non-reinforced flat envelopes or without packaging” (DMM 601.3.8).
- “Void spaces within containers must be filled with dunnage, or otherwise stabilized to prevent shifting or damage to the contents or container” (DMM 601.3.8).
- Up to 5 lb, DMM 601.3.8 allows closing the package with friction closures, staples, heat-sealing, adhesives, tape or banding; from 5 to 10 lb it requires tape, banding or adhesives (DMM 601.3.8).
- “Use enough 2-inch-wide packing tape to close and secure all seams” (USPS).
- Reusing a box? USPS says to “make sure all old logos, barcodes, shipping labels, and addresses are covered or blacked out” (USPS).
Edge cases
A textbook with a CD or DVD
The disc qualifies in its own right: DMM 173.4.1i covers “Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media”, and 173.4.1e covers sound and video recordings (DMM 173.4.1). A book-and-disc bundle stays Media Mail.
Access codes, inserts and a calculator
Loose printed matter can ride along: “any printed matter that is mailable as USPS Marketing Mail may be included loose with any qualifying material mailed at the Media Mail or Library Mail prices” (DMM 173.6.1). An invoice for the book can go inside too (DMM 173.6.3). A calculator, flash drive or lab kit packed with the book can't: they aren't on the list, and “If you try to include anything that's not allowed, you (or your recipient) will have to pay higher postage rates” (USPS).
Highlighting and notes
Markings in a used book don't change its class: DMM 173.6.2 lists written additions that need no First-Class postage, including “Marks to call attention to words or passages in the text” (DMM 173.6.2).
Media Mail against Ground Advantage
At textbook weights Media Mail stays under Ground Advantage: 5 lb is $7.34 by Media Mail and $10.35 to $20.24 by commercial Ground Advantage (Zones 1-8). Ground Advantage is faster, 2-5 days against 2-8 (USPS), and includes $100 of insurance.
Questions
Can textbooks go by Media Mail?
Yes, if they meet the book standard: “Books ... of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books” (DMM 173.4.1a). USPS can check: “the mailing of articles at Media Mail or Library Mail prices constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents” (DMM 173.2.2).
How much does it cost to ship a 3 lb textbook?
$5.86 by Media Mail, the same to any US address. By commercial Ground Advantage it's $9.04 to $16.30 (Zones 1-8), and at the Post Office $11.80 to $23.15.
What does Amazon charge to sell a used textbook?
15% of the total price plus a $1.80 closing fee per media item (Amazon): $7.80 on a $40 book with no shipping counted, and $8.68 if the total includes $5.86 of shipping. The Individual plan adds $0.99 per item sold.
Is a workbook with writing in it still Media Mail?
Yes. USPS's ruling on books says “Current administrative policy provides for the mailing of fill-in type self-help textbooks at Media Mail prices” (USPS ruling PS-064), and lists “workbooks, books containing sheets which are blank on one side, loose-leaf bound books” among the books that qualify. Writing in it doesn't change that: DMM 173.6.2 allows written additions such as “Marks to call attention to words or passages in the text” (DMM 173.6.2). More on workbooks and test booklets: textbooks and workbooks by Media Mail.
Should I insure a textbook sent by Media Mail?
Media Mail includes no coverage: “Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage include $100.00 of insurance coverage” (DMM 503, Exhibit 1.4.1), and Media Mail isn't one of them. Insuring a $90 book costs $3.50 and a $150 book $4.50 (Notice 123).
Changes that affect what textbooks cost to sell and ship
From the change tracker, each checked against its official source.
-
Mercari Media Mail labels get cheaper: 1 lb $4.99 to $4.47
From October 19, 2026, Mercari's prepaid Media Mail labels cost $4.47 for 1 lb (was $4.99), $5.22 for 2 lb (was $5.99) and $5.97 for 3 lb (was $6.99). The new prices apply to new and existing listings, whether the buyer or the seller pays shipping. They match the USPS Media Mail prices in effect from July 13, 2025 to July 11, 2026, so they're still $0.08 to $0.11 above USPS's current prices ($4.39 for 1 lb).
Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: +$0.52 / +$0.52 / +$0.52
If you pay for a 1 lb Mercari Media Mail label. 2 lb: +$0.77; 3 lb: +$1.02. If the buyer pays shipping, Mercari's 10% fee on shipping falls: +$0.05 on 1 lb.
Source: Mercari help: Fees on Mercari · Mercari help: Shipping change announcements (Sep 17, 2026) · verified
-
Media Mail got cheaper: 1 lb is now $4.39 (was $4.47)
In the July 12, 2026 price change, Media Mail went down at every weight checked: 1 lb $4.47 to $4.39, 2 lb $5.22 to $5.13, 5 lb $7.47 to $7.34, 10 lb $11.22 to $11.02. Retail and commercial Media Mail prices are the same, and USPS Tracking is included.
Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: +$0.08 / +$0.08 / +$0.08
If you pay for a 1 lb Media Mail label. 2 lb: +$0.09; 5 lb: +$0.13; 10 lb: +$0.20.
Source: USPS Notice 123, Jul 12, 2026 edition (archive) · USPS Notice 123, Jan 18, 2026 edition (archive) · verified
-
Amazon FBM: handling times must match how fast you actually ship
From June 29, 2026, each seller-fulfilled SKU's handling time must match how fast you actually ship it. Amazon recommends turning on Automated Handling Time, which comes with late-shipment-rate protection. If a SKU you set by hand is consistently shipped at least one day faster than stated (Amazon monitors over 30 days), it gets flagged and you have 30 days to fix it, or Amazon manages that SKU's handling time itself. Custom, handmade and heavy-and-bulky less-than-truckload shipments are exempt.
Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a
A rule, not a fee. A padded handling time on a fast-shipping SKU gets flagged and can be overridden by Amazon.
Source: Amazon Seller Central news (News_Amazon): New handling time requirements for seller-fulfilled products · verified · not re-checked since; a re-check against the source is pending
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Stamps and Media Mail: at most one price increase per fiscal year through 2030
A Postal Regulatory Commission rule (Order No. 9426) bars USPS from raising market-dominant prices more than once per fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30) from March 1, 2026 through Sept. 30, 2030. Price cuts and de minimis increases are exempt. Market-dominant products include First-Class Mail stamps and Package Services, the class that contains Media Mail.
Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a
A pricing rule, not a fee. Media Mail and stamp prices can rise at most once in each fiscal year until Sept. 30, 2030.
Source: PRC final rule (Order No. 9426), Federal Register, Jan 16, 2026 · verified
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Amazon FBM: 4 calendar days to refund a return, or lose SAFE-T
From January 26, 2026, FBM sellers have four calendar days (was two business days) after a return arrives to issue the refund before Amazon refunds the buyer automatically. If Amazon auto-refunds, you generally can't claim SAFE-T reimbursement, except when the return was lost in transit or the delivery confirmation was wrong. The rule doesn't cover returns Amazon already refunded at first scan through prepaid return labels.
Your net on a $10 / $25 / $50 sale: n/a / n/a / n/a
A rule, not a fee. Miss the 4-day window on a bad return and you lose the SAFE-T claim that could recover the refund.
Source: Amazon Seller Central news (News_Amazon): Update to seller-fulfilled refund process by January 26, 2026 · verified · not re-checked since; a re-check against the source is pending
Sources
Rates verified on from each official page below.
- Amazon: Selling on Amazon fees (sell.amazon.com/pricing) (saved copy, Oct 14, 2026)
- eBay: Selling fees (US) (saved copy, Oct 14, 2026)
- TikTok Shop Academy: TikTok Shop Referral Fees in 2024 by Category (dated Oct 8, 2026)
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 173: Media Mail prices and eligibility (4.1 qualified items)
- USPS: Mail and shipping services (Media Mail eligibility, Ground Advantage)
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 503: insurance, Registered Mail and Signature Confirmation
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 601.3: packaging standards
- USPS: How to send a package (packing steps, lithium batteries)
- USPS Customer Support Ruling PS-064: Media Mail, books (workbooks and fill-in textbooks)
- USPS Notice 123: price list, extra services and Ground Advantage fees
- Mercari: Fees on Mercari
- Whatnot help: USPS shipping updates (as checked Oct 14, 2026)
- Poshmark Blog, Oct 8, 2026
- USPS Governors' Decision 26-2, Federal Register, May 14, 2026
- Mercari help: Why was I charged for an overweight or oversized package? (Hazmat Fees)
- Poshmark Blog, Oct 5, 2026
- USPS Notice 123, Jul 12, 2026 edition (archive)
- Amazon Seller Central news (News_Amazon): New handling time requirements for seller-fulfilled products
- PRC final rule (Order No. 9426), Federal Register, Jan 16, 2026
- Amazon Seller Central news (News_Amazon): Update to seller-fulfilled refund process by January 26, 2026
Free 1-page Reseller Cheat Sheet: fees on 8 platforms, Media Mail and stamp prices
What each platform takes from a $10, $25 and $50 sale, Media Mail 1-10 lb, Ground Advantage to Zones 1, 5 and 8, and the Forever stamp, on one printable page. The link appears as soon as you sign up.