| Fast Aquatics | eBay live aquatics | |
|---|---|---|
| Final value fee | 7% (Enterprise) / 9% (Pro) / 12% (Starter) | 13.25% + payment processing (~3%) |
| Listing fee | $0 (subscription tier covers) | $0.35 per listing after 250 |
| Subscription | $30 / $99 / $299 per month | $0 (basic) - $300 (Anchor Store) |
| Payout speed | Atomic split at capture (instant) | 2-day hold typical |
| DOA arbitration | Carrier + weather + photo data | None - seller eats fraud |
| Seller protection | Reasonable evidence overrides claim | Money Back Guarantee favors buyer |
| State legality enforcement | 52-rule database at checkout | Seller liable for Lacey Act violations |
| Trust Score / vendor reputation | Public 0-100 score | Star + feedback %, easy to bomb |
| Buyer base | Aquarium-specific (high intent) | Mass market (low aquarium signal) |
| Marketing tools | Trust Score, Top Vendor badge, Live Drops | Promoted Listings (extra 2-15%) |
| Platform commitment to category | Built for aquatics | Banned + un-banned in Feb 2025 |
On eBay (no Promoted Listings):
$1,000 gross - 13.25% FVF ($132.50) - 2.9% payment processing ($29) = $838.50 net
On Fast Aquatics Pro ($99/mo, 9% fee):
$1,000 gross - 9% platform fee ($90) - $99/12 amortized = $99 first month, $0 amortized = $910 net (first month $811)
Break-even at: ~$3,500/month gross. Above that, Fast Aquatics Pro pays for itself. At $10K/month, Fast Aquatics keeps you ~$650 more than eBay every month - and protects you on DOA disputes.
In February 2025, eBay announced a complete ban on live animal sales, then reversed it 48 hours later after community backlash. Sellers running businesses on eBay live aquatics now know: the platform doesn't fundamentally believe in this category. The next "review" could shut you off entirely. Fast Aquatics is built for aquatics; we don't shut down our own market.
eBay's Money Back Guarantee gives buyers 30 days to claim "item not as described" with minimal evidence requirements. Sellers who ship a fish that arrives DOA due to FedEx mishandling - clearly outside seller control - still eat the refund. Fast Aquatics' DOA arbitration uses actual carrier tracking + weather data + photo evidence; legitimate carrier-failure claims pay out from platform-funded buyer protection (or the underwriter), not from the vendor's wallet.
If you ship a snakehead to Florida on eBay (federal Lacey Act violation), you're personally liable. eBay's policy says "sellers are responsible for compliance." Fast Aquatics enforces 52 species-by-state rules at checkout - the platform won't let the order complete if it's illegal in the destination state. That's risk eBay can't shoulder because they don't have aquatic-specific compliance infrastructure.
An eBay shopper searching "saltwater fish" might buy once, churn, and complain about price. A Fast Aquatics shopper is on a site dedicated to aquatics: they read the species guide, check the Trust Score, browse the cultivar's lineage page, and place an order with intent. Conversion is materially higher. Anecdotally, Fast Aquatics anchor vendors report 3-5x conversion on the same SKU vs their eBay store.
Yes, if you're under $5K/month in gross. eBay's traffic firehose is real and it's free to list on. Mirror your top 50-100 SKUs to Fast Aquatics and let our SEO + Trust Score start compounding while eBay covers your discovery.
Not necessarily, if you're at $10K+/month and DOA disputes are eating 5%+ of revenue. The fee math + dispute math both favor Fast Aquatics. Many sellers who hit our mid-tier exit eBay entirely after 6 months.
First 25 anchor vendors get 90 days at 0% platform fee. Mirror your eBay listings risk-free.