Royal Mail parcel prices rise on 5 October — reprice before the Christmas rush, not during it

The one with a deadline: Royal Mail, 5 October

Royal Mail's October price change is confirmed on its own prices page. From 5 October 2026, prices rise for the services most marketplace sellers actually use: 1st and 2nd Class Parcels, Royal Mail Tracked, Signed For parcels, Special Delivery Guaranteed, and Parcel Collect. Letters and large letters are not in the October list — this one is aimed at parcels. The format-by-format figures are in Royal Mail's October price guides (linked from its prices page; separate guides for online/Click & Drop and Post Office counter prices — the online price is usually the cheaper of the two).

Also confirmed for business account holders: the seasonal Peak Surcharge returns from 2 November 2026 to 10 January 2027.

What to do: if your listing prices include "free" postage, that margin quietly shrinks on 5 October. Re-run your numbers with October postage before you set Christmas pricing — our repricing guide covers doing it without spooking buyers, and the fee comparator shows the full stack per channel.

Still biting from the summer: Etsy's regulatory fee

A reminder if your Etsy margin looks thinner since June: the UK regulatory operating fee rose from 0.32% to 0.48% of the order total (including postage) on 22 June 2026. Small percentage, but it stacks before VAT-on-fees — if you're not VAT-registered, 20% VAT lands on this fee too, taking the effective rate to about 0.58%. The Etsy calculator has carried the new rate since it took effect.

Still being absorbed: eBay's per-order fee

From 12 February 2026, business sellers pay a fixed per-order fee: 30p on orders up to £10, 40p above (ex-VAT), on top of category final value fees. On a £6 sale, 30p is a 5% fee by itself — low-price listings feel this hardest. The eBay calculator can solve your listing price backwards from the profit you want, step included.

Watching for the UK echo

Two overseas moves this summer are worth watching, because fee structures migrate:

• TikTok Shop raised its standard US referral fee from 6% to 8% for most categories in August. UK commission remains at its current rates — but the direction of travel is up, per the pattern.
• Depop replaced its Australian seller fee with a buyer-side fee in July, following the same flip it made in the UK in 2024 — evidence that buyer-side fees are becoming the sector's standard, which changes how your prices compare on-screen.

Neither changes a UK seller's costs today; both go in the timeline the day they do.

One thing to do this month

Before October: open your three best-selling listings, note the postage service each actually ships by, and check that service against Royal Mail's October guide. Three listings, ten minutes, and Christmas pricing stops being guesswork.