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If you’re thinking about selling on Amazon, here’s a clear breakdown of the costs involved:
1. Selling Plan (Subscription or Per-Item Fee)
You must choose one of two Amazon seller plans:
- Individual Plan: No monthly fee, but $0.99 per item sold. Best suited if you’re selling fewer than 40 items per month.Reddit+10Sell on Amazon+10YouTube+10Jungle Scout+6wix.com+6sequencecommerce.com+6
- Professional Plan: Flat $39.99 per month, regardless of how many items you sell. More cost-effective if selling 40+ items per month, and unlocks tools like bulk listing, promotions, and access to the Buy Box.Jungle Scout+3Investopedia+3WebFX+3
2. Referral Fees (Commission on Each Sale)
Amazon takes a percentage of the total sales price (including shipping, excluding tax), varying by product category:
- Typically ranges between 6% and 45%, depending on what you’re selling.YouTube+9wix.com+9repricer.com+9Printify+1
- Some categories have tiered rates—for example, baby products are 8% for items under $10 and 15% above that.Sell on Amazon+1
- Most categories have a minimum referral fee, often around $0.30 per item.wix.com+5Sell on Amazon+5Printify+5
3. Closing Fee (For Media Items)
If you’re selling media products—like books, DVDs, CDs, music, software, or video games—an additional variable closing fee applies (usually around $1.80 per item).Sell on Amazon+4WebFX+4Printify+4
4. Additional Fees to Know About
- Refund Administration Fee: When issuing a refund, Amazon refunds your referral fee but subtracts a processing fee—the lesser of $5.00 or 20% of the referral fee.Jungle Scout+1
- High-Volume Listing Fee: Sellers with many inactive ASINs may incur a fee of $0.005 per ASIN per month—though it’s typically waived for the first 100,000 ASINs.Jungle Scout+1
- Rental Book Service Fee: If you’re renting textbooks, a $5.00 fee per rental applies.Jungle Scout+1
5. Fulfillment & Shipping Costs
a) Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)
- You’re responsible for shipping items yourself.
- Under the Individual Plan, Amazon may charge shipping fees ranging from roughly $3.99 to $14.95 for domestic orders and up to $46.50 for international shipping, plus overweight surcharges.WebFX
- If you’re on the Professional Plan, you set your own shipping rates.repricer.com+4WebFX+4Printify+4
b) Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
With FBA, Amazon handles storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service, but charges additional fees based on your product’s size, weight, and storage duration:
- Fulfillment Fees: Vary according to size/weight—e.g., small standard items may cost around $2.50–$5.50 per unit, while oversized items cost more.Sell on Amazon+3Printify+3Wikipedia+3
- Monthly Storage Fees: Charged per cubic foot—typically $0.75–$2.40 depending on time of year and product size.Printify+1
- Amazon has increased FBA fees over the years significantly (standard-size fees up ~96%, oversize up ~74%, removal fees up ~460% as of mid‑2024).Wikipedia+1
6. Putting It All Together — Estimated Total Costs
Actual costs vary, but real-world sellers report Amazon often takes 30–40% of the sale price once you add referral fees, fulfillment, and other charges.Reddit
Some breakdowns indicate:
- A $20 item might net just $6–$8 after all fees (referral + FBA).Reddit
- Some sellers report 35–45% total cut, depending on product and services used.YouTube+6Reddit+6Printify+6
Quick Comparison Table
| Fee Type | Individual Seller | Professional Seller |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription / Per‑Item Fee | $0.99 per sale | $39.99 per month |
| Referral Fee | % of sale (6–45%), ≥ ~$0.30 | Same as Individual |
| Closing Fee (Media Items) | ~$1.80 per item | Same |
| Refund Admin Fee | ≤ $5 or 20% of referral | Same |
| High‑Volume Listing Fee | $0.005 per inactive ASIN/month | Same |
| Rental Book Fee | $5 per rental | Same |
| Fulfillment by Merchant (Shipping) | Amazon-set fees (Individual plan) | Seller-set rates (Professional) |
| Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) | Optional, adds fulfillment/storage fees for both plans | Same |
Want a Customized Estimate?
You can use Amazon’s Revenue Calculator or Fee Preview tools within Seller Central to estimate exact costs based on your specific product dimensions, weight, category, and pricing model.Investopedia+7WebFX+7repricer.com+7Amazon+2Jungle Scout+2WebFX+6repricer.com+6Investopedia+6Investopedia+5Printify+5WebFX+5the-sun.com+12Jungle Scout+12WebFX+12Amazon+10Sell on Amazon+10WebFX+10wix.comReddit