Amazon Seller Central provides a powerful platform for businesses and individual sellers to reach millions of customers globally. While the potential for sales growth is immense, it’s important to have a clear idea of the Amazon Seller Central Cost. These costs can significantly impact profit margins, so having a clear breakdown will help sellers plan effectively and maximize their revenue.
- Subscription Fees
Amazon offers two main types of selling plans: Individual and Professional.
- Individual Selling Plan: This plan is suitable for small sellers or those who don’t plan to sell more than 40 items per month. There is no monthly subscription fee, but Amazon charges $0.99 for each item sold. This plan also does not provide access to advanced seller tools like bulk listings, reports, or certain promotional features.
- Professional Selling Plan: This plan costs $39.99 per month, regardless of how much you sell. It is designed for sellers who intend to move a higher volume of goods or who need advanced selling tools. Professional sellers can also apply for the Buy Box, offer promotions, and integrate their listings with third-party services via Amazon APIs.
Choosing the right plan is crucial to managing costs. If you’re selling more than 40 items a month, the Professional Plan will likely be more cost-effective. However, if your sales volume is lower, the Individual plan might be more suitable.
- Referral Fees
Whenever a product is sold on Amazon, a referral fee is deducted from the sale price. This fee varies depending on the product category and is usually a percentage of the sale price, including shipping and gift-wrapping charges. Here’s a breakdown of referral fees across product categories:
The below table shows referral fees for all items except Apparel and Dangerous goods.
| Fee categories | Amazon deducts the greater of the applicable referral fee percentage or applicable per-item minimum referral fee. | |
| See “Referral fees” notes above. | ||
| Referral fee percentages | Applicable minimum referral fee | |
| (applied on a per-unit basis unless otherwise noted) | ||
| Amazon Device Accessories | 45% | $0.30 |
| Amazon Explore | 30% for Experiences | $2.00 |
| Automotive and Powersports | 12% | $0.30 |
| Baby Products | 8% for products with a total sales price of $10.00 or less, and | $0.30 |
| 15% for products with a total sales price greater than $10.00 | ||
| Backpacks, Handbags, and Luggage | 15% | $0.30 |
| Base Equipment Power Tools | 12% | $0.30 |
| Beauty, Health and Personal Care | 8% for products with a total sales price of $10.00 or less, and | $0.30 |
| 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $10.00 | ||
| Business, Industrial, and Scientific Supplies | 12% | $0.30 |
| Clothing and Accessories | 5% for products with a total sales price of $15.00 or less | $0.30 |
| 10% for products with a total sales price greater than $15.00 and less than or equal to $20.00 | ||
| 17% for products with a total sales price greater than $20.00 | ||
| Compact Appliances | 15% for the portion of the total sales price up to $300.00, and | $0.30 |
| 8% for any portion of the total sales price greater than $300.00 | ||
| Computers | 8% | $0.30 |
| Consumer Electronics2 | 8% | $0.30 |
| Electronics Accessories1 | 15% for the portion of the total sales price up to $100.00, and | $0.30 |
| 8% for any portion of the total sales price greater than $100.00 | ||
| Everything Else3 | 15% | $0.30 |
| Eyewear | 15% | $0.30 |
| Fine Art | 20% for the portion of the total sales price up to $100.00, | — |
| 15% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $100.00 up to $1,000.00, | ||
| 10% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $1,000.00 up to $5,000.00, and | ||
| 5% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $5,000.00 | ||
| Footwear | 15% | $0.30 |
| Full-Size Appliances | 8% | $0.30 |
| Furniture | 15% for the portion of the total sales price up to $200.00, and | $0.30 |
| 10% for any portion of the total sales price greater than $200.00 | ||
| Gift Cards | 20% | — |
| Grocery and Gourmet | 8% for products with a total sales price of $15.00 or less, and | — |
| 15% for products with a total sales price greater than $15.00 | ||
| Home and Kitchen | 15% | $0.30 |
| Jewelry | 20% for the portion of the total sales price up to $250.00, and | $0.30 |
| 5% for any portion of the total sales price greater than $250.00 | ||
| Lawn and Garden | 15% | $0.30 |
| Lawn Mowers and Snow Throwers | 15% for products with a total sales price of up to $500.00 | $0.30 |
| 8% for products with a total sales price greater than $500.00 | ||
| Mattresses | 15% | $0.30 |
| Media – Books, DVD, Music, Software, Video | 15% | — |
| Musical Instruments and AV Production | 15% | $0.30 |
| Office Products | 15% | $0.30 |
| Pet Products | 15%, except 22% for veterinary diets | $0.30 |
| Sports and outdoors | 15% | $0.30 |
| Tires | 10% | $0.30 |
| Tools and Home Improvement | 15% | $0.30 |
| Toys and Games | 15% | $0.30 |
| Video Game Consoles | 8% | — |
| Video Games and Gaming Accessories | 15% | — |
| Watches | 16% for the portion of the total sales price up to $1,500.00, and | $0.30 |
| 3% for any portion of the total sales price greater than $1,500.00 | ||
Each product category may have its own referral fee percentage, so it’s important to review the fee structure based on the products you sell.
- Closing Fees (For Media Items)
In addition to referral fees, sellers in the Media category (books, DVDs, video games, etc.) are charged a closing fee of $1.80 per sale. This fee is specific to media products and is charged on top of other applicable costs like referral fees.
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees
One of the most significant Amazon Seller Central pricing is related to the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program. While FBA can simplify logistics and provide customers with faster shipping and Amazon’s customer service, it also comes with a number of fees.
Fulfillment Fees
These fees are based on the size and weight of the item and cover the cost of Amazon picking, packing, shipping, and providing customer service for your products. Here’s a general breakdown of FBA fulfillment fees:
- Small Standard Size Items
- Large Standard Items
- Large Bulky
- Extra Large (Multiple Tiers)
The below table shows referral fees for all items except Apparel and Dangerous goods.
| Size | Shipping weight | Fulfillment fee |
| Small standard1 | 2 oz or less | $3.25 |
| 2+ to 4 oz | $3.34 | |
| 4+ to 6 oz | $3.44 | |
| 6+ to 8 oz | $3.53 | |
| 8+ to 10 oz | $3.64 | |
| 10+ to 12 oz | $3.74 | |
| 12+ to 14 oz | $3.82 | |
| 14+ to 16 oz | $3.87 | |
| Large standard | 4 oz or less | $3.92 |
| 4+ to 8 oz | $4.16 | |
| 8+ to 12 oz | $4.43 | |
| 12+ to 16 oz | $4.84 | |
| 1+ to 1.25 lb | $5.29 | |
| 1.25+ to 1.5 lb | $5.68 | |
| 1.5+ to 1.75 lb | $5.84 | |
| 1.75+ to 2 lb | $6.10 | |
| 2+ lb to 2.25 lb | $6.24 | |
| 2.25+ lb to 2.5 lb | $6.44 | |
| 2.5+ lb to 2.75 lb | $6.61 | |
| 2.75+ lb to 3 lb | $7.03 | |
| 3 lb to 20 lb | $7.46 + $0.08 per 4 oz interval above first 3 lb | |
| Large bulky | 0 to 50 lb | $10.65 + $0.38/lb interval above first lb |
| Extra-large 0 to 50 lb | 0 to 50 lb | $29.06 + $0.38/lb interval above first lb |
| Extra-large 50+ to 70 lb | 50+ to 70 lb | $42.93 + $0.75/lb interval above 51 lb |
| Extra-large 70+ to 150 lb | 70+ to 150 lb | $59.23 + $0.75/lb interval above 71 lb |
| Extra-large 150+ lb1 | 150+ lb | $203.46 + $0.19/lb interval above 151 lb |
Storage Fees
Amazon charges sellers’ storage fees based on the volume (measured in cubic feet) of the space their inventory takes up in its warehouses.
Storage Fees: This is currently calculated based on the Storage Utilization Ratio. Storage Utilization Ratio is the ratio of your average daily inventory volume stored divided by the average daily shipped volume during the past 13 weeks. The storage utilization ratio on the last day of a given month is used to determine the storage utilization surcharge rate for inventory stored during that month.
| Non-dangerous goods products, off-peak period (January – September) | |||||||||||||
| Storage utilization ratio | Standard-size | Oversize | |||||||||||
| Base monthly storage fee (per cubic foot) | Storage utilization surcharge | Total monthly storage fee | Base monthly storage fee | Storage utilization surcharge | Total monthly storage fee | ||||||||
| (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | |||||||||
| Below 22 weeks | $0.78 | N/A | $0.78 | $0.56 | N/A | $0.56 | |||||||
| 22 – 28 weeks | $0.78 | $0.44 | $1.22 | $0.56 | $0.23 | $0.79 | |||||||
| 28 – 36 weeks | $0.78 | $0.76 | $1.54 | $0.56 | $0.46 | $1.02 | |||||||
| 36 – 44 weeks | $0.78 | $1.16 | $1.94 | $0.56 | $0.63 | $1.19 | |||||||
| 44 – 52 weeks | $0.78 | $1.58 | $2.36 | $0.56 | $0.76 | $1.32 | |||||||
| 52+ weeks | $0.78 | $1.88 | $2.66 | $0.56 | $1.26 | $1.82 | |||||||
| New sellers2, Individual sellers, and sellers with less than or equal to 25 cubic feet daily volume | $0.78 | N/A | $0.87 | $0.56 | N/A | $0.56 | |||||||
| Non-dangerous goods products, peak period (October – December) | |||||||||||||
| Storage utilization ratio | Standard-size | Oversize | |||||||||||
| Base monthly storage fee (per cubic foot) | Storage utilization surcharge | Total monthly storage fee | Base monthly storage fee | Storage utilization surcharge | Total monthly storage fee | ||||||||
| (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | (per cubic foot) | |||||||||
| Below 22 weeks | $2.40 | N/A | $2.40 | $1.40 | N/A | $1.40 | |||||||
| 22 – 28 weeks | $2.40 | $0.44 | $2.84 | $1.40 | $0.23 | $1.63 | |||||||
| 28 – 36 weeks | $2.40 | $0.76 | $3.16 | $1.40 | $0.46 | $1.86 | |||||||
| 36 – 44 weeks | $2.40 | $1.16 | $3.56 | $1.40 | $0.63 | $2.03 | |||||||
| 44 – 52 weeks | $2.40 | $1.58 | $3.98 | $1.40 | $0.76 | $2.16 | |||||||
| 52+ weeks | $2.40 | $1.88 | $4.28 | $1.40 | $1.26 | $2.66 | |||||||
| New sellers2, Individual sellers, and sellers with less than or equal to 25 cubic feet daily volume | $2.40 | N/A | $2.40 | $1.40 | N/A | $1.40 | |||||||
FBA storage fees can add up quickly, especially if your products are slow-moving. Therefore, careful inventory management is key to minimizing these charges.
- Shipping Costs (For Seller-Fulfilled Items)
For sellers who choose to handle their own shipping (known as Merchant Fulfilled Network or MFN), shipping costs are an important consideration. Sellers need to account for packaging, postage, and handling costs. Amazon does provide shipping credits to offset the cost of shipping for items in certain categories, but these credits may not always cover the full cost.
For example, in the Books category, Amazon might offer a $3.99 shipping credit, but if the actual shipping cost exceeds this amount, the seller must absorb the difference. Conversely, if the actual shipping cost is lower than the credit, the seller can retain the difference.
- Advertising Fees
Amazon offers several advertising options to help sellers promote their products. While advertising can drive traffic and sales, it also adds to the overall cost of selling on the platform.
- Sponsored Products: This is Amazon’s most popular pay-per-click (PPC) ad format, where sellers bid on keywords. The seller is charged each time a shopper clicks on their ad. Costs vary depending on the competition for the keywords, but sellers typically set a daily or campaign budget to manage costs.
- Sponsored Brands: This ad type promotes a seller’s brand and showcases a custom headline, logo, and multiple products. It’s also PPC-based, and like Sponsored Products, it requires careful budgeting to avoid overspending.
- Sponsored Display Ads: These ads allow sellers to target specific audiences on and off Amazon. These ads can be more expensive than other ad formats but may offer a broader reach.
- Returns and Refunds Costs
The new update on the returns processing fee, effective June 1, 2024, introduces fees for products (excluding apparel and shoes) that have a high return rate based on specific category thresholds. This change impacts sellers who deal with frequent returns and aims to mitigate operational costs while reducing waste.
This update is crucial to consider when managing your inventory and tracking return rates, as exceeding the return rate threshold will result in additional fees based on the size and weight of the returned products. Keep an eye on your return rates through Amazon’s FBA Returns tool to ensure compliance and cost management.
- Optional Service Fees
Amazon offers additional services to enhance seller performance and convenience, which come at an extra cost:
- Premium Account Services: For a higher monthly fee, sellers can access specialized account management and premium customer support.
- Inventory Placement Service: This allows sellers to send all their inventory to one fulfillment center rather than being split across multiple locations. The fees for this service vary but are typically based on the size and weight of the item.
- Labeling and Preparation Fees: Amazon charges labeling fees ($0.55 per unit) if you opt for Amazon to apply FNSKU labels to your products. Similarly, preparation fees apply if Amazon prepares your items to meet FBA requirements, such as bagging or bubble wrapping.
- Miscellaneous Costs
There are also potential additional costs to consider, including:
- Removal Fees: If you want Amazon to remove unsellable or excess inventory from their warehouse, they charge a removal fee based on the size tier.
| Size tier | Shipping weight | Removal fee per unit |
| Standard size | 0 to 0.5 lb | $1.04 |
| 0.5+ to 1.0 lb | $1.53 | |
| 1.0+ to 2.0 lb | $2.27 | |
| More than 2 lb | $2.89 + $1.06/lb above 2 lb | |
| Large bulky, extra-large, and special handling items* | 0 to 1.0 lb | $3.12 |
| 1.0+ to 2.0 lb | $4.30 | |
| 2.0+ to 4.0 lb | $6.36 | |
| 4.0+ to 10.0 lb | $10.04 | |
| More than 10.0 lb | $14.32 + $1.06/lb above 10 lb |
How SalesDuo Can Help Accelerate Your ROI
SalesDuo is an Amazon agency offering AI-powered tools and expert management to help businesses thrive as well as grow on Amazon. From product listing to SEO and image creation to advertisement and inventory management – SalesDuo does it all. Whether you’re looking to boost product visibility or streamline your e-commerce business operations, SalesDuo’s comprehensive solutions make navigating Amazon and any other e-commerce platforms effortless, so you can focus on what truly matters – growing your brand.
Conclusion
While Amazon Seller Central offers unparalleled access to millions of customers, the associated costs can add up quickly. Sellers need to carefully consider the subscription fees, referral fees, fulfillment costs, storage fees, and advertising costs. By understanding and planning for everything related to the Amazon Seller Central cost, sellers can better manage their expenses, protect profit margins, and grow their business sustainably on Amazon.
The key to success is balancing the potential for increased sales with a keen eye on cost management. Proper planning and awareness of all associated fees will ensure that sellers can thrive in the highly competitive Amazon marketplace.
