Amazon has a lot of fees.
The big ones you probably know already, like the Fulfilment Fee and Referral Fee. Fun fact: I paid 42x my annual gross salary as a High School Teacher in just those two fees alone (in 2023)… (… Which was my last job before I started selling on Amazon)But I digress... Here's a "few" more:
- FBA Storage Fee
- Compensated Clawback
- Missing From Inbound Clawback
- Coupon Redemption Fee
- Long Term Storage Fee
- FBA Removal Fee
- MCF Fee
- Sales Tax Collection Fee
- Subscription Fee
- Commerce Grading And Listing Charge
- FBA Transportation Fee
- FBA Disposal Fee
- Lighting Deal Fee
- Labeling Fee
- Liquidations Brokerage Fee
- Inbound Defect Fee
- Variable Closing Fee
Okay, so what?
Well... the point is: Keep an eye on this stuff. Pay attention to all of the money Amazon is taking from you. Get a full picture of your COGs and profitability so you can have a more healthy understanding of how your business is really doing.Understanding the Full Fee Stack for Amazon FBA Sellers
Most sellers only track the two big fees, referral fee and fulfillment fee. But the smaller fees add up fast. Here is a breakdown of fees that quietly eat your margin:
- Monthly storage fees: $0.87/cubic foot (Jan-Sep) and $2.40/cubic foot (Oct-Dec). Oversized inventory and slow movers get expensive fast.
- Aged inventory surcharge: $6.90/cubic foot for items stored over 271 days.
- Removal/disposal fees: $0.97-$13.05 per unit depending on size. Even getting rid of bad inventory costs money.
- Refund administration fee: When a customer gets a refund, Amazon keeps $5.00 or 20% of the referral fee, whichever is less.
- Inbound placement fee: A newer fee for sending inventory to a single fulfillment center instead of letting Amazon distribute it.
Track every fee monthly using a tool like Sellerboard, Helium 10 Profits, or even a simple spreadsheet. The sellers who know their exact fee structure can price more accurately and identify unprofitable products before they drain the business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest hidden Amazon FBA fees sellers miss?
The most commonly overlooked fees are the refund administration fee (Amazon keeps part of the referral fee on every return), aged inventory surcharge (kicks in at 271 days), and inbound placement fees. Together these can reduce margins by 3-5%.
How much does it cost to store inventory in Amazon FBA warehouses?
Standard-size storage costs $0.87 per cubic foot from January through September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October through December. After 271 days, an additional $6.90 per cubic foot surcharge applies. Plan your inventory turns to avoid long-term storage penalties.
How do I calculate my total Amazon FBA fees per unit?
Add up referral fee, FBA fulfillment fee, monthly storage allocation, PPC cost per unit sold, and any applicable surcharges. Use Amazon Revenue Calculator for the base fees, then layer in your advertising cost per sale.