True Amazon Profit: What's Left After All 12 Fees
Revenue minus Amazon fees isn't profit. This guide walks through all 12 fee categories Amazon can charge — and shows how to calculate the number that actually represents your earnings.
Apply this to your SKUs in the 2026 P&L calculator
Run the numbers →Why your Amazon revenue number is misleading
Amazon deposits money into your bank account. That number is your net proceeds — revenue minus all Amazon fees. But most brands track their revenue (what customers paid) and treat the bank deposit as the variable. The gap between revenue and bank deposit is the sum of all Amazon fees.
On a $29.99 sale: the customer pays $29.99. You might receive $18–$21 depending on your fee stack. The $8–$12 gap is fees. Most brands can name 2–3 of the fees but can't trace the full delta.
The 12 Amazon fee categories
1. Referral fee (8–20% of revenue, varies by category) 2. FBA fulfillment fee ($3.11–$26+ depending on size/weight) 3. Fuel surcharge (3.5% on FBA fee, April 17, 2026) 4. Monthly storage fee (cubic-feet based) 5. Aged inventory surcharge (180+ days, 2026) 6. Storage utilization surcharge (when overstocked) 7. Low inventory level fee (when understocked on standard-size) 8. Inbound placement fee (single-location inbound) 9. Inbound defect fee (non-compliant prep, 2026 increase) 10. Returns processing fee (apparel/shoes/jewelry, above threshold) 11. Refund administration fee (20% of referral fee when you refund) 12. Seller subscription fee ($39.99/month for Professional plan)
Most brands are paying 4–6 of these regularly. All of them appear somewhere in your Payments report. The OBG calculator helps you model each one.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Amazon revenue goes to fees? ▾
For a typical FBA brand selling standard-size products at $15–$40: 28–38% of revenue goes to Amazon fees (referral + FBA + fuel + storage). Add COGS and you're at 50–65% of revenue gone before contribution margin. The specific percentage varies significantly by category, size tier, and pricing.
How do I find all the fees Amazon charged me? ▾
In Seller Central: Reports > Payments > Transaction View. Filter by date range and export as CSV. Each order line shows the full fee breakdown. You can also view the FBA Fee Preview per ASIN in Manage Inventory.