What the referral fee is
The referral fee is Amazon’s commission on each sale. It is a percentage of the total sales price, including shipping and gift wrap you charge the buyer, and it depends on the product category. Most categories also have a minimum fee per item. It is separate from the selling plan fee and from fulfilment fees, which this page does not include.
Rates for the categories in this calculator
These are the US rates stored in the calculator, taken from Amazon’s selling-fees page on the date shown above. Amazon has many more categories, so check your own category on Amazon’s page if it is not listed here.
- Everything else: 15%; minimum $0.30.
- Home and Kitchen: 15%; minimum $0.30.
- Beauty, Health and Personal Care: 8% up to $10, 15% above $10; minimum $0.30.
- Clothing and Accessories: 5% up to $15, 10% from $15 to $20, 17% above $20; minimum $0.30.
- Computers: 8%; minimum $0.30.
- Automotive and Powersports: 12%; minimum $0.30.
- Furniture: 15% on the first $200, 10% on the part above $200; minimum $0.30.
- Watches: 16% on the first $1,500, 3% on the part above $1,500; minimum $0.30.
- Amazon Device Accessories: 45%; minimum $0.30.
- Media (books, DVD, music, software, video): 15% plus $1.80 closing fee.
- Video Game Consoles: 8%.
- Gift Cards: 20%.
Band rates and tiered rates behave differently
In most categories with several rates the rate for the price band applies to the whole price. In Beauty, for example, a $10.00 item pays $0.80 (8%), but at $10.01 the 15% rate applies to the entire price and the fee jumps to $1.50. A few categories, such as Furniture and Watches, charge each rate only on its part of the price: a $300.00 piece of furniture pays $40.00, which is 15% of the first $200.00 plus 10% of the rest.
Media categories add a closing fee on top: a $10.00 book pays $1.50 referral plus $1.80.
Minimum fee and low-priced items
Where a minimum applies, a cheap item can pay far more than the percentage suggests. In “Everything else”, referral fees at a few prices are: $10.00: $1.50, $25.00: $3.75, $50.00: $7.50, $100.00: $15.00. The calculator shows the same ladder for the category you pick.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Amazon referral fee?
It is the commission Amazon charges on every sale, a percentage of the total sales price that depends on the category, usually with a minimum per item.
Is the referral fee charged on shipping?
Yes. Amazon applies it to the total sales price, which includes shipping and gift wrap charged to the buyer, so the calculator has a separate field for shipping.
Is this the same as the FBA fee?
No. FBA fees cover picking, packing and shipping from Amazon’s warehouse and depend on size and weight. The referral fee is the commission. Use the FBA profit calculator to put both together, entering the FBA fee from Amazon’s tool.
Why does my fee jump at certain prices?
In categories where the rate depends on a price band, the rate of the band applies to the whole price, so crossing a threshold changes the rate on every dollar. That is why price scanning matters near thresholds.
Does it work for Amazon outside the US?
No. The rates here are for amazon.com. Other Amazon stores have their own categories and fees.