What is the Amazon referral fee? Rates by category and how it’s calculated
The referral fee is what Amazon charges on every item you sell: a percentage of the item’s total price, or a per-item minimum, whichever is greater. In most categories it’s 15%, with a $0.30 minimum. Every seller pays it, on either selling plan, whether you ship the order yourself or use FBA.
What the percentage is charged on
Amazon calculates the fee on the item’s total price — the list price plus shipping and any gift-wrap charges the buyer pays. So an item priced at $25 with $5 shipping, in a 15% category, pays 15% × $30 = $4.50, not $3.75.
Rates by category
Most categories are a flat percentage:
| Rate | Categories (examples) |
|---|---|
| 15% | Everything else, Home and Kitchen, Toys and Games, Sports and Outdoors, Office Products, Tools and Home Improvement, Footwear |
| 12% | Automotive and Powersports, Business, Industrial and Scientific Supplies, Base Equipment Power Tools |
| 8% | Computers, Consumer Electronics, Full-size Appliances, Video Game Consoles |
| 45% | Amazon Device Accessories |
The Amazon fee calculator lists every US category with its exact rate and minimum.
Categories where the rate depends on price
Some categories use different rates at different prices, and they work in two different ways.
One rate for the whole price, set by the price band. For example, Beauty, Health and Personal Care is 8% when the total price is $10 or less and 15% above $10 — the whole price, not just the part above $10:
- an $8 lip balm: 8% × $8 = $0.64;
- a $20 serum: 15% × $20 = $3.00.
Baby Products, Grocery (8% up to $15) and Clothing and Accessories (5% up to $15, 10% up to $20, 17% above) work the same way.
Different rates for each part of the price. For example, Furniture is 15% on the portion up to $200 and 10% on any portion above $200:
- a $300 chair: 15% × $200 + 10% × $100 = $40.
Jewelry, Electronics Accessories, Compact Appliances, Watches and Fine Art are tiered this way.
The minimum referral fee
Most categories have a $0.30 minimum per item. On cheap items the minimum, not the percentage, is what you pay: a $1.50 item in a 15% category would be $0.23, so the fee is $0.30. A few categories have no minimum, and Fine Art’s is $1.00.
Media closing fee
Books, DVDs, music, software and video pay a $1.80 closing fee per item on top of the referral fee. A $20 book: 15% × $20 + $1.80 = $4.80.
What it doesn’t include
The referral fee is only one of Amazon’s fees. On top of it you may pay:
- your selling plan — $39.99 a month on Professional, or $0.99 per item sold on Individual. See Amazon selling plans;
- FBA fees, if Amazon fulfils your orders. See Amazon FBA fees explained.
To see all of them on one order — and what you keep — use the Amazon fee calculator.