Short answer: $7.50 — that is 15.0% of the sale. You keep $42.50 before your product cost and shipping.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Referral fee (15% standard category) | $7.50 |
| Total Amazon fees | $7.50 |
| You receive | $42.50 |
Assumes a standard 15% referral category and Fulfilled by Merchant (no FBA pick-and-pack). Media categories add a $1.80 closing fee; electronics and computers are 8% rather than 15%.
$42.50 is not profit — it is what lands in your account before you pay for the item itself. Here is the real number at four common cost levels on a $50 sale:
| Your unit cost | Net profit | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $32.50 | 65.0% |
| $15.00 | $27.50 | 55.0% |
| $20.00 | $22.50 | 45.0% |
| $25.00 | $17.50 | 35.0% |
Margin is net profit divided by the $50 sale price. It excludes inbound shipping, storage, returns and ad spend — all of which come out of the profit column above.
If your unit cost is $20.00, you need to charge at least $23.53 on Amazon just to break even, and $30.77 to clear a 20% margin. Anything under $23.53 loses money on every single order — which is exactly the kind of SKU that hides in a big catalog.
Change the price and cost in the calculator →
Is $7.50 the whole cost of selling at $50?
No. It is the whole of Amazon's fees. Your own costs — the unit cost, inbound freight, packaging, returns, and any advertising — come out of the $42.50 you receive.
Does the buyer's shipping charge change the fees?
Yes on all three marketplaces. Amazon charges its percentage fee on the total the buyer pays, shipping included, so a $50 item with $6 shipping is charged fees on $56, not $50.
How do I check this against my own catalog?
Paste your SKUs, prices and costs into the free calculator, or send a CSV for the $9 bulk audit and get every SKU's fees, margin and break-even price back within 24 hours.