Marketplace Fee Calculator
Compare net proceeds across Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, and other marketplaces after referral fees, payment processing, and fulfilment costs.
🏪 Ecommerce📐 Net proceeds = price − referral fee − payment fee − fulfilment − COGS💼 Business
Marketplace
Selling price
Custom referral rate (%, if selected)
Payment processing (%)
Payment fixed fee
Fulfilment cost per unit
Cost of goods per unit
Please enter valid values.
Formula & Reference
| Variable | Symbol | Formula | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace Fee Calculator | — | Net proceeds = price − referral fee − payment fee − fulfilment − COGS | currency |
Step-by-Step Examples
Example 1
Amazon FBA
Price 45, 15% referral, fulfilment 5.60, COGS 14.
- Referral = 45 × 15% = 6.75
- Payment processing included in Amazon's referral fee
- Net after fees and fulfilment = 45 − 6.75 − 5.60 = 32.65
- Profit = 32.65 − 14 = 18.65 = 41.4% of price
✓ 18.65 per unit — 41.4%
Example 2
Etsy with Processing
Price 32, 6.5% transaction, 2.9% + 0.30 payment, fulfilment 4.20, COGS 9.
- Transaction = 2.08, payment = 0.93 + 0.30 = 1.23
- Total fees = 3.31 (10.3% of price)
- Net = 32 − 3.31 − 4.20 = 24.49
- Profit = 15.49 = 48.4%
✓ 15.49 per unit — 48.4%
Example 3
Thin Margin Warning
Price 22, 15% referral, fulfilment 6.40, COGS 12.
- Referral = 3.30
- Net = 22 − 3.30 − 6.40 = 12.30
- Profit = 12.30 − 12 = 0.30 per unit
- Barely above breakeven before returns or advertising
✓ 0.30 per unit — effectively breakeven
Real-World Applications
Channel Comparison
The same product yields very different net proceeds across marketplaces once all fees are applied.
Pricing Floors
Knowing net proceeds per unit establishes the minimum viable price for each channel.
Fulfilment Trade-Off
Marketplace fulfilment programmes cost more per unit but often lift conversion and search placement.
Portfolio Decisions
Applying the calculation per SKU reveals which products are viable on which channels.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
⚠️
Using headline referral rates for every category
Referral fees vary substantially by category on most marketplaces. The rates here are typical, not universal — check your specific category.
⚠️
Forgetting advertising costs
On competitive marketplaces, sponsored placement is often necessary to get visibility. That cost sits outside these fees and can consume the remaining margin.
⚠️
Ignoring returns and storage
Long-term storage fees, removal fees, and return processing all reduce net proceeds and are easy to leave out of a per-unit calculation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Amazon take? ▾
Referral fees are commonly around 15% but vary by category, with fulfilment fees separate if using FBA. Payment processing is included in the referral fee.
Which marketplace has the lowest fees? ▾
Etsy's headline transaction fee is lower, but payment processing is charged separately and listing fees apply. Effective total cost depends on price point and category.
Should fulfilment fees be included? ▾
Yes, if you use marketplace fulfilment. They are a direct per-unit cost and often exceed the referral fee on lower-priced items.
What about advertising costs? ▾
They sit outside marketplace fees but are frequently necessary for visibility. Factor them in separately when assessing true channel profitability.
Why is my actual margin lower than calculated? ▾
Common omissions are advertising, storage fees, returns processing, removal fees, and promotional discounts — none of which appear in a basic fee calculation.