FBA Profit Before You List: A Honest Sketch

Amazon FBA profit estimates answer: after referral and fulfillment-ish fees, what is left against your product cost and sell price? It is a go/no-go sketch before you send inventory in — not a replacement for Seller Central’s fee preview on the exact ASIN and size tier.

Worked sketch

Sell price \$28, product cost \$9. Referral at a 15% starting point ≈ \$4.20. Fulfillment stub \$5 (replace with your fee preview). Fees ≈ \$9.20. Left ≈ \$28 − \$9 − \$9.20 = \$9.80 before ads, storage, returns, and the monthly storage reality of Q4. Margin on sell price ≈ 35% in this sketch — fragile once PPC starts.

Referral is category-specific

Fifteen percent is a planning default, not gospel. Categories differ; Amazon’s current referral fee schedule wins. Edit the percent in the Amazon FBA profit calculator until it matches the category you sell.

Fulfillment is not one number

Size tier, weight, and fulfillment program change the fee. A flat \$5 in a calculator is a placeholder so the rest of the math can run. Paste the fee preview number before you commit purchase orders.

What usually sits outside the sketch

Storage fees, long-term storage, returns processing, A-to-Z claims, and advertising. A product that “works” at \$9.80 contribution can lose money after a \$5 ACOS habit. Run ads as their own line — see marketing/ad ROI tools if you need a spend check — rather than hiding PPC inside COGS.

Compare to a non-Amazon channel

Same \$28 item on Shopify with ~2.9% + \$0.30 processing and your own pick-pack may keep more per unit but adds your labor and shipping risk. Use the Shopify profit calculator on the same cost/price for a side-by-side, then decide with eyes open.

What this skips

Inventory aged in a fulfillment center, removal orders, and brand-referral nuances. Estimates for planning a list price — not Amazon billing or tax advice. When Seller Central disagrees, Seller Central wins.