But the figure you get when you use the Amazon FBA Revenue Calculator gives you an idea of only the most obvious costs. Let’s not forget all the costs Amazon doesn’t mention on the Selling on Amazon page. All of this comes straight out of your pocket:

But while we’ve gone over all of these Amazon selling fees before in great detail, there are some we skipped through. Some only apply to newcomers, but most are universal. Here’s what your hidden costs on Amazon will amount to:

1. Setting Up Your Bank Accounts

As a US resident selling on Amazon.com, you only need a domestic bank account to get started. As a foreigner selling on an Amazon venue, you’ll need two accounts. Let’s take the case of a European seller trying to trade on Amazon.com. They’ll need:

A bank account set up abroad (in EUR/USD) to pay Amazon, connected to a Paypal address if they want to pay their suppliers via Paypal until they build trust

A bank account set up in the USA or a Payoneer account for Amazon to pay them.





Obviously, carrying out transactions through Paypal isn’t cheap. And waiting for a Payoneer card to start selling can cost you. But in time, you’ll be able to forget about transfer fees and currency conversions as more of your business is carried out with Payoneer.

2. Setting Up a Legal Entity

Whether you set up a company locally or abroad, it’s very likely that you’ll enlist the help of an accountant who caters exclusively to Amazon sellers. These professionals can provide valuable insights on virtually every aspect of the business, from startup applications to distance selling rules. But their services don’t come cheap.

3. Getting Your UPC Codes

Everything you list on Amazon must have a GTIN barcode. You’ll need a code for every item and every version of it (size, color scheme, cover, etc.). GS1 barcodes don’t come cheap. Buying more than 100 barcodes will push up your costs from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Then there’s also Project Zero, Amazon’s own serialization program for brand owners. Amazon will issue special serial numbers for you at a price of 1 to 5 cents per product, and all your products must have one. The advantage is that you can then delete counterfeit listings yourself using a self-service tool.