Marketplace Fee Calculator
What a marketplace sale actually nets after referral fees, payment processing, fulfilment and advertising — and the price you need to hit a target margin.
Marketplace fees stack.
How the marketplace fee calculator works
Marketplace fees stack. A referral fee of 15%, payment processing of 2.9% plus a fixed amount, fulfilment per unit and an advertising cost that is really a fee all come out before you see anything.
The result routinely surprises: a 40 item with a 18 cost of goods can net under 5. This computes the stack and works backwards to the price that hits your target.
Formula: net = price − referral − processing − fulfilment − ads − COGS
Worked examples
| Inputs | Net profit per unit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A 40 item with 18 cost | 4.492 | under 5 net |
| No advertising | 8.492 | the margin nearly doubles |
| A higher price | 16.807 | reaches a healthy margin |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much do marketplaces take?
Referral fees are commonly 8 to 20% depending on category, before payment processing, fulfilment and advertising. Effective take rates of 30 to 45% are normal.
Why include advertising as a fee?
Because on a saturated marketplace it is effectively mandatory. Organic visibility without it is limited, which makes it a cost of selling rather than a choice.
What price should I set?
Work backwards from the margin you need. The target-price row does exactly that, given all the fee percentages.
Why do returns cost more than the refund?
Because you also lose the outbound fulfilment, pay return shipping, and often cannot resell the item at full price.
Is marketplace selling worth it?
It depends entirely on whether the volume covers the take rate. Many sellers are profitable on their own site and lose money on a marketplace at the same price.
Where these figures come from
- APICS / ASCM — inventory management terminology — the turnover, safety stock and reorder point definitions used here
- UK Competition and Markets Authority — the UK consumer protection regulator
Last checked: September 2026. These are standard retail and inventory-management definitions.