While everything from groceries to toiletries and electronics can be found on Amazon, the e-commerce giant has also become a great resource for checking prices on other common household items like paper towels, toothpaste and deodorant. (Amazon Fee Schedule).
If you’ve ever wondered how much Amazon charges for items, this hidden fee schedule is the answer. Check out this post to learn more about what these different costs are, how they can impact your wallet and how you can reduce their impact.
What Are Amazon Fees?
Amazon’s fees come in a few forms. There are the standard shipping and handling fees for any item sold through the site. In addition to these, there are also additional fee options that can apply to your order. Some of these fees are specific to certain products, while others are available to all customers.
Breakdown of what Amazon’s fees are for and how to reduce their impact on your wallet.
- Standard Shipping and Handling Fee: This is a flat fee of $5.99 (or $0.99 if free shipping is available) that covers the cost of shipping an item to you, regardless of its weight. This fee varies depending on your location, the weight of the item you purchased and how fast you want the item to arrive. You can find out the exact amount by viewing the item’s details page.
- Restricted Free Shipping Fee: This is an option that is only available in the following situations:
- If a customer lives in an area where free shipping is not offered
- If an order is eligible for free shipping but the weight is too heavy because of more expensive shipping rates
- If someone other than the purchaser paid for the item
- If a customer qualifies for other special offers that include free shipping.
If you choose to offer free shipping, then Amazon charges the standard shipping fee instead of giving you a refund. Customers who select the standard shipping fee get a refund for the amount of the shipping charge instead.
- Add-on Item Fee: This is a fee that is applied to all items except for select discounted items sold on Amazon. This fee applies to any items that are bundled with other items. If you get detergent or food items that come as part of a set, you’ll see this fee charge.
- Order Repackaging Fee: This applies to products that are repackaged during order processing. The fee only applies to the repackaged item itself, and not the repackaging materials.
How Much Does Amazon Charge for an Item?
Amazon’s fee schedule is a little complicated, and there are a few different ways that the company calculates the fee on certain items. As a result, the fee you see on an item’s page will vary depending on the item and the location you’re buying it from. If you’re curious about what is included in the fee for a specific product, you can check the item’s detail page to find out the amount. (Amazon Fee Schedule).
Fortunately, the majority of items have a standard shipping and handling fee of $5.99, so you can easily avoid any additional fees if you use free shipping. The repackaging fee and add-on item fees are also uncommon, so you can easily avoid them if you keep an eye out for discounted items or always buy items that include other items. These items are only sold in packs, so you’ll see them very rarely.
Why Is Amazon Charging These Fees?
One of the things that makes Amazon so convenient is how easy it is to get whatever you need in a short period of time. That convenience comes with a price, unfortunately. Amazon’s fees are the result of the company getting a percentage of the sale on items that come as part of a bundle.
Thankfully, most customers will never encounter any of these fees, so you don’t have to worry about them when you shop on the site. Amazon only charges the standard or reduced-price shipping and handling fees when they come with free shipping, so you can easily avoid the rest. If you have the option to select standard shipping or the reduced-price shipping option, choose the latter. That way, you’ll avoid the rest of the fees that are included in shipping rates.
Reduced-Price Items Sold Occasionally
Amazon’s fee schedule is a little complicated, so there are some items that come with a reduced fee. If you see an item that has the words “Save $0.99 shipping” or comes with free shipping, it is one of these items. These items are sold very rarely and they only apply to a small number of items.
If you see one of these items, you can be 100% sure that it is included in the reduced-price shipping fee. These items are only available for sale for a few hours each day, so it’s best to keep an eye out for them.
Other Common Fees
Order Cancellation Fee: Amazon charges a $0.99 fee if you cancel an order at least 24 hours before it is scheduled to ship.
Gift Card Fee: If a customer places an order that comes with a gift card, Amazon charges a fee of $1.50. You’ll see this fee if you use a gift card to purchase an item or if you buy items with gift cards.
Parcel Return Fee: If a customer decides to return an item that came with free shipping, they are charged $13.50. You’ll see this fee if you ship an item that is returned by a customer.
Final Words: Avoiding Fee Traps on Amazon
Amazon is a great resource for finding products at discounted prices, especially when you take advantage of the site’s offers. While those deals are great, they come with the hidden cost of fees. Luckily, you can easily avoid these fees by keeping an eye out for items that have a reduced shipping fee or no shipping fee at all.
Amazon’s fee schedule can also be a little confusing, so make sure that you understand the fees that are included in different items. That way, you can easily reduce their impact on your wallet.