Shipping Fee Guidelines (2024)

Once the buyer has made a purchase, the item will need to be shipped to the specified location for a nominal shipping fee. Shipping fees can vary based on a wide range of variables, and there is much room for flexibility in terms of charging the buyer these fees.

The seller can see a list of shipping fees that have been accrued for services such as UPS or Stamps.com in the Order Details Page or on the Payment Transaction Report.

Shipping Fee Guidelines

Amazon extracts a shipping fee from each buyer according to the purchase. This is then paid forward to the seller to help allay the costs of delivery. The seller is required to deliver the items regardless of whether or not the reimbursem*nts are enough to cover the costs. See the chart below for a complete list of shipping fees collected per item sold:

CategoryDomestic Standard*Domestic Expedited*Domestic Two DayDomestic One DayInternational StandardInternational Expedited
Books$3.99$6.99$14.95$19.99$16.95 up to 1lb.,$24.95 over 1lb.$46.50
Music$3.99$6.19$14.95$19.99$14.95$46.50
Videos$3.99$6.19$14.95$19.99$14.95$46.50
DVDs$3.99$6.19$14.95$19.99$14.95$46.50
Video Games$3.99$6.99Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Software & Computer Games$3.99$6.99Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Electronics$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Kindle Accessories$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Camera & Photo$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Tools & Hardware$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Kitchen & Housewares$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Outdoor Living$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Computer$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Sports & Outdoors$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Cell Phones & Service$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Musical Instruments$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Office$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Products$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Toy & Baby$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Everything Else$4.49 + $0.50/lb.**$6.49 + $0.99/lb.**Not availableNot availableNot availableNot available

Chart originally from Amazon’s Shipping Rates and Services page.

* Total inclusive of APO, FPO and US Protectorate addresses.

** All weight references are in terms of the actual purchased item weight. This does not include the weight of any packing supplies used to ship or protect the products.

In the event of a refund, shipping fees may be returned to the seller depending on circ*mstances of the refund. Each carrier has different criteria to approve a refund, and Amazon does not guarantee any approvals.

Amazon Webstore Seller Shipping Rates

Unlike standard seller regulations, Amazon Webstore sellers can choose the shipping fees on their own on certain items such as music and books. See the Webstore section for more information on this service and its benefits.

Unique Amazon Shipping Requirements

While the responsibility and burden of delivering goods to the buyer rests solely on the seller, Amazon requires all books and entertainment items including DVDs, videos and CDs to be shipped within 48 hours from receiving a purchase request. This does not mean that the buyer must receive the item within 48 hours, only that the item be shipped within that timeframe. The time it takes for the package to arrive will depend on the type of shipping method that the buyer selects. Varying shipping fees will apply depending on the method of choice. (Explore possible shipping options here.)

FBA Shipping Information

Sellers who choose to work via the Fulfillment By Amazon service do not need to worry about shipping fees because Amazon personnel will handle the shipping and delivery of all purchases. Read a complete breakdown of all of the services that are included in a FBA account on the FBA page.

Shipping Fee Guidelines (2024)

FAQs

How much should I charge for shipping fee? ›

Simply fold the total cost of shipping into your product price. For example, if your cost to create and package a product is $15 and you want a 20% profit margin, you'd need to charge $18. If it costs $8 to ship the product, you can either charge $18 + $8 shipping or $26 + free shipping.

How do you determine shipping costs? ›

A: Consider the following elements to calculate shipping costs:
  1. Origin and destination of shipping.
  2. Package weight.
  3. Package dimensions.
  4. Shipping duration.
  5. Insurance for shipping.
  6. Charges associated with shipping.
  7. Charges related to parcel handling.
  8. Duties and taxes.
Mar 20, 2024

What is the standard cost of shipping? ›

Comparing average shipping costs
Shipping carrierShipping serviceShipping cost
USPSPriority Mail Small Flat Rate$10.40
USPSPriority Mail Express 2-Day$49.45
UPSUPS Ground$14.09
UPS3-Day Select$40.09
5 more rows

What is a good percentage of shipping costs? ›

In e-commerce, shipping costs typically amount to 10-15% of the total order value.

How do you charge shipping to customers? ›

Charge Real-Time Rates

Since shipping rates can vary based on a number of factors, it might make sense to make the entire process accessible to the person placing the order. This lets the consumer decide whether to pay extra to get a product faster or pay less if they are willing to wait in order to save some cash.

Should you charge customers for shipping? ›

The answer depends on the choices you make. Giving away shipping 100% free, which means you bear the full shipping cost from your margin, can hurt your business unless you charge a premium on your products from customers.

What is the cost formula for shipping expenses? ›

How is Shipping Cost Calculated? A simple formula exists for determining the shipping cost of your items: Total shipping cost / Average inventory value = shipping cost per item.

How do sellers calculate shipping? ›

What are the factors in shipping cost?
  1. Dimensions. Package size is a major factor in shipping cost because the amount of cargo space is limited in both planes and trucks. ...
  2. Weight. ...
  3. Destination and shipping zone. ...
  4. Surcharges. ...
  5. Shipping insurance. ...
  6. Product packaging. ...
  7. Calculated shipping. ...
  8. Flat rate shipping.
Oct 5, 2023

How to calculate delivery charges? ›

Factors that affect delivery costs
  1. Package size and weight. Package weight and size are key factors in calculating delivery cost. ...
  2. Distance. Distance is another important factor, especially if you are using road transportation. ...
  3. Mode of transport. ...
  4. Type of delivery. ...
  5. Carrier rates and management costs. ...
  6. Customs duties.
May 2, 2023

What is standard rate shipping? ›

Standard Rate Shipping: It denotes that the rate of shipping differs according to the weight, size, and other related dimensions of the box or the package.

What is standard for shipping? ›

Standard shipping is also known as economy, ground, or regular shipping. With domestic US couriers, these services are delivered in 3-5 business days because they arrive via ground. Easyship saves users up to 91% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers, including standard shipping services.

How do I figure out how much to charge for shipping? ›

What Information Do You Need to Calculate Shipping Costs?
  1. Shipping Point of Origin and Destination. ...
  2. The Weight of the Package. ...
  3. Package Dimensions. ...
  4. Delivery Times for Shipping. ...
  5. Shipping insurance. ...
  6. Shipping-related charges. ...
  7. Parcel handling-related charges. ...
  8. Duties and taxes.

What's a reasonable price for shipping? ›

The cheapest way to ship a small package
ProviderServiceRate
USPSPriority Mail$10.40
UPSGround$14.25
FedExGround$15.02
DHLExpress Domestic$72.18
1 more row

How to work out shipping costs? ›

Calculating the shipping cost of a package based on weight is simple. Just weigh the package and use a shipping cost calculator to get a shipping price. If the parcel is small but heavy, get a shipping cost based on dimensional volume which might be cheaper.

How to calculate delivery fee? ›

The delivery cost per mile is calculated by estimating the vehicle's total expense and dividing the miles it should last by its worth. Also, a small profit margin should be added to the result to get the delivery cost per mile.

How much should I charge for flat rate shipping? ›

Flat rate options & Flat rate pricing:
Flat rate boxCommercial base pricePrice at post office
Flat Rate Envelope$8.05$9.65
Padded Flat Rate Envelope$8.80$10.40
Small Flat Rate Box$8.55$10.20
Medium Flat Rate Box – 1 (top loading)$14.75$17.10
2 more rows
Dec 15, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Duane Harber

Last Updated:

Views: 5938

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Duane Harber

Birthday: 1999-10-17

Address: Apt. 404 9899 Magnolia Roads, Port Royceville, ID 78186

Phone: +186911129794335

Job: Human Hospitality Planner

Hobby: Listening to music, Orienteering, Knapping, Dance, Mountain biking, Fishing, Pottery

Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.