Amazon Fulfillment Fees Updates: A Practical Guide for E-Commerce Brands in 2026

If dimensional-weight rounding rules and carrier surcharges weren’t enough, 2026 brings another cost adjustment—this time from Amazon. The company announced updates to its US referral and fulfillment (FBA, MCF, and Buy with Prime) fees, starting January 15, 2026. 

For many sellers, these changes may appear small per unit, but they can significantly impact profit margins at scale. This guide explains what’s changing, why it matters, and how to adapt your pricing, packaging, and fulfillment strategy—with practical insights from Jay Group’s dual-coast logistics expertise. 

Summary: Amazon Fulfillment Fees Updates in 2026  

Beginning January 15, 2026, fulfillment fees will rise for most item types: 

• Small standard-size items ($10–$50): +$0.25 per unit 

• Small standard-size items (> $50): +$0.51 per unit 

• Items under $10: +$0.12 per unit (some large standards remain unchanged)
  (Supply Chain Dive) 

• No Referral fees increase announced 

Amazon is also adding more granular size and price bands, introducing finer distinctions between weight tiers and product dimensions. While that may improve accuracy, it also means packaging inefficiencies now cost more. 

What Are Amazon Fees 

Amazon charges several types of fees that directly impact a seller’s profitability. Understanding these categories helps brands plan pricing, packaging, and channel strategy more effectively—especially as 2026 updates roll out. 

Amazon Referral Fees 

Referral fees are Amazon’s standard sales commissions, taken as a percentage of each product sold. They typically range from 8% to 15%, depending on category, and remain unchanged for 2026. These fees cover marketplace access, payment processing, and exposure to Amazon’s customer base. 

Amazon Fulfillment Fees 

Fulfillment fees apply when using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), or Buy with Prime. They include picking, packing, shipping, and return handling. In 2026, these costs will rise slightly—by about $0.12 – $0.51 per unit depending on size and price tier—while Amazon phases out some internal prep services. Sellers can offset these increases by optimizing packaging and leveraging Jay Group’s dual-coast 3PL network for flexible, cost-controlled fulfillment. 

Amazon Storage & Aged-Inventory Fees 

Amazon also bills for the warehouse space your items occupy. Monthly storage fees depend on cubic-foot volume, and aged-inventory surcharges apply when products remain unsold for over 181 days. The 2026 structure introduces more regional and seasonal adjustments, making inventory turnover and off-Amazon staging (for example, via Jay Group facilities in PA and NV) key to cost control. 

High-Level View on Amazon Fees

Fee Type	2025 Status	2026 Change	Source
Referral fees	Stable by category	No general/category-wide increase announced	Amazon Seller Central
FBA (Amazon orders)	2025 unchanged	Avg + $0.08 per unit	Amazon
MCF (non-Amazon orders)	2025 pricing	Avg + $0.30 per unit	Amazon Supply Chain Pricing
Buy with Prime	2025 pricing	Avg + $0.24 per unit	Supply Chain Dive
AWD Storage (West region)	$0.48 / cu ft	$0.57 / cu ft monthly (effective Jan 15 2026)	Amazon Seller Central

 FBA vs MCF vs Buy with Prime Amazon Fulfillment Fees

Program	What the Fee Covers	2026 Directional Change	Notes/Actions
FBA	Pick/pack/ship, returns for Amazon orders	Avg +$0.08/unit	Variance by size/price band. Audit packaging to avoid higher tiers. Amazon SER
MCF	Fulfillment for non-Amazon channels	Avg +$0.30/unit	Model Q4 peak fees; consider FBM via Jay Group for margin-sensitive SKUs. US MCF
Buy with Prime	Prime badge + Amazon fulfillment on your site	Avg +$0.24/unit	Re-check CAC/LTV vs fee delta on DTC flows.

 Storage & Aged-Inventory Amazon Fees

Cost Area	2026 Update	Why It Matters	Source
Monthly storage (AWD West)	$0.57/cu-ft from Jan 15, 2026	Higher base makes upstream buffering strategy important	Amazon Seller Central
Aged-inventory surcharge	Policy updated in 2026 help pages; aged thresholds retain surcharges	Slow movers accumulate fees — plan removals/liquidations
Liquidations	15% liquidation referral fee + processing fee	Include EOL costs in margin model

 Before / After Impact Examples

These examples apply only the 2026 delta to your 2025 baseline. Replace volumes with your real numbers. 

Scenario	2026 Delta	Annual Volume	Added Annual Cost
Small standard, ~$28 ASP (FBA)	+ $0.25 / unit (representative case from trade recaps; your band may differ)	40,000	$10,000
Small standard, >$50 ASP (FBA)	+ $0.51 / unit (representative case)	12,000	$6,120
Small standard, <$10 ASP (FBA)	+ $0.12 / unit (representative case)	25,000	$3,000
MCF orders (site/other channels)	Avg + $0.30 / unit	25,000	$7,500

Why we show “representative cases”: Amazon’s official language emphasizes “average +$0.08” for FBA across the catalog, but several size/price bands move more than that. Use the Seller Central 2026 fee pages and calculators to map each SKU to its precise band. 

 Before/After Scenarios (how the deltas hit margin)

These show delta math (what to add to 2025 cost). Use your own base fee table to complete per-SKU totals.

Scenario A — Small standard, $28 ASP (top seller) 

• 2026 delta: + $0.25 per unit (FBA) → If you ship 40,000 units/yr, that’s $10,000 extra expense. Amazon Seller Central

Scenario B — Small standard, $62 ASP (premium) 

• 2026 delta: + $0.51 per unit → At 12,000 units/yr, add $6,120 to COGS-like costs.

Scenario C — Small standard, $8.99 ASP (low-price) 

• 2026 delta: + $0.12 per unit → Thin margins get thinner; consider FBM/3PL or bundles to lift ASP.

Scenario D — Non-Amazon orders fulfilled via MCF 

• 2026 delta: avg + $0.30 per MCF unit → If you route 25,000 direct-to-site orders via MCF, plan for +$7,500 annually (avg). US MCF

How Jay Group Supports Sellers Facing Higher Amazon Fees

Jay Group operates dual-coast 3PL fulfillment centers in Lancaster, PA, and Reno, NV, equipped for Amazon-ready prep, kitting, and weekend operations—allowing brands to shift SKUs that no longer perform profitably under the 2026 FBA/MCF structure, while keeping Prime-qualified items moving at full speed.

Fee Pressure	What Changes in 2026	Jay Group Lever	Result
Small standard ↑	+$0.25 – $0.51 per unit (FBA deltas for small standard items) (average FBA increase + $0.08 overall) Amazon Seller Central	Cartonization & right-sizing	Fewer dimensional tier jumps; lower billed-weight risk.
MCF avg ↑	+$0.30 per unit (average MCF increase) Amazon Supply Chain Pricing	FBM via dual-coast 3PL	Keep site orders profitable without Prime-network surcharges.
Inbound placement	More granular regional placement & split fees (effective 2026) Amazon FBA Updates	Pre-position inventory at Jay Group PA & NV → inject to optimal FCs	Fewer splits; lower placement & aged-stock exposure.
Prep / label changes	Amazon phasing out certain internal prep services (2026)	Amazon-ready prep & kitting by Jay Group	Compliance without Amazon’s internal prep fees.
Returns / liquidations	Return processing & liquidation fees (15% + handling) Amazon Help	QA inspection & smart disposition programs	Lower return rate; higher recovery value