Amazon is introducing several new fees that will affect sellers on its U.S. marketplace after largely keeping fees flat in 2025. Starting January 15, 2026, sellers will see changes in Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), referral, and inbound placement fees.
The e-commerce giant announced the changes on Seller Central, the online platform where third-party sellers can manage their businesses on Amazon
Major Fee Updates to Expect in 2026
Here are the major fee changes Amazon sellers should look out for in 2026:
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees
Amazon is introducing different pricing tiers for products based on their retail price. Standard-size products priced below $10 will see fulfillment fees rise by $0.05 per unit on average, while those priced between $10 and $50 will see costs increase by $0.08 per unit on average.
Meanwhile, standard-size FBA products priced above $50 will face the largest average spike of $0.31 per unit.
Inbound Placement Fees
Inbound placement fees (for distributing inventory across fulfillment centers) will increase for most items, except for very small standard items (less than 8 ounces).
- Items under 5 pounds will see a small increase of roughly $0.06
- Items over 5 pounds will have larger increases of about $0.72
- Amazon-optimized shipments will still have no inbound placement fee, allowing sellers to save on shipping costs by meeting Amazon’s optimized criteria.
New Small Bulky Size Tier
While the various fee changes might eat into sellers’ profits, the new “Small Bulky” size tier might provide some relief. Previously, many items above 3 pounds were assigned to the costlier Large Standard tier. Similarly, many items above 20 pounds with long sides over 18 inches fell into the much more expensive Large Bulky tier.
However, these products will now fall into the new Small Bulky tier, potentially reducing fulfillment fees by up to 23% depending on price.
Other Notable Fee Changes
Besides the introduction of the new Small Bulky size tier and updates to FBA and inbound placement fees, here are other fee changes to look out for in 2026:
New Packaging and Handling Fees
Small and large bulky products that aren’t eligible for Amazon’s Ship in Product Packaging (SIPP) program will incur extra packaging fees ranging from $1.51 to $4.04 per unit, depending on weight.
Overmax Handling Fees
Extra-large products (over 150 pounds) that exceed 96 inches in their longest side or 130 inches in length plus girth will incur new handling fees of $17 to $25, depending on weight.
Low Inventory Level (LIL) Fee Change
The LIL fee calculation will no longer apply at the parent product level. It will now apply to the individual variation (FSKU) level if that variation runs low on stock.
How Amazon Sellers Can Prepare for the Fee Changes
Amazon cites higher operating costs and continued investments in its logistics infrastructure as the primary reason for the fee hikes. That said, here’s what Amazon sellers can do to prepare for the fee changes before they come into effect in mid-January 2026:
- Consider shipping strategies, such as Amazon-optimized inbound shipments, to avoid placement fees.
- Update packaging and enroll in SIPP to reduce FBA fulfillment costs.
- Improve inventory management to avoid LIL fees.
- Use Amazon tools, such as the Revenue Calculator and the Profit Analytics dashboard, to analyze the impact of the new fees and plan accordingly.
- Explore selling internationally or off-Amazon fulfillment to diversify and improve margins.
