What’s the Real Cost of Selling on Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Walmart Compared?

TL;DR: Amazon charges 8-15% referral fees plus $39.99/month subscription and FBA fulfillment costs. TikTok Shop takes 6% commission with fulfillment starting at $3.58 per item. Walmart charges 6-15% referral fees with no monthly subscription. Each platform has distinct cost structures that impact profitability differently depending on your product category and operational model. 

Key Takeaways 

• Amazon referral fees range from 8-15% depending on category, with most categories at 15% and electronics at 8%. 

• TikTok Shop charges a 6% commission for most product categories, lower than Amazon’s baseline. 

• Walmart Marketplace requires no monthly subscription fee, unlike Amazon’s $39.99/month Professional plan. 

• Storage fees vary significantly: Amazon charges $0.78-$2.40 per cubic foot monthly, while Walmart charges $0.75 per cubic foot. 

• TikTok Shop’s Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) service starts at $3.58 per item for standard fulfillment. 

• Accurate ROI calculation requires platform-specific profitability tracking, with tools like Helium 10 Profits providing unified visibility across marketplaces. 

Why Does Cross-Platform Cost Comparison Matter for Established Sellers? 

Published fee schedules tell only part of the story. Each marketplace has its own fee structure, and small percentage differences translate to significant dollar amounts for brands who are established on one or more platforms. 

For brands operating across multiple marketplaces, understanding the true cost structure of each platform enables strategic decisions about inventory allocation, pricing strategy, and channel prioritization. A multi-channel e-commerce strategy requires visibility into how costs differ across platforms. 

The complexity intensifies with multi-channel operations. Each platform calculates fees differently, applies them at different points in the transaction, and offers varying fulfillment options with distinct pricing models. Without consolidated tracking through tools like Helium 10 Profits, sellers risk making decisions based on incomplete cost data. 

What Are the Actual Amazon Seller Fees? 

Amazon’s fee structure combines several components that sellers must account for when calculating profitability. For a comprehensive breakdown, see the complete guide on Amazon FBA seller fees. 

Platform Fees 

Referral Fee: Amazon charges 8-15% depending on product category. Most categories fall at the 15% rate, including home and kitchen, toys, and sports. Electronics and computers receive a lower 8% rate. Clothing and accessories are charged 17% for items priced over $20. 

Professional Seller Subscription: $39.99 per month for access to advanced selling tools and reports. 

FBA Fulfillment Costs 

Storage Fees: Amazon charges $0.78 per cubic foot from January through September. During Q4 peak season (October through December), storage fees increase to $2.40 per cubic foot. 

Fulfillment fees vary based on product size and weight tiers. Sellers should use the Amazon profitability calculator to model specific product costs before listing. 

Efficient PPC management through solutions like Helium 10 Ads helps optimize advertising spend and improve overall profitability. 

How Much Does TikTok Shop Really Cost Beyond Platform Fees? 

TikTok Shop’s published fee structure appears more favorable than Amazon’s on several line items, but successful operation requires investment in content production and creator partnerships that don’t appear in platform documentation. For detailed fee analysis, see how much it costs to sell on TikTok Shop. 

Platform & Fulfillment Fees 

Commission Rate: TikTok Shop charges 6% for most product categories, substantially lower than Amazon’s 15% baseline. 

FBT Fulfillment: Fulfilled by TikTok fees start at $3.58 per item for standard single-unit orders. Multi-unit orders receive reduced per-item rates starting at $2.86. 

Storage: FBT offers free storage for inventory, with fees applying after the initial free period based on duration stored. 

No Monthly Subscription: Unlike Amazon, TikTok Shop does not require a monthly subscription fee. 

The published fee comparison favors TikTok Shop on most line items, but this analysis misses content creation requirements. Amazon sellers can operate with static images and optimized copy. TikTok Shop success requires continuous video production and creator partnerships. 

Use the TikTok Shop Profitability Calculator to model scenarios before committing resources. 

What Does Selling on Walmart Marketplace Actually Cost? 

Walmart Marketplace offers a distinct fee structure that positions it between Amazon and TikTok Shop in several categories. For operational details, see the guide on Walmart Seller Center operations. 

Platform Fees 

Referral Fee: Walmart charges 6-15% depending on product category, similar to Amazon’s range but with some category variations. 

No Monthly Subscription: Unlike Amazon’s $39.99/month Professional plan, Walmart does not charge a monthly fee to sell on its marketplace. 

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) 

Storage Fee: $0.75 per cubic foot monthly, slightly lower than Amazon’s non-peak rate. 

WFS fulfillment fees vary by product weight and dimensions. For a detailed comparison, see Walmart WFS vs Amazon FBA fees. 

Returns Processing: Walmart integrates returns with physical stores, allowing customers to return items to local Walmart locations. 

What’s the Real Cost Difference Between Amazon and TikTok Shop? 

Fee structures between Amazon and TikTok Shop differ significantly, though the full cost comparison requires looking beyond published rates. Understanding these differences helps establish realistic margin expectations before committing resources to expansion. For a detailed breakdown, see the complete guide on TikTok Shop fees and selling costs. 

The more useful calculation compares incremental customer acquisition cost across channels. If your combined costs on one platform work out lower per customer than another, expansion makes financial sense regardless of slight differences in platform fees. 

Which Amazon Products Should You Launch on TikTok Shop First? 

Not every product in your Amazon catalog belongs on TikTok Shop, at least not initially. The platform’s discovery mechanism rewards products that translate well to short-form video, which creates natural selection criteria for your expansion strategy. Understanding what’s already succeeding helps inform these decisions; review the current best-selling products on TikTok Shop to identify category trends and competition levels. 

Category performance data reveals clear patterns. Beauty and personal care products dominate TikTok Shop volume. This reflects the visual nature of these products; skincare routines, makeup applications, and before-after demonstrations compress naturally into the short-form video format that drives discovery. 

Products with strong visual demonstration potential, impulse-buy price points, and existing social proof tend to perform best on TikTok Shop. For guidance on building creator relationships, see how to find TikTok influencers for your brand. 

How Do You Track Profitability Across Multiple Marketplaces? 

Managing costs across Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Walmart requires consolidated visibility into platform-specific fees, advertising costs, and fulfillment expenses. Without unified tracking, sellers risk optimizing one channel while unknowingly losing margin on another. 

Helium 10 Profits provides cross-platform profitability tracking that accounts for differentiated fee structures across marketplaces. This unified visibility enables data-driven decisions about inventory allocation, pricing strategy, and channel expansion. 

For sellers just starting on TikTok Shop, see the complete guide on how to start selling on TikTok Shop for step-by-step setup instructions.