Cost to Ship to Amazon FBA: Per-Unit Breakdown
Updated 2026-05-26
Answer: Add all inbound costs from factory pickup through Amazon delivery, then divide by sellable units. Keep freight, prep, customs, duty, and appointment costs visible so pricing decisions are not based on freight alone.
Per-unit formula
Per-unit inbound cost equals total origin costs plus international freight plus destination costs plus customs, duty, tax, prep, and Amazon delivery, divided by the number of sellable units in the shipment.
What to include
Include pickup, export documents, linehaul, fuel, local charges, customs entry, duty, tax, delivery, appointment support, carton relabeling, palletization, inspection, and any repack or rework cost.
Why fixed fees matter
Small shipments often look expensive because fixed fees are spread across fewer units. Increasing shipment size can lower per-unit inbound cost, but it also increases inventory exposure and storage risk.
When to split shipments
Split shipments when part of the inventory needs urgent air freight and the rest can move by ocean. This often protects launch timing without paying air rates for the full production order.
Decision rule
Use per-unit inbound cost to decide whether to raise price, change mode, change carton configuration, negotiate supplier terms, or delay shipment until volume supports a cheaper mode.
What still needs human review
- Per-unit cost does not replace a live freight quote.
- Amazon placement, storage, and fulfillment fees are separate from inbound freight cost.
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