FIELD NOTES

The CrateFit blog

How Amazon's FBA fees actually work, and what to do about them.

Placement fees

How Amazon's placement fee works, when to split-ship, and when 5 identical cartons saves you most.

PLACEMENT FEES

How Amazon's Inbound Placement Fee Actually Works in 2026 (with the math)

Apr 24, 2026

Amazon's inbound placement fee is charged when you send one shipment to a single fulfillment center instead of splitting across multiple FCs. This post walks the 2026 math, when split-ship beats paying, and when the 5-identical-carton rule waives the fee entirely.

Fee math

The fees Amazon charges, how they stack, and the math most sellers get wrong.

FEE MATH

2026 FBA Fee Changes: What January 15 and April 17 Actually Cost You

Apr 29, 2026

Amazon shipped two fee changes in the first four months of 2026. The January 15 restructuring split size tiers and added new weight bands. The April 17 fuel surcharge added 3.5 percent on fulfillment fees only. Here is the unit-level math and the action items.

The 5-carton path

When 5+ identical cartons qualify for $0 placement fee, and how to structure a shipment around it.

THE 5-CARTON PATH

The 5-Box Rule: Does Your Next Shipment Qualify?

Apr 29, 2026

Amazon waives placement fees on shipments of 5 or more identical cartons. Most shipments do not qualify. Here is the three-condition checklist we run and the common near-misses that cost sellers hundreds of dollars per inbound.