FBA vs FBM: which is more profitable per SKU?
There's no single answer to "is FBA or FBM better" — it flips product by product. A light, fast-moving item usually wins on FBA; a heavy, slow, or bulky one often wins on FBM. The only way to know is to compare true cost per unit for each SKU. Start from your real numbers in the settlement tool.
The costs to compare
| Cost | FBA | FBM |
|---|---|---|
| Referral fee | Same % | Same % |
| Fulfillment | Amazon per-unit fee | Your pick/pack labor + postage |
| Storage | Monthly + long-term FBA storage | Your own warehousing |
| Returns handling | Amazon processes (with fees) | You process |
| Prime eligibility | Yes → higher conversion | Only via Seller-Fulfilled Prime |
| Buy Box / velocity | Usually stronger | Often weaker |
Why per-SKU matters
A blanket "FBA is easier" hides the SKUs where FBA fees quietly erase your margin — typically low-price, heavy, or slow-moving items whose FBAPerUnitFulfillmentFee and storage eat the contribution. Conversely, FBM can look cheaper on paper until you price in lower conversion (no Prime) and your own labor.
How to decide from real data
- Run your settlement through SettleClear to get true net profit per SKU on your current method.
- For candidates, model the other method: swap the FBA fulfillment+storage for your FBM postage+labor (or vice versa) at the same units.
- Factor conversion: FBM often sells fewer units at the same price — profit per SKU must beat FBA by enough to offset lost volume.
- Move only the SKUs where the switch clearly wins; keep the rest.
Related: how FBA fees are calculated · true profit per SKU · run your report.