If you care about Seller Fulfilled Prime costs, start here. This shows where money goes, where it comes back, and how to lower both.

What drives Seller Fulfilled Prime costs

• Returns handling
• Storage by month
• Pick and pack labor
• Boxes and materials
• Platform and label fees
• Outbound shipping to each zone
• Exception fixes when scans break.

Where savings actually come from

Shorten distance with two or three sites. You cut miles and paid upgrades.

Use carrier volume from a strong 3PL. Rates drop. Peaks get capacity.

Keep packaging on brand. Damages and returns fall. Margin rises.

Some brands even cut shipping costs by half with the right setup.

The revenue side of speed

One-day promises lift conversion. Two-day helps as well. Slow delivery hurts. Plan for that upside when you model costs.

A simple cost per order model

• Storage.
• Materials.
• Pick and pack.
• Outbound ship.
• Returns handling.
• Platform and WMS fees.
• Add these up for each SKU.
• Then compare to expected lift from faster delivery.

SFP vs FBA: when SFP is cheaper

Slow movers rack up storage inside FBA. SFP keeps that in check.

Large and extra-large items face steep FBA tiers. SFP avoids that squeeze.

You also avoid prep limits and keep full control of packaging. That protects the brand.

Guardrails that protect the budget

Watch KPIs daily. Fix exceptions fast. Your Prime badge depends on it.

Buy Shipping keeps scans clean. That prevents claim losses and rework.

Weekend pickup and delivery hold speed promises. Missed days get expensive.

How a 3PL lowers Seller Fulfilled Prime costs

• Buy Shipping baked into the flow.
• Daily eyes on metrics and exceptions.
• Weekend operations that protect speed.
• Carrier mixes with real volume discounts.
• Multi-site placement that follows demand.

Clear next step

Talk to ShipSage about Seller Fulfilled Prime costs. Send five SKUs and ship zones. We will map cost, speed, and revenue impact. You will get a go or no-go and a rollout path.

FAQs

What are the main Seller Fulfilled Prime costs

Shipping, pick and pack, materials, storage, returns, and platform fees. Track them per SKU.

Can SFP be cheaper than FBA

Yes. Oversize and slow movers often win with SFP due to fees and storage.

How much does speed change revenue

One-day promises can lift conversion meaningfully. Two-day helps as well.

What tools keep costs from drifting up

Amazon Buy Shipping and integrated carriers. They protect tracking and claims.

Do I need more than one warehouse

Often yes. Two or three sites cut distance and reduce paid upgrades.