Account types on Amazon Turkey, the 99 TL monthly fee, the 1% withholding deduction, FBA versus FBM, and the checklist to complete before your first sale.
Starting to sell on Amazon Turkey differs from the other marketplaces in two ways: a fixed monthly account fee and an automatic withholding tax deduction. This article covers the account types, the real cost lines, the difference between FBA and FBM, and the checklist to complete before your first sale.
Among Turkish marketplaces, Amazon has the clearest rules and the highest operational expectations. Listing logic resembles Trendyol and Hepsiburada, but the cost structure and logistics options work differently. Pricing set without knowing those differences comes back at the end of the first month as a lower payout than expected.
Account type: Individual or Professional
A Professional seller account costs a fixed 99 TL + VAT per month. The Individual account has no fixed fee but charges a per-sale fee, with limited access to bulk listing and advertising tools.
The decision rule is simple: if you plan to sell more than 40 units a month, the Professional account is the better deal. Below that threshold, start Individual and switch once volume builds.
Documents required
- Identity document
- Tax number
- Bank account details
- Business documents if you are a company
- Contact details
Cost lines: commission is not the whole story
Commission rates on Amazon Turkey vary by category and typically sit in the 8–15% band; some categories go as low as 6% and others higher. But three more lines belong in your pricing:
| Line | Amount / rate | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Professional account fee | 99 TL + VAT / month | Fixed, whether you sell or not |
| Category commission | Typically 8–15% | Every sale, on the total sale amount |
| Income tax withholding | 1% (on the amount excluding VAT) | Every sale, deducted automatically |
| FBA fuel surcharge | 3.5% | FBA users only |
The withholding deduction is specific to Amazon Turkey and frequently overlooked. One percent of the amount excluding VAT is deducted automatically; small as it looks, it is felt in low-margin categories and needs separate tracking on the accounting side.
As a general frame, the target repeated most often for Amazon sellers is at least a 30% gross margin — because of the number of deduction lines and the high return rates in some categories. We walk through building the margin calculation step by step in our article on commission and profit margin.
FBA or FBM
| FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) | FBM (Merchant fulfilled) | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | In Amazon's warehouse | With you |
| Shipping | Amazon does it | You do it |
| Prime badge | Yes | No |
| Extra fees | Storage + fulfilment + 3.5% fuel surcharge | Your own carrier agreement |
| Long-held stock | Extra storage fee beyond 365 days | No extra fee |
| Operational load | Low | High |
FBA's biggest advantage is the Prime badge and the visibility that comes with it. Its biggest risk is storage fees accumulating on slow-moving stock: an additional fee applies beyond 365 days. Amazon may also charge an extra handling fee in categories with high return rates, such as clothing.
A practical approach: FBA for fast-moving, small, higher-margin products; FBM for slow-moving, bulky or low-margin ones. Mixing both in the same store is allowed and is the most efficient setup for most sellers.
Checklist before your first sale
- Verify your category commission in the panel. Not the band — your own sub-category's rate.
- Build the margin calculation including withholding and the account fee. At low volume, 99 TL a month is a meaningful per-unit load.
- Decide FBA/FBM product by product. One model does not fit a whole catalogue.
- Complete the product content properly. On Amazon, title, bullet points and image quality directly affect conversion.
- Set up stock synchronisation from the start. If Amazon is your second or third channel, multi-channel stock management is needed from day one.
- Prepare your returns policy and process. Amazon's return process favours the customer; being caught unprepared damages your metrics.
What sets Amazon apart
- Fixed monthly fee. Opening a store is free on Trendyol and Hepsiburada; on Amazon the Professional account is a standing cost.
- Withholding. The automatic 1% deduction has no equivalent on the other platforms.
- Its own logistics network. FBA offers an option to hand over operations that other marketplaces do not.
- Content standards. Amazon's listing rules are stricter; incomplete or incorrect content can block a listing.
Common mistakes
- Carrying the Trendyol price straight over to Amazon. The commission structure, withholding and account fee differ, so the price should too.
- Sending the whole catalogue to FBA. Storage fees eat the profit on slow-moving stock.
- Not reflecting withholding in accounting. The deducted amount can be offset; untracked, it is simply written off.
- Copying product content from another channel. Amazon's title and attribute standards differ; copied content does not convert.
- Scaling on an Individual account. Past 40 units a month, the Professional account becomes cheaper.
Conclusion
Amazon Turkey is an efficient channel for sellers who follow the rules and take content quality seriously — but because the cost structure differs from the other marketplaces, pricing has to be built from scratch. The best first move is to start with a few products at low volume and see the real payout figures; scaling after the table is clear is far safer.
At Commerslab we handle marketplace store setup and integration end to end. See our marketplace management service or get in touch about your Amazon setup.
Fees, commission rates and the withholding rule may be updated by Amazon and by regulation; verify the current values in your seller panel and with your accountant before deciding.
