Is Selling T-shirts On Amazon Fba Profitable
Last updated: April 2026 ·affiliate disclosure
Most t-shirt sellers on Amazon FBA see net margins between 20% and 35% after all fees, assuming you're selling at $15-$25 per shirt. This is lower than many other product categories, but still profitable if you get your sourcing and pricing right. The reality: you'll spend 35-50% of your revenue on Amazon fees, shipping, and manufacturing costs, leaving you with $3-$9 per shirt sold.
Amazon FBA Fees for t-shirts Sellers
Amazon FBA charges you a referral fee of 15% on apparel (clothing category), plus a fulfillment fee based on weight and size. For a standard t-shirt weighing 0.3 lbs, expect $2.50-$3.50 in fulfillment fees per unit. Storage fees run $0.87 per cubic foot annually (charged monthly), but most t-shirt sellers don't store inventory long enough for this to be a major hit. Combined, Amazon typically takes 30-40% of your sale price in fees alone.
Profit Margin Benchmarks
Good margins: You're making $6+ profit per shirt after all costs (manufacturing, shipping to Amazon, FBA fees). This happens when you source shirts at $3-$4 and sell for $18-$22. Average margins: $3-$5 profit per shirt—you're breaking even or barely profitable. Poor margins: Under $2 profit per shirt, which means you're competing on price alone and burning cash. Most sellers in the $15 price point land in the average category unless they've optimized their supply chain.
Calculate your actual numbers
The margins above are averages. Your real profit depends on your specific price, costs, and volume.
Run Your Amazon FBA Profit Calculation →Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Selling t-shirts on Amazon FBA is profitable, but it's not a get-rich-quick play. You need to move volume (200+ shirts monthly) to make meaningful money because per-unit margins are thin. It works best if you have a niche (band tees, specific communities, designs with loyal demand) rather than competing on generic designs. If you're starting with zero brand recognition, expect 3-6 months of learning and losses before profitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the total amazon fba t-shirt fees per sale?
Amazon charges 15% referral fee plus $2.50-$3.50 fulfillment fee per shirt. On a $20 sale, that's $3 (referral) + $3 (fulfillment) = $6 total, or 30% of revenue. Add storage fees if inventory sits over 90 days.
What profit margins can amazon fba t-shirt sellers actually achieve?
With a $20 shirt costing $4 to manufacture and $2 to ship to Amazon FBA, your gross profit is $14. After $6 in Amazon fees, you keep $8, or 40% margin. Most sellers achieve 20-35% net margin after accounting for returns (15-20% rate for apparel) and ad spend.
How much do amazon fba t-shirt sellers make monthly?
A seller moving 500 shirts monthly at $5 net profit per unit makes $2,500 before taxes and ad spend. A smaller seller (100 shirts/month) makes $500. Most profitable t-shirt sellers make $2,000-$8,000 monthly, but it takes 6-12 months to reach that volume.
Is amazon fba still worth it for t-shirt sellers in 2026?
Yes, if you have a differentiated product or niche audience. Generic t-shirts compete on price and are brutal. You'll need to invest in design, keywords, and initial ad spend ($500-$2,000) to gain traction. The category is more competitive than 3 years ago, so margins are tighter.
Tools that improve these margins
The right research tool helps you find products with better margins before you invest in inventory.
Try Helium 10 Free →Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Related calculators
Compare T-shirts across platforms
Sell T-shirts on other platforms — fee and margin breakdowns for the same product type.
| Platform | Calculator | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Merch by Amazon | Open calculator → | View full breakdown → |
| Redbubble | Open calculator → | View full breakdown → |
We monitor platform fees quarterly and email you when something affects your margins.