Profit MateMax buy cost calculator
Standing in a store with a product in your hand? Enter the Amazon sell price and the profit you want. This shows the most you should pay for it after every Amazon fee, in 10 marketplaces.
How the max buy cost is worked out
Start from the sell price, take away Amazon's fees and your shipping to Amazon, and you get your proceeds. Take away the profit you want, and what's left is the most you can pay for the product. The table shows the same product with a $12.99 buy cost.
| Step | Example | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Sell price | $35.99 | The current Buy Box price on Amazon |
| Referral fee | −$5.40 | A share of the sell price, set by category (15% for toys) |
| FBA fee | −$9.51 | Amazon picks, packs and ships. Set by size and weight |
| Shipping to Amazon | −$0.66 | Your inbound shipping, per unit |
| Buy cost | −$12.99 | What you paid in the store |
| Profit | +$7.43 | ROI = profit ÷ buy cost = 57.2% |
Break-even buy cost is the most you can pay and still make no loss; the big number also keeps your target profit. Breakeven price is the lowest sell price that doesn't lose money. In Europe, the sell price includes VAT, so the calculator takes it out first.
Example: Melissa & Doug Ice Cream Counter, Amazon US, captured 4 Nov 2026.
How much profit should I ask for?
Many retail arbitrage sellers look for at least 30% ROI and $3 profit per unit, so a few returns or a price drop don't wipe out the gain.
Why is the number lower than the store price I saw?
Amazon takes a referral fee and a fulfilment fee, and you pay to ship to Amazon. Those come off the sell price before your profit is counted.
Does the sell price include VAT?
In the UK and Europe, yes. Turn on the VAT option and the calculator takes it out first.
Is this exact?
It is an estimate from the numbers you type. Scan the product in the app for the live Amazon fee.