Amazon agency cost, written down before you sign.
Three flat monthly plans with the scope in writing, plus an honest look at how Amazon agencies charge, so you can compare any proposal, including this one.
Three plans
-
Listing
$750 per month
For brands whose ads are fine but whose listings do not convert or rank.
- Keyword map per ASIN
- Title, bullets, description and backend search terms
- Image stack and A+ content brief
- Monthly rank and conversion check
- Up to 5 ASINs included
-
PPC
$1,250 per month
For brands already advertising, with ACoS or TACoS moving the wrong way.
- Break-even ACoS per ASIN
- Campaign structure by match type
- Weekly search terms, negatives and bids
- Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and display ads
- Written monthly report
-
Full account
$2,250 per month
Listing, ads and the account run together by one person.
- Everything in Listing and PPC
- Account health and policy warnings weekly
- Inventory and restock planning
- Seller Support cases
- One report covering all of it
Every plan starts with the free written audit. No plan is billed as a percentage of your ad spend or your sales.
How much does an Amazon agency cost? It depends on the model.
The headline price of an Amazon agency means little until you know what it is multiplied by. Two agencies can quote very different numbers and cost the same in month three, or quote the same number and be twice as expensive once your ad spend grows.
| Model | How the bill is calculated | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly retainer | A fixed fee for a written scope | Predictable budgets, clear accountability | A scope vague enough that the fee buys less over time |
| Percent of ad spend | A share of your monthly ad spend, often with a minimum | Accounts where ad spend is stable | The agency earns more when you spend more, whether or not it pays off |
| Percent of revenue | A share of total or incremental sales | Brands that want the agency paid on outcomes | How the baseline is defined, and fees on sales that would have happened anyway |
| Hybrid | A base fee plus a percentage | Large accounts with many moving parts | A monthly cost that is hard to predict before the invoice arrives |
The same account under three pricing models
Illustrative numbers, to show the method. Not quotes from any agency.
A brand spends $10,000 a month on ads and sells $60,000 in total. Its ad spend grows to $20,000 over a year while total sales reach $90,000.
| Model | Month 1 | Month 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Flat fee of $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| 12 percent of ad spend | $1,200 | $2,400 |
| 4 percent of total sales | $2,400 | $3,600 |
Nothing here says which model is cheapest for you. It shows why the comparison has to be done at your numbers, for today and for the account you expect in a year.
Always included, whichever plan you pick
- The free written audit before anything is signed
- A plan for the first 90 days
- Access through Seller Central user permissions, never your password
- Your approval before listing copy is published
- A written monthly report with every change explained
- Direct contact with the person doing the work
- Your campaigns, files and reports stay yours if you leave
What the monthly fee does not cover
- Your ad spend. Paid by you directly to Amazon.
- Product photography and video. The image brief is included; the shoot is not.
- Amazon fees. Referral, FBA and storage fees are charged by Amazon.
- Software subscriptions. Any seller tool you choose to keep is billed by its maker.
- Trademark filing. Needed for Brand Registry; handled by a trademark attorney.
When a monthly plan is more than you need
Listing rebuild
Keyword map and full listing rewrite for one ASIN
$450
PPC rebuild
Campaign structure rebuilt with negatives and bids, handed over with notes
$1,200
Launch plan
Keyword research, listing and launch campaigns for a new ASIN
$1,500
Consulting session
A written plan on one problem, from a stalled product to an agency review
$300
Month one, week by week
Week 1
Access, cost per unit for each ASIN, break-even ACoS, the audit findings turned into a ranked plan.
Week 2
The most expensive waste removed first: negatives, budget moves, suppressed or broken listings fixed.
Week 3
Structure: exact match campaigns for proven search terms, keyword map and first listing drafts for approval.
Week 4
Approved listing changes published, bids set from value per click, first monthly report.
Eight things to check before comparing two agency quotes
What is the fee multiplied by?
Flat, ad spend, sales, or a mix, and what that means at your numbers in a year.
Is there a minimum?
Percentage models often carry a monthly floor that matters more than the percentage.
How many ASINs are included?
A low fee can cover two products and bill extra for the rest.
How often is the account touched?
Weekly search term work and a monthly look are very different services.
Who does the work?
Ask for the name of the person in your campaigns.
Is there a setup fee?
And what exactly it pays for.
What is the notice period?
And what happens to prepaid months and your files when you leave.
What is not included?
Creative, A+ design, catalog work and Seller Support cases are common extras.
Agency, freelancer, in-house or yourself
Yourself
Your own hours every week
Those hours, and a second opinion
Freelancer
A task or a block of hours
Continuity and a view across listing, ads and inventory
In-house hire
Salary, tools and training
Flexibility, and cover when they are away or leave
Agency
A monthly fee for a defined scope
Some control, which is why the scope and reporting need to be in writing
What makes an Amazon account cost more to manage
- The number of ASINs and variation families
- The number of marketplaces
- How many campaigns already exist and how much cleanup they need
- Whether the brand is in Brand Registry, which opens Sponsored Brands, A+ content and a Brand Store
- Account health problems or suppressed listings at the start
Ad spend is not on this list. Spending more on ads does not make an account more work to manage in proportion, which is why Shelfcrest does not price on it.
Pricing FAQ
How much does an Amazon agency cost?
It depends on the pricing model and the scope. Compare the total monthly cost at your current ad spend and sales, and again at the numbers you expect in a year. Shelfcrest's plans are flat monthly fees listed on this page.
Is the audit really free?
Yes. It is a written document you keep, and there is no obligation to hire anyone after reading it.
Why not charge a percentage of ad spend?
Because it pays the agency more when you spend more, whether or not that spend is profitable. A flat fee removes that conflict.
Is there a minimum contract?
No minimum term. Plans run month to month and end with 30 days' written notice, and your campaigns, files and reports stay yours.
Is there a setup fee?
No. The audit is free, and the first invoice is the first month of the plan.
Does the fee include my ad spend?
No. Ad spend is paid by you directly to Amazon and stays under your control.
Can I change plans?
Yes. Brands often start with PPC or Listing and move to Full account once both are running.
Do prices differ by marketplace?
Each additional marketplace adds work, so it is priced as an addition to a plan rather than a separate plan.
What if I have more ASINs than the plan includes?
Additional ASINs are quoted in writing after the audit, before anything is billed.
How do I pay?
Monthly in advance, in US dollars, against an invoice. One-time projects are billed half at the start and half on delivery.
Start with the audit.
It shows what needs doing, which tells you which plan, if any, makes sense.