#119 – Amazon FBA oder eigner Online Shop? Ihre Erfahrung mit über 300 Produkten
Since launching a three‑item test on Amazon FBA in 2018, Ina Klein now sells over 300 SKUs, with 65 % of turnover coming from Amazon and 35 % from her own shop. Amazon’s fulfillment and referral fees average 15 % of list price versus about 8 % for her website, and policy shifts can shave up to 10 % off margins, while a hybrid inventory cut delivery times ~30 %.
Overview
In 2018 Ina Klein launched a modest three‑item test run on Amazon FBA. Four years later she manages a catalog of more than 300 SKUs and splits sales between Amazon and her own e‑commerce site, offering a practical roadmap for sellers deciding when to rely solely on FBA and when to add a proprietary storefront.
Key Points
- Rapid catalog growth — Within four years Ina expanded from 3 to over 300 products, covering categories such as home goods, toys, and fitness accessories, which illustrates how quickly a diversified line can be built on a single platform.
- Revenue split — Roughly 65 % of her annual turnover now comes from Amazon FBA, while the remaining 35 % is generated through her independent shop, showing a balanced but still Amazon‑centric income mix.
- Fee comparison — Amazon’s fulfillment and referral fees average about 15 % of the list price, whereas the combined costs of hosting, payment processing, and self‑managed logistics for the private site sit near 8 % of sales.
- Customer‑relationship advantage — The direct‑to‑consumer channel has let her collect a mailing list of 12 000 subscribers; those email contacts produce repeat purchases with an average basket size of €48, a metric unavailable on Amazon.
- Policy risk exposure — Shifts in Amazon’s fee schedule or sudden policy updates can erode profit margins by up to 10 %, while a self‑hosted shop remains insulated from those platform‑specific changes.
- Hybrid scaling benefit — By allocating inventory between Amazon fulfillment centers and her own warehouse, Ina cut overall delivery times by roughly 30 %, delivering faster service to both Prime and non‑Prime customers.
How Amazon FBA vs. Own Online Shop Works
- Creating an Amazon listing — Ina logs into Seller Central, uploads high‑resolution images, writes a keyword‑rich title, and sets a price (e.g., €39.99 for a new kitchen gadget). The platform’s keyword planner helps her rank for relevant search terms.
- Shipping stock to Amazon — She packages 500 units and sends them to the nearest fulfillment hub in Leipzig; Amazon then stores, picks, packs, and ships the items, automatically qualifying them for Prime delivery.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
Understanding the 15 % Amazon fee versus the 8 % self‑hosted cost helps sellers model profitability and decide on channel mix. Policy‑driven margin erosion of up to 10 % highlights the risk of relying solely on Amazon, and a 30 % faster delivery through hybrid inventory improves customer satisfaction across both channels.
Key Takeaways
- Ina expanded from 3 to >300 products in four years (2018‑2022).
- Revenue split is roughly 65 % Amazon FBA and 35 % direct‑shop sales.
- Amazon fees average 15 % of list price; her own site costs about 8 % of sales.
- Hybrid inventory allocation reduced overall delivery times by ~30 %.
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central go to Reports > Payments, export monthly fee data and compare to your website costs; log both in a spreadsheet and flag any cost‑...
- →Launch a basic Shopify or WooCommerce store within two weeks, add a newsletter signup form on the homepage to start collecting email addresses.
- →Allocate safety stock (e.g., 200 units of a top seller) in both Amazon fulfillment (Seller Central > Inventory) and your own warehouse, and monitor...
Comments
Join the discussion
Log in or create an account to share your thoughts on this update.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!