Shopify vs Amazon UK
Compare Shopify direct-store economics with an Amazon UK seller-fulfilled referral-fee scenario.
Worked example winnerShopify
Shopify often has lower platform-fee pressure, while Amazon may justify its fees if marketplace demand and conversion are strong enough.
Example scenario£45.00 sale / £14.00 product cost
Shipping cost £4.50 and ad spend £4.00 are included in both rows.
ChannelScenarioFeesProfitMargin
ShopifyBasic plan online standard card£1.15£21.3547.4%
Amazon FBMEverything Else referral fee; seller fulfils order£6.75£15.7535.0%
Best Fit
- Shopify: sellers building owned traffic, repeat buyers and stronger brand control.
- Amazon: products with broad search demand and a fulfilment model that can survive referral fees.
Watch Outs
- Shopify acquisition cost can become the real marketplace fee if paid ads drive every order.
- Amazon category fees vary and should be checked before using a generic referral-fee scenario.
Use the calculators
Run your own product numbers next.
FAQs
Is Shopify more profitable than Amazon UK?
It can be, but only if customer acquisition costs are controlled. Amazon can cost more per order but may bring more built-in demand.
Should I include Shopify subscription costs per order?
For simple order-level planning, this site does not allocate the monthly subscription. Higher-volume sellers can add a per-order allocation manually.