1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.
Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.
Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10
JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
Free Tool: 4SELLER
4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:
Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs
Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.
Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers
Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.
Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:
Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.
Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?
Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.
Where to Buy UPC Codes
Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.
Cost of UPC Codes
Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.
Breakdown of Costs
Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.
Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important
Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.
Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size
Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.
Amazon FBA Fees
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
Breakdown of Costs
Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:
Small items: $4 per unit
Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit
Amazon FBA Fees:
Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight
Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:
Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350
Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important
Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees
January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot
Oversized Storage Fees
January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot
Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:
January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200
Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:
January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720
Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter
Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.
Strategies to Manage Storage Costs
Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.
Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:
Electronics: 8%
Beauty Products: 15%
Books: 15%
Clothing and Accessories: 17%
Home and Kitchen: 15%
How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations
Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50
Why Platform Commission is Important
Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.
Impact on Different Product Categories
High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.
Strategies to Manage Referral Fees
Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.
Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising
Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown
Amazon PPC Ads:
Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:
Amazon PPC Ads: $600
Sponsored Products: $400
Sponsored Brands: $150
Sponsored Display: $50
Social Media Ads: $400
Facebook Ads: $200
Instagram Ads: $200
Why Advertising is Important
Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.
Strategies for Effective Advertising
Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.
Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.
Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.
Example Fee Structure
Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds
Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.
Why Returns and Refunds Matter
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds
Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:
Product Price: $50 per unit
Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit
Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings
Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.
Professional Photography
Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.
Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses
Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:
Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
Subscription Services: $100 per month
Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
Packaging Design: $300
Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month
Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter
Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:
Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.
Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.
Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10
JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
Free Tool: 4SELLER
4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:
Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs
Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.
Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers
Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.
Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:
Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.
Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?
Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.
Where to Buy UPC Codes
Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.
Cost of UPC Codes
Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.
Breakdown of Costs
Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.
Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important
Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.
Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size
Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.
Amazon FBA Fees
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
Breakdown of Costs
Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:
Small items: $4 per unit
Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit
Amazon FBA Fees:
Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight
Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:
Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350
Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important
Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees
January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot
Oversized Storage Fees
January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot
Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:
January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200
Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:
January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720
Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter
Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.
Strategies to Manage Storage Costs
Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.
Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:
Electronics: 8%
Beauty Products: 15%
Books: 15%
Clothing and Accessories: 17%
Home and Kitchen: 15%
How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations
Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50
Why Platform Commission is Important
Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.
Impact on Different Product Categories
High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.
Strategies to Manage Referral Fees
Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.
Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising
Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown
Amazon PPC Ads:
Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:
Amazon PPC Ads: $600
Sponsored Products: $400
Sponsored Brands: $150
Sponsored Display: $50
Social Media Ads: $400
Facebook Ads: $200
Instagram Ads: $200
Why Advertising is Important
Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.
Strategies for Effective Advertising
Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.
Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.
Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.
Example Fee Structure
Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds
Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.
Why Returns and Refunds Matter
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds
Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:
Product Price: $50 per unit
Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit
Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings
Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.
Professional Photography
Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.
Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses
Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:
Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
Subscription Services: $100 per month
Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
Packaging Design: $300
Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month
Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter
Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:
Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.
Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.
Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10
JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
Free Tool: 4SELLER
4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:
Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs
Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.
Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers
Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.
Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:
Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.
Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?
Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.
Where to Buy UPC Codes
Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.
Cost of UPC Codes
Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.
Breakdown of Costs
Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.
Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important
Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.
Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size
Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.
Amazon FBA Fees
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
Breakdown of Costs
Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:
Small items: $4 per unit
Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit
Amazon FBA Fees:
Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight
Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:
Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350
Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important
Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees
January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot
Oversized Storage Fees
January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot
Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:
January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200
Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:
January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720
Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter
Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.
Strategies to Manage Storage Costs
Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.
Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:
Electronics: 8%
Beauty Products: 15%
Books: 15%
Clothing and Accessories: 17%
Home and Kitchen: 15%
How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations
Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50
Why Platform Commission is Important
Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.
Impact on Different Product Categories
High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.
Strategies to Manage Referral Fees
Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.
Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising
Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown
Amazon PPC Ads:
Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:
Amazon PPC Ads: $600
Sponsored Products: $400
Sponsored Brands: $150
Sponsored Display: $50
Social Media Ads: $400
Facebook Ads: $200
Instagram Ads: $200
Why Advertising is Important
Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.
Strategies for Effective Advertising
Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.
Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.
Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.
Example Fee Structure
Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds
Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.
Why Returns and Refunds Matter
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds
Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:
Product Price: $50 per unit
Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit
Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings
Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.
Professional Photography
Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.
Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses
Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:
Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
Subscription Services: $100 per month
Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
Packaging Design: $300
Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month
Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter
Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:
Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.
Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.
Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10
JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
Free Tool: 4SELLER
4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:
Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs
Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.
Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers
Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.
Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:
Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.
Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?
Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.
Where to Buy UPC Codes
Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.
Cost of UPC Codes
Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.
Breakdown of Costs
Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.
Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important
Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.
Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size
Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.
Amazon FBA Fees
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
Breakdown of Costs
Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:
Small items: $4 per unit
Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit
Amazon FBA Fees:
Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight
Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:
Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350
Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important
Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees
January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot
Oversized Storage Fees
January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot
Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:
January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200
Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:
January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720
Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter
Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.
Strategies to Manage Storage Costs
Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.
Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:
Electronics: 8%
Beauty Products: 15%
Books: 15%
Clothing and Accessories: 17%
Home and Kitchen: 15%
How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations
Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50
Why Platform Commission is Important
Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.
Impact on Different Product Categories
High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.
Strategies to Manage Referral Fees
Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.
Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising
Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown
Amazon PPC Ads:
Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
Social Media Advertising:
Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:
Amazon PPC Ads: $600
Sponsored Products: $400
Sponsored Brands: $150
Sponsored Display: $50
Social Media Ads: $400
Facebook Ads: $200
Instagram Ads: $200
Why Advertising is Important
Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.
Strategies for Effective Advertising
Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.
Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.
Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.
Example Fee Structure
Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds
Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.
Why Returns and Refunds Matter
Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds
Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.
Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:
Product Price: $50 per unit
Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit
Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings
Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.
Professional Photography
Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.
Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses
Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.
Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:
Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
Subscription Services: $100 per month
Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
Packaging Design: $300
Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month
Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter
Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:
Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

1. Amazon Store Rent
First, let's talk about the monthly rent for an Amazon store. Registering an Amazon store is free, but using a company registration instead of a personal one is recommended. This approach is safer and has a higher approval rate. After registering, you can choose between an Individual account and a Professional account.

• Individual Account: This account has no monthly fee, but you'll pay Amazon $0.99 for each item you sell. It’s suitable for sellers who are just starting out and have lower sales volumes.
• Professional Account: This account costs $39.99 per month, but you won’t pay a fee per sale. This option is more cost-effective if you sell more than 40 items per month.

Recommendation: If you’re just starting and your sales are low, opt for the Individual account. As your sales increase and you consistently sell more than 40 items per month, switch to the Professional account to save on per-item fees.

1. Product Selection Tools

Choosing the right products to sell is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. Fortunately, there are several tools available to assist with this process, each offering unique features to help you make informed decisions.
Popular Paid Tools: JungleScout and Helium10

• JungleScout: Priced at $49/month, JungleScout is widely recognized for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to help sellers identify profitable products, estimate sales, and analyze competition. Its features include:
  
• Product Database: Allows you to filter products based on various criteria like price, sales, and competition.
  
• Product Tracker: Helps track the performance of potential products over time.
  
• Keyword Scout: Provides keyword research and optimization suggestions to enhance product listings.
  
• Sales Analytics: Offers insights into sales trends and revenue estimates.
  
• Helium10: At $79/month, Helium10 is another powerful tool that provides a wide range of functionalities for Amazon sellers. Key features include:
  
• Black Box: A product research tool that allows you to find profitable niches.
  
• Xray: A Chrome extension that gives you a quick overview of product performance metrics directly on Amazon.
  
• Keyword Research: Tools like Cerebro and Magnet help you discover and optimize for high-ranking keywords.
  
• Listing Optimization: Features like Scribbles and Index Checker ensure your product listings are optimized for maximum visibility.
  

Free Tool: 4SELLER

• 4SELLER: For those who are looking for a budget-friendly option, 4SELLER is a free tool that offers a robust set of features to aid in product selection and management. It includes:
  
• Product Selection: Assists in identifying profitable products by analyzing market trends and competition.
  
• Inventory Management: Helps track inventory levels, forecast demand, and manage stock efficiently to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
  
• Supplier Finder: Aids in locating reliable suppliers, which is essential for maintaining product quality and consistency.
  

Why Product Selection Tools are Essential
Using product selection tools is vital because they provide data-driven insights that help you make informed decisions. These tools can save you time and reduce the risk of choosing products that may not sell well. They offer features that allow you to:

• Identify Trends: By analyzing market data, these tools help you stay ahead of trends and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• Evaluate Competition: Understanding your competition is crucial. These tools provide detailed analysis of competitors' products, pricing strategies, and sales performance.
• Optimize Listings: Well-optimized product listings are more likely to attract buyers. These tools offer keyword research and listing optimization features that improve your product's visibility on e-commerce platforms.
• Manage Inventory: Efficient inventory management ensures you have the right products available at the right time, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.

Whether you opt for a paid tool like JungleScout or Helium10, or a free option like 4SELLER, leveraging these tools can significantly enhance your ability to select profitable products, manage inventory effectively, and optimize your listings for better performance.
3. Initial Stock Costs
Purchasing your first batch of products involves a significant initial investment, and the amount required can vary widely depending on the type of products you choose to sell. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider when estimating your initial stock costs:
Factors Influencing Initial Stock Costs

• Product Type and Price: The nature of the products you choose to sell will greatly influence your initial costs. Higher-priced items tend to have less competition but require a larger upfront investment. Conversely, cheaper products are more budget-friendly but often come with higher competition.
• Quantity: The number of units you decide to purchase initially is another major factor. A common recommendation for new sellers is to start with 200-500 units. This range allows you to test the market demand without overcommitting financially.

Calculating Initial Costs
To estimate your initial stock costs, you need to multiply the quantity of units by the purchase price per unit. Here’s a simplified formula:
Initial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per UnitInitial Stock Cost=Quantity×Purchase Price per Unit
For instance, if you decide to buy 300 units of a product that costs $5 per unit, your initial stock cost would be:
300 units×$5/unit=$1,500300 units×$5/unit=$1,500
Typical Budget Ranges for New Sellers

• Low Budget: If you’re starting with a tighter budget, you might opt for products with a lower purchase price. For example, if you choose items costing around $2 per unit and purchase 200 units, your initial cost would be $400.
• Moderate Budget: A more common range for new sellers is between $1,000 and $3,000. This allows for a balance between purchasing a reasonable quantity of units and managing the risk of unsold inventory. For example, buying 400 units at $5 per unit would total $2,000.
• Higher Budget: With a larger budget, you can consider higher-priced items that might have less competition. For instance, purchasing 300 units at $10 per unit would result in an initial cost of $3,000.

Why Initial Stock Costs are Important
Understanding and planning for initial stock costs is critical because it ensures you are adequately prepared for the financial outlay required to launch your business. Here are a few reasons why this is essential:

• Market Testing: Buying an appropriate number of units allows you to test market demand without over-investing. This way, you can gauge the product's popularity and adjust future orders accordingly.
• Cash Flow Management: Proper planning helps manage your cash flow effectively. Ensuring you have enough funds to cover initial stock costs, along with other expenses like marketing and shipping, is crucial for maintaining business operations.
• Risk Mitigation: Starting with a moderate quantity of units helps minimize the risk of unsold inventory, which can tie up capital and lead to losses. It’s better to start small, analyze performance, and scale up gradually.

Carefully estimating and planning for your initial stock costs is a vital step in setting up your e-commerce business. By understanding the factors that influence these costs and budgeting accordingly, you can make informed decisions that set the foundation for a successful venture. Whether you have a limited budget or can invest more significantly, strategic planning will help you manage risks and maximize your chances of success.
4. UPC Codes
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a standardized barcode used by retailers, including Amazon, to track products. Obtaining UPC codes is a critical step in setting up your products for sale. Here’s a detailed explanation of why you need them, where to get them, and the associated costs.
What are UPC Codes?

• Definition: UPC codes are unique identifiers assigned to products. Each code consists of a series of black bars and a corresponding 12-digit number that can be scanned by barcode readers.
• Purpose: These codes help retailers manage inventory, streamline the checkout process, and track sales. For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, UPC codes ensure each product is uniquely identifiable, reducing errors and simplifying logistics.

Where to Buy UPC Codes

• Official Source: GS1: The Global Standards 1 (GS1) organization is the official provider of UPC codes. Purchasing from GS1 ensures the authenticity and uniqueness of your codes, which is crucial for compliance with Amazon’s policies.
• Why GS1?: While there are third-party sellers offering UPC codes at lower prices, these codes might not always be unique or compliant with GS1 standards. Using GS1 guarantees that your UPCs are globally recognized and legitimate, preventing potential issues with listing products on Amazon.

Cost of UPC Codes

• Initial Purchase: GS1 sells UPC codes in packs. A pack of 10 UPCs costs $250 initially. This upfront cost covers the registration and issuance of the codes.
• Annual Renewal Fee: In addition to the initial purchase cost, there is a $50 annual renewal fee. This fee ensures your codes remain active and your registration with GS1 stays current.

Breakdown of Costs

• Initial Cost: For a pack of 10 UPC codes, the initial cost is $250.
• Annual Renewal: The $50 annual renewal fee applies every year to maintain your codes.

Example Calculation:
If you purchase a pack of 10 UPCs, your total cost for the first year would be:
$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300$250 (initial cost)+$50 (annual renewal fee)=$300
In subsequent years, you will only pay the $50 renewal fee to keep your UPCs active.
Why UPC Codes are Important

• Inventory Management: UPC codes play a crucial role in inventory management, allowing you to track stock levels accurately. This helps prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
• Product Identification: Each UPC code is unique to a specific product, ensuring that Amazon and other retailers can correctly identify and catalog your items. This reduces the risk of listing errors and mix-ups.
• Compliance and Credibility: Using GS1-issued UPC codes ensures compliance with Amazon’s listing requirements. This adds credibility to your listings and prevents potential issues that might arise from using unauthorized codes.
• Efficiency and Automation: UPC codes facilitate the automation of various processes, including checkout, shipping, and inventory updates. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual workload.

Investing in UPC codes from GS1 is an essential step for any e-commerce business aiming to sell on platforms like Amazon. The initial cost of $250 for a pack of 10 UPCs, along with the $50 annual renewal fee, ensures that your products are uniquely identifiable and compliant with global standards. This investment not only helps in effective inventory management but also enhances the credibility and efficiency of your business operations.
5. Shipping and Distribution Costs
Shipping and distribution costs are critical components of your overall budget when selling on Amazon. These costs encompass various fees and charges that ensure your products reach Amazon’s warehouses and, ultimately, your customers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to consider and how these costs can impact your business.
Components of Shipping and Distribution Costs

• Shipping to Amazon’s Warehouse: This involves the costs of transporting your products from your supplier to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Factors influencing these costs include the size and weight of your products, the shipping method, and the distance between the supplier and the warehouse.
  
• Packaging: Proper packaging is essential to protect your products during transit. This includes boxes, cushioning materials, and labeling.
  
• Inspection Fees: To ensure quality and compliance with Amazon’s standards, you might need to pay for product inspections before they are shipped.
  
• Import Duties and Taxes: If you are importing products from another country, customs duties and taxes will apply. These costs vary based on the product category and the country of origin.
  

Estimated Shipping Costs by Product Size

• Small Items: For smaller products, shipping costs are generally lower. On average, you can expect to pay around $4 per unit for shipping.
• Mid-sized Products: For larger or heavier items, shipping costs increase. These costs can range from $8 to $12 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the products.

Amazon FBA Fees

• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fees: Once your products are in Amazon’s warehouse, the company handles storage, packaging, and shipping to customers. Amazon charges FBA fees for these services, which are based on the size and weight of the product.
  
• Small and Light Items: FBA fees for smaller items typically range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit.
  
• Larger Items: For bigger or heavier products, FBA fees can be higher, reflecting the additional handling and shipping costs.
  

Breakdown of Costs

1. Shipping Costs to Amazon’s Warehouse:

• Small items: $4 per unit
• Mid-sized items: $8-$12 per unit

1. Amazon FBA Fees:

• Small items: $2.92-$6.13 per unit
• Larger items: Higher fees depending on size and weight

Example Calculation
If you are shipping 300 small items to Amazon’s warehouse, with each unit costing $4 to ship and an average FBA fee of $4.50, your total costs would be:

• Shipping to Warehouse: 300 units×$4/unit=$1,200300 units×$4/unit=$1,200
• FBA Fees: 300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350300 units×$4.50/unit=$1,350

Total Shipping and Distribution Costs:
$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550$1,200 (shipping)+$1,350 (FBA fees)=$2,550
Why Shipping and Distribution Costs are Important

• Budget Planning: Understanding and accurately estimating these costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. Unexpected expenses can significantly impact your profitability.
• Pricing Strategy: These costs need to be factored into your pricing strategy to ensure you maintain healthy profit margins. Underestimating shipping and distribution costs can erode your margins and affect your competitiveness.
• Customer Satisfaction: Efficient shipping and distribution are key to timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Using Amazon FBA ensures reliable and fast shipping, which can enhance your seller ratings and lead to repeat business.
• Operational Efficiency: Managing these costs effectively can streamline your operations and improve cash flow. By optimizing packaging, negotiating better shipping rates, and accurately forecasting demand, you can reduce expenses and improve efficiency.

Shipping and distribution costs are a significant part of your overall expenses when selling on Amazon. By carefully estimating these costs, including packaging, inspection fees, import duties, and Amazon FBA fees, you can better manage your budget and pricing strategy. Understanding these costs helps ensure smooth operations, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports your business's profitability and growth.
6. Inventory Storage Costs
Inventory storage costs are a critical consideration when using Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. These fees are based on the size and quantity of your inventory stored in Amazon’s warehouses and vary throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these costs and their implications for your business.
Amazon’s Storage Fees
Amazon charges monthly storage fees that depend on the size category of your products (standard-size or oversized) and the time of year. The fees are higher during the holiday season (October to December) due to increased demand for warehouse space.
Standard-Size Storage Fees

• January to September: $0.83 per cubic foot
• October to December: $2.40 per cubic foot

Oversized Storage Fees

• January to September: $0.53 per cubic foot
• October to December: $1.20 per cubic foot

Calculating Storage Costs
To estimate your storage costs, you need to know the cubic footage of your inventory. Here’s how you can calculate it:
Cubic Footage=Length×Width×HeightCubic Footage=Length×Width×Height
Once you have the cubic footage, multiply it by the applicable storage fee rate.
Example Calculation for Standard-Size Products
Let’s say you have 500 units of a product, each measuring 1 cubic foot. Your storage costs would be:

• January to September: 500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415500 cubic feet×$0.83/cubic foot=$415
• October to December: 500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200500 cubic feet×$2.40/cubic foot=$1,200

Example Calculation for Oversized Products
If you have 200 units of an oversized product, each measuring 3 cubic feet, your storage costs would be:

• January to September: 600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318600 cubic feet×$0.53/cubic foot=$318
• October to December: 600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720600 cubic feet×$1.20/cubic foot=$720

Why Inventory Storage Costs Matter

• Budget Management: Accurately estimating storage costs is crucial for budgeting and financial planning. These costs can add up, especially during peak seasons, impacting your overall profitability.
• Inventory Turnover: High storage costs can incentivize better inventory management practices, such as maintaining optimal stock levels and ensuring a higher inventory turnover rate. This helps in reducing long-term storage fees and minimizing the risk of overstocking.
• Seasonal Planning: Knowing that storage fees increase during the holiday season can help you plan your inventory levels more effectively. You might choose to stock up on faster-moving items or reduce slower-moving inventory before the fees increase.
• Cost Control: By understanding these fees, you can implement strategies to minimize them, such as reducing the size of your packaging, negotiating better storage terms, or using other fulfillment centers if necessary.

Strategies to Manage Storage Costs

• Optimize Inventory Levels: Maintain a balance between having enough stock to meet demand and avoiding excess inventory that incurs high storage costs.
• Seasonal Adjustments: Plan your inventory levels based on seasonal fluctuations in storage fees, ensuring you minimize costs during peak periods.
• Efficient Packaging: Use packaging that minimizes space without compromising product safety. Smaller packaging reduces the cubic footage and, consequently, storage fees.
• FBA Inventory Management: Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to monitor and adjust your stock levels based on sales data and forecasts.

Inventory storage costs are an important aspect of selling on Amazon using FBA. These costs, varying by product size and season, can significantly impact your business’s profitability. By accurately estimating these fees and implementing strategies to manage and reduce them, you can optimize your inventory management and control expenses effectively. Understanding and planning for these costs will help ensure a smoother and more profitable operation.

1. Platform Commission

When selling on Amazon, it’s essential to account for the platform commission, known as the referral fee. This fee is a percentage of each sale and varies by product category. Understanding these fees is crucial for pricing your products and calculating your profit margins.
Amazon’s Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on each sale made through its platform. The percentage varies depending on the product category. Here are some common examples:

• Electronics: 8%
• Beauty Products: 15%
• Books: 15%
• Clothing and Accessories: 17%
• Home and Kitchen: 15%

How Referral Fees Are Calculated
The referral fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales price, which includes the item price and any shipping or gift wrap charges.
Referral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee PercentageReferral Fee=Sales Price×Referral Fee Percentage
Example Calculations

• Electronics: If you sell a gadget for $100, the referral fee would be: $100×8%=$8$100×8%=$8
• Beauty Products: If you sell a skincare product for $50, the referral fee would be: $50×15%=$7.50$50×15%=$7.50

Why Platform Commission is Important

• Pricing Strategy: Knowing the referral fee helps you set your product prices appropriately to ensure you cover costs and achieve desired profit margins.
• Profit Margin Calculation: Understanding the commission allows you to accurately calculate your net profit after deducting all fees.
• Category Selection: The commission rate can influence your decision on which product categories to focus on. Lower commission rates in certain categories might lead to higher profitability.
• Competitive Pricing: Factoring in the referral fee ensures your prices remain competitive while still being profitable.

Impact on Different Product Categories

• High-Commission Categories: Categories like beauty products and clothing with higher referral fees require careful pricing to maintain profitability. High fees can significantly impact margins, especially for low-cost items.
• Low-Commission Categories: Categories like electronics with lower referral fees can offer better profit margins, but these categories might also have higher competition.

Strategies to Manage Referral Fees

• Optimize Pricing: Adjust your pricing to ensure it covers all costs, including the referral fee, while remaining attractive to customers.
• Product Selection: Consider the referral fee when selecting products to sell. Products in categories with lower fees might be more profitable.
• Bundle Products: Creating product bundles can help increase the average sales price, potentially offsetting the impact of the referral fee.

Platform commission is a significant cost factor when selling on Amazon. By understanding the referral fee structure and calculating these fees accurately, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product selection, and profitability. Properly managing and accounting for these fees ensures your business remains competitive and financially sustainable on the Amazon platform.
8. Advertising Costs
Advertising is a crucial component of your e-commerce strategy, driving visibility and sales for your products on Amazon. Effective advertising can help you reach potential customers quickly, but it requires a financial investment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of advertising costs, strategies, and their impact on your business.
Types of Advertising

• Amazon Advertising: The primary form of advertising on Amazon is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads. These ads appear in search results and on product detail pages, allowing you to target specific keywords and audiences.
  
• Sponsored Products: These ads promote individual product listings and appear in search results and product pages.
  
• Sponsored Brands: These ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products.
  
• Sponsored Display: These ads target audiences both on and off Amazon, helping to re-engage shoppers who have viewed your products.
  
• Off-Amazon Advertising: To broaden your reach, you can also advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow for targeted advertising based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
  

Budgeting for Advertising
A typical budget for new sellers on Amazon ranges from $700 to $1,000. This budget should cover various advertising strategies, including PPC campaigns and social media ads.
Cost Breakdown

• Amazon PPC Ads:
  
• Sponsored Products: These are the most common and can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $2.00 per click, depending on the competitiveness of your keywords.
  
• Sponsored Brands: These ads generally cost more per click due to their higher visibility and brand promotion capabilities.
  
• Sponsored Display: Costs vary but can be effective for retargeting potential customers.
  
• Social Media Advertising:
  
• Facebook Ads: Costs typically range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, depending on targeting options and competition.
  
• Instagram Ads: Similar to Facebook, Instagram ad costs range from $0.50 to $2.00 per click, with the advantage of visual storytelling through images and videos.
  

Example Budget Allocation
Let’s allocate a $1,000 advertising budget across different platforms:

• Amazon PPC Ads: $600
  
• Sponsored Products: $400
  
• Sponsored Brands: $150
  
• Sponsored Display: $50
  
• Social Media Ads: $400
  
• Facebook Ads: $200
  
• Instagram Ads: $200
  

Why Advertising is Important

• Increased Visibility: Advertising ensures your products appear in front of potential buyers, increasing the likelihood of sales.
• Competitive Edge: With many sellers on Amazon, advertising helps you stand out and reach customers who might otherwise not find your products.
• Sales Velocity: Effective advertising can boost your sales velocity, improving your product rankings and increasing organic visibility over time.

Strategies for Effective Advertising

• Keyword Research: Use tools like Amazon’s Keyword Planner or third-party tools to identify high-performing keywords for your PPC campaigns.
• A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and targeting options to find the most effective combinations.
• Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review your ad performance data to optimize your campaigns. Adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, and allocate more budget to high-performing ads.
• Leverage Social Media: Use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your Amazon listings. Engaging content, such as videos and customer testimonials, can enhance ad performance.

Advertising is a vital part of your e-commerce strategy on Amazon and beyond. Allocating a budget of $700 to $1,000 for advertising can significantly enhance your product visibility and drive sales. By utilizing Amazon PPC ads and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can reach a broader audience and increase your chances of success. Effective advertising requires continuous monitoring and optimization, but the investment can lead to substantial returns in terms of sales growth and brand recognition.
9. Returns and Refunds
Managing returns and refunds is an inevitable part of selling on Amazon. While they can impact your profitability, understanding the associated costs and implementing effective management strategies can help mitigate their effects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs and considerations involved in handling returns and refunds.
Amazon Return Processing Fees
Amazon charges a return processing fee that varies depending on the product’s size and weight. This fee is applied when a customer returns a product, and it covers the cost of handling and processing the return.

• Standard-Size Products: Fees for standard-size products are typically lower due to their smaller dimensions and weight.
• Oversized Products: Fees for oversized products are higher because of the additional handling and storage space required.

Example Fee Structure

• Standard-Size Product Return Fee: Approximately $2 to $5 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.
• Oversized Product Return Fee: Approximately $5 to $20 per unit, depending on the specific dimensions and weight.

Additional Costs of Returns and Refunds

• Restocking Fees: Amazon may charge a restocking fee for certain returned items. This fee is deducted from the refund amount and can range from 10% to 20% of the item’s price.
• Return Shipping Costs: In some cases, you may be responsible for covering the cost of return shipping, especially if the return is due to a defect or error on your part.
• Product Condition: Returned items that are not in resellable condition may need to be disposed of or liquidated, leading to additional losses.

Why Returns and Refunds Matter

• Customer Satisfaction: Efficient handling of returns and refunds is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and positive reviews. Poor management can lead to negative feedback and damage your seller reputation.
• Cost Management: Understanding and anticipating the costs associated with returns can help you better manage your budget and pricing strategy, ensuring you account for these potential expenses.
• Inventory Control: Effective return management helps maintain accurate inventory levels and reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts.

Strategies to Manage Returns and Refunds

• Clear Product Descriptions: Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of returns due to customer dissatisfaction or misunderstandings.
• Quality Control: Implement rigorous quality control measures to minimize defects and errors that could lead to returns.
• Customer Service: Offer excellent customer service to address issues promptly and potentially resolve problems without necessitating a return.
• Return Policies: Establish clear and fair return policies that balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from excessive costs.

Example Calculation
Let’s consider you sell 100 units of a product, with an average return rate of 5%. Here’s how you can calculate the potential costs:

• Product Price: $50 per unit
• Return Rate: 5% (5 units)
• Return Processing Fee: $3 per unit
• Restocking Fee: 15% of the product price ($7.50 per unit)
• Return Shipping Cost: $5 per unit

Total Return and Refund Costs:
Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15Return Processing Fee=5 units×$3=$15 Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50Restocking Fee=5 units×$7.50=$37.50 Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25Return Shipping Cost=5 units×$5=$25
Total Costs:
$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50$15+$37.50+$25=$77.50
Handling returns and refunds is a necessary aspect of selling on Amazon, and the associated costs can add up quickly. By understanding the fees and implementing strategies to manage returns effectively, you can minimize their impact on your profitability. Clear product descriptions, stringent quality control, excellent customer service, and well-defined return policies can all contribute to reducing return rates and associated costs. Efficient return management not only helps maintain customer satisfaction but also supports better cost control and inventory management.

1. Miscellaneous Expenses

In addition to the primary costs associated with setting up and running your Amazon business, there are several miscellaneous expenses that can significantly impact your budget. These costs, while often overlooked, are crucial for creating a professional and efficient operation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these potential expenses and their importance.
Graphic Design for Product Listings

• Importance: High-quality graphics and well-designed product listings are essential for attracting customers and conveying professionalism. Poorly designed listings can deter potential buyers.
• Costs: Hiring a freelance graphic designer can cost between $50 and $200 per listing, depending on the complexity and the designer's experience.
• Services: Graphic design services might include creating product images, infographics, and enhanced brand content (EBC) that highlights your product's features and benefits.

Professional Photography

• Importance: Professional photos can make a significant difference in how your product is perceived. High-quality images help build trust with customers and increase conversion rates.
• Costs: Professional product photography can range from $100 to $500 per product, depending on the number of images and the photographer’s expertise.
• Services: This may include standard product shots, lifestyle images showing the product in use, and detailed close-ups of key features.

Virtual Assistant (VA) Services

• Importance: Hiring a virtual assistant can help manage various tasks, such as customer service, inventory management, and order processing. This can free up your time to focus on strategic growth.
• Costs: VAs typically charge between $10 and $30 per hour, depending on their skill level and the tasks they perform.
• Services: Tasks handled by VAs can include responding to customer inquiries, updating product listings, managing social media accounts, and handling administrative duties.

Other Potential Miscellaneous Expenses

• Subscription Services: Tools and software subscriptions for keyword research, inventory management, and sales analytics can cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.
• Legal and Accounting Services: Professional advice for legal and tax matters is crucial. This can include incorporating your business, trademark registration, and tax preparation, costing several hundred dollars annually.
• Packaging Design: Custom packaging design can enhance your brand image and customer experience. Costs can range from $100 to $500, depending on the complexity of the design.
• Marketing and Promotional Materials: Additional marketing efforts, such as email campaigns, social media ads, and promotional giveaways, can also add to your expenses.

Example Budget Allocation
Let’s break down a potential budget for these miscellaneous expenses:

• Graphic Design: $150 per listing for 5 listings = $750
• Professional Photography: $300 per product for 3 products = $900
• Virtual Assistant: $20 per hour for 10 hours per month = $200 per month
• Subscription Services: $100 per month
• Legal and Accounting Services: $500 annually
• Packaging Design: $300
• Marketing and Promotional Materials: $200 per month

Annual Costs:
Graphic Design=$750Graphic Design=$750 Professional Photography=$900Professional Photography=$900 Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400Virtual Assistant=$200×12=$2,400 Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200Subscription Services=$100×12=$1,200 Legal and Accounting Services=$500Legal and Accounting Services=$500 Packaging Design=$300Packaging Design=$300 Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400Marketing and Promotional Materials=$200×12=$2,400
Total Annual Miscellaneous Expenses:
$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450$750+$900+$2,400+$1,200+$500+$300+$2,400=$8,450
Why Miscellaneous Expenses Matter

• Professionalism and Trust: Investing in professional services like graphic design and photography enhances your product listings and builds trust with potential customers.
• Efficiency and Focus: Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to delegate time-consuming tasks, enabling you to focus on growing your business.
• Operational Smoothness: Subscriptions to essential tools and professional legal and accounting services ensure your business operates smoothly and compliantly.
• Brand Building: Custom packaging and marketing materials contribute to a strong brand identity, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.

Miscellaneous expenses, while sometimes overlooked, play a vital role in the success of your Amazon business. By budgeting for high-quality graphic design, professional photography, virtual assistant services, and other essential tools and services, you can create a professional and efficient operation. These investments not only enhance your product listings and customer experience but also free up your time to focus on strategic growth, ultimately contributing to your business's long-term success.
Summary
Setting up and running an Amazon business involves various costs that need careful consideration to ensure profitability and efficiency. Here’s a summary of the key cost components:

1. Product Selection Tools: Essential for choosing profitable products, with popular tools like JungleScout ($49/month) and Helium10 ($79/month). Free alternatives like 4SELLER also provide valuable features for product selection and inventory management.
   
2. Initial Stock Costs: Depending on the product type and quantity, initial stock costs can range from $1,000 to $3,000. Starting with 200-500 units is recommended to test the market without overcommitting financially.
   
3. UPC Codes: Necessary for product tracking, these should be purchased from GS1. A pack of 10 UPC codes costs $250 initially, plus a $50 annual renewal fee.
   
4. Shipping and Distribution Costs: Includes fees for shipping products to Amazon’s warehouse and Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees, which range from $2.92 to $6.13 per unit. Shipping small items might cost around $4 per unit, while mid-sized products could cost $8-$12 per unit.
   
5. Inventory Storage Costs: Monthly fees for storing products in Amazon’s warehouse vary by size and season. Standard-size storage costs $0.83 per cubic foot from January to September and $2.40 per cubic foot from October to December. Oversized storage costs $0.53 per cubic foot and $1.20 per cubic foot during these periods, respectively.
   
6. Platform Commission: Amazon takes a commission on each sale, typically between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category. For instance, electronics have a referral fee of 8%, while beauty products have a fee of 15%.
   
7. Advertising Costs: To drive visibility and sales, set aside $700-$1,000 for advertising. This includes Amazon PPC ads and potentially social media ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
   
8. Returns and Refunds: Handling returns incurs costs, including Amazon’s return processing fee, restocking fees, and return shipping costs. These fees vary based on product size and weight.
   
9. Miscellaneous Expenses: Other costs include graphic design for product listings ($50-$200 per listing), professional photography ($100-$500 per product), and virtual assistant services ($10-$30 per hour). Additional expenses may include subscription services, legal and accounting services, packaging design, and marketing materials.
   

In total, you'll need at least $5,000 to start an Amazon FBA business today. Plus, you'll need to spend a lot of time managing your store and optimizing your product listings. This includes continuously monitoring your sales performance, tweaking your advertising strategies, and keeping an eye on competitors to stay ahead in the market.
By understanding and planning for these costs, you can effectively manage your Amazon business, ensuring it remains profitable and efficient while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

I want to have children, I want to buy a home, I want to work my job, I want to live healthy, I want to not step on others to make all that happen. It is impossible at this day and age to do all of them, maybe not even half at the same time.
The water we drink is poisoned. Whether it's waste legally dumped from factories making untested chemicals, or from the pipes it flows through or from the containers we drink from, it doesn't seem like you can drink untainted water.
Our food is poisoned. Whether it's the untested chemicals put into it to make it last longer, taste better, become more addictive and become cheaper, or from the chemicals known to cause health issues, sprayed on it to keep bugs off. If we are talking about meat, factory farmed livestock is given plastic to eat, pumped with hormones to grow bigger and faster, and all that's without getting into the torture of their short lives in the dark with no room to move, living in their own excrement.
Our shelter costs more than ever in American history, not just to own, but to borrow. Broken homes are being sold for what more than half the population could afford to "buy." Buy is a loose word because over 3/4ths of Americans live Paycheck to paycheck. We don't have money to "buy" anything. We have to borrow money from institutions that have crashed our economy, in order to hopefully, eventually own one of these broken homes. If you borrow shelter (rent), you are at the mercy of your landlord, almost guaranteed to have the rent go up every year and lose your down payments when you move out. If you refuse to buy or borrow, wherever you stay is likely illegal and the country is working on making it a crime to sleep outside. You will be productive, whether is by "choice" or in prision.
Our environment is poisoned. The air you breathe, the water you swim in, the ground you grow crops in, is it safe? Have you gotten it tested? Sure there are "acceptable" levels of everything, but who is it acceptable to? The people living in it or the people polluting it? Can you go for a swim at your nearest beach without getting tar balls stuck to your clothing or your dogs fur from the multiple offshore oil rigs crowding the sunset view? I can't. Can you swim in the lake or pond nearest to you? I can't. Its prohibited and I cannot find a specific reason, but I'm sure it has something to do with the water cooling the Power plant located there. Somehow the fish have been cleared as acceptable to eat though. If you can't find somewhere to swim, you better find a way to cool down because this summer will be the hottest on record until next summer and so on. You sure you want to live in the hottest parts of the country right now? Will they be habitable in a few years? Will even the poisoned water be available to drink?
Our medical care is so expensive we either don't have it or are so afraid to use it for fear of bankruptcy. Insurance companies are constantly denying payment for basic medical needs and death causing events. Cancer will kill you and if it doesn't, the bill at the end will make you wish you died instead. If you wanted to try and pay for it yourself, the insurance industry has caused even just basic services to sky rocket in price, it's impossible. A 15 minute checkup is $400 out of pocket at the medical office nearest me. That does not include the blood work they send you to a different facility for, or any other xrays, medicine or general care you may need otherwise.
Our jobs are so level locked that if you've got no education, you'll make enough that the government will assist you with some needs like food. Your community has been trained to judge you for it, thinking you're cheating the system because you don't want to work, when in reality it's whichever corporation your working for, actively gaming the system so they can keep their labor costs as cheap as possible. If you've got some education, you're probably living to work. Yeah you only make what minimum wage SHOULD be, but if you work 80 hours every week,, you might be able to pull off a lower middle class life style. With some education, you might even be able to sneak into a 9-5 where you don't have to work as many hours, but you're still not making enough to meet every basic need. If you have higher education, you might be doing alright, or you might be unable to find a job, while stuck in nonexpiring, crippling debt. Maybe you're somewhere in between. And even if you've got a great job... is it safe? Did the shareholders make enough so that there won't be a massive round of layoffs this quarter? Did the right political candidate get elected so the field you work in isn't shut down until the opposite party gets back into power?
Not every American is in this position, there are lucky ones who come from enough money that they'll never know struggle, never know food/wateshelteHealthcare insecurity. But the one thing that is STILL unavoidable, the one thing EVERYONE must participate in is stepping on others to live day to day. Everyday, we interact with, see, touch, feel or use a product that was made with questionable labor, if not outright slave labor and human suffering. From the people mining the basic materials to create products, to the people working the factories that products are produced in, to your neighbor that works at the shipping facilities to get it to you, the whole line is corrupted and meant to squeeze the absolute most out of the workers operating everything. The threat of losing even more of your basic needs keeps you in line, if not threat of physical and emotional torture.
I am only smart enough to see the things that are wrong in the world and recognize that it is unsustainable, but I'm too dumb to solve any of it and convince others to help.
So how do we give up without giving up? How do we get rid of our morals and act like everything is fine? How do we continue on feeling good about the systems we have in place, knowing there is so much suffering involved? How do I make a concious decision to bring another human life into this world, to experience what Im experiencing, but for it to be so much worse by the time they can recognize it? It seems that there is no way to change everything and we are headed towards inevitable collapse, so how the hell do we enjoy the ride that's left? I see people do it everyday. Not doing it is pure depression and I am so exhausted from being depressed.

This is my first post on reddit so Im not sure how this will go, however, I want to know if Im the only one who has ever felt this and possibly seek advice.
For almost a year now, I’ve been getting these weird feelings in my chest, or attacks, as I like to call them, where I start to feel like my heart is fluttering or skips a beat, possibly heart palpitations. When this happens, I will automatically check my pulse and everything is always perfectly fine. I also get shortness of breath, a weird feeling like my throat is closing or I can’t swallow and a tightness or pressure in my chest, which are also all symptoms of a heart attack.
For a few months, whenever this feeling came up (which is basically every single day) I would go into a full blown panic. Now I feel it, and I try to go outside and walk or do breathing exercises but it doesn’t fully seem to take the symptoms away. Sometimes laying down helps but I can’t always lay down, especially at work. And it usually happens during work like 11-2 pm and after I eat. And recently it’s been happening while I drive long distances and the other day it happened at a concert, which had never happened before. It seems to be escalating. It also happens if Im wearing tight clothes or have eaten a big meal/had too much water. Which Ive noticed is a problem because now I avoid drinking too much wateeating a lot.
I’ve seem multiple doctors, gotten labs, xrays, ultrasounds, I had a 2 week heart monitor, and I got an echo and stress test and everything came back absolutely fine. I’ve been told multiple times that this is anxiety. But when I do anxiety relieving activities, meditation, breathing, etc, nothing seems to really work.
Im afraid it’s a health condition and they haven’t caught it yet and Im terrified of it escalating and something bad happens to me. I have a history of thyroid disease and it got so bad my thyroid was removed a few years back, leaving me with chronic calcium deficiency which affects me daily. So yes, I do have health anxiety and am extremely self aware for symptoms.
However, these heart flutters/symptoms Ive been experiencing for over 8 months now, happen out of nowhere, sometimes when Im just sitting and relaxing and not even thinking anything. Im extremely concerned for my wellbeing, frankly I feel so weak and fragile. I stop myself from doing activities I used to do or am afraid to do them now because I don’t want to feel the symptoms. Im desperate for answers or a solution but no one in the medical field has been able to help me and I really don’t know if this is truly anxiety or something else.
Has anyone else felt this? And if so, did you overcome it? And if you have, how? Im getting so tired of feeling this everyday and dread doing things I didn’t mind doing before because of the symptoms.
Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

"WARNING! NSFW AND LONG POST AHEAD!"
As in absent na nga ako for 3 days straight dahil sa fever and back pain. In fairness naman kay doc na very supportive and caring, he gave me 5 days of rest and meds and siyempre some tests na kelangan gawin. So nalaman nga ni crush dahil nakipag kwentuhan kay tito nung isang gabi. So nakwento naman sakin ng tito ko na worried daw siya kase baka raw siya yung dahilan and all.
Kaninang morning napatawag nga si crush and tinatanong kung okay lang ba raw ako.fcedw I said I'm getting better naman pero kelangan ko lang magpatests and i asked if okay lang na samahan niya ako. May lakad daw sana siya pero sige samahan daw niya ako. I asked kung san ba lakad niya baka kase mas important yun he said sa Greenhills lang naman daw. Then i told him na samahan ko siya sa GH after ng blood works ko para mafulfill naman din yung plan niya for today. At first hesitant nga siya kase may sakit ako pero pumayag nalang din siya. So nag prep na kami and then dinaanan nalang niya ako dito. Pag dating sa clinic, ako na pala yung next na kukuhaan ng blood. Then nakapag set na ng sched for xray. Nag aya naman akong mag breakfast since maaga pa naman so nag buffet uli kami sa may Tomas Morato since mas malapit naman na yung way dun going to GH. Ako na yung nag treat since ako naman yung nag aya. Then he was asking about HIV and kung gano na ba siya kalala and all. So i explained naman everything to him. Then he asked if I'm sexually active and I told him na rare lang and mas prefer ko sa kilala ko na at least i know I'm safe. Then i asked kung siya ba sexually active ba and he said minsan nalang kase feeling niya hindi na ganon ka important sa kanya yung sex. So i asked when was the last ba then he said nung pag uwi namin galing Tagaytay daw. He invited this girl sa house nila and then there. Then i told him na sana ako nalang kase kelangan ko ng irrigation eh. Tuyot na tuyot na ako oh. Look may mapa na ng west Philippine sea sa likod then bigla siyang tumawa ng malakas and then told me na baliw daw ako. Napatawa nalang din ako. Then he asked if when ba yung last ko then sinabi ko naman. Then he said na curious daw siya pano namin ginagawa daw so ikukwento ko naman sa kanya pag nasa car na kami and dapat ikwento rin niya yung experience niya sa girl. He agreed naman just to be fair. I swear to God naka ilang balik na siya sa buffet area. Well, ako naman din kumukuha lang ako ng scrambled eggs and hotdogs para di naman ganong kabigat and hopefully makapag Jollibee kami sanlunch para makaorder ako ng family pan na spag. Then he told me na ang hilig ko raw sa hotdog and eggs. Siyempre proud naman akong sumagot na oo sa kanya. Then we laughed snd he gave me a nudge then sira ulo daw ako. Then sabi ko ikaw nga diyan oarang baliw mag tatanong tapos tatawa. Ewan ko sayo! Then tatawa na kami. He jokingly told me na yung kanya daw franks and jumbo raw (like duh! Nakita ko na yan noh! And yes naman. Pero medyo flaccid pa eh. Di ko nakita na matigas) then i told him na " to see is to believe. Show it to me!" Then he laughed then told me na lagi nga raw siyang tumatawa pag kasama niya ako. He never laughed that much daw. Yung brother daw niya (which is my gay friend din) pag kag jojoke, havey naman daw pero not as funny as me. Well, totoo naman lahat ng sinasabi ko noh. Haha! Then he laughed. We went back to the car na para pumunta na sa GH. Pero nag aya muna siyang mag coffee so sige. Then he told me na may seriosong tanong siya na if someone gwapo and macho who will invite me for a ONS, papayag ba raw ako. Then i said no. Kase di ko naman kilala yun. Not unless kilala ko talaga siya. Then he jokingly said e pano kung ako yung mag aya? Then i told him na "ano ba yan panay tanong bat di nalang natin gawin diba nang matahimik na kaluluwa natin my God!" Then he laughed again. Then i asked him na kung ano mas prefer niya? Ipapahawak yung dick for 5 minutes pero ipapasok lang yung kamay sa shorts or ipapakita yung dick for 5 minutes pero bawal hawakan? Then napaisip siya then he would answer the ipapasok sa shorts then biglang mag babago na ipapakita nalang then mapapaisip uli until he made a decision na ipapasok nalang daw yung hands sa shorts then he asked if ano ba raw gagawin. Then i asked if gusto ba niya malaman? Then he laughed again then told me na lokoloko raw ako. Then he asked nga kung pano ba raw namin ginawa. So siyempre i told him everything. Then kada position may tanong siya. Then i told him na i did body worshipping then he asked so kinuwento ko naman like wala naman siyang gagawin kundi humiga lang then I'll do the work for him. I'll lick his whole body from head to toe. Playing using my tongue. Mas masarap na part is where I'm starting to lick his singit, balls and the body of the dick and then the head lalo na yung butas sa dick? Sarap nun. Then i noticed na medyo namumula na siya but was still asking parin like how but without the joke. So inexplain ko naman sa kanya and all. Then nag aya na ako mag GH kase past 11am na yun. Naka shorts lang kase siya so i saw na may bulge na sa shorts niya and still namumula na siya and was fixing his shirt pababa like as if covering his bulge na nga. Medyo natawa ako dun pero go lang. Then i told him na oorder muna ako ng isa pa while nasa GH kami but he told me na wag na kase baka naman tumaas sugar ko tho hindi naman ako diabetic pero i appreciate him. So nasa car na kami then pinapatuloy na niya yung story then he ask if i swallow ba raw and kung anong lasa. Natawa talaga ako dun pero i answered parin na swallow yes pero depends sa tao. Out of nowhere he said "shet sarap nun kung gagawin sakin yun na isuswallow din yung akin!" Then i asked if gusto ba niya then he laughed then said ituloy ko raw yung kwento nga. Medyo kumakambyo na nga siya dun sa dick niya and i noticed na matigas na nga. Then i asked him about his experience with the girl. Then he told me na ang boring nga raw ng babae wala manlang effort as in parang bangkay daw. Though nag effort naman daw siya like licking her nips and keps and all. Then i asked if pinutyba niya sa loob and he told me na he's using condoms naman daw. Then i asked if mabilis ba siyang labasan he said depends kung magaling yung kasama niya sa bed. He tried daw so far 3 rounds kaya niya like omg tinigasan din ako dun ha! Pero good thing maluwag ang makapal yung shorts ko hindi naman halata if ever and may bag ako to cover it if ever naman.
So nasa GH na nga kami and we went to the tiangge area then bumili siya ng mga shirts and shorts. So siyempre ako inggitera nag withdraw and namili narin. Until na may khaki shorts na gusto niya pero duda siya sa size. May ibang shop kase na may decent na fitting room may iba kase na malaking cloth lang yung pang takip. At that point yung store na pinuntahan namin is cloth lang yung pang takip niya so i offered na takpan ko nalang siya so he can fit the shorts na gusto talaga niya. So tinakpan ko na nga then he started to remove his shorts and on with the other. Then he faved the mirror then asked me kung bagay ba. So he faced me and shocks bakat na bakat dick niya and i told him na yes maganda yung fitting. Img tinigasan nanaman ako dun. Then i offered na bagayan namin ng shirt or polo shirt so namili ako then he chose the polo shirt then sinukat na niya and shet talaga and gwapo and sexy niya promise. As a gift i bought the shirt for him nalang since maganda naman din sa kanya. Past 3pm na when i told him na mag lunch naman na kami kase gutom na talaga ako then he asked kung san ko ba raw gusto except sa Jollibee kase oorder nanaman daw ako ng family pan na spag. So pwede sa Le Ching or sa The House of Minis or mag samgyup. Gusto raw niya itry sa Le Ching so sige. In fairness nagustuhan niya and mega order pa talaga siya ng rice. Then nag aya siyang mag coffee then kung okay lang ba raw na mag Ikea kami sa MOA and i said yes naman. So we went to his car na then pag dating dun he just started his engine pero di pa siya umandar then he asked if I'm okay lang ba raw. Naweirdohan ako sa kanya then i said yes naman then i aksed why. Kase namumutla raw ako. I just said that I'm okay and there's nothing to worry about naman. Then he jokingly said "binosohan mo ako noh habang nag papalit ako ng shorts?" Then i felt na nag init yung face ko then i said "hello pano kita mabobosohan eh ang taas ng pagkatakip ko sayo nun. Pero nakita ko sobrang bakat yung junjun mo." Then we laughed then he asked kung malaki ba then i answered na may daya kase may mga clothes na nakaharang unless ipapakita mo talaga on its full glory diba? He laughed then we went to MOA na.
Sa Ikea naman, he's looking for that electric table where he can adjust the height daw and all. So nakakita nga kami and bumili nga siya nun. Nag aya akong mag dinner na mag samgyup kami pero gusto raw niya itry yung Vikings so pumayag naman ako since treat naman niya. Before that he asked if i have meds ba na dala kase kung wala bibili daw siya for me ng paracetamol. I told him na may dala naman ako then i showed him my med kit. Natuwa siya kase walking pharmacy daw ako and dami ko raw meds na dala. So we went to Vikings nga and waiting daw kami. Hindi na siya nag hintay so nag samgyup nalang kami. Then he told me na siya nalang yung mag cook para mas masarap daw. So siyempre payag naman ako diba. Then he was asking about my work and all. Kwentuhan lang kami talaga. Minsan mas gusto ko pa talaga yung topic na walang sex. Lalo na kung nag oopen siya about his life sa Canada. The more na nakikilala ko siya at that and i became more interested sa mga stories niya. Then there's this once na he told me na dumating din sa point na nag hirap din sila dun and all of them are working na para lang makaahon. He even sacrificed a lot just for them to get by. Though tumutulong naman yung tita niya whick kinuha siya nun (part 1) pero ayaw nilang umasa parin. He learned to save and it even came to a point na may 3 work niya dun. Even his brother (yung friend ko) na kahit sobrang pagod na from work is pag nag didinner sila nag papatawa parin para lang gumaan yung araw nila. So i gave my piece naman din just to be fair pero he told me na only child lang ako and i was 7 or 8 when my father left us daw. Siyempre sabi ko hindi naman madali lalo na kung wala ka naman kapatid. Mas pasan ko ang mundo ngayon. Pero I'm not complaining naman kase growing up naman mom is always there for me. So i want to return it naman to her. She's the only one that I've got. Mawala man siya siyempre ayokong umasa sa relatives ko kase may sarili na silang family. Kaya I'm doing everything to make her live longer and to stay healthy rin. Tho nakakausap ko pa naman si daddy pero siyempre may family nsrin siya pero punyeta yung mamanahin ko dapat makuha ko yun! Then we laughed. Medyo ang deep na so i have to make it lighter narin. After dinner we went back to his car na so we can go home narin. He started the engine pero di parin siya umandar then he hugged me and said "you're not alone. Nandyan mga cousins and kami mga friends mo everytime you need us lagi mo yan tatandaan ha!" I cried just a little and hugged him back and told him jokingly na pag tumagal pa yung hugging titigasan na ako. He laughed then kinurot yung cheeks ko. Haha! Then he asked if kelan ko ba raw makukuha yung results samahan daw niya ako uli. Then i said yes naman.
So fast forward na nasa bahay na kami then he told me to wait lang saglit kase may ibibigay siya sakin. Then OMG yung Cadbury! Pero isa lang. Huhu. I hugged and thanked him and he did the same to me. This time hinatid niya ako sa gate namin and then he saw my uncle then nag comment pa na "wow! Nag shopping ang may sakit! Sosyal ah!" Natawa nalang kami then my uncle went to him and nag kwentuhan na sila then i went inside na. Until now gising parin ako kase kinakain ko yung natirang 1/4 kase kinain ni mommy yung iba. Hmp! Takaw ni mommy! Hehe. Pero kinilig ako dun. Promise!

CW Domestic Abuse, graphic violence
Laurens' stomach seemed to flip and jolt with every bump of the road heading to the motel outside of town just past the main supermarket. Tears ran down her face. The car seemed to fishtail a little as she pulled in. There were several problems with her marriage. Namely that he had a tendency to hit her and accuse her of cheating on him, the most current problem was that he was cheating on her in a motel where everyone they knew could see. Lauren wasn’t thinking clearly as she banged on the door, she knew right away which one it would be, she could hear his voice coming out from it.
“OPEN UP!” She screamed as she pounded on the door. Lauren could feel the general sensation of her hand resisting the door. It would more than likely hurt at some point when she came off the adrenaline.
Then, the door did open. Daniel Anderson took up most of the frame and he was angry. Lauren could hear the other girl screaming inside but couldn’t seem to make out what she was saying. Her heart stopped as she looked into Daniels face. He was Angry. The kind of angry that meant he was going to hurt her, whether anyone could see it or not. Lauren backed up from the door to avoid being pulled in the room but Daniel followed her out.
“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, his voice was even and low.
“I got 3 calls about you being here with some whore.” Lauren retorted. She had started edging towards her car at this point, seemingly just now realizing she had made a mistake in coming here. Her heart seemed to stop altogether as he reached for her.
Lauren ducked but he caught her by her hair, winding the strands in between his fingers and yanking her face so that her ear was next to her mouth.
“What did you call her?” He whispered through clenched teeth. Lauren remained mute at this point. She felt her heart speed up and she tried to figure out how to get out of this. He’d never hit her in public. If she could remind him where they were… “I asked you a question Bitch.
If Lauren had thought about answering at that point, she wasn’t given much of a chance. He swung her head up and then forward, the momentum knocking her to the ground. Then he kicked her, pain blossomed through her midsection stunning her and she had trouble catching her breath. His hands came back down and he began throwing her face into the bumper of his bright red truck. After a minute he threw her face in a different direction and she could taste gravel.
“Apologize.” Daniel said in a warning voice. Lauren tried to stand but he mimicked grabbing at her and she shrunk back. “Apologize to her for calling her a whore.”
Lauren said nothing, somewhat in shock and mostly in pain. She could taste blood and felt it running down her face. This time he did grab her by the arm and yanked her up in one movement.
“I Said. Apologize. “ his words were clear.
Lauren did. Stuttering out an I’m sorry in the other woman’s direction.
“You best be home when I get back.” With that Daniel turned around and went back in the room.
Lauren assessed her options but she couldn’t seem to think. She reached into her car and pulled out her purse and started walking. She couldn’t see out of one eye hardly at all and her head hurt in the back. Lauren knew that he had pulled out a significant amount of hair. She thought she recalled some sharp pain as her face was pulled back from the bumper but she couldn’t remember what had happened in any sort of order.
It was at least 2 miles to her friend’s house. Lauren knocked on the door and when Natalie opened the door Lauren pushed her way in. Natalie hissed as she looked at Lauren.
“What the fuck happened?” Natalie gingerly touched her eye, or at least Laurent thought it was the area heer eye should be in. She hadn’t realized how numb she’d been getting here until she wasn’t numb anymore and the throbbing started up. Todd, Natalie’s husband came from the bedrooms and audibly gasped as well. Lauren headed for the hair salon in the back as Natalie whispered to Todd.
Natalie found Lauren in the salon, lights on and sitting in the chair.
“I’ve got enough here for a haircut but I’ll have to get back to you on the last minute/middle of the night fee. I need it all chopped off if you would. I know he ripped a bit in the back so it’s uneven anyway. Honestly it’s irresponsible to keep my hair this long anyway,do people still do that Kate plus Eight hair? The may I speak to your manager hair?” Lauren had trouble forming the words but she kept going hoping that Natalie understood her. She purposefully faced away from the mirror.
“I can cut your hair for sure. Wouldn’t you rather go to a hospital?” Natalie asked carefully playing with Lauren’s hair. Lauren shookher head quickly and immediately regretted it. Todd came in the room with an ice pack and a washcloth. Natalie filled up a bowl of water and started carefully patting away dried blood and finding the actual cuts. There was water and ibuprofen with a few tylenol mixed in, Lauren had trouble with it.
Natalie cut her hair silently. Working around one spot and then going back to it before announcing that it was as good as it was going to get there until the massive cut healed.
“You want to stay here tonight babe?” Natalie asked as she once more took to wiping her face from the still open cuts.
“No I couldn't do that to you, he told me to go home and when he finds that I’m not there… I left my car at the motel. '' Lauren knew on some level she had and knew there had been a reason, but now that the adrenaline was amping down and quickly she had no idea what she was going to do now.
“The motel?”
“Yeah, he met that girl..that one… Beth, that’s her name. They were up there and I had 3 people call me to tell me his truck was there. I just lost it and drove up there. I didn’t expect this to happen. I figured he’d be caught and apologetic.”
“That fucking bitch, I know her. She has no shame. Anyone gives her a little attention and she thinks they’re married. Tells everyone about it. She smells to high heaven too.” Natalie said incensed.
“Well I got up there and confronted him and he did this until I apologi-apolo-. “ Lauren felt sick suddenly and didn’t bother to finish. It hurt more to talk anyway.
“Why don’t you kick him out? It’s your house, the bills are in your name, you survived years without him before so it’s not like you need to worry about money. Serve him with eviction papers and go hide out somewhere until the month is up. Then bar him from the house.”
“I can’t afford a vacation and last time I tried to kick him out, it didn’t go well.I’ve got nothing in savings or otherwise. I can’t stay with anyone because he’ll come find me and hurt someone else in the process. My kids are already going to be pissed about this and if I disappear it's them he’ll hassle.I can’t afford the medical bills if I go in for this and I can’t afford the next beating if I don’t go home and get there before he does. Plus he knows exactly where I work.”
“You aren’t going to have a job if you're dead and he’s going to kill you.. At this point we’re just waiting for when. I can help you. I can loan you money, Fuck, I’ll just give you the god damn money. “
“We both know you don’t have any more than I do. “ Lauren said leaning back
“Well, you aren’t going home tonight, call your kids and warn them that he’ll be calling and to get a police car out there or something. I’ll call Lottie and explain that you are taking a few days off, and you most certainly are taking a few days off ma’am. You can’t go in looking like that, Lottie’ll kick you back out as soon as you show up. I know where you can go for now.”
Lauren went out back, wincing as she lit up a cigarette and took a few good drags before calling her oldest daughter and explaining that Daniel was going to be angry and to be on the lookout and if she could please call her siblings because she just did not have the energy tonight. Lauren promised to go to the hospital, figuring she’d end up going at some point and assured her daughter that she would be fine. After hanging up Todd got her attention at the edge of the yard and gestured toward the car. Lauren got up and limped over to it to climb in and wondering why the actual fuck she had worn flip flops tonight for this. .
It was a long drive out of town and into the mountains. Lauren apologized profusely every time she looked at the car clock. Todd waved his hand dismissively and handed her a fresh ice pack.
“We’re going to see my cousin, he lives up in the woods doing work for the park. He’s pretty far out there and doesn’t come into town much so Daniel won’t know about him. I’d turn your phone off as a precaution though. GPS trackers and whatnot.”
Lauren had already turned her phone off and felt herself dozing off. Unsure of how long she had slept she was awoken by the car stopping. Todd told her to wait where she was while he talked to his cousin. Lauren wondered what she was going to do if this guy didn’t let her stay here tonight. A few minutes later Todd was back and helping her hobble inside. The other man looked like he’d been woken up. He looked Lauren up and down and then waved Todd away. Todd slumped his shoulders and walked back to the car.
“I’m Eric, you’ll get my room. I’ve got some shirts on the bed to sleep in. The dog might insist on laying with you don’t mind dogs too much. I’ll be right out here on the couch if you need anything, bathroom is over here. I can get you a water and some more ibuprofen.” Eric seemed nice. Lauren worried that Daniel would find her out here with another man and finish what he started at the motel. The motel that seemed to be eons ago. Lauren felt her knees start to buckle and she swayed. Eric grabbed her and helped to the bed. Lauren rolled over and managed to get under the blankets before passing out.
Lauren came to hazily and found that the man here was in the room, he seemed taller as in a lot taller.
“I just want to touch you.” Eric slurred out. He swayed awkwardly and seemed to float to the bed, his hands grabbed at her. Lauren was frozen and then noticed to her horror that her husband was right behind him. Daniel came around to the other side of the bed smiling as if he’d known all along that she would be here. Lauren pulled her legs back and tried to scoot back into the headboard as the men got on the bed and started pulling her legs apart and shoving their palms into her collarbone to push her back. Lauren cried out screaming at them to stop as they started biting at her hips and inner thighs. Then they were laughing as they bit into her and pulled her skin off. Eric moved his mouth to her face and bit into her forehead and that set off fireworks of pain through her head.
Lauren awoke gasping and throwing her hands up defensively. Grey light filtered into the room through the blinds and Lauren was soaked in sweat. Her head most definitely did hurt. Badly. The memory of the men all over her made her sick and she jumped out of the bed and scrambled to the hallway towards where she thought the bathroom would be. She tried to grab at her hair to hold it out of the way only to come up short. It was cut. By the time she had finished throwing up and was leaning over the toilet trying to regain her breath, Eric had appeared wiping sleep out of his eyes. Lauren was slightly relieved to see him at his normal size although she shrunk from his touch when he reached out to steady her. He put his hands up to show that he was backing off.
“Hungry? I can make you something to eat to take some painkillers with so you don’t get so sick again. I’m going to run you into town when you think you’re ready. We can go to the ER if you’d like or maybe the prompt care? But you will have to go in. Looks like you broke your face.” Eric spoke slowly to her, keeping his hands where she could see them. Lauren just nodded at him dumbly. Which sent a new wave of agony through her body and she started to crumble. Eric reached carefully and steadied her with as little physical contact as possible. He led her to the couch and got her sat down, bringing her toast and ibuprofen with water.
Lauren tried to relax into the pain until the ibuprofen kicked in. She tried to disappear into herself, she counted by 13s. Finally after what seemed like forever, the painkillers kicked in taking a very large edge off of her pain. She let out a very audible moan as the pain abated ever so slightly. Her shoulders dropped.
“If we’re going into town and avoiding your husband maybe you should wear some different clothes? I’ve got some guy clothes that will fit you ok.” Eric said, handing her folded jeans and a shirt. Lauren just took them and went into the room to change. Mens jeans seemed to change her entire body shape and she did feel a little safer. Lauren had no idea what she was going to do when it came down to it. She was serious last night about not knowing how to leave him. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, she had tried once before to end things, he called his son over to help him carry his stuff out and then when his son arrived he had held Lauren still while Daniel beat the shit out of her stomach and explained that he wasn’t leaving. Lauren needed her job, the house was paid off, she had gotten it in the divorce and had worked hard to pay it up over the years, but there were other bills and taxes and at some point Lauren wanted to retire long enough to enjoy it.
The car ride to town was nerve wracking. Lauren had used Eric’s phone to call ahead to the doctors office and let them know she would be there and that she would like to be brought back as soon as possible. Lauren waited until they were back in town to turn her phone back on. It powered up and looked fine until the phone started registering the texts and voicemails that had been coming in since last night. Once upon a time Daniel had reacted very negatively to her not responding to his message fast enough so Lauren had eventually set his ringer as an alarm so she knew right away to pick her phone up. Eric’s car sounded like a national disaster was going on. Lauren thought about throwing it out the window as her panic started to grow. Eric grabbed it from her and shoved it under his leg muffling the sound slightly.
“Sorry.” Lauren mumbled. Eric shrugged and didn’t look at her, instead keeping his eyes on the road. “I need to stop at the courthouse first to fill out paperwork for an order of protection and get it filed. Then the doctor's office. That way if he figures out where I am they’re already ready for me. “
Lauren checked her phone for any messages not from Daniel and responded to any that needed it and then she turned it back off as they pulled up to the courthouse. Eric handed her his ball cap to hide her face and they casually walked in together. The security guard stopped her and she lifted her hat and faced him head on. He winced and gave her the floor she needed.
“I still haven’t looked, how bad is it?” Lauren asked as they waited for the elevator.
“It’s pretty bad. But it’s your face and it’s probably mostly swelling. “ Eric said without looking at her.
Lauren knew the clerk and judging by the look on her face she ought to hurry to the doctor’s office.
The doctor’s office was it’s own sort of hell. First, the receptionist didn’t want to send her straight back before the nurse came out. Second, Lauren had been in town long enough that she was paranoid every time someone walked in, which she felt she wouldn’t be if they had sent her back like they had discussed. By the time Odette the nurse came out Lauren was wired and Eric had to calm her down just to get her to walk back to the room.
The doctor came in and looked at her and sighed.
“He really got you this time.” Dr. Livingston said, checking the chart.
“I need pictures to add to the rest, I’ve started the proceedings for an OOP and I’d like to bring in all the pictures.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll have Etta come in with the camera and give you copies to take with you so if they’re lost somehow you can get more from us. Then I’ll do an exam. Does he know where you are?”
“I’m not sure,Eric here has been driving me around and playing my bodyguard. I’d like to move as quickly as possible. I want to be out of town when he catches wind of the OOP.”
“I’ll have them let me know if he shows up.’
The pictures were as intrusive as ever. Etta smiled sympathetically as she helped Lauren tilt her head in different directions to catch every angle. After the pictures Dr. Livingston did a thorough exam and had an XRay done. Prescribed decent painkillers and did a few stitches on her forehead and somewhere in the back that Lauren hadn’t realized was cut up.
Daniel did show up so Eric and Lauren took off out the back and left, the office kept him busy and promised to give her a call as soon as he left. Eric dropped her off a block from her house to grab her things. Her truck was in the driveway. Lauren walked past it and into the house. Though she hadn’t checked the messages she had assumed that the house would be trashed from one of his fits but it wasn’t. She grabbed a few loose outfits and makeup. Glasses and medicine and a charger for a phone she was afraid to turn on. The office called to let her know he had left 2 minutes before. Her chest began to beat erratically. She couldn’t breathe.
“Notsafenotsafenotsafe.” She said to herself repeatedly to get her moving. She remembered to grab socks and real shoes, she even took extra time to get them on. The plan was to meet Eric 2 streets from the backyard in hopes of avoiding Daniel or someone that knew them and might tell Daniel who she had left with. Lauren locked the back door as she slipped out and was stopped by the next door woman who was entirely too nosey and judgemental. Grace had decided she didn’t like Lauren 20 some odd years ago when Grace had moved in. Daniel on the other hand, well she seemed to adore him. Daniel came over and mowed her yard for free and fixed her broken what the fuck ever was broken that day. Lauren knew for a fact that Grace fed Daniel information whether it was true or just some idea that Grace had gotten through her head.
“Well, what happened? Where are you headed then?” Grace asked quickly, trying to engage Lauren.
“Just a tumble and off to check something for The Jakobi's across the yard. See you later Grace.” Lauren kept walking trying to smile pleasantly.
“Oh wait, I need you to ask Danny to do something for me!” Grace hollered after Lauren, Lauren responded by running faster. Daniel’s truck roared around the corner so Lauren decided to take a different route that would involve going through the woods and meeting Eric somewhere else.
Adrenaline poured through Lauren and she put her all into it until she came out a mile up by the gas station. Lauren went inside and borrowed the landline there to call Eric to meet her at the trail head a little further on. She also bought an energy drink and chugged it before leaving. The rush made her eyes feel like they were going to pop out of her head and she laughed before running back into the woods. She imagined she must look like a mess with the backpack on and her short hair sticking everywhere with her eyes wild from the excess caffeine being chugged so quickly. Lauren kept herself going by imagining that she could hear his truck following her, that she could smell his cologne in the air behind her. Before she could stop herself she was hearing her footsteps and feeling the sensation of her head being pulled back and back into the bumper.
BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam. By the time she had exploded off the trail and into the poorly kept parking lot she had completely forgotten what she was doing.
Lauren dropped her hands on her knees and panted heavily. It was Todd who threw his hands around her waist and held her steady. Lauren surprised herself by screaming and slapping at him before Todd could get her to come out of her stupor. Sobbing, she fell into his chest and bawled. She started crying about the day and then it was the day before and then the year and then her entire marriage and then it was the time her youngest daughter came home from her dad’s early and accused her of always being drunk and looking at her disgustedly. Then it was the divorce and the time she let their older daughter wear lipstick and her ex husband had smacked her in front of them and announced that Lauren was not in fact, the deciding parent on the rules in the house.
It was a very long time before Lauren was done crying. Her face hurt dully in the area that had been so intimate with the bumper, snot covered her cheeks and mouth from the futile wiping it with her sleeves. Her good eye was now also swollen and she could barely see through it now. She fell to her knees and then collapsed the rest of the way to the ground so that getting up was difficult because of how stiff she was now from the odd position. Lauren hobbled with Todd holding her upright to his truck. He went ahead and lifted her up into the seat and helped her buckle. Lauren was too tired to swat his hand away and do it herself. She just relaxed her body back in the seat and let herself try to doze.
They hit the dirt road leading to Eric’s house which woke her up again. She could see more out of her good eye and finally flipped the visor down and braced herself for the reflection she had been avoiding.
Half of her face was a mix of purple and blue, someone had said something about her cheekbone on the right being fractured a little, hey right eyebrow was not only swollen but split in the corner and a small stitch held it. Her right eye was a mix of colors and swollen shut, bruises ran down her jawline and she could see why Dr. Livingston had recommended admitting her to the hospital, Lauren herself might’ve considered it if she hadn't been terrified it would’ve made it easier for Daniel to find her and kill her. Lauren fingered her hair that was cut close to her head and tried to smooth some of the longer strands that had indeed started to poke out at different directions. The left side of her face red and blotchy from crying and it occurred to Lauren that she looked like a very fat bloated version of herself and for some reason it struck her as hysterical and she began to laugh until her stomach hurt and she was doubled over howling with laughter. Todd glanced at her and then the road, flipping back and forth between the road and Lauren. Lauren who had gone from a deep sadness to a manic laughter within a short period of time.
By the time they pulled up to Eric’s, Lauren was still laughing but had calmed a little. Todd patted her thigh and told her to stay put. To go warn Eric she presumed. When he came back he carried her from the car to the bed and Eric stood waiting with pills and water and more toast. Lauren did some concentrated breathing until she could swallow them without choking. The pills seemed to kick in immediately. Her face numbed much more than the ibuprofen had managed earlier. As her mind started to fade in and out Eric told her he had purchased her a new phone and had put her old numbers into her new phone in town and tossed the old phone.
A week later Lauren returned from town at the hearing where Daniel was served with a permanent Order Of Protection good for a year. While her face was still pretty fucked up, she was able to see out of both eyes now. The judge had seen her face and granted the order. Daniel had been arrested and would be held for awhile but she had stayed with Eric for a few more days so he could keep an eye on her mental state. Lauren was having trouble returning to her home, she had been placed on a sort of leave at work, Lauren was unsure if they could legally do that after a domestic assault but she wasn’t in the mindset to argue so she just gave up.
“You think you’re safe to go home tomorrow? “ Eric asked Lauren as they set up a fire outside.
“I think so. I don’t know if I really want to stay there anymore.” Lauren admitted. She stacked some more wood off to the side so they wouldn’t have to get back up as often.
“I have a friend who owns some cabins in the woods, he rents them out. There’s 12 or so I think, anyway he recently lost his caretaker and has been looking for someone who can stay up there year round and clean the cabins and handle the rentals. It pays well, obviously you have your own cabin to live in.” Eric passed her a joint that Lauren accepted.
“I’ll think about it.” Lauren said before breathing in and relaxing back into her camping chair and drifting away.
Lauren finished setting the table with her son, Greyson. Her daughters Cora and Audrey, were supposed to be here soon. Liam, Greyson’s 5 month old wailed from the living room and Lauren waved at Greyson to let her go tend to him. Lauren picked up the wailing baby and put her nose on top of his head, remembering the newborn smell. Her youngest was Audrey and she was 23. Liam settled as soon as he was picked up. Lauren thought of how much she was going to miss her grandkids. She lifted him up so she could blow on his baby tummy and he squealed with delight.
“I think the girls are pulling in now.” Greyson said coming in with a bottle. Liam caught sight of Daddy and his bottle and flailed toward them. Lauren handed her grandson to her own son and kissed his forehead.
“I am so proud of you. I don’t think I know any single dads who have their kids full time.” Lauren brushed Greysons hair from his forehead and smiled.
The girls came in, Audrey carrying Cora’s 3 year old son and then Cora behind her dragging an 8 year old girl whose eyes were locked on a tablet screen.
“Diana Renee, turn it off for a few minutes and walk. Jesus. You’re going to trip, say hi to grandma.” Cora said in a surly tone looking exhausted. Her face looked rounder and Lauren had a feeling Cora was pregnant again. She had the look and Lauren felt a pang that she wasn’t going to be around this time, and that she had already missed quite a bit of time. It hadn’t taken any of the kids long to catch onto Daniel being controlling and possessive and even though Lauren had argued for her kids being over every Sunday the children on their own had slowly found excuses to quit coming around the house.Not that Audrey had needed much push. For whatever reason Audrey and Lauren had never seen eye to eye. Lauren blamed her father but it was more than that too, a drive to be independent. Diana and Clayton hugged Lauren fiercely and she sat on the floor with them crawling on her while they told her anything interesting they could think of. The bruises on Lauren’s face had faded quite a bit but the kids kept looking at them without saying anything, biting their lips. Lauren assumed Cora had instructed them not to ask. Lauren had purposely waited to bring her kids over to make her announcement until her face looked better and wouldn’t scare anyone. After a while the kids ran out into the backyard to play.
“So is he really gone?” Audrey asked as the sliding door closed. Lauren sighed pretending not to notice the tone in her voice.
“Yes. He was arrested. The pictures I had taken at the doctor’s office helped. I know you guys weren’t impressed he was here as long as he was but I was working on it. “ That of course was a lie. She had snuck off to the doctors after he had beaten her and had it documented so that they would have a suspect if he killed her but the kids didn’t need to know that. At least this way they seemed to retain a little respect for their flakey mom who brought the evil villain into their lives.
“I’m just glad you’re safe mom. We were worried. Especially after you called me that night.” Cora said rocking Liam who was starting to doze off after his bottle.
“That’s why I called you guys over actually. After that happened I did some thinking. It’s just me in this big house and after everything that happened I decided to sell the house and move. I took a job the next state over up in the mountains. I’m a caretaker for cabins that get rented out to hunters and families, I’ll be living there.” Lauren smiled and started passing a brochure for the company and the area to each of her children.
“What the fuck mom? You can’t move, or at the very least you can’t sell the house. We grew up here.” Audrey said loudly, tears forming already. Lauren remembered the time her friends had all gone out for a girls weekend and Greyson had spiked a fever and Lauren had to stay home to take care of him, how suffocating it had felt to be their mother and have no life of her own. But the kids were in their twenties now, not little. They didn’t need her the same way.
“Eventually Daniel will be released and I would like to be gone when he is. I would like to live somewhere that I can make new, happier memories. You guys don’t need me as much and I’m only an hour away. I can still take grand kids when you need me and I’m not so far that I can’t come over for lunch. Plus I can offer you guys a pretty good discount in the off season. Imagine Christmas in the mountains and everyone has their own cabin to stay in instead of arguing over a bedroom.” Lauren said, hoping no one would note that it had been a very long time since anyone had spent the night here and they’d never really fought over space.
“I think it’s a good idea mom. We’ll miss the house but you’re right.” Cora said glaring at her sister. “You deserve to move forward.”
“I can help you move up there. Are you taking your furniture or is the furniture provided already? Is it safe up there? Who will come check on you? I don’t want something to happen to you and you’re stranded out there for days with no help. “ Greyson asked, looking concerned.
“I’m not sure, we can set up a system so you know I’m ok.” Lauren said pleased with her son’s concern. “As far as furniture, you guys can pick anything you want, I’m selling the rest. I’ll keep some of the dishes and my baking stuff. Plus the photograph albums, I’ll get rid of everything else.”
“Does Dad know?” Autumn asked accusingly.
“I haven’t told him, it’s really not any of his business. Nothing in this house belongs to him and his name hasn’t been on the house in at least 15 years.”
“This is our house too.” Audrey argued
“No it really isn’t anymore. You haven’t lived here in at least 5 years.”
“Audrey, chill, it’s not that big of a deal.” Cora warned. Lauren began to feel she was missing something.
“Well, you could rent it out to someone instead of getting rid of it. You could always use the extra income.” Audrey argued, looking around at everyone.
“I’d make a lot more money selling the house than I would renting it out. If there were a repair to be made I don’t want to be responsible. I’m too old to deal with all of that.” Lauren waved her hand around the house gesturing at the idea of all the work there would need to be done. “Besides someone has already made an offer, I’m fairly certain I’m going to accept it.”
“You can’t do that!”
“Yes, she can. Knock it off. She doesn’t want to live here all alone.” Greyson retorted.
The 3 of them argued together at each other and Lauren sank back into her recliner helplessly. A thought occurred to her.
“Audrey are you angry you’re losing a piece of your childhood or a piece of your inheritance?” Lauren asked icily. Audrey’s face turned red and Cora looked at the window desperate not to make eye contact. Greyson grabbed Liam and started fussing over him.”Ah. I see, and you all 3 have discussed it.”
“No, not exactly like that. Dad had a scare 2 years ago and he was faced with being put in a home for awhile. We didn’t know how he was going to pay for it, we talked about selling his house and that was sort of how it came up, renting instead of selling I mean.” Greyson muttered.
“Not to keep it until he died so the money or the house went to us, but to protect him. We naturally discussed you as well and different scenarios. Then when we started to really worry Daniel was going to kill you, we were worried about him taking possession of the house and everything in it.” Cora explained a little more. “Obviously all THREE of us want you to do what makes you feel the happiest and safest.”
Audrey stared at the wall.
“I have a lot of happy memories here of all 3 of you. I brought you all home from the hospital through that door. I nursed you all back to health when you were sick and sang you lullabies in this room. I listened to you talk about your days in the kitchen, and when your dad moved out we all sat in my room with the big TV and watched movies all day because he wasn’t here to tell us it was wrong. I potty trained you all in the bathrooms here. I taught you to walk and speak here.” Lauren wiped at her eyes remembering them running through. “But over there in that corner was where your dad smacked me because I told Cora she could wear lipstick. And I was standing on the stairs when he came out of the bedroom with his suitcase in hand, telling me he was leaving. It was in the kitchen where I got the call that my mother died. That was the door frame Daniel's son leaned against as he held me up while Daniel pummeled my midsection until I decided that I didn’t want him to move out after all. I just want to start over. I’m allowed to do that. I gave my entire life to raise you guys and no one worked harder than me to keep us afloat. My time is now and I’m taking it. “

Hey all, so my wife got me and the family a surprise English Bulldog puppy for our 20 year anniversary. I've always wanted one and she went above and beyond with this gift and I am head over heels in love with this puppy. She's about 16 weeks old now, is not spayed, weighs probably close to 20 lbs by now, and we've had a really rough 5+ weeks with her since we got her. I don't want to write a novel here, but a lot has happened in a short amount of time and I want everyone that takes the time to read this and respond to fully understand whats going on, because I'm desperate for some genuine advice or feedback of any kind at this point. If you want me to upload any documentation like medical records, test results, x rays, ultrasound pics, etc. just let me know.
We have been having serious health issues with her since we brought her home the afternoon of Thursday 3/21. She was having very loose stools that would cause blood to leak out of her rectum after each bowel movement and trickle down her backside, to the point where she needed to be quickly wiped down after each bowel movement or the blood would trickle down and reach her vagina. So, we took her to the ER the next night on Friday 3/22 @ 10:30pm because it wasn't stopping or improving. The doctor and I both found it very hard to believe that this issue was not present before we took her home from the breeder. It couldn't just suddenly get this bad.
The ER documentation we were provided that night states:
"Puppy was presented for evaluation of hematochezia (progressing from loose but formed stool) and one episode of vomiting. Puppy was adopted yesterday from a breeder and she is still interested in eating and has a normal energy level. Puppy already has her first veterinary appointment scheduled for Wednesday."
Since she was so young and was still not fully vaccinated they needed to quarantine her and do a Parvo SNAP test, among other things. The treatment notes state:
"Puppy was brought to isolation and a Parvo SNAP test was run which returned as negative. Assessment took place which revealed a malocclusion and blood in the rectum. Puppy was otherwise bright, alert, and responsive and was barking. Her energy level seemed appropriate. Discussion with the owner took place. Radiographs were discussed but declined at this time. Cerenia was offered for nausea but declined. Puppy was discharged to be managed as an outpatient."
She was then discharged and we were given the below medications:
Panacur Suspension 100mg/ml per ml Please give 2.75 mL by mouth ONCE daily for three days until finished
Pro-Pectalin Anti-Diarrheal Gel 30ml Please give 1 mL by mouth every 8 hours as needed for loose stool
Unfortunately, things did not improve with the medications over the weekend, and thanks to the puppy time app I was using to track everything, we also noticed that she was having many accidents in the house and was urinating very small amounts every 5-15 minutes since we got her on Thursday. We assumed she had a small bladder since she wasn't even 12 weeks old yet, and research online showed that English Bulldogs can have smaller bladders than other breeds. So, we weren't concerned about that yet and just began walking her every 30 minutes or so instead of every 2 hours as we were instructed to do by the breeder.
As her condition worsened over the weekend our concerns grew, so we called the Vet she had her first appointment scheduled with for Wednesday 3/27, first thing the morning of Monday 3/25 when they opened. We explained the issues we were having and they wanted to see her right away instead of waiting.
A wellness exam and a Fecal DX Profile were done that day and no ova or parasites were found in her stool sample, so she did not have worms and the Vet was unsure why she was bleeding from her rectum so much with each bowel movement. We discussed the pee situation, and the Vet was worried that if this was going on before we got her, that blood could have gotten into her urinary tract and caused a UTI or something, but it was too early to tell without more testing.
She also received her first DA2PP vaccine, a free 1 month sample dose of Simparica TRIO for 11.1-22 lb puppies, though we were told not to give it to her until the diarrhea improved, and we didn't end up giving it to her until after Tuesday 4/9. We also were given a Proviable-Forte Small Dog Kit which included Proviable-KP paste, plus 15 Proviable-Forte sprinkle capsules. These contain probiotics and prebiotics that are meant to help firm up loose stools and help reinstate a healthy intestinal balance. I asked about her receiving other vaccines and was told we should wait until she's feeling better, so we scheduled a follow up for Wednesday 4/17 and were told to call back if things didn't improve in a few days, and that next time we should bring a urine sample along with the stool sample.
Things did not improve so I called the Vet again on Wednesday 3/27 and they gave us Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Puppy Gastrointestinal Dry Dog food. We stopped what we were feeding her which was a mix of Blue Buffalo Wilderness with Chicken/life source bits for puppy dry food, mixed with the dry food the breeder provided us with, and started feeding her the new Gastrointestinal Dry Dog Food exclusively.
With the new food and the medicine we were giving her, her loose stools began to improve enough to where there was still blood with each loose bowel movement, but not enough for it to run down her backside so quickly it needed to be wiped right away, but still enough where we had to continue to wipe her rectum before going inside or a good amount of blood would get on whatever she sat down on first.
Things stayed about the same from Wednesday 3/27 until Saturday 3/30 when I first noticed blood in her urine on the pee pads where she sleeps at night. As this continued, we saw the Vet again on the following Wednesday, 4/3 where she was given a full physical for inappropriate urination and blood being visible in her urine and stool. The notes from that visit state:
"What changes have you been noticing: has always been a frequent peer outside and having accidents in the house with the presence of blood. When did you first notice this: past 3-4 days Accidents in the house: 5-6 times an hour. Any blood/straining: blood in urine and stool, does "squat" to urinate an excessive amount of times. Increased drinking/urination: has to urinate multiple times a day, is looking for water a lot more. Leaking any urine while sleeping: yes, sees pee spots on the pads where she sleeps.".
The assessment notes from that visit state:
"Pollakiuria, pyuria, hematuria, rods in urine: UTI. Chronic soft stools with some blood, rule out parasites, food intolerance, dietary indiscretion.".
So this is when we first found out that she had a "very bad UTI" as the Vet put it, with an abnormally high amount of red and white blood cells being present in her urine. This was on Wednesday 4/3, less than 2 weeks had passed since we brought her home and she had blood in her stool and urine. Again, the first sign of blood in her urine was on Saturday 3/30, only 9 days after we brought her home. Based on our experience with her since we took her home, the Vet and I agreed that clearly the UTI was present when she came home with us, likely from the blood leaking from her rectum into her vagina, and it continued to get worse as it was left untreated for a week while we focused on her stool issues and assumed her frequent urination in the house was just because of her age and a small bladder.
So, we treated the UTI with Clavicillin 62.5mg at 1.5 tablets 2 times a day and were told to expect her to stop urinating so little so often within a few days, and to continue with the special GI diet food only. They also did another Fecal Dx Profile, this time with a Giardia - Idexx test adeed, whatever that is, even though the last profile did not show any signs of parasites or worms, because there was still enough blood in her stools to cause concerns. They also provided us with Metronidazole 50mg at 2 tablets 2 times per day, and Panacur 20 gm, which was to treat her for worms just in case she had them and they were getting a false negative. For your reference, the additional Fecal Dx Profile from today also showed no presence of worms or parasites.
We stuck with what the Vet was saying since they're very reputable and well respected in our area. They've been rated as the best vet in the entire county for 2 years straight, and they've been really great thus far. So we followed their treatment plan in hopes that things would improve. Unfortunately, they did not.
Two days later on Friday 4/5 I called the Vet to say there was still blood in her urine and now wete noticing that she sounds like she's struggling when urinating, almost like she was constipated, and according to the puppy time app I was using to track everything, she was now urinating even more frequently and having more accidents in the house. To put it into perspective, she was squatting 6-12 times to pee on normal 5-10 minute walks every 30 minutes, and was having 6 or so accidents in the house in between those walks. Also, if we took her with us to the park for a few hours with the kids, she would squat every few minutes the entire time. Eventually there was nothing coming out, but she clearly felt like she had to go since she was squatting so much.
They had me come pickup 5 tablets of Vetprofen 25mg to help with the pain over the weekend while they expected things to improve with the antibiotic that was supposed to treat her UTI. On Monday 4/8 when the vet opened again, I called to say there was still blood in her urine and she seemed to be urinating even more frequently now. So, we brought her in to the Vet again that day, Monday 4/8, and their assessment notes state:
"hematuria, pyuria: rule out resistant UTI, stones, congenital malformation"
They did another urine test, which found that there was no longer any bacteria present, but there was still very high amounts of red and white blood cells in her urine. They also did blood work (CBC/Chem 10) to check if there were any issues with her kidneys and such, and we took xrays to check for bladder stones. They found no stones and her blood work came back fine.
Now the plan was to continue with the antibiotic, start giving her Gabapentin for the pain and discomfort and we were told that if things didn't improve, the next step was to get an ultrasound to look for congenital defects or issues with her bladder or kidneys or what have you. We were told they only do the ultrasounds on Tuesdays and were all booked up for the next day, Tuesday 4/9, so we booked an appointment for the ultrasound for next Tuesday, 4/16 and just had to try and keep her as comfortable as possible while we waited, and hope that the antibiotic and other meds she was taking at this point would help.
Well, things did not improve while we waited for the ultrasound appointment. By Tuesday 4/16 there was still blood in her urine and stool, and she was still urinating very small amounts very frequently inside and out.
So, we dropped her off for the ultrasound and while waiting to do the procedure the Vet and staff confirmed what we were saying. They kept her at the front desk and walked her every 30 mins and saw how many times she was squatting outside on short walks, and how many small accidents she was having inside in between.
Notes from that day state:
"Reason for tech visit: Drop off for AUS, cysto and urine culture Concerns to note: still having diarrhea even with prescription food but much less blood seen Services performed: abdominal ultrasound Still noticing blood in urine and having accidents - they do walk her about every 30 minutes. At child's baseball game this weekend she was urinating once every 5 minutes for 2 hours - still straining to urinate. Has been walked three times already this morning by our staff. Could not get cystocentesis sample because she is urinating so frequently and bladder is thick and empty. Recommend send out culture from free catch and start Enrofloxacin.".
So, they tried to collect a urine sample to do a full urine culture directly from her bladder during the procedure, but couldn't. So they kept her for longer afterwards, gave her water, and captured enough urine while walking her over the next couple hours to send it out for culture.
The abdominal ultrasound study report from the technician stated:
"Conclusions: Thickened, irregular urinary bladder with cellular debris: O cystitis vs TCC (unlikely) Mesenteric lymphadenopathy: O reactive, common finding in young canines.
Treatment plan: The urinary bladder changes are likely secondary to cystitis and not TCC given this puppies age. Recommend submitting urine culture (despite urine sediment results) via cystocentesis and if positive, treat according to MIC for 2-3 weeks with recheck urine culture 3-5 days after completion of antibiotic to assure resolution and rule out antimicrobial resistance. If urine culture is negative and hematuria persists, recommend submitting CADET BRAF."
The abdominal study report from the technician also stated:
"1. The liver appears within normal limits in size and echogenicity without evidence of mass or cyst. No evidence of intrahepatic biliary dilatation is seen. 2. Normal gallbladder. 3. No definite abnormality of the pancreas is seen. 4. No GI masses seen. No foreign body seen. The stomach and intestines are normal in thickness. Several enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes are seen. 5. The spleen is normal. 6. Left kidney measuring 5 cm. There is no evidence of hydronephrosis, mass, cyst, stone or perinephric fluid collection on the left kidney. Right kidney measuring 5.5 cm. There is no evidence of hydronephrosis, mass, cyst, stone or perinephric fluid collection on the right kidney. Renal architecture and size are normal. The adrenal glands appear normal (0.35cm-0.4cm). 7. No definite abnormality of the aorta, caudal vena cava, or common iliac arteries is seen. 8. The urinary bladder is moderately thickened and irregular (0.3cm-0.8cm) and contains cellular debris. 9. No evidence of ascites is seen."
It also states:
"Conclusions: Thickened, irregular urinary bladder with cellular debris: O cystitis vs TCC (unlikely) Mesenteric lymphadenopathy: O reactive, common finding in young canines.
Treatment plan: The urinary bladder changes are likely secondary to cystitis and not TCC given this patients age. Recommend submitting urine culture (despite urine sediment results) via cystocentesis and if positive, treat according to MIC for 2-3 weeks with recheck urine culture 3-5 days after completion of antibiotic to assure resolution and rule out antimicrobial resistance. If urine culture is negative and hematuria persists, recommend submitting CADET BRAF."
The study quality was noted as being excellent, and the indications were:
"unresolved UTI symptoms, O resistant UTI, stones, congenital malformation, hematuria and pyuria".
So, the ultrasound found that she was suffering from Cystitis and that her bladder lining was very inflamed. The technician said they'd never seen such an inflamed bladder on a puppy of this age before. They ordered another urine test, this time with a full culture so they could find out exactly what is going on in her bladder. They also started her on another antibiotic, Enrofloxacin 22.7mg at 2 tablets once every 24 hours. She also received the remaining required vaccinations that day as well.
We got the results of the urine culture back on Monday 4/22 and it showed that the bacteria was in her bladder lining wall and was e coli based (yep, likely from the blood) and that it was not resistant to the antibiotics we'd been giving her all along. So, we continued with the Enrofloxacin and things finally started to improve a little over the last 6 days.
There's no more blood visible in her urine, and her bladder seems to be increasing in size as the inflammation goes down and she's drinking and peeing more while we continue the antibiotics, but she's still having just as many accidents in the house, they're just larger in volume now. The blood is also gone from her stools now too, even though they're still really loose.
Despite the improvements, the last 3-4 days have still been rough. Now she's literally leaking urine. She can be standing and eating from her food dish and she won't even squat to pee, it just comes out while she's standing. Not a lot, but more than a few drops. Enough to form a small 2-3 inch puddle on the hardwood floor.
She's also leaking slowly while sleeping or relaxing now. We see big wet spots in her bed after naps and sleeps and smalls spots on our cloths if she sits on our laps for a bit. She was sleeping on my chest last night and I could actually feel individual drops on the skin of my leg every minute or so for 10+ minutes straight.
I'm at a loss for words at this point. What could it be now? Is the bladder a muscle, and it's just getting to be close to a normal size for the first time and she just hasn't developed the ability to hold it yet? Or is it something more serious or permanent?
So yeah, potty training has pretty much been impossible since we got her and have had all these issues, but we've done our best by walking her every 30 minutes, and taking her outside immediately after every accident and rewarding her for peeing outside. Still no change though. She's still squatting 6-12 times on short walks with 6 or so accidents inside in between. She's a perfectly normal and happy go lucky puppy with a great attitude and temperament otherwise. She's learned to sit and stay and seems intelligent, so she should be picking up on the fact that accidents are unwelcome and thst she should be going outside. She's just clearly still struggling, and so are we.
At this point I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong here. Or multiple things wrong. We've spent more on vet bills since we got her than we did to purchase her from the breeder. And she came with a 30 day health guarantee and a 5 year congenital defect guarantee. We've been in touch with the breeder since night 2 when we took her to the ER and they said they'd refund us for the ER bill because it was odd and she had no signs of any of this before we took her home, but they haven't responded to us at all since then. Complete radio silence since 3/22. They're deliberately ignoring our calls, voice messages, texts, emails and all the medical records and invoices we've been sending all along. Even our vet has called and left messages trying to get more info. It's unreal. I can't believe they would just ignore us like this, and we've been nothing but polite and patient in all our attempts to reach them. We're getting our lawyer involved at this point. It's ridiculous. We would really like to hear back in regards to the 30 day health guarantee my wife signed on 3/21 when we took her home, which states:
"To preserve your rights under the law, you must take your newly purchased dog to a licensed veterinarian for examination within 10 days of purchase. If a veterinarian determines, within 10 days of purchase, that your dog is clinically ill or has died from an injury sustained or illness likely to have been contracted on or before the date of sale and delivery, you have the following options:
(a) Return the dog for a complete refund; (b) Return the dog for a replacement dog of equal value; OR (c) Retain the dog and receive reimbursement for reasonable veterinary fees, not exceeding the purchase price. These options do not apply where a seller, who has provided a health certificate issued by a veterinarian, discloses in writing at the time of sale the health problem for which the buyer later seeks to return the dog."
Yes, we were provided with Healthcare information from an Animal Hospital dated from 3/4/23, which was 17 days before we took her home on 3/21. That's rather outdated in my option considering the age of the dog. That document stated she had been examined and that to the best of their knowledge the animal is free from contagious and infectious diseases, including rabies. It also says that a Fecal Analysis was never performed, which is concerning to us considering the issues we had with her stools the day we took her home.
We do not wish to return or exchange her. She is a member of our family now and we love her. What we do want is for the breeder to acknowledge that she clearly had a UTI at the time of purchase, not to mention the issues with her bowel movements that started on day one, but first they have to stop ignoring us.
So that's it. That's our last 5+ weeks in a nutshell. Does anyone have any advice?
Could we be doing something wrong? Could the Vet be missing something? Did this breeder screw us over despite their good reputation and reviews and health guarantees? Am I feeding her too much or something and her full stomach is putting pressure on her bladder? Could she literally just be incontinent and need to wear a diaper for the rest of her life?!
We are exhausted and at the end of our rope, and stressed out beyond belief. We love her and just want her to be happy and healthy, but it feels like it's just one thing after another. Pet insurance won't cover anything because this all started so quickly and is all a preexisting condition. I don't know how to potty train her anymore either. Despite all my reading and research, I must be doing something wrong, right? That, or she's still sick, or its something else now. I'm sure that her spending the last 5 weeks pretty much peeing whenever wherever isn't helping, but what can I do about that aside from what I'm already doing? I'll call the Vet tomorrow with an update, but they're just going to say what they already said to do... to continue with the antibiotics that are almost done now, and to do another urinalysis and refill the prescription and keep them going for a few more weeks and hope things conti ue to improve… and then to do another urine culture 5+ days after finally stopping the antibiotics. If it doesn't get better then the next step after that is seeing an internist where they'll shove a camera up her urethra to look at the inside of her bladder, which will cost another $1500-$2000, and they really seem to want us to schedule that now since the internist is busy and our appointment may not be as soon as it needs to be.
Has anyone experienced something like this with a new puppy and/or English Bulldog puppy before? I know English Bulldogs aren't the healthiest breed, but this seems like a bit much for having her barely over a month and with her being so young. The vet feels awful and is constantly calling to check up on her and just says she has "a very sick bladder" and that we're doing all we can to help her and that we need to stay the course and keep pushing through this, but to what end? When will she get better? When will we find an answer or root cause? Will we ever? We don't know. We're just doing our best to keep our heads above water and stay calm, but it's not easy at this point. Especially with the breeder completely ignoring us the way they are. We're just… we're burnt out, and we're scared how this is going to end. We're hoping someone here has something encouraging to say because the Vet has come right m out and said that this is not normal. She should not be having health issues like this at this age. Even they are concerned and seem unsure of what's going on and are desperate for answers. It just doesn't add up.
Thank you for reading this far. I'm sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to give you all the details so you could be informed and not have a ton of questions. With that said, any and all feedback or questions are welcome.
I look forward to hearing from the community on this. I really hope there's someone out there that's seen something similar and come out on the other side with positive results. We really need some sort of confirmation that there is a light at the end of this tunnel, and that things will get better and not just continue to get worse until something bad happens, like the unthinkable... how would we explain that to our young children? I can't even let myself think about that right now.
Thanks in advance for any support you can provide. All the best to you and your families, including all your furry, fluffy, feathery, or scaly family members!

Big ups to Accidentally Adopted for inspiring this white hot dumpster fire. Enjoy, or don't I have shenanigans elsewhere that need my attention.
“So we’re screwed?”
“Well, Neb, let’s go over the day's events. Pirates have boarded, they’ve blown away our communications relay, all but slaughtered us and those of us who survived are stuck in the safe room with no control over the ship, so-”
A third voice flatly interrupted the condescending tirade. “Specimen’s loose.”
“And now the specimen is loose. Yeah Neb, I think we’re screwed.”
Four scientists were all gathered in the ship's safe room. They were all that remained. Pared down from a crew of over two dozen they were the only ones that happened to be close, or perhaps lucky, enough to make it to the final bulwark.
“But we’re in the safe room. They can’t get in here, right? We just have to wait them out, wait for help?”
That question belonged to Trest, the youngest and most inexperienced of the lot. She had just earned her apprenticeship and had come to Kem’s ship wide-eyed and primed for adventure. But fate occasionally has a cruel sense of humor, so her first foray into the stars would be her last, it seemed.
Kem turned to face her, he didn’t want to be mean, he really didn’t. But the time for pleasantries and comforting lies had passed. The poor lass needed to know what they were facing so that she could make peace with whatever god it was she prayed to.
“I’ll humor you Trest,” he quipped “Let’s assume that these particular pirates are the special kind of bland that happen to be the only crew that galavants around without plasma cutters. They’ve already cut out our comms. They’ll simply steal everything of value, everything of no value, anything else not nailed down, and blow our engines. Doesn't matter if they can’t get in, there is a finite amount of oxygen in this room. With no signal or signature, we’ll be corpses before anyone even realized we were missing.”
He could see the tears begin to well in her eyes as the realization washed over her. Perhaps he could have used a little more tact in his hypothetical, but the stress of being about to be consigned to the void was weighing on him. He made a mental note to apologize to her in the afterlife.
He was also not trained or ready to deal with a blubbering intern, so he decided to distract himself with more pertinent matters.
“What are they up to out there?” He asked Wren, purposely avoiding the torrential sob storm that Trest was about to unleash.
“No idea.” Wren huffed as he tossed his tablet to the side, “After they broke the locks on the specimen’s cell, they cut the feed. We’re stuck blind and waiting now.”
Kem’s frills rippled. It was one thing to be trapped waiting for death, but to do so with no inkling as to the estimated arrival time of the Great Winged Guardian was a different beast altogether. Fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, the universe grew tired of its malicious malarky and decided not to leave the beleaguered scientists in bated anticipation as the muffled roar of a plasma cutter opposite the security door broke through the air.
Instinctively the four moved toward the back wall, away from their impending demise. Not that it mattered much, there really wasn’t anywhere to go. The loud thunk of the safety interlock being cut, and the scraping metal on metal of the door being pried open gave finality to the doomed researcher’s situation.
Two Korrivian pirates strode through the threshold. Their armoured carapace would be more than enough to ward off any feeble assault the biologists could muster. Their mandibles were hungry clacking at the sight of new, succulent prey.
Oh good Kem thought They’re not just the steal your stuff kind, they’re also the kill and eat you kind. And currently, he was very much hoping that they would choose to do it in that order.
So it came as a minor relief when one of the insects raised its rifle towards him. It then came as a major shock when the pirate was suddenly relieved of his weapon. And one of his arms.
The bug didn’t even have time to register the missing appendage when the stock of his former rifle became intimately acquainted with his face plate. He crumpled to the ground in a heap of twitching chitin. His associate turned to face this unexpected intrusion only to be met with the same weapon slamming down on the top of his head, shattering whatever minuscule cluster of neurons that passed for a brain it had once had.
The quartet had no time to feel any relief, however, as their would-be savoir turned out to be the thing of their nightmares set loose. It was the specimen. It stood over the pirates, skin glistening and breathing heavily, likely examining its most recent handiwork. It took a long deep breath and dropped the rifle to the floor with a loud clang. This led to Trest letting out a petrified yelp. Bad move. The specimen took notice and looked up. It scanned the petrified group of academics until its predatory eyes landed squarely on Trest. It bore its teeth and raised one of its hands, waving it back and forth violently in some aggressive hunting display.
Wren and Neb took measured steps to distance themselves from poor Trest, who appeared to have, for some reason or another, attracted the targeted ire of the bloodthirsty beast. Kem, however, was made of slightly stiffer stuff and took his role as expeditionary leader rather seriously, so he stepped between the beast and the quivering intern. After the violent display the specimen just put on he seriously doubted that this gesture would make any difference, but at least he could make a good show of it, and maybe provide the girl a few more moments of precious life.
The specimen recoiled slightly and looked almost offended. It shook its head back and forth a few times.
“Friend,” it said as it pointed a single digit toward a violently trembling Trest. “Friend sing me.”
The three others turned toward her looking for clarification on the bizarre statement. Her frills deepened with embarrassment. She had been, admittedly, more than a little unsettled to be in such close proximity to what could best be described as a walking war machine, so while running her experiments she had taken to singing hatchery rhymes softly to herself to soothe her nerves. The bizarre creature had mistakenly thought she was singing to it, though given her current precarious predicament, she thought better of correcting it.
Neb would be the voice to ask the question that now lingered in everyone’s mind. “Wait. How the hell does it know how to mimic our speech? Where could it possibly have learned that?”
The specimen it seemed had anticipated that question, or at the very least one in the same vein. It cocked its head to one side “See-know, same not same.” Its face seemed to condense, it tried to clarify, “Learn speaks. Learn space.”
“Great” Wren moaned “All it knows is gibberish.”
“No, I don’t think that it's gibberish.” Neb retorted. “I think it’s trying to communicate. I’m fairly certain we can decipher what it's trying to say if we look at it scientifically. We have to work backwards; extrapolate from incomplete data.” He began pacing as he was wont to do when faced with a particularly vexing quandary.
“Learn space is fairly obvious, it’s likely analogous to one of our schools or academies. Learn speaks is more difficult, but seeing as it was able to use the singular for Trest’s singing and used the plurality for speaking, combined with the speed at which it picked up words from our language we can reasonably surmise that it wasn’t actually learning to speak per se, but likely was learning languages, or at least something adjacent like linguistics. Same-not-same is a different challenge.” His pacing became more erratic as he fell deeper into the linguistic mystery. “Likely something that is close, but not the exact same.” His eyes lit up as the pieces began to fall into place “Something similar! See-know is a little more difficult…I think that, in conjunction with similar, we can assume it to be comprehension, or at the very least understanding.”
Neb’s tail smacked the floor with insight “Recognition! So if we combine all the data points, of course factoring in interpretation errors, I think it’s trying to say that it has pattern recognition and picked up our language because it was studying them at an academy!” Neb’s pride at deciphering the solution quickly gave way to abject terror “Wait…if it has pattern recognition…and was studying at an institution…that would mean…NO! No. Nononononononono.” He pointed a shaky phalange at the specimen “It’s a sentient! We’ve been running experiments on a sentient!” Neb collapsed to the floor, embracing himself in a fetal position at the revelation, incoherently rambling about “moral failings.”
The specimen looked slightly upset at Neb’s existential crisis “Hurt.” It said as it pointed to the whimpering mess
“No, not hurt. Stupid.” Kem hoped his simplified answer would suffice, but the empty stare he received indicated the opposite.
Though it couldn’t fully understand Kem its ability to perceive and react to change did lend weight to Neb’s theory. This gave him an idea to truely test the sentient capabilities of the specimen. He stared down the one working computational station in the room. Show time.
Kem made a gesture to the specimen to follow as he walked over to the console, and much to his surprise it dutifully followed him without any hesitation.
He booted up the translation matrix input program. The screen flickered and a crude picture of a dwelling appeared. “Speak,” Kem said.
The specimen narrowed its eyes at the image before it turned to Kem and lifted its shoulders briefly.
Kem scoffed. “You. Speak.”
It stared back at the picture for a moment, before bringing up one of its hands, moving it in a way that created an odd clicking sound. It then growled something in a strange dialect that he assumed was its mother tongue. The image changed and the specimen belted out something else.
Shit, it's figured it out. Looks like Neb was right Kem reasoned. As the specimen continued to work through the images brought up on the console, he made his way over to Neb, plucking the earpiece from his incapacitated colleague.
He made his way back to the specimen, as it was finishing up with the program, and let out a short cough to grab its attention. He offered up the earpiece and pointed to the side of his own head. The specimen took it and moved its head up and down. With some difficulty, it managed to seat the piece on its alien anatomy.
“Hello? Is this better? Is it easier to understand?” Kem asked the specimen.
Its face contorted briefly, “Yeah…yes. Better. Thank you.”
“It won’t be perfect, syntax, idioms and grammar may become distorted or incorrect, but it’s a logarithmic learning algorithm. The more we speak, the clearer it will become, you understand?”
The specimen nodded its head. “Yeah, I get it. What I don’t get, however,” Kem flinched at the sudden shift in tone from the specimen “is why we didn’t just do this off the hop. It would have made everything easier!”
This decidedly posed a problem for Kem. He could lie, and risk pissing the specimen off. Or he could tell the truth, and risk pissing the specimen off. As science is the pursuit of truth and to his core he was a scientist, he went with the latter.
“We didn’t know you were a sentient,” he said quietly.
“What?!” the specimen seemed incensed. “When you scooped me up, did you not notice the cities? The signals? The satellites? Like I get it, it’s not Star Trek-level space shit, but surely that level of civilization should have given it away.”
There was a strange silence as no one apparently wanted to answer the question. The specimen once again regarded the others in the room, all of whom had suddenly, simultaneously found the floor incredibly fascinating.
Kem sighed, the next answer may be more difficult, but seeing as thus far the specimen had been fairly amenable, he pressed on. “You were purchased.”
“WHAT!? WHY!?”
Kem’s tail flicked non-commitally. “Because grant funding has been sparse recently. To get any appreciable amount, a shattering discovery needs to be made. One of my crewmen said he “knew a guy” as it were, and it turns out his contact was good. So we pooled what little funding we got, along with some of our own savings, and purchased you, stasis pod, and all. You were billed as an exotic, unknown, apex ambush predator. Something that’s relatively difficult to get one's hands on.”
The specimen stared blankly at him for a few moments before bursting out in a fit of laughter. “Buddy, you got railroaded. I may be one of those things. But if that’s what you were paying for, you got scammed.”
“How’s that?” asked Kem.
“For starters, I ain’t apex. I could rattle off a dozen animals that would beat my ass, half of them prey, off the top of my head.” the specimen explained “Plus, not an ambush predator, there’s persistence hunting in my lineage, sure, but not something we’ve done for a long time. All in all, we’re pretty bland. I think the ‘unknown’ thing is the only category I qualify for.”
“Persistence predation? That would explain why our experimentation was going awry, we were chasing the wrong path!” Kem froze, in the excitement he had accidentally, explicitly, revealed their ethically dubious enterprise. He looked back to the specimen who seemed to have not reacted to the information.
“I do apologize. Had we known about your sentience, we wouldn’t have performed such invasive procedures.”
The specimen let out a strange snort “You call those invasive? Hell, I’ve had worse blood draws at the lab. I do wonder though, what was your end goal with all this? Surely some blood draws, and alien Xrays weren't it."
Kem gulped. This was the question he was dreading. "We...well we were going to make you as comfortable as possible, then we would have euthanized you and performed a dissection. All painless, I swear, and it was for science. I can only hope you aren't terribly cross with us. As commander of this operation I take full responsibility and can only request you direct your rage toward me."
The specimen let out a heavy breath "Oof, I'm glad it didn't come to that."
Kem glanced to the bodies of the still twitching pirates "As am I. Again, I offer my deepest apologies. Please do not harbor resentment for my crew."
The specimen waved a hand dismissively at him. "Look, other than the weird mix-up where you assumed I wasn’t a person, this whole trip has been a ride on easy street. So no, I’m not angry.”
This made very little sense to Kem, if he had been kidnapped, mistaken for a beast, and had experiments performed on him he would be more than a little miffed. So for the Nth time today, he decided to be bold. “I’ll risk overstepping, but why aren’t you at least a little mad?”
“Because this is so objectively absurd. If you had told me six months ago, that I’d be bouncing around a starship, waxing alien cockroaches to save a bunch of walking Geico ads that thought that I had the cognitive capacity of an ant and had plans to vivisect me, I would have asked if you were smoking crack cocaine, but…” The specimen gesticulated widely around the room “Here we are!”
The specimen thought for a moment. “Wait…you said stasis pod and all? Hell, it may be longer than six months, but my point stands. All of this, it’s insane.”
“Insane as it all may be,” Kem said as he wandered back to the console “Now that we’ve cleared up this, uh, unfortunate misunderstanding, I think it would be beneficial for all parties to get you back where you came from.”
He pulled up a holographic galactic map and turned back to the specimen, whose demeanor had once again shifted, this time it emanated an air of disappointment.
“Something the matter?” He asked.
“Well, it’s just that, where I’m from, this would literally be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” It paused “I was kind of hoping you’d allow me to stay, even if for just a while. A grand space adventure sounds pretty neat.” It pointed to the map “‘Sides, that might as well be written in hieroglyphs, don’t know if I could find Earth even if I was chomping at the bit for it.”
Kem thought on this, there was a lot of potential to having such a creature around. If he could somehow convince it to allow experimentation to continue, even at a reduced rate, the data provided could be invaluable, not to mention recrewing would be infinitely easier with the level of protection the specimen could offer. He prepared himself to negotiate with all the tact that he could muster, but the specimen seemed ready to do his job for him.
“I ain’t no freeloader. I’d be willing to pull my weight, hell I’d be willing to let you keep running your experiments, with the euthanasia and dissection bits off the table, of course.” It offered.
Kem was shocked. Not only was the specimen ready to work to earn its stay, but it had also willingly offered its body for science. He was practically salivating at the academic prestige, not to mention the grant funding that would roll his way. There was no chance he was going to let this opportunity slip through his webbed fingers.
“No cutting you open. Seems a reasonable compromise.” He hissed with amusement “I’m sure we can make reasonable accommodations to facilitate your stay, if you’re certain. Though if you do find yourself lacking anything, once we crew up, feel free to ask.”
“I think I'm alright. I’m a creature of few earthly comforts, all I need is the clothes on my back and-”
The specimen stopped mid-sentence, glancing down briefly at its own form. Its face twisted into one of abject horror. Realizing, seemingly for the first time, that in this entire escapade, it had been naked as the day it was hatched.
“Actually, there is one thing,” it added quickly “You guys got a towel? Bit chilly in here.”

Please bear with me, this has been a very long process- I appreciate any input. Keep in mind that we believe I am dealing with 2 separate issues. I am a 36 year old female. Great health overall, no major issues. I am 5'9 130lbs, was very active before all of this- worked out 3-4 days a week, lots of paddleboarding, hiking, etc.
19 months ago I was rear-ended while sitting at a stoplight. At the time of impact I had my neck cocked back taking a drink of coffee, with my body slightly twisted to the right toward the cupholder. Within about 15 min my neck started tightening up. Some minor neck aches and shoulder aches over the next couple of weeks. Next came mid back pain near my spine around T4-T6, both sides.
I began physical therapy 2 weeks after the accident and continued for 2.5 months, as well as seeing the chiropractor in their office who also did some microneedling. The PT would always comment that my traps felt like rocks, and my range of motion was affected. I actually felt like the chiro was making things worse so i stopped seeing him. The pain in my upper mid back would not go away, so I was referred for massage. The massage therapist would akso do cupping all over my shoulders and back. He would always comment on how tight my scalenes and traps were. That is when things got serious- after each massage I had extreme pain- like would lay on the couch for 2 days debating going to the ER. I would take muscle relaxers and ibuprofen with no relief. Eventually the massage therapist said he felt like he was making things worse and told me I needed to move on to the next step.
At that point my PCP (Who is a DO) finally agreed to do an MRI. He ordered a C Spine MRI- i told him all of my severe pain was in my mid and upper back, shoulders and asked him to please order a T spine MRI- he would not- "your tspine pain is paraspinal so an MRI is not warranted." Cspine MRI came back normal other than mild straightening. Every time I would bring up the pain my doctor would respond with 'this is muscular in nature, continue PT, chiro, acupuncture, traction therapy, massage.'
After that I tried just doing daily light workouts at home (before the accident I was in great shape and had been working out 3-4 days a week, super active). Whenever I tried doing any upper body workouts (back, shoulders, chest) I would pay for it for a few days. I also had a PT friend of mine send me over some different stretches to do at home. At this time I decided I would continue down his list and scheduled traction therapy. I had one visit that caused sharp shooting pain down the left side of my neck and therefore didnt go back. At this point I was having daily severe pain in the base of my neck, left and right shoulder, around my scapulas, and it is starting to wrap around my ribs on both sides- the pain is always worse on the left side. It feels like my back has been lit on fire. A couple of friends highly recommended a chiro that really helped them, so I scheduled an appt with him. He told me my left shoulder was much higher than my right shoulder, likely due to the position i was in at impact- he recommended a consult with an upper cervical specialist and said he would not adjust me at all until I got imaging of my TSpine. He ordered an Xray that showed mild facet changes T10-T12, likely degenerative. Considered normal. I called the upper cervical specialist he recommended but they charge an up front fee of $4500 to be treated. Yeah, not happening.
Next was acupuncture. After 10 visits I had little to no results. Each visit she would ask me if i felt better and I would cry and say no. Even her little scans she did beforehand did not improve after 10 visits. I had a roadtrip planned and wasnt sure I could physically do it- she sent me with one of their high end TENS units to take on the trip with me. I would place it at T1 and the base of my lower back. It helped quite a bit and made it so I could actually tolerate sitting in the car. I literally wore the thing for 7 days straight other than when showering or swimming. It definitely took the edge off. After this I searched around and found a different upper cervical specialist that charged like a normal office per visit. She did her specialty xrays and determined that my cspine 'was like the leaning tower of Piza'- it was leaning to the right almost 7 degrees, which according to her is just unheard of. She said normally the worst people she sees are at about 3 degrees and that the only possible way it can be nearly 7 degrees is with trauma. Likely the muscles and ligament on the left were extremely stretched on the left and can't hold my head straight anymore. Her treatments are sort of voodoo-ish however I can say that there is something to it. She does scans each visit that show the temp changes in your muscles on each side of your neck. Most times I dont tell her my pain level until after she does the scans- when my pain is worse the scans look terrible, when my pain is less the scans look much better. By this time I am realizing the more I move my neck, especially side to side, the more pain I get at the base of my neck and top of my shoulders, as well as my upper back. The more I move my back, ie bending, twisting, lifting, pushing, pulling the more pain I get mid back and wrapping around my ribs and now into my chest/abs. At this point I have now been in daily severe pain for 10 months with very little relief, only when i use a tens unit or dont move much. Some days i would lay in bed all day just to avoid moving and being in pain. I quit taking out the trash because it would cause me more pain. I quit going grocery shopping because pushing a cart caused me more pain. I started driving as little as possible because turning my back and body to watch traffic and put my seatbelt on caused the most pain. I could only do basic cleaning because reaching and scrubbing and vacuuming caused more pain. Folding laundry caused more pain, bending and twisting to put clothes away. Even bending to take the clothes out of the washer to put into the dryer causes more pain. I literally feel like i am disabled. I stopped doing everything and my husband picked up the slack- he even cooks most nights now because it is too much bending, twisting, standing in one spot so when i do cook i pay for it the rest of the night.
At this point the pain around my ribs is getting more and more severe and it becomes painful to even breathe. The upper cervical specialist recommended I see my pcp about possible costochondritis. I scheduled with a new doctor since my DO was too conservative and wasnt taking me seriously. I told the new doc everything and asked him about costo- he said you absolutely do not have costo- and he ordered a followup c spine mri and finally a tspine mri, as well as referred me to pain management. The cspine mri showed the same straightening of the lordosis due to muscle spasm. The tspine mri showed 'minimal disc bulge T7/T8 without significant canal or foraminal stenosis, mild thoracic dextroscoliosis, no ligamentous injury, no stenosis throughout thoracic spine.' I went to my first pain management appt- he said my mri's look great, i think this is muscular-try PT again. He said he knew an amazing PT and he was positive she would be able to help me. He gave me a different muscle relaxer to try. My first PT appt she did all kinds of motion tests to see what movements made pain worse. She was essentially doing all of the things I had been desperately trying to avoid the last few months. The next day I thought I was going to die. My entire back, shoulders, chest, neck, armpits everything was on fire. My left forearm and pinky and ring finger were numb and tingling, My face was tingling, my ribs felt like they were on fire and being pulled apart at the same time, my ears were ringing, it hurt to breathe. At my next visit with her i explained everything and she said my nerves were shot and started focusing on nerve glides. When she would move my left leg up and down I would get more sharp pain around my left scapula- she said 'you dont have a muscle that goes from your leg to your scapula- this is obviously nerve related'. I couldnt tolerate upper body nerve glides at all. She also tried a tens unit but rather than putting on my tspine like i normally do she put it all around my left scapula- she put the pads on my skin and I said ok that's high enough--- she hadn't even turned it on yet! My back was to her so i couldnt see when she was turning it on but i knew the second she did- i screamed and pulled the pads off as fast as i could. She said i clearly had nerve issues going on and that i needed to go back to pain management to see if they could some sort of injections to calm things down because she didnt think she'd be able to get any progress without it. She believes I have thoracic outlet syndrome caused by damage to my scalenes (my pec also now has a big knot on it) and she also believes my minor bulging disc is causing symptoms. 6 weeks later was my next pain management (he always does 6 weeks between appts)- i told him everything. I told him about how she would lift my leg up and i would get sharp pain at the bottom of my scapula- he said oh yeah, that's because the muscles are so tight.' I said she really thinks i need to get an injection at c7/T1 because that's where the nerve is that causes the pinky/ring finger numbess, and she feels like that area is stuck, it has no movement. When I said she also believes my little disc bulge is causing symptoms he totally blew me off- he said 'highly unlikely' and just moved on. He did say lets order an EMG on your arms, "but i dont think it's going to show anything. He said injections are not necessary- and gave me a stronger muscle relaxer (my 5th one) and meloxicam. I broke down at this point and said I don't know what else to do, I cant deal with being in pain anymore. I have gone to all kinds of appts multiple times a week for 18 months, I've never missed an appt, I cant do anything I enjoy, I am afraid to move wrong, I have no life- my life revolves around appts and desperately trying to relieve my pain. He said why don't we try cymbalta, it helps with diabetic nerve pain (i thought I didn't have nerve pain 🙄) and he wants me to get a second opinion from another dr in his practice. Around this time I am noticing that every day my feet are falling asleep and sometimes my whole left leg falls asleep. It is always when I am sitting down. Sometimes they wake up quickly when I stand up, sometimes my leg is asleep for entire days. The PT that the pain management dr so highly regarded is extremely frustrated that he is not listening to her- she sent very detailed notes in and at the appts I asked him if he had read them and he said no. Then he skimmed through the things she has been working on- he said 'nerve glides, stretching, etc, etc- this is great! You guys are doing great! Keep doing what you're doing!' He failed to continue reading to the part that said THESE THINGS ARE NOT HELPING AND ARE MAKING SYMPTOMS WORSE!' And he never even read her recommendations. I should also mention that not once did this guy ever touch me, examine me, ask me questions, nothing. He read the mri reports which 'looked great' and immediately determined my issue was muscular. I scheduled the appt with his partner for a second opinion. He was better- he did all kinds of reflex tests, i told him exactly where the pain radiates around my rib cage to my chest in the middle of my back and told him the physical therapist is adament that my minor disc bulge is causing symptoms because it is in the exact same area- he just said 'that is highly unlikely'. He did seem to listen about the thoracic outlet syndrome but never actually acknowledged it. My left leg and foot reflexes were hyperactive so he recommended that we add my left leg to the emg test. He told me "you know moving more isn't going to cause any issues"- i said i physically cant- i can assure you I have tried over and over and over. He said well you're not going to make things worse or injure yourself, ypu need to move more and make sure you're active. I saod I physically CAN'T! I said you're not understanding- i'm not dealing with some minor muscle aches when I do too much, my back literally feels like it is on fire and i cant move! Every day! I CAN'T be more active. He kept commenting on how good everything looked how great my range of motion is even in my shoulders! That I just need to be more active. At this point I was sobbing. He said well your numbness is probably coming from your elbow so lets do the emg and see what's going on. My husband said so would that because causing the pain in her back, because the pain IS IN HER BACK! he said sure, it will be able to check the nerves coming from her neck too, so we'll see.
Ugh. EMG scheduled May 9. I am feeling hopeless. I strongly believe that my bulging disc is causing severe symptoms with certain movements. I also believe I have thoracic outlet on top of it, but I think that treating the bulging disc would allow my muscles to stop spasming so that my shoulders and neck can relax and then we can try Graston on my shoulders and neck to try to break up scar tissue. I am hesitant to even get the EMG with the pain mamagement doc because i dont feel like he is listening to me and I'm afraid he'll correlate my results with whatever muscular issue he is thinking is going on. I am done with him. I feel like I need someone a little younger and less set in their ways, and who will also look at symptoms rather than just mri results.
Anyway- to sum things up-
What we believe is happening: thoracic outlet syndrome + symptomatic minor bulging disc T7/T8.
Symptoms: Upper back pain Mid back pain Rib pain/burning that wraps around sides to chest- i can literally follow the rib around Ab pain sometimes when it is the worst Burning and pain at side of scapula near spine Deep ache at spine mid back on both sides Tight pec that exacerbates pain when i press it Tight scalene on left that exacerbates pain when i press it (which is why I think the massage cause extreme pain) Numbness and tingling both feet Numbness and tingling left leg Sciatica symptoms a couple of times in left leg- knot in butt cheek and shooting pain down leg Muscles pulling at base of skull Traps always spasmed and aching at shoulders and back of neck
Things that help: Tens unit on tspine Diclofenac on scalenes, pec, and under armpit Lidocaine patches Prednisone helped some but as soon as I started tapering down the pain came back.
Things that make pain worse: Bending Lifting Twisting (especially) Lifting my left arm Reaching Turning my neck side to side Bending my neck backward Driving (especially) Sitting down Pushing Pulling Cleaning Upper body massage Basically any exertion I recently tried to do a dead hang because I read that it can relieve some of the pressure on the disc. My left arm gave out.
At this point I hope the EMG shows something, anything to work with. I keep reading that it only shows something if you have severe nerve damage and so it is often inconclusive.
I am open to any suggestions and input- i am willing to try anything. I can't live like this 😔

I just wrote a ton, so here goes.
I just went from 70% to 90% under the Pact Act. 11B, retired medically.
Ok I wrote a small post, and then added more to it and a lot more. Mods if you want to use any of this for information please do. I will only reference the soft skills stuff, due to my injuries as I detail I had to have a lot of help and did not have any appeals or anything. All of my claims went through first time and I am sure others need help and insight. So here goes, brother it has been a long journey. I will walk you through backstory, and my experience and outcome. Hoping others can chime in too on it, so as to gleam what ever happened in my case to help others. I will be honest I had a lot of help, and it was hard to write this. Really emotional. BUT, I think maybe it can help with the rest of your process as I just got done literally being rated on Monday, moving from 70% to 90% under TERA.
On sinusitis- I may be wrong on this, but a positive xray is not needed by itself. Sometimes 40% IIRC it doesn't show up in x-rays, but if you gave the symptoms it should be a slam dunk. And everyone's case is different even though in my opinion, these conditions and exposure are going to haunt us all as GWOT Vets- I was a gunner running convoys but really i dont think it take much exposure at all, just my .02 on it. BUT all you have to have is time over there and symptoms. Everyone frets over a diagnosis, but honestly once you show up with the symptoms, as described to me it is as literal formality of checking the boxes by the examiner. (More on this as follows)
August 2017 I ended up at VA in the ED and was in ICU for 5 days. Backstory, I went on vacation after retiring out of service the year prior. I came home from Europe and could not walk, vomitting, vertigo, migraines, all happened in 24 hours. They didn't know what was wrong, all signs point to very bad. By day Day 4, told me I probably had a tumor and was going to die, and that family was inbound. Was losing weight at 4 lbs a day under no activity. Nope, not joking. Anyhow after a ton of work up and last minute imaging, they found that my eustacian tubes collapsed and sinuses were just packed with crap and full, and parts collapsed there too and my having a resting head pressure of 90 out of 99 i stayed with them unti it came down to 50/99 and was referree home. I saw an ENT at VA who didn't do his job. He didn't look at the imaging and due to thatand really him wanting to talk shop once he learned i was a 11b, thats what happened. (40 year flight surgeon, I shit you not and missed it by a single image he didn't look at) so I was told I would just heal. Well I didn't and it was all noted by my co workers, doctors, family. That ent doc literally sent me home and because he was a specialist, well his word was law. By his account I was fine. But he didn't look at the image in my file and md honestly how he got to that, i still scratch my head anyhow... he just didn't look. So, I went home. I was in such bad shape, that I didn't follow on with my own care, a lot of people helped but as the specialist, he said I would heal. Without him seeing that damage, well no proper referral. With labyrinththitis and the sinus shutdown I was bad off. I didn't walk for 4 months, had to learn to eat again, mobility training, and that was just the beginning. Had to learn to drive again too. All of my life was permanently altered. But I fought, I literally was ordered to go home, but I kept fighting. After my PT told me it was a 3 year recovery i said no, I work with vets in admin at VHA, and kept coming into work. Puking in the employee bathrooms next the exam rooms, sick as hell but just wouldn't quit. Docs knew I wasn't sick with a virus it was my head. But I kept coming to work, they couldn't stop me. (Before anybody asks l, too am literally 100% in the dark on VBA stuff, just an administrative joe in primary care. Honestly if I knew more i would just be pissed all the time. Sp I was a miserable bastard but my coworkers noted it. And I just got worse and worse. My own boss told me I could quit. He literally gave me permission.
It was so bad I had to move from my home state due to weather condition that caused me daily crushing migraines. 3 years of constant pain from daily migraines and labrynthitis induced by the injuries. Due to the lack of care on the west coast and that one ent I moved to a new va system. I had to sell my house, my car, everything. I lived out of a travel trailer for a month with my kids as we moved in 2020 during covid cross country. Our home buy fell through, man a rough time but I needed better care and my wife initiated all of this movement. Was technically homeless, living in an rv park with a po box. Luckily we were able to buy a home in the nick of time. We did it on our own by the grace of God. So, this is all important too I guess or VA thought it was. Anyhow got to th new place. Unemployed for two years. I told VA all of this at my comp and pen for pact.
2022 Went back to VA during this time and also went back to work in primary care. I continued to suffer, this was round two of what I wrote previously continuing on now. Just different docs/work. So I was honest with them after toughting it out, told my boss what was up in late 22. She literally stated crying at her desk when i awkwardly spilled my guts. I felt bad for that, I still do but i told her what going on. She immediately escorted me to our ENT department. Was seen by a doc here right there, he had an opening. He looked at me and said, I can fix you! I said do it, please. So he did emergency surgery. Two days later VA had me on the table. No, you didn't read that wrong. He brought along 4 other doctors, one being a university prof and med instructor. They worked on me for hours and one procedure and process became 5. Now, to note... at no point did I file for anything, at the time there eas no PACT ACT, that was Dec of 22. I didn't file, didn't know I coild/should. The surgery was an immediate success. Head pressure gone, noted in my file that it worked!" This Gave me hope... but it came back... the migraines within two months. Got put on meds, have been on fmla for years since in initial injury, they just kept renewing it.
I kept working during all of this, I wasn't going to give up on my brothers. I am a combat vet with ptsd, and how bad I was off and others were worse off yet still. Pardon my French for any civilians reading this but... fuck that, fuck all of that. I wasnt going to give up on them. It was keeping me going too, at least having that mission but I still was bad off. So, as you can guess, my attendance slacked, I just got worse. The secondary migraines I have a brutal, I won't deny it. No need for me to be toughing it out to the point it breaks me worse anymore. This was all used as evidence which I will get to.
So, I was told by my primary care doc at VA last August, (who I do not work with and am firewalled from professionally got serious with it.) He dove deep and simply said this- go file now for the pact act. He took an hour to discuss this with me and I went to DAV.
DAV set up the claim- sent me to QTC. QTC saw me in January and the examiner ROYALLY fucked the exam... it was so complex she didnt even complete it. Was very nice. BUT nope, even with all the evidence and I brought records in concise format as requested, she didn't even finish it. So, oddly enough, I get called in for a second exam without knowing why. Same office. Lady who seems me says I was number 3 that day who had this happen to. She begins apologizing, tell me it will be fixed. I wasnt angry, just sad. It well all got to me. I didn't curse just hung my head and quietly wept, I lost my shit and asked her to continue. She began her review. Two hours later, we finished. I left and felt like shit. Defeated. And I waited for the letter. It just arrived.
I just reread the letter. 50% for migraines with economic inadapability. 10% sinuisis on account of the surgery. I believe it was fair and just as a rating and honestly i am so thankful for it. My symptoms, diagnostics, and evidence were a in place- and here is the shocker, I had never had a single sick call incident of this or sinus peoblem in my career. Just a runny nose after coming home but they noted it along with where I was. Apparently that was really not good for me.
It was really that simple, but I was at balad, speicher, warrior, mosul... well all over burn pit sites due to my job as a 11b and... the finally said yeah ya got injured and here is the pact act stuff. To be honest I didn't look that closely into it, and my reps helped immensely at DAV and also VA. As I write this, I realize I am decompressing from it all and i am sorry if its neen long winded. So, what can you take from it coming up to your comp and pen, I say do this-

1. Be honest. I operated from the 20 onward that if I could breath, and literally squeeze my finger to pull a trigger if needed, everything else was fine. My back, fine, hips, fine, etcetera. If you hurt, tell em. Just be honest and DO NOT BE LIKE ME. If you meet that rating criteria, tell them your symptoms. I told my docs it is like I am having a spike driven through my face damn near 24/7. They believed it and I followed rule #1. Be honest. They are here to help you and being as honest as you can in your own term reasonably is best. I did tell them that yes, passing out happened and I had TBIs. They noted it and it has also helped with follow on care. I did this with all the conditions. In the case of my spine-i pushed too much in my comp and pen movement phase and it was noted that I struggled. They noted it and that I was trying as best I could and man I was reefing with all I had! Just couldn't move. L of my exams I did contrary I guess what guys do, it wasn't my worst day, I was like this all the time.
   
2. Be nice. Be a serviceman like when you first left /basic/boot/flight for af guys/the boat for navy dudes if you need a reference point on behavior, litetally Captain America or whatever you wish to envision that THEY perceive about you even if you are broken as shit. Carry yourself with dignity. I dont care if it hurts, try when they want you to move Do not hurt yourself at all. If it hurts stop moving and note it. We will hurt, they know it... our jobs, by far and large are injuries waiting to happen. We were once fighting men and women. Before somebody eye rolls in reading this, well even clerks got sent out to pack rifles in GWOT and the military will beat the hell out of you in peace time too. If you look like shit, fine and be honest About it and why. If you couldn't afford to wash your clothes, get a fresh shave, etc tell them. I did, it took a lot to admit it, but I did. And they asked poontvblamk. I told them I was making it but struggled and it wasckicking my ass. It was weird, but it felt ok to tell somebody, I mean yeah, they had my records, but to be able to do so honestly and have them see it too... I felt better at the end of it all. If you did but struggled, reference above. They see it. Reference rule #1. Carry yourself with pride. This may seem counter intuitive but how you come off matters, it reinforces that honesty. A further note on this-
   

Not once did I or have I very lost my temper with VA in person or on phone. That has taken A LOT to do and I broke my hand after a call. Now, again just being honest here. I was frustrated, wall got it, and I got the stud. Rationally yeah, I screwed up. Point is, Don't lose you temper with em, or whatever over minor stuff. It all comes out in the wash and VA is truly very good about fixing mistakes these days if we are not assholes.
For stellar service, remain calm, kind, and sympathetic. These folks listen to use bitch daily. They deal with us as vets a lot. It wears em out and kindness goes a long way. They do data input and don't have anything to do raters. Again, I don't with them in my job but they are just people. Seems most are just as frustrated as I was.

1. Take documents that may help or assist you.

Take med records pertinent to the condition. Take statements (letters) from family. Your kids too if they can describe how they see you. Take med lists If you need it. Be on time. It's ok to look sloppy if you are. Just try your best. They will note you difficulties.
Take family too if you need help getting around. My wife helped me into the exam room. Docs saw that and my obvious pain. My wife respectfully waited outside. My Mobility hasn't been the best. Don't forget the Med list, have us a VA send you one before thqt appoijtment. I took that, I also took exam notes regarding the condition. I just wanted to make it easier on them. They have the same stuff and it helped me explain what was going on on e we began my exam after she started reading my file and we talked through it. (Note on that, she freely discussed the DBQ with me take sure she had it all correct for VA) I dunno if it helps, but take any post service treatment records and also service oens if you need them too. I didnt have any outside med records. VA handles 100% of my Healthcare. On that, they have made mistakes, but by referring to rule #1 and #2, they have graciously fixed them, as I noted above.

1. Have your ducks in a row. If something doesn't feel right, say something. I do not mean to be argumentative, but things like if they have the right forms. If it seems odd say something. It took me from 2017 to 2023 to get all of this figured out.
   
2. If they got it wrong, appeal it. Refer to evidence, your documents, statements, records. If you need help go for it. Get service officers and your reps involved, having followed steps above. VA really is there to help us, a least nowadays from what Older vets yell us.
   
3. Finally, know your rights, if you thunk you have an issue file for it. I did not. I struggled, and kept struggling. I admit I was also stubborn. Don't be like me. Reference the above and be you. You signed up, you were injured, do you part and ad I learned they are there to, and by far and large, want to assist us as vets.
   

Lastly, I finally learned who VERA is. Very nice lady.

My family is absolutely crushed. Our english cream golden retriever died on Saturday after 7 days in the care of a Rover sitter.
It was the day that we were to pick her up and I got an urgent message saying that she was at the emergency vet and I needed to call. The vet tells me that Sesame arrived at their office already dead and after Xrays, she concluded that the cause was mesenteric torsion which is a twisting of the intestines which caused blood to stop circulating. She tells me that this can happen with larger breed dogs and there's no obvious cause. I'm on a plane having just landed from a trip with my family and tell her that I will be coming in to her office as soon as I can.
From the airport I contact the sitter and ask for a full writeup of everything that's happened over the past 48 hours. He calls me back and his mother takes over the conversation telling me that this was a fluke thing and that the vet said there was nothing that can be done and her son has been taking great care of the dog (both he and his mom keep referring to my dog as him instead of her). She also asks if I got her from a breeder and mentions that she thought she might be from a puppy mill to which I respond that she's from a reputable breeder and I don't appreciate the implication. She says that her son is traumatized and he's done everything he could but that this was just a fluke. But he will do the write up and send it over.
I then get a call from Trust and Safety from Rover and the case manager tells me how sorry they are and wants to make sure that I know they're there to support me. I tell them I want a full investigation into what happened and that I am heading to the vet. They say that's part of their process and they will be in touch.
I arrive at the vet and she tells me that this condition was rare - she'd only seen it twice in 10 years. I had already done some research so I ask whether this could be caused by an obstruction that she ingested. She says yes but that she can't see anything in the Xray but that's not conclusive. She offers to have a radiologist look at it. I say yes please do and I'd like to order a necropsy. She says they can do this but it's $2500 as she'll be sent off to UC Davis for this. I tell her I don't care because I need to know what happened. She also tells me that the sitter mentioned that my dog has been normal and alert all week. She says that the prior evening she didn't poop but she drank some water then regurgitated it. She says this is normal. What??? I tell her I've never seen her do this and it does not sound normal. She then shows me the xrays and how she determined the mesenteric torsion diagnosis. The scans also show that she's got a lot of feces in her system. I ask her if that's normal and she says it looks like more than normal and that she likely didn't poop the day before at least. I check out and pay a $3200 vet bill which includes the necropsy charge.
At this point I'm 99% certain that what happened is that my dog ingested something at the sitter's house and this caused her to die. When we met with the sitter, we explained that Sesame has the tendency to eat small items of clothes or rags and to keep them away from her. He said he would. After dropping her off, I messaged him in the Rover app reminding him to please keep any small objects or clothes away from her.
I send the vet invoice over to the Trust and Safety team at Rover since I assume this will be covered by their "Guarantee". The agent responds within a few hours and says this isn't covered and it's my responsibility as a pet owner. I question this and she says that this was caused by a preexisting condition and not the fault of the sitter. I respond that this is NOT a preexisting condition. My dog was in perfect health and this was entirely avoidable. It's clear from the Xrays that she hadn't been pooping regularly and I'm sure she exhibited other symptoms that were ignored or overlooked.
This morning I received the radiology report which confirms my suspicion. The report includes these observations:

• Enlargement and gaseous distention of most portions of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly numerous segments of small intestine, however there are some loops that appear to be a more normal size - DDx includes small intestinal mechanical obstruction, somewhat less typical of mesenteric torsion, postmortem change, other.
• Possible constipation/abnormal fecal retention vs. normal variation for this patient vs. postmortem changes contributory.

The final confirmation will come from the Necropsy report but after discussing this with the vet, it's clear that the underlying cause was a foreign object that was obstructing her intestines. I shared this back with Rover and have yet to hear back.
Lost amidst all of this nonsense is that fact that we lost a treasured part of our family. My kids are inconsolable and me and my wife are overcome with guilt for having left her in such irresponsible hands. We are in agony over the pain and suffering that she must have endured in her final days. Nothing that Rover can do will make up for the loss that we've suffered but the fact that they are trying to wash their hands of this and take no accountability is disgusting.

Hey guys,im kinda new to this and came here to look for answers or more of a validation that this is this and this toxic for you. I myself tend to have benefit of a doubt but also cant conclude whether my parents are narcissists or i am just getting in over my head. I need your help. I need all the advice and strength i can get.
my dad is the one i think is a narcissists and my mom might be a victim of it too but even her tends to be not respect anyone privacy and emotional abuse but my dad is the one who is worse. I have no friends i could even share with . I would crave emotional attention, someone to care for me which sometimes makes me feel desperate only that i lacked this all my life . He doesn't give money and the only thing he can give me and is unless i ask . Like every month i ask for money and its for pads but i just say can you give me money to buy something but he always insist of asking how much i want and its for what and i have to say pads and i feel so disgusted sometimes to ask such a private thing and i feel helpless. I didnt go to uni even when we sold some trees we were growing for years and we were actually the one we grey the tree nurserries, plucked the weeds almost every week,i watered them everyday after boarding school break for 3 years and when they time came to sell them my dad was the first and got all happy and where did the money go, not a single cent was given to me an my sister but the money was enough to pay a whole year of school fees . And he would go out saying let me go to town for a bit and only bring stuff we liked ( you know to make us be happy for a while since we were since early teens like a soda) at that time even a cake was enough to be happy so we would only buy like groceries worth only like 5$ then say " see , your money bought all this" kinda funny that we belived that and the extra 200k never knew where it went. And that time we thought maybe he paid the bills and everything but coming following months the water was cut and we stayed a year without water and later on a i realized he was not paying bills on time which result to the adding of anothe extra 1000 and for electric he makes excuses of we are using alot of electricity but he is just not paying in time . H cant even trust my mom to buy groceries and bargain the price to budget. He gets to have two phones but my mom doesn't . Whenever i would tell sick says doesn't have money, i was once going through depression and it took a lot and told me i wanted to see a counselor, he agreed , till now never brought it up . When the hospital onced asked for my CT scan said no money but few days later his legs were in pain and they asled for an xray, that same day he did the xray and got treated. Whenever i wanted to tr something and needed money came up with a whole convo of why he is looking for money and we must survive with the little money we have but someone who is outside can see we are well off , our neighbour who owns a small shop infront of us is working a less paying job of working as a watchman securing a nearby church and they sell sweets, and groceries but they have two small land where they grow their own food , they can even buy their children clothes and grow so much yet he i am i cant even get a penny to buy my toiletries without borrowing. Every relatvie thinks so low of us think we are just munching over my parents but deep down we are not even getting any help at all. We once decided to grow pumpkin with my sister in the garden and make small money it was mostly for my sister since she had a baby , few months later and the pumkin were starting to grow and next thing he is way he needs space to plant his kale and later he started cutting the pumpkin plants , we also grew sunflower he cut them too saying they were drying .We even though of selling eggs for the chicken we had and he always says don't eat them and saying he is planning to let the hens lay more chicks but years past and not a hen was ever sold its like they are just here for show even when we said we should sell a few they were alot. Its like whenever we are trying to do something that didn't even include him using his own money he always has to ruin it in any way.
I know i should look for job which is what i am doing now but at the same time its hard because you are surrounded by toxic people, no one is even supporting you even emotional and everyday they is always something they say to make sure you stay where you are.
I need an honest advice from you guys.
Sometimes its really hard to be strong when you feel alone , Having no luxury to ask for help from a professional and living in a country where there is no emergency safe place for people to take it seriously .

Hi everyone ,
Doing a quick write up on a Graphene-x LIMITLESS Backpack 25L / EDC Series. Am doing this as, during my research on it online, there was so little in terms of reviews or discussion on reddit forums on this backpack. While the bag is not perfect (what bag is?) and a little over-engineered, i am so far really enjoying it and so wanted to share my thoughts. I am coming from a goruck gr2 26l and tad axiom s2 19l (owned and sold bellroy venture pack 26l).
Multifunctional Backpack:

• This is one of the most multifunctional backpacks i have used and come across in my (ongoing and everlasting....) search.
• As proclaimed by Graphene-x this is a backpack that is meant to cater to the "multifaceted modern individual" and "caters to the rigorous demands of an active gym champ, the digital essentials of a nomadic hacker, the diverse necessities of a dedicated toddler parent, and the vibrant energy of the party aficionado". Quite sales-y but does it accomplish this claim? I think so BUT anything that tries to be many things for different purposes is going to sacrifice something to cater to all those different use cases. A bag solely meant for onebag travel is going to be better than a bag that tries to be for onebag travel and EDC and a gym bag and a toddler backpack etc etc.
• I think they've done pretty well though. I'll comment on my use cases and pros/cons

My Use Cases:

• WORK: I don't have regular 9-5 job and can work from different locations and so i have been using it to carry my 16inch laptop as well as additional tablet like 2nd screen (two compartments in laptop area have been great). The organisation and compartments are great. I wish the admin panel had elastic to keep things more secure but its not that bad once all pockets have something in them. It is a great backpack for work and, to me, looks smart enough to carry in office environments esp with minimal branding. It's been great to carry my lunch and the insulated pockets have been perfect for keeping smoothies cold etc. Not sure it needs two insulated side pockets though.
• GYM : I use it as a gym bag too and it works great. Go to gym, have a set of clothes in there, a protein shake in there. The shoe bag pocket on bottom works fine, i have 10.5 UK 45 eur and the shoes fit putting them in sideways so you have more space as opposed to putting the toe of the shoe in first in which case it would take up much more space of the internal section. It works well. The excess material of the bag section compresses down fairly easily to not that up too much space but if not packing it out, the shoe bag in the main compartment can look messy.
• DAD BACKPACK : I have two kids (1.5yr and a 3.5yr) and for days out it's been a great companion. Anyone with young kids will know all the different things you need to take (Milk, formula, snacks, nappies, wipes, ipads, toys, spare clothes, creams, medicine, water etc). There's a lot. And you always need to access stuff easily and quickly depending on whatever the need is. This backpack does great for this with clamshell opening, all the different pockets to get to stuff easily and know where it is and not be a black hole digging your hand in for what seems like hours while a kid is crying etc. Top marks for this use case.
• FLIGHTS BACKPACK : Again it is great. Super comfortable to wear. The helmut ball net i think is one of the best additions. Travelling in the airport with the family and my wife says she is hot and so are the kids. All are wearing winter jackets.... where to put them? Took the net out, and put her wool overcoat (down to her knees) and two kids puffer jackets in the net with no issue. Have also used it on a ski trip to carry my helmut. Everything super easy to access with all the pockets, especially travelling with 6 passports (dual citizen kids) which is top front stash pocket.
• ONEBAG : There are clearly other backpacks which are better for one bag travel. I have used this for a long weekend trip and its been great. I am able to fit a medium size peak design packing cube, toiletry bag, a pair loafers as well as other tech gear with no issue with a little space to spare. Needless to say i was fairly conscious around what i packed but its possible. Note it is: 33x51x17 cm.... some european airlines have a 40x30x20 limit. Can probably still squeeze it in to whatever bin they make you (as it bends a little) to size check but just be wary. I've not had issues with it but then not had it a long time....

Pros

• Stands upright
• I love the two stash pockets on the front. Other bags they are too deep or too difficult to get in once packed out. The bottom pocket can be like this if fully packed out but the top one is super useable for quick access (going through security/xray at airport to put watch wallet etc).
• Like that the water bottle pockets (Tripod pocket?) hug in tightly when not in use
• Helmut / ball net mentioned above already but worth mentioning again as makes me feel like i'm winning at life when i use it and allows the bag to carry more than its 25l.
• Has outlet if you want to have a camelbak in there (long city tours/walking?)
• For me this is a v comfortable to wear, i think it might be because the bag is slightly taller than others i have used and so it sits more nicely on my lower back and thus weight is not fully held by my upper back.
• I love the look of the bag. Looks better in person than pictures imho. Works great for most environments. GR2 looks a bit too "tactical" for example.
• Trolley bag attachment strap : i really appreciate that this horizontal so that when the bag sits on your wheeled trolley bag, it sit upright so you can still easily access the bag and pockets vs it being sideways on the trolley bag making it less easy to access stuff.
• Chest strap is part elastic. I love this for comfort as you walk around and that there is some give.

Cons

• I feel the bag is perhaps a little too over engineered in their efforts to be a bag for so many different use cases. For example, i am not sure two insulated pockets for wine bottles etc is needed. One would be fine imho. For people that like wine maybe this is a game changer....
• There is a large pocket inside the main compartment which i am not sure what that is meant for and is difficult to access when the bag is packed out.Perhaps it is for a camelbak?
• Yellow lining : I like this as it makes it easy to find stuff eg dark lighting on a plane but i know the bright yellow will be v person taste specific.
• The lining of the two compartments for laptops/ipads is a nice soft material but its just too loose. Which means whatever laptop/ipad/2nd screen/documents you are putting in can get caught. Its totally workable but when it catches its a bit annoying.
• Straps on side of bag for the water bottle holdetripod holder sometimes catches when opening zips to acess main compartment
• It's on the heavier side of 25l area backpacks at 1.7kg. I feel they could have cut back on a few features to get this under 1.5kg but at the end of the day if i am packing it out with 5-10kg, saving 200g whatever. Still would be nice to have got the weight down a bit when there are 35l or even 40l backpacks that weigh less.
• Top access pocket by the handle would have been nice, similar to Tad Axiom or GR2. I find these so useful and there is always space at the top given how the weight of contents goes to bottom. The two stash pockets help to compensate and are great, i just would have liked that top access pocket as well.
• hip strap that doubles as a sling is fine but this is one area where they try to do two things and neither is decent imho. Sling is fine, its just a pocket but the waist/hip strap is awkward.

So many other features i've not mentioned.... "secret pocket" on the back for airtags(?)/money, bike light attachment, RFID pocket, dual D rings on straps, YKK aquaguard zippers... Anyway, i can drone on. Happy to answer any questions.
For me, one of the pleasures of having a "good" backpack is whatever i am doing at the time, the bag should help to make me feel like i'm "winning" at life in terms of how i use it/interact with it and this backpack achieves that. Again, no backpack is perfect and no backpack works for everyone but this will be my goto pack going forward.
Hope this helps to introduce another backpack to people and gives those who are looking for some additional real world thoughts on this backpack some additional info.
Thanks to everyone in the community.
Some videos:

• Graphene-X 8min walk through of the bag https://youtu.be/YpAPBurCF8I?si=9ugCKeBtKgDbX3L4
• Danny Packs review https://youtu.be/6BNNWcCON8k?si=2tbG_4BVz4neTMRI
• Aaron Nomads Nation review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kPo737qViE

I 29f have been seeing a pain management doctor. I was initially pretty sick and using a walkecane for awhile. However, it's been 4.5 months since I last used any of these devices (except for one visit 2 months ago -- I had a cane due to knee pain & a fall).
I lost weight around October. I had been dealing with health issues and didn't feel good coming in for appts, so I can understand the compliments initially. I changed my hair, etc and he's complimented me on that as well.
I didn't personally notice this next one until my mom pointed out that he seemed to "like that a little too much" when she asked him about the curvature in my back Xray. He kinda laughs and starts smiling while saying "oh yeah, she's got a nice curve."
She was referring to the structure, and he snapped back and must've realized what he said, because he then got very serious and started tracing the curve downward, saying it was normal. Using medical "terminology" again. The spinal area is where my butt starts/bows out. I'm pretty curvy, so it was somewhat awkward tbh. Anyways.
Ever since I've lost weight and even the one time I was on the cane again, he manages to say "you look really good" "yeah, you look great today".
Literally every single appt he repeats stuff like that 2 or 3 times. It's a bit annoying. For the last month, I've been working out, which i shared with him today (he noticed it, too). He then proceeded to compliment my appearance once more and my clothes.
Sometimes my mom will remark "if he does not stop saying how good you look..." once he's out of the room.
Is this pretty normal and am I overthinking things? Or not so much?

I'm going to desperately try to keep this short and to the point...I'm 39/F/obese/vapeoccasional smoker(trying to quit for the umpteenth time)/non-drinker...diagnosed with an acute DVT in my left popliteal vein in October 2023. We sort of found it on a fluke, because I'm a lunatic with health anxiety, but that's neither here nor there. I was diagnosed 10/12, discharged 10/13, and started Eliquis that night, after Heparin and Lovenox in the hospital. Since about 10 days after starting the Eliquis, I started having increasing muscle and joint pain, and when it got to the nearly debilitating stage, I saw my PCP, who prescribed a prednisone pack. That was a miracle, but literally the day I took the last pill, it all came back immediately. I saw her again, tried low dose pred, saw her colleague, who gave me a higher dose...neither did anything. Wound up in the ER on 12/30, and that doctor gave me a huge dose, starting at 80mg, and tapering down by 20mg every 10 days. I felt like a million bucks until we got down to 20mg, and it all started creeping back. The last week or so has been absolutely debilitating, I can't open doors, I can't wipe myself, I can't put on any clothes that aren't loose pajamas...basically I can do nothing that requires any use of my hands. They are so swollen I look like the Hamburger Helper mascot, and I can barely bend any fingers.
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Saw my PCP yesterday, and she said she'd call my hematologist and see if we can't at least do a trial run of something else, like Xarelto, because she said that while it's not super common, it's also not super rare to have angioedema from Eliquis. She got in touch with my hematologist's nurse, and was told that the doctor said, "No, that it is the steroids causing her pain". She left her number for the hematologist to call her back, and she never did. To say that I'm fuming is an understatement. I was so pissed off that this morning, I started a leftover pred pack that I had from my ENT over the summer, and guess what? I took the first dose at 10am, and by 3pm, I could see my knuckles and use my hands, as well as walk like someone who didn't just learn how yesterday.
​
I have an appointment with the hematologist next Monday, and at this point, I'm so mad I don't even know what I'll say to her. I don't want to see her, but I don't know if I'm being unreasonable. I'll add here that between November and just a couple days ago, I've been tested for every possibly clotting disorder, autoimmune disorder, and even had xrays and ultrasounds to check for cancers to see if anything else could be causing this. Every single solitary thing has come back negative. At this point, there's pretty much nothing else that could be causing my issue except for the Eliquis.So am I just being ridiculous, or would I not be wrong to find a new hematologist?

1. Anyone have tips to make the adjustment hurt less? Growing boobas hurt. But lying face down on the table and having my back pressed on and cracked makes them huuurt.
2. How do I come out to my chiropractors? Or to anyone, really? I haven't figured out how to do that yet. It's mostly happened without my consent or with a bunch of pressure and focus on me. I've only been able to come out truly by choice to some close friends that are LGBTQIA+.

Skip this part if you want, it's just for context:
So, I go to the chiropractor like a good lil bean. Not very often lately cuz finances. But today I realized that I'm going to have to come out to my chiros. And I don't know how?
They're a sweet married couple running their own business, about my age. My partner plays pokemon go with the husband, while he and I talk league of lemons and steam games. We both always have good lil talks about random life stuff with the wife. She was out of the office today with their newborn (they switch off). I'm quite sure they'll be safe to come out to. But I hadn't been in for an adjustment in a while and the husband was completely unaware of my transition today, calling me brother a couple times. It's understandable though, as I'm not explicitly out to them yet. And people don't notice little changes over time.
I had been transitioning quietly. Tried to at least. Lots happened. As it does. So, I gave up hiding.
Anyways, I was in enbymode as usual. With my masc winter jacket, colorful scarf, lilac colored hoodie, and greenish leggings. Idk how he didn't notice my clothing, changing face, small amount of makeup, or my bra when cracking my back. But, given our interactions over the last couple of years, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and venture to say he's just completely oblivious. My transition is becoming more noticeable each month though. And sometime soon they'll xray me to examine my spine. I think I'll have to out myself then at the latest. Besides, I don't want to keep getting misgendered in the meantime. I'm pretty sure he's just trying to be kind.
How do I do it? I don't want to just wait for him to figure it out and ask. That's painful to endure and something he may not know how to approach either, which may just be the current situation already. Do I go in fully fem presenting next time? And just answer any questions they have? Or privately tell the wife next time I see her and let her handle it? Or even just tell the husband if he happens to be the chiro in the office next time no matter how I'm presenting? Either way, idk how to start that conversation. I've never come out to cis-hetero people. And I wouldn't, if I could hide that I'm trans. (I would perma-boymode or stealth pass (in my dreams)). People are generally on a need to know basis. But I can't hide it anymore, doing so takes a growing emotional toll, and it's getting harder to hide physically. Plus, they kinda need to know since they're my health care providers and HRT probably affects the spine (idk I hear people get shorter?).

Leveraging Amazon FBA for Handmade and Custom Products

The Appeal of Handmade and Custom Goods

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift towards unique, personalized items. Consumers seek products that reflect their individuality and preferences, leading to a surge in demand for handmade and custom goods. From artisanal crafts to tailor-made creations, there exists a lucrative market waiting to be tapped into.

Navigating Amazon's Guidelines

Amazon has specific guidelines governing the sale of handmade and custom products through FBA. Understanding and adhering to these guidelines is paramount to ensuring a smooth selling experience. Sellers must familiarize themselves with Amazon's policies regarding product authenticity, customization options, and quality standards.

Establishing Your Brand Identity

In a crowded marketplace, establishing a distinct brand identity is crucial for success. Whether you specialize in handcrafted jewelry, bespoke clothing, or personalized home decor, creating a compelling brand narrative can set you apart from the competition. Leverage storytelling, visual aesthetics, and customer engagement to foster a strong emotional connection with your audience.

Leveraging Amazon's Platform

One of the primary advantages of utilizing Amazon FBA is gaining access to its vast platform and customer base. By leveraging Amazon's extensive reach, sellers can amplify their visibility and maximize sales potential. Utilize keyword optimization, high-quality imagery, and compelling product descriptions to enhance your product listings and attract potential buyers.

Fulfillment and Logistics

Amazon FBA streamlines the fulfillment and logistics aspect of selling, allowing sellers to focus on scaling their business. From warehousing and inventory management to order processing and shipping, Amazon handles the logistical complexities, freeing up valuable time and resources for sellers to concentrate on growth strategies.

Overcoming Challenges and Maximizing Opportunities

Quality Control and Customer Satisfaction

Maintaining stringent quality control measures is imperative when selling handmade or custom products. Consistency in craftsmanship, attention to detail, and responsive customer service are essential pillars of success. By prioritizing quality and customer satisfaction, sellers can foster long-term loyalty and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

Pricing Strategy and Profit Margins

Pricing handmade or custom products can be challenging, given the inherent variability and uniqueness of each item. Conduct thorough market research to gauge pricing trends, competitor offerings, and consumer preferences. Strike a balance between profitability and competitiveness, ensuring your pricing strategy aligns with your target audience's perceived value.

Legal and Intellectual Property Considerations

Navigating legal and intellectual property issues is paramount to safeguarding your business interests. Ensure compliance with copyright, trademark, and patent laws to protect your designs and intellectual property. Seek legal counsel if necessary to mitigate any potential legal risks and ensure full compliance with regulations.

Utilizing Amazon Seller Tools

Helium 10, a comprehensive suite of tools designed to optimize Amazon selling processes, can be invaluable for sellers looking to market handmade or custom products on Amazon FBA. Here's how Helium 10 can assist:

1. Product Research: Helium 10's product research tools, such as Black Box and Xray, enable sellers to identify profitable niches and trending product ideas within the handmade or custom goods category. By analyzing key metrics like demand, competition, and revenue potential, sellers can make informed decisions about which products to create and sell.
2. Keyword Research: Effective keyword optimization is essential for improving product visibility and driving organic traffic on Amazon. Helium 10's Cerebro and Magnet tools allow sellers to conduct thorough keyword research, identifying relevant search terms and optimizing product listings accordingly. By targeting high-volume, low-competition keywords specific to handmade or custom products, sellers can enhance their product discoverability and attract more potential buyers.
3. Listing Optimization: Helium 10 offers powerful listing optimization tools like Scribbles and Frankenstein, which streamline the process of creating compelling product listings. Sellers can optimize product titles, bullet points, and descriptions with relevant keywords, persuasive language, and engaging content to maximize conversions and sales.
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Conclusion: Embracing the Potential of Amazon FBA for Handmade and Custom Products

In conclusion, selling handmade or custom products on Amazon FBA presents a myriad of opportunities for enterprising entrepreneurs. By leveraging Amazon's platform, adhering to guidelines, and fostering a strong brand identity, sellers can tap into a vast market of discerning consumers. While challenges may arise, strategic planning, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality can pave the way for success in this dynamic e-commerce landscape.
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