Amazon Coupon Fees Increase Explained (March 2026)

If you’re running promotions like Coupons or Lightning Deals on Amazon to boost visibility and sales, you’ll want to pay close attention to the new fee structure going live on June 2, 2025. Amazon is updating how it charges sellers for these promotional tools — and depending on your price point and strategy, these changes could either save you money or cut deep into your margins.

Let’s break down what’s changing, who it affects the most, and what you should do next.

New Amazon Fees Effective June 2, 2025

Coupons – Old vs. New Fee Structure

Until June 1, 2025, Amazon charges sellers a flat $0.60 fee per coupon redemption. That means if 1,000 customers redeem your coupon, you’re charged $600 — simple.

Starting June 2, 2025, the fee model becomes more complex:

• $5 flat fee per coupon created, plus
• 2.5% of coupon-based sales

This change applies to all coupon types — including Standard Coupons, Subscribe & Save, and Reorder and Save.

Lightning Deals – Old vs. New Fee Structure

Until June 1, 2025, you pay a one-time fee based on the day and event type:

• $150 for Lightning Deals on non-peak days
• $300 for Best Deals on non-peak days
• $500–$1,000 during peak events (Prime Day, Black Friday, etc.)

After June 2, 2025, the new structure looks like this:

• $70 daily fee, plus
• 1% of Deal sales revenue (capped at $2,000)

You’ll still pay a flat rate for peak event deals, but even low-performing campaigns on regular days will now cost you more — especially if they run for multiple days.

Why Is Amazon Making These Changes?

Amazon hasn’t given a direct explanation, but here’s what many experts believe:

• Amazon is shifting risk to sellers. Instead of Amazon absorbing low-performing promos, sellers now share that risk regardless of outcome.
• It’s also a push toward performance-based pricing, where Amazon profits more from high-volume sellers.
• These changes may weed out low-effort or low-impact promotions, improving the shopper experience while increasing Amazon’s bottom line.

So, Will You Pay More or Less for Coupons?

That depends entirely on your product price and volume.

Here are two quick breakdowns:

Coupon Example: Selling a $20 Necklace

• Old model: 100 redemptions × $0.60 = $60 in fees
• New model: $5 + (2.5% × $2,000) = $5 + $50 = $55

In this scenario, you save $5 using the new model.
And the higher your volume goes, the more you save compared to the flat $0.60 rate.

BUT…

Coupon Example: Selling a $40 Skincare Product

• Old model: 100 redemptions × $0.60 = $60
• New model: $5 + (2.5% × $4,000) = $5 + $100 = $105

That’s a $45 increase in fees under the new structure.

So if your products are priced above $20, it’s likely you’ll end up paying more under the new system.

Lightning Deal Example: 3-Day Deal on a $30 Product

• Let’s say you sell 200 units/day for 3 days = 600 total units
• Revenue: $30 × 600 = $18,000

Old fee: $150 (for the full run)
New fee: ($70 × 3 days) + (1% × $18,000) = $210 + $180 = $390

That’s 160% more expensive than the current model.

So unless you’re moving massive volume or getting massive lift, Lightning Deals could quickly become a losing proposition.

Key Considerations for Amazon Sellers

1. Recalculate Your Promotion ROI

You can no longer assume Coupons and Deals will cost the same as they used to. For every upcoming promotion:

• Estimate your projected volume
• Factor in the new fixed fees and percentage-based charges
• Compare that against your expected profit margins
• Consider past promotions if they have affected BSR, rankings…etc

2. Revise Your Pricing Strategy

If you’re currently offering Coupons or Lightning Deals at steep discounts, it might be time to tighten your offers to offset higher fees.

Small discount adjustments (e.g., 10% instead of 20%) could now make a significant difference when you factor in the extra cost per unit.

3. Avoid Low-Volume Promotions

The $5 coupon fee and $70/day Lightning Deal fee make it risky to run promotions with little expected volume. These changes reward scale — not experimentation.

Instead, double down on:

• Your highest-converting ASINs
• Best-selling variants
• Seasonal spikes where demand justifies the promo

What About Subscribe & Save?

One of the trickiest aspects of the new structure is how it affects Subscribe & Save Coupons.

These are often used to build long-term recurring revenue — but the new 2.5% fee applies upfront on the sale, even if the customer later cancels or returns.

So if you rely heavily on Subscribe & Save for LTV (lifetime value), you’ll need to:

• Recalculate your CAC (customer acquisition cost)
• Analyze churn rates
• Track profitability over time

Should You Still Use Coupons & Lightning Deals?

Yes — but selectively. These tools still drive visibility, conversions, and velocity, but the margin for error is shrinking.

Here’s how to make smarter use of them:

• Utilize promotions – AOV (average order value) increases and fee % impact shrinks
• Use Keepa – to peak on competition promotional strategy
• A/B test smaller discounts before going all-in on a campaign
• Stack with ads strategically to maximize ROI on traffic during promo windows

Pro Tip: Utilize These Promotions Instead

With Coupon and Lightning Deal fees rising in 2025, sellers should consider switching to cost-effective alternatives that offer strong visibility without extra fees:

Brand Tailored Promotions (BTPs)
Target specific customer segments — like repeat buyers, cart abandoners, or brand followers — with personalized % discounts. BTPs are free to run and ideal for boosting retention or reigniting interest without blasting discounts to everyone.

Prime Exclusive Discounts (PEDs)
Offer a strikethrough price and “Prime Exclusive Deal” badge — at no additional cost. These deals are only visible to Prime members, giving you built-in urgency and trust from Amazon’s most loyal shoppers.

Both are zero-fee, brand-friendly, and focused on conversion over clicks — making them perfect go-to promos in this new fee-heavy landscape.

Want to Protect Your Margins? Start With a Free Audit

If you’re unsure how these fee changes will affect your business, it might be time for a fresh set of eyes.

At NivoAds, we offer a no-cost Amazon audit that breaks down:

• Your current coupon & promo usage
• Where you’re overpaying on fees
• Which products can still scale with promos — and which should stop immediately

Final Thoughts

Amazon’s updated promotion fee structure in 2025 marks a shift toward revenue-sharing models — and away from flat, predictable fees. For smart sellers, this is a chance to refine strategy, kill wasteful promos, and double down on what truly drives profit.

Because let’s be real — it’s not about how much you sell. It’s about how much you keep.