The Lightning Deal fee on Amazon is what sellers pay to get their products featured in a time-limited promotion. Typically, the fee is around $150, but during some major events like Prime Day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday, the fee amount can spike to $300–$500 due to the increased traffic and fierce competition.
Here’s the kicker—the fee is non-refundable, meaning sellers have to pay it regardless of how the deal performs and whether it performs at all. Another catch? Sellers don’t get to choose the exact time their deal runs. Amazon schedules it within a set date range, so there’s a chance the deal could go live during slower shopping hours, potentially impacting its success.
Once the promotion wraps up, Amazon deducts the fee from the seller’s account, and it’ll appear as a "Lightning Deal Fee" in their transaction reports. Considering these costs, along with the uncertainty of how many sales will actually happen—or if any will—sellers should carefully assess whether their profit margins and inventory can handle both the discount and the fee.
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