No monthly fee — but that's not the whole story
The headline advantage of Bol.com as a sales platform: no fixed monthly fee. No subscription, no minimum spend. Only commission when you actually sell.
But commission isn't the only cost. Sellers who only calculate commission underestimate their total cost structure and watch their margins disappear in the first months.
This article gives a complete overview of all the costs you can expect.
1. Sales commission
Commission is the amount Bol.com deducts from each sale. The percentage varies by product category.
Commission rates 2026 (indicative)
| Category | Commission | |----------|------------| | Electronics (phones, tablets) | 5% – 7% | | Computers & accessories | 5% – 8% | | Large appliances | 5% – 8% | | Small kitchen appliances | 8% – 10% | | Home & decoration | 10% – 13% | | Garden & outdoor | 8% – 12% | | Sports & outdoor | 10% – 13% | | Toys & games | 8% – 12% | | Fashion (clothing, shoes) | 12% – 17% | | Books & media | 8% – 10% | | Household items | 10% – 13% | | Beauty & personal care | 10% – 14% | | Baby & children's items | 8% – 12% | | Pet supplies | 8% – 12% |
Note: Exact percentages are in your Seller Centre under 'Rates'. Bol.com adjusts commissions periodically. Always verify them before opening a new product line.
How commission is calculated
Commission is calculated on the selling price including VAT, excluding any shipping costs paid by the customer.
Example:
- Selling price: €29.95
- Category commission: 12%
- Commission: €29.95 × 0.12 = €3.59
- Net received: €29.95 – €3.59 = €26.36 (before other costs)
2. FBB fees (Fulfilment by Bol.com)
If you use FBB, you pay fulfilment costs on top of commission.
Fulfilment fee per order (2026, indicative)
| Weight class | Fee per order | |-------------|---------------| | Under 500 grams | €1.99 – €2.49 | | 500g – 2 kg | €2.49 – €3.49 | | 2 kg – 10 kg | €3.49 – €5.49 | | Above 10 kg | On request |
Storage costs
You also pay storage costs for inventory held in the Bol.com fulfilment centre:
| Period | Cost per m³ per week | |--------|---------------------| | Standard | €12 – €18 | | Peak period (Oct–Dec) | €18 – €28 | | Slow-moving stock (>180 days) | Additional surcharge |
Calculation example: A box of 30×20×15 cm = 0.009 m³. At €14/m³/week = €0.13 per week per unit. For 100 units in stock: €13/week = €52/month purely in storage.
Stock sitting for more than 6 months costs noticeably more. Track your stock turnover rate.
Inbound costs
Delivering stock to the Bol.com fulfilment centre is free if you arrange your own transport. If you use Bol.com's inbound label (via their logistics partner), you pay per pallet or box.
3. Self-fulfilment shipping costs
If you choose self-fulfilment instead of FBB, shipping costs are entirely your responsibility. Bol.com offers a discounted rate via PostNL for partner sellers:
| Weight class | Bol.com partner rate (indicative) | |-------------|----------------------------------| | Under 2 kg | €3.50 – €4.50 | | 2 – 10 kg | €4.50 – €6.50 | | 10 – 20 kg | €6.50 – €9.50 |
Add packaging materials (€0.30–€0.80 per shipment) and labour time.
4. Return costs
Bol.com offers free returns to customers. As a seller, you bear the cost of return processing with self-fulfilment.
- FBB: Bol.com processes the return. You pay a return handling fee of €0.99 – €2.49 per return (depending on weight).
- Self-fulfilment: You receive the return, process it and determine whether the product is resaleable.
Average return rate by category:
- Fashion: 20–35%
- Electronics: 5–10%
- Home/décor: 5–12%
- Toys: 5–8%
High return rates erode your margin and your seller score. A well-written listing with accurate product descriptions and photos reduces the return rate structurally.
5. Advertising costs (optional)
Bol.com offers Sponsored Products — paid positions at the top of search results. This is optional but increasingly common.
- You pay per click (CPC model)
- Average CPC: €0.15 – €0.85 depending on category and search term
- Minimum daily budget: €1.00
- No minimum campaign duration
Advertising costs are on top of your commission. Include them in your margin calculation.
6. Other costs
VAT filing
If you're VAT-registered, you must remit VAT on your sales. Bol.com includes VAT in the payout amount — you remit the VAT component to the tax authority.
Accounting software
Not mandatory, but strongly recommended. Bol.com sellers commonly use cloud accounting tools with a direct Bol.com sales data connection.
Product photography and listing optimisation
A one-time investment. Good photos and an optimised listing cost money once, but increase your conversion rate structurally — keeping the payback period short.
Margin calculation example
Product: ergonomic seat cushion, selling price €34.95, purchase price €8.00, weight 600g, Home category.
| Cost item | Amount | |-----------|--------| | Selling price | €34.95 | | Purchase price | –€8.00 | | Commission 12% | –€4.19 | | FBB fulfilment fee (600g) | –€2.99 | | Storage per week (small product) | –€0.10 | | Return 8% probability (€2.49 × 0.08) | –€0.20 | | Gross margin per sale | €19.47 | | Margin percentage | 55.7% |
In this case the margin is solid. At a selling price of €14.95 with the same purchase price, the picture looks very different — the fixed costs (commission + FBB) cut in much harder.
When is Bol.com profitable?
As a rule of thumb:
- Minimum selling price for FBB: €12 – €15 (otherwise commission + fee eat the margin)
- Minimum margin for self-fulfilment: 50% gross margin before shipping costs
- Minimum selling price for sponsored products: enough margin to absorb €0.30–€0.60 CPC at your conversion rate
A product with a low selling price, thin margin and high return rate is structurally unprofitable on Bol.com — regardless of volume.
Checklist: costs calculated before launch
- [ ] Commission percentage looked up for your category
- [ ] FBB fee calculated based on weight and dimensions
- [ ] Storage costs estimated based on expected turnover rate
- [ ] Return rate for the category researched
- [ ] Advertising budget included in margin calculation
- [ ] Gross margin per unit calculated at minimum and maximum selling price
See also how listing health directly impacts your conversion rate and therefore your profitability →
Frequently asked questions
How much commission does Bol.com charge? Commission varies by category, usually between 8% and 17% of the selling price including VAT. You'll find the exact percentages in your Seller Account under 'Rates'.
What does selling via Fulfilment by Bol.com (FBB) cost? On top of commission you pay a fulfilment fee per order (depending on weight) plus storage costs per week. Expect €2 to €5 fulfilment per order for standard products.
Does Bol.com have fixed monthly fees? No, there's no fixed monthly amount or subscription. You only pay commission and any logistics costs when you actually sell.