Jewelry and watches are the rare categories where a higher price can mean a lower referral rate: jewelry pays 20% up to $250 then 5% above it, and watches pay 16% up to $1500 then 3%. On a $300 necklace the referral drops from $60 at 20% to $15 at 5% — model the threshold before you price.
| Product | Price | Rate applied | Referral fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Necklace | $100 | Jewelry 20% (≤ $250) | $20.00 |
| Necklace | $300 | Jewelry 5% (> $250) | $15.00 |
| Watch | $500 | Watches 16% (≤ $1500) | $80.00 |
| Watch | $2,000 | Watches 3% (> $1500) | $60.00 |
| Loose charm | $1.50 | 20% math = $0.30, $0.30 floor | $0.30 |
The tool applies the 20%/5% jewelry split and the 16%/3% watch split automatically, including the $0.30 minimum:
Jewelry pays 20% at or below $250 and 5% on the whole price above $250. Watches pay 16% at or below $1500 and 3% above it. Both carry the standard $0.30 minimum, which only matters for charms, parts and loose findings priced under roughly $1.50.
Yes, uniquely. A $249 necklace costs 20% = $49.80, while a $251 necklace costs 5% = $12.55. The referral fee falls by about $37 when you cross the $250 boundary, so pricing just above the threshold can beat pricing below it on a net-margin basis — run both numbers through the calculator before you commit.
A $500 watch sits in the 16% tier, so the referral is $80.00. A $2000 watch crosses the $1500 boundary and drops to 3%, which is $60.00. The drop from $80 to $60 between $1500 and $1501 is one of the largest fee cliffs on Amazon, which is why most watch listings are priced above $1500 when feasible.
Yes. Both categories apply the greater of the tier rate times price or $0.30. A $1.50 charm already computes $0.30 at 20%, but a $0.99 parts listing would otherwise pay $0.20 and the floor pushes it to $0.30. Fulfillment is separate: flat pieces under 0.75 in thickness and 1 lb stay small-standard, while boxed jewelry thicker than that flips to large-standard.