Amazon seller payouts: Everything you need to know
Last update: 15 Sep 2025
Amazon typically disburses payouts to Amazon seller accounts once every 14 days, and it can take an additional 3–5 business days for transfers to settle in sellers’ bank accounts.
In other words, once you sell a product, it can take around three weeks to see your profits – or more, factoring in other Amazon policies.
Besides a slightly confusing Amazon payment schedule, you may also encounter other common challenges with Amazon payouts:
- Additional delays: If you’re new, have account issues, need to transfer funds to certain countries or use a payment method on Amazon’s “prohibited” list, it could take even longer to see or use your funds
- Limited options for faster payouts: US- and UK-based sellers may be able to qualify for Express Payouts, which let you receive funds within 24 hours. But these options require a local presence in the US and limit how you can receive payouts in the UK
- Unpredictable payment amounts: Amazon can deduct fees from your balance or hold back a percentage of your funds at any time (e.g. to cover chargebacks and disputes), so your payout amount can change without warning
- Conversion fees: If you sell in a currency different from the one in your receiving bank account, Amazon automatically converts your funds at a rate it determines. It also adds up to a 1.5% conversion fee, both of which can eat into your profits
In this article, we’ll cover how Amazon payouts work, including timeframes, costs and more.
We’ll also share how a multi-currency business account from WorldFirst is the best way to receive Amazon payouts. It lets you collect and hold your Amazon payouts in multiple currencies, receive funds faster and convert currencies at more favourable rates.
Read on to learn:
- How to get paid by Amazon as a seller
- How WorldFirst helps you protect your sales margins
- How to open a World Account
- Frequently asked questions about Amazon seller payouts
Ready to start getting Amazon payouts faster with WorldFirst’s Amazon Seller Payment solution? Open your World Account for free now.
How to get paid by Amazon as a seller
As a global Amazon seller, you need an easy way to bring your earnings home, no matter which countries you sell in. Below, we answer some of the most common questions about how the process works.
How do I get set up to receive Amazon payments as a seller?
To get paid on Amazon in the UK, you need to:
- Add your receiving account information in Seller Central
- Specify your deposit method (a local account in a country supported by the Amazon Currency Converter)
- Supply a valid credit card number or bank account details, which Amazon uses to charge fees and deduct funds as necessary
Once you’ve completed these three steps, you’re ready to start receiving Amazon payouts.
Find out more: How to start selling on Amazon UK
How long does it take to receive Amazon payouts?
Amazon disburses (pays out) funds every 14 days, on a scheduled payout date, barring any holds or other issues. Once funds are paid out, it takes an additional 3–5 days for the money to be transferred and settled into your account, depending on the transfer method used.
What this means is that it can take close to three weeks to see the income from a given sales period. But once you’re set up, you should have income landing in your account roughly every two weeks.
Transfer methods vary, but are usually dependent on the country or region you live in. For example, Amazon typically uses:
- ACH transfer in the US
- BACS in the UK
- SEPA or SWIFT in Europe (non-UK accounts)
Actual settlement times can vary with each method.
Finally, if you’re a new seller, you may have to wait even longer to receive your payments. Amazon usually adds a holding period of at least seven additional days for new sellers. It also adds a hold of up to 14 days if you add or change bank account details.
Read more about common business payment methods: How to send international payments: 6 options for businesses
Why didn’t I receive my full Amazon payout?
Amazon doesn’t pay out for all of your sales on the scheduled payment date. It only releases funds for orders delivered at least a week prior, with remaining funds paid out during the next applicable payment cycle.
Amazon also deducts any other costs from your balance before paying out your funds. This includes:
- Any expenses, Amazon fees or refunds owed
- An account-level reserve – a buffer amount set by Amazon (based on various seller performance metrics) to cover any returns, chargebacks or other disputes
It’s also important to note that funds are only disbursed if you currently have a positive balance in your Amazon account. If you have a negative or zero balance, you won’t receive Amazon payouts.
What does it cost to receive Amazon payouts?
Amazon doesn’t charge sellers for receiving payouts, but it can deduct funds for the account level reserve and hold them for 14 to 90 days in case of refunds and disputes.
Amazon calculates your reserve using factors like:
- Return rate
- Order volume
- Account age
- Delivery times
Then, it assigns you to one of three reserve tiers to determine how much to withhold.
Amazon also charges between 0.75% and 1.5% for currency conversion, depending on the transaction volume. The exchange rate is determined and applied by a third-party service provider on the day the transfer is initiated.
Want to pay less to convert your Amazon payout currency? Sign up for a World Account for free today. Our currency conversion fees are 0.5% or less, and we only use the mid-market exchange rate (MMR).
How WorldFirst helps protect your margins on Amazon payouts
Founded in 2004 and partnering with institutions including Barclay’s, HSBC and J.P. Morgan, WorldFirst has processed over $300 billion in transaction value for over one million customers. As an official Amazon payment service provider, we’ve worked with hundreds of thousands of e-commerce businesses to simplify their marketplace payouts.
Our World Account makes it easy to collect your Amazon payouts faster, hold earnings from multiple global Amazon marketplaces (such as Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Amazon.de,) and save on foreign exchange fees. Plus, it’s completely free to receive payments.
You can also use your World Account to pay suppliers, cover Amazon FBA and seller fees and fund your PPC campaigns.
Here’s how:
Get Amazon payouts within two days with account details in 20+ currencies
With WorldFirst, you get local account details in 20+ currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, JPY and SGD. Since Amazon pays out in the currency associated with the deposit account you select, you can receive payouts in any of these currencies.
With local account details in each country, it’s easy to create and manage multiple seller accounts across different Amazon marketplaces. You can collect from Amazon.com in USD, Amazon.de in EUR, Amazon.co.jp in JPY and more.
It takes just 1–2 days to receive Amazon payouts directly into any of your World Accounts, in your currency of choice. That means faster payouts, with no waiting around for slow wire transfer services to settle your funds.
As an official Amazon payment partner in Amazon’s Payment Service Provider program (PSPP), we ensure faster, smoother payments. While lesser-known banks may face additional compliance checks during payment processing, using a trusted provider like WorldFirst can help you avoid unnecessary delays.
Related: What’s the best business bank account for e-commerce companies? 7 options
Save up to 2.5% on FX fees and choose your payout currencies
If your Amazon store earns a different currency from your deposit account, Amazon will use the Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS) to exchange your funds. The ACCS uses the standard interbank rate to calculate the conversion, and adds a markup of 0.75% to 1.50%.
While Amazon is transparent about its conversion rates and FX fees, these details aren’t itemised in your seller statements. This can make it tricky to anticipate your actual take-home earnings or understand what you’re spending on currency conversions.
Plus, if you’re selling on lots of different Amazon marketplaces, it’s even harder to keep track of all your income.
A multi-currency account with WorldFirst lets you receive payments in the original currency, view your actual earnings and convert funds yourself. WorldFirst opens up access to the more favourable mid-market exchange rate, with a markup of up to 0.50% for major currencies.
With a multi-currency World Account, it’s free to receive and hold payouts in your local accounts, so you can wait to convert your payouts until market rates are more favourable. When you’re ready to use your funds, you can also:
- Pay suppliers abroad in their local currencies in as little as 1–2 days
- Make free, instant payments to other World Account holders
- Source products on leading Chinese wholesale marketplace 1688.com and pay suppliers instantly from your World Account balance
Learn more: How to source wholesale using 1688.com outside China
Manage all your marketplace payouts in one place
If you’re selling on multiple Amazon sites or other e-commerce marketplaces globally, WorldFirst helps you receive and manage all your payouts from within the same central dashboard. You can get low-cost local withdrawals of your earnings from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.com.au and all Amazon Europe marketplaces.
WorldFirst also brings you integrations with 130+ global marketplaces and gateways, making it easier to receive payments from other global platforms and track, forecast and plan cash flow all from the same dashboard.
Read more: How to manage global business payments
How to open a World Account
Ready to open a World Account and manage your Amazon payouts in one place? Here’s how:
- Head to the Sign up page
- Enter in some personal and business details
- Upload your required verification documents
- Set up your World Account preferences
- Once your account is approved, head to Amazon Seller Central to start receiving payments to your World Account
Note: Need some extra help? Check out the official Help Centre guide for more info on setting up a World Account.
- Open 20+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
- Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
- Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
- Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty
Get faster Amazon payouts and lower fees with WorldFirst
With local account details in 20+ currencies, access to the mid-market exchange rate and more competitive markups on major currencies, WorldFirst makes it easier to keep more of what you earn on Amazon and plan your future spending.
WorldFirst also enables simpler, faster payments, so you can keep suppliers happy and inventory flowing. It’s a simple way to make the most out of your Amazon experience anywhere you sell.
Ready to take control of your Amazon payouts? Open your World Account for free today.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is my Amazon payout delayed?
Your Amazon payouts might be delayed if:
- You’re a newer seller
- You’ve recently added or changed bank account information
- There’s an issue with your bank account information (eg. missing or invalid information)
- You have a negative or zero account balance
- Your account health is low, i.e. there are performance issues or signs of suspicious activity
Why is my payout smaller than expected? What is the account level reserve?
Sometimes, you might get paid on time, but not receive the full amount from your sales. That’s because Amazon holds a certain percentage of funds called the account level reserve, which is higher for certain sellers.
You may have an account level reserve (or a higher account level reserve) if:
- You have an open A-to-Z guarantee claim
- You’ve received a chargeback on one or more of your orders in the last 90 days
- Your seller performance is too low
- Your account is under review
- Amazon is legally required to withhold income tax on your sales
Can Express Payouts help me get paid faster on Amazon?
Express Payouts let professional sellers get payouts within 24 hours, including weekends, ostensibly at no additional cost. US Amazon Pay merchants are eligible to enrol for next-day payouts through Seller Central, but they must:
- Be signed up for Amazon Pay
- Have an account with an in-network US bank
- Have a valid US business address
- Have transactions of $1 million or less at the time of payment initiation
UK merchants without a US business address can only receive Express Payouts to a UK Visa debit card. For UK merchants who select this option, Amazon uses the exchange rate applied by Visa, and sellers are responsible for currency conversion fees.
What should I do if Amazon’s payout schedule impacts my cash flow?
Amazon’s standard payout schedule can create cash flow issues if you need faster access to earnings. With WorldFirst, you can receive your Amazon sales payouts in as little as 1–2 days, helping you cover expenses and avoid relying on emergency solutions like business credit cards or short-term loans.
Can I track Amazon sales and payouts in real time?
Amazon’s payment dashboard gives you an overview of your earnings, but it doesn’t always make it easy to manage global transfers or multiple currencies. With a World Account, you get real-time visibility into your payouts across Amazon marketplaces (and 130+ other global marketplace and gateways), so you’re always in control of your cash flow.
Sources
- https://sell.amazon.com/blog/amazon-seller-payments
- https://sell.amazon.com/programs/amazon-currency-converter
- https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/G6HWWWCJWX3VACGT?locale=en-US
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