Ice Cube Trays

I've been selling ice cube trays for a while, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that fees matter more than pricing. Take ice cube trays — at $8.99 with a $1 FOB cost, you'd think the margin looks decent. But wait until you factor in FBA fulfillment.

Let me walk through the numbers for ice cube trays on Amazon FBA. I'll use real data based on a typical product at $8.99.

Most sellers I talk to about ice cube trays focus on sourcing the cheapest possible product. But in my experience, the fulfillment choice matters way more than saving $0.5 on your FOB cost.

Now here's where the money actually goes when you sell ice cube trays on Amazon FBA. Your landed cost (FOB + freight) is about $1.2. The FBA fulfillment fee depends on the size — for a product at 8"×4"×2" and 0.3 lbs, it adds a meaningful amount. Then comes the 15% referral fee ($1.35), advertising at 22% ACoS ($1.98), and return losses at 4% ($0.36). All of that adds up fast.

I've tested both FBA and FBM for ice cube trays, and here's what I found. FBA gives you the Prime badge and convenience, but for a $8.99 product, the fees consume a bigger percentage than most people realize. FBM saved me about 10% on fees, though you have to handle shipping yourself. My advice? Start with FBM, then experiment with FBA once you hit consistent volume.

A few things I'd tell anyone getting into ice cube trays: (1) Watch your return rate — 4% is the benchmark, and if you're above that, check your listing photos and product quality. (2) If you're selling internationally, don't assume US pricing works in other markets — our region comparison above shows how margins shift across US, DE, and JP. (3) Bundle pricing at $10.79 for a 2-pack often doubles your margin without doubling your costs. No extra advice needed — just run your numbers before you order inventory.

I update these numbers regularly because Amazon changes its fees and the competitive landscape shifts. The calculator above uses current fee data, so you're getting a realistic picture, not a theoretical one. Punch in your own numbers and see where you land.