Selling on Bol Costs

If you're considering selling products via bol, it's essential to have a clear understanding of all the costs involved. The total costs of selling via bol consist of much more than just the commission charged by bol.com. In this comprehensive article, we'll outline all the costs - from commission structure and shipping fees to advertising budget, return costs, and hidden expenses - so you know exactly what to expect and how to optimize your profit margin.

Overview: all costs of selling via bol at a glance

Before we dive into each cost item in detail, it's helpful to have a complete overview. Below, you'll find a table with all the cost items you'll encounter as a bol.com seller:

Cost item	Type of cost	Indicative amount
Creating a sales account	One-time	€0 (free)
Fixed commission	Per sold item	€0,20 – €2,48
Variable commission	Per sold item	4.1% - 20.7% of sales price
Shipping costs (own)	Per shipment	€3,50 – €8,00+
Logistics via bol (LvB)	Per item + storage	€2.19 - €7.50+ per item
Sponsored Products	Per click (CPC)	€0,10 – €1,50+
Return costs	Per return	Variable (at seller's expense)
Packaging material	Per shipment	€0,50 – €2,00
EAN codes	One-time per product	€2.50 - €5.00 per code

Let's now take a closer look at each cost item so you get a complete picture.

Commission structure: the most important costs of selling via bol

The commission charged by bol.com is by far the largest cost item for sellers. The commission system consists of two components: a fixed commission per sold item and a variable commission as a percentage of the sales price (excluding VAT).

Fixed commission per item

The amount of the fixed commission depends on the sales price of the product:

• Products under €10: €0.20 ex. VAT per item
• Products from €10 to €20: €0.40 ex. VAT per item
• Products over €20: €0.85 ex. VAT per item
• Exception (computers, TVs, white goods, drones, large furniture): €2.48 ex. VAT
• Media surcharge (books, games, music, films): additional €1.00 ex. VAT per item

Bol.com has lower fixed commissions for cheaper products to stimulate the sale of items with a low sales price. This is beneficial if you sell many smaller products.

Variable commission per product category

The variable commission varies significantly per product category. The standard rate is 12.4% ex. VAT, but there are significant deviations upwards and downwards:

Product category	Variable commission (ex. VAT)	Review
Power tools	4,1%	Very favorable
Computers & tablets	5,0%	Favorable
Pet food	6,0%	Favorable
Appliances & TVs	7,0%	Favorable
Camping gear	10,8%	Average
Standard (most categories)	12,4%	Average
Fashion & sports (over €50)	13,0%	High
Bedding	14,1%	High
Beauty & care	15,0%	High
Jewelry	20,7%	Very high

Choosing the right product category has a huge impact on your profit margin. With the Boloo profit calculator you can calculate per product how much commission you pay exactly and what's left over net

Where does bol.com spend the commission?

It's useful to understand where your commission money goes. Bol.com invests the received commission in various areas that also indirectly benefit you as a seller:

• Reach: with more than 13 million unique visitors per month, bol.com continuously invests in expanding its reach
• Findability & SEO: investments in search engine optimization ensure that bol.com — and thus your products — are found better
• Marketing & promotion: TV campaigns, social media, and seasonal actions attract more visitors to the platform
• Platform development: new features, improved search algorithms, and better tools for sellers
• Customer service: a professional customer service team that supports both buyers and sellers
• Financial processing: bol.com takes on the risk of non-paying customers

Shipping costs: a major factor in your total costs

In addition to commission, shipping costs form a significant part of the total costs of selling via bol. You have two options: shipping yourself or using Logistics via bol.com (LvB).

Your own shipping

When shipping yourself, you choose a carrier and arrange packaging and shipping. The costs vary depending on your chosen carrier, package size, and volume:

• Mailbox package: €3,50 – €4,50
• Small package (up to 23 kg): €4,50 – €7,00
• Large package: €7,00 – €15,00+
• Extra options (evening delivery, Sunday delivery): €1.00 – €3.00 surcharge

With larger volumes, you can negotiate discounts with carriers like PostNL, DHL, or DPD. Better rates are often possible from 50 shipments per month

Logistics via bol.com (LvB)

With LvB, you outsource the entire logistics to bol.com. You send your stock to their fulfillment center and they handle storage, packaging, and shipping. The costs consist of multiple components:

• Fulfillment costs: €2.19 (small format) to €7.50+ (large format) per item
• Storage costs: €16 per m³ per month (regular), up to €40 per m³ in peak periods (November-December)
• Label costs: €0.19 per item if bol.com has to label your products
• Return costs: costs for returning unsold stock
• Disposal costs: for unsellable or damaged stock

The advantage of LvB is that your products get the bol.com delivery logo, have faster delivery times, and often rank higher in search results. Use the Boloo LvB Box Size Checker to determine the optimal packaging size and minimize your LvB costs.

Advertising costs: Sponsored Products on bol.com

More and more sellers are investing in Sponsored Products to make their products more visible in bol.com's search results. Although this is an optional cost, it's necessary for many sellers to remain competitive.

How does the CPC model work?

Bol.com works with a Cost Per Click (CPC)-model: you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad. The cost per click depends on the competition in your product category:

• Low competition: €0.10 – €0.30 per click
• Average competition: €0.30 – €0.75 per click
• High competition: €0.75 – €1.50+ per click

A common mistake is advertising without monitoring your ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales) . An ACOS above 15-20% is not profitable for most products. Use the Boloo Sales Dashboard to accurately track your advertising costs and performance.

Return costs: the often underestimated cost

Returns are inevitable in e-commerce and can significantly affect your profit margin. Customers on bol.com have a 30-day return policy, and the costs are often borne by the seller.

Costs for returns

• Return shipping costs: the costs for returning the package are borne by the seller
• Commission: is credited after processing the return — you don't pay any commission on returned products
• Product damage: returned products are sometimes no longer sellable as new
• Processing time: checking, rebooking, and storing returns takes time and money

The return percentage varies greatly per category. For fashion and clothing, it can be up to 30-40%, while electronics are usually around 5-10%. It's crucial to consider the expected return percentage when calculating your total costs.

Reduce returns

You can limit the number of returns by investing in good product content:

• Write honest and detailed product descriptions
• Use high-quality product photos from multiple angles
• Add size charts and specifications where relevant
• Use the Boloo Listing Generator AI for optimized product content

Hidden costs that many sellers overlook

In addition to the direct costs charged by bol.com, there are various additional costs that beginner sellers often overlook:

Packaging materials

Boxes, filling materials, tape, and shipping labels can quickly cost between €0.50 and €2.00 per shipment. With thousands of shipments per month, this can add up.

Product photography

Professional product photos are crucial for good conversion rates. Expect to pay €15 to €50 per product for professional photography, or invest in your own photo setup (€200 to €500).

Accounting and administration

As an entrepreneur, you need to file VAT returns and maintain a complete accounting system. The automatic invoicing of Boloo saves you a lot of time by automatically generating and processing invoices.

EAN codes

For your own products (private label) you need unique EAN codes. A package of 10 codes costs an average of €25 to €50. With larger quantities, the cost per code decreases.

Samples and product tests

Before you start selling a new product, you want to order samples to test the quality. Expect to pay €50 to €200 per product line, depending on the supplier and the type of product.

Calculation examples: what do you have left when selling via bol?

Let's calculate the total costs based on four practical examples with different price classes and categories:

Example 1: phone case (€9.95)

• Selling price: €9.95 (incl. VAT)
• VAT (21%): -€1.73
• Fixed commission: -€0.20
• Variable commission (12.4%): -€1.02
• Shipping costs (own): -€3.50
• Packaging: -€0.50
• Net profit: €3.00 (excluding purchase costs)

Example 2: kitchen mixer (€34.95)

• Selling price: €34.95 (incl. VAT)
• VAT (21%): -€6.07
• Fixed commission: -€0.85
• Variable commission (12.4%): -€3.58
• Shipping costs (own): -€5.00
• Packaging: -€1.00
• Net profit: €18.45

Example 3: wireless headphones (€79.00)

• Selling price: €79.00 (incl. VAT)
• VAT (21%): -€13.72
• Fixed commission: -€0.85
• Variable commission (12.4%): -€8.09
• Shipping costs (LvB): -€3.89
• Net profit: €52.45

Example 4: cordless drill (€129.00)

• Selling price: €129.00 (incl. VAT)
• VAT (21%): -€22.40
• Fixed commission: −€0,85
• Variable commission (4.1% — power tools): −€4,37
• Shipping costs (own): −€6,00
• Packaging: −€1,50
• Net profit: €93,88

As you can see, the product category makes a huge difference. The cordless drill with just 4.1% variable commission keeps relatively more than products in the standard category. Use the Boloo profit calculator to calculate your own products accurately.

Bol.com vs. your own webshop: cost comparison

Many entrepreneurs are torn between selling on bol.com or setting up their own webshop. Below, we compare the main cost factors:

Cost factor	Selling on bol.com	Your own webshop
Monthly costs	€0 (no subscription)	€30 – €200+ (hosting, platform)
Commission per sale	4.1% – 20.7% + fixed amount	1.5% – 3% (payment provider)
Marketing costs	Optional (Sponsored Products)	Necessary (Google Ads, SEO, social media)
Reach	13+ million visitors per month	Build from scratch
Customer trust	High (well-known and trusted brand)	You have to build it yourself
Initial investment	Low (just stock)	Higher (website, design, marketing)
Control over branding	Limited (bol.com guidelines)	Full

The conclusion is that bol.com has higher transaction costs, but offers direct access to millions of potential customers without needing large marketing budgets. For beginners, selling on bol.com is often the most cost-effective way to start.

Practical tips to reduce your sales costs on bol

1. Choose products in favorable categories

Focus on product categories with lower variable commissions. Power tools (4.1%), computers (5%), and pet food (6%) are examples of favorable categories. Use the Boloo Product Database to find products with an attractive commission structure.

2. Optimize your packaging

A smaller and lighter package means lower shipping costs. Invest in custom-made packaging that protects your product well but is not unnecessarily large.

3. Use keyword research for your ads

Target your Sponsored Products campaigns at the most relevant keywords with good search volume and manageable competition. This way, you avoid wasting your ad budget on unprofitable clicks.

4. Bundle products for lower fixed commission

By bundling products, you only pay the fixed commission once instead of multiple times. Additionally, you can charge a higher selling price with better margins.

5. Minimize returns

Invest in good product descriptions, professional photos and size charts. Every avoided return is directly saved money on shipping and processing costs.

6. Continuously monitor your profit margin

Use the Boloo Sales Dashboard to keep track of your sales, costs and profit in real-time. This way you can quickly intervene if a product is no longer profitable.

7. Check your product categorization

Make sure your products are in the right category. Incorrect categorization can lead to unnecessarily high commissions. Check this regularly on the partner platform.

8. Take advantage of commission discounts

Bol.com sometimes offers temporary commission discounts for specific categories or sellers with good performance. Keep an eye on the partner platform and your email for these actions.

Frequently asked questions about selling on bol costs

Is it free to start selling on bol.com?

Yes, creating a sales account on bol.com is completely free. There are no monthly subscription costs. You only pay commission when you actually sell a product.

How much commission do I pay exactly?

The commission consists of a fixed amount (€0,20 – €2,48) plus a variable percentage (4,1% – 20,7%) of the sales price. For most categories, a standard rate of 12,4% ex. VAT applies. Read more in our article about commission on bol.com.

Do I get commission back on a return?

Yes. When a customer returns a product, the previously charged commission is credited as soon as the return shipment is processed. You do not pay commission on returned products.

What are the costs of Logistics via bol.com (LvB)?

LvB costs consist of fulfillment costs (€2,19 – €7,50+ per item), storage costs (€16 – €40 per m³ per month) and any additional services. The exact costs depend on the dimensions and weight of your products.

What are the hidden costs of selling on bol?

Hidden costs include: packaging material (€0,50 – €2,00 per shipment), product photography (€15 – €50 per product), EAN codes, samples and accounting. Factor these in when calculating your total profit margin.

Can I lower my commission costs by adjusting my prices?

Partly. A lower sales price means a lower variable commission amount, but this comes at the expense of your sales. A higher price increases the commission, but can be offset by a higher margin. Always find the balance between a competitive price and a healthy profit margin.

How much do I need to invest to get started?

Getting started is free, but expect an initial investment of €500 – €2.000 for your first product stock, packaging materials, and product photography. With the Boloo Product Database you can find products that fit your available budget.

How can I best calculate my total costs?

Use the Boloo winstcalculator to make an accurate calculation of all costs per product, including commission, VAT, shipping costs, and purchase price. This way, you know exactly what you'll keep per sale and can make informed decisions about your product range.