Shopee and Lazada Seller Fees Explained: What's Actually Being Deducted From Every Sale

If you’ve ever checked a payout and wondered why it’s lower than your selling price, you’re not alone. 

Shopee vs Lazada seller fees can be confusing because deductions now go far beyond a simple commission line. For small business owners, understanding these charges is critical to protecting profit margins, pricing correctly, and avoiding unpleasant surprises in your seller payout.

This guide breaks down Shopee and Lazada seller fees explained in plain language so you can see what is deducted from every sale and how to estimate your real net earnings.

Why seller payouts are lower than your listed price

Many sellers assume that once an item sells, they only need to subtract product cost and shipping share. In reality, marketplaces can apply several layers of platform charges.

These may include:

• Marketplace commission fees
• Transaction fee or payment processing fee
• Order processing fee
• Service fee
• Shipping-related deductions
• Tax-related deductions
• Optional campaign or program costs

This is why two orders with the same selling price can produce different remittances. Your final seller payout depends on which fees apply to that order, your store status, and whether you joined extra programs.

Shopee vs Lazada commission and fee breakdown

When comparing Shopee seller charges and Lazada seller charges, it helps to separate mandatory deductions from optional ones.

Shopee

Based on current seller terms in the Philippines, Shopee may deduct:

• Commission fees, including Shopee Mall commission where applicable
• Transaction fees
• Order processing fees
• Seller Growth Support Fee after the first 90 days, effective May 11, 2026
• Platform shipping fees
• Seller share of shipping
• Other program or service fees
• Withholding tax where applicable

So if you’re asking what Shopee deducts from every sale, the answer is often more than one line item.

Lazada

Lazada currently highlights a major benefit for new sellers in the Philippines: “0% commission for the first 90 days for new sellers”.

That said, this does not mean zero deductions. Sellers may still see:

• Transaction-related deductions
• Payment processing fee
• Logistics-related charges
• Optional campaign costs
• Other service-related fees depending on participation

So for sellers asking what Lazada deducts from every sale, commission may be waived during the promo period, but not every fee disappears.

Mandatory vs optional deductions

One of the biggest causes of confusion is not knowing which charges are automatic and which ones come from joining a program.

Usually mandatory

These are the fees most sellers should expect in normal operations:

• Base commission rate, when applicable
• Transaction fee
• Order processing fee
• Required shipping-related deductions
• Withholding tax where applicable

Usually optional or participation-based

These depend on whether you enroll, activate, or join specific marketplace tools:

• Voucher programs
• Free shipping campaigns
• Affiliate programs
• Sponsored campaigns
• Fulfillment or special logistics services
• Store growth or promotional add-ons

This is where hidden seller fees on Shopee and Lazada often come from. They may not be hidden in policy documents, but they’re easy to miss during setup.

Before joining any growth program, check whether the added exposure can realistically offset the extra ecommerce seller costs.

Sample payout breakdown

A simple example makes seller fees explained much easier to understand.

Let’s say you sold an item for ₱500.

Example: Shopee payout after fees

Possible deductions may include:

• Commission fee
• Transaction fee
• Order processing fee
• Seller share of shipping
• Seller Growth Support Fee, if already applicable
• Tax deduction, if applicable

Your payout is not based on the ₱500 sticker price alone. It becomes:

Gross sale - order deductions = net earnings

Even if the buyer paid shipping, the seller can still carry part of the shipping-related cost, depending on the order setup.

Example: Lazada payout after fees

During the first 90 days, a new seller may have:

• 0% commission
• Transaction-related deductions
• Shipping or logistics deductions
• Optional campaign fees, if enrolled

This means Shopee vs Lazada payout after fees can look very different for new sellers, especially during Lazada’s commission-free period.

Why low-margin sellers feel fee creep the most

Fee creep hurts all sellers, but it hits hardest when your margins are already thin.

For example, if you sell low-ticket items with a small markup, even a modest mix of commission rate, service fee, and shipping deductions can eat most of your profit.

This is especially risky if you:

• Sell budget-priced products
• Join too many promo programs
• Offer discounts without recalculating margins
• Ignore per-order deductions when pricing

A product can look profitable on paper but become weak once all listing marketplace costs are included.

An alternative for SMEs: building outside the marketplaces

For some small businesses, the real issue is not just understanding fees. It’s reducing dependence on platforms where costs can keep stacking up over time.

That’s why many SMEs eventually look for an alternative to selling only on Shopee and Lazada. 

One option is Prosperna, an ecommerce platform that lets businesses build their own online store with no platform fees on sales. Instead of losing part of every order to marketplace deductions, sellers can focus on managing their own pricing, margins, customer experience, and repeat purchases more directly.

This can be especially appealing if you:

• Want more control over branding and customer relationships
• Are tired of adjusting to changing marketplace charges
• Need integrated shipping and payment options in one platform
• Want to improve margins without depending entirely on marketplace promos

That said, marketplaces still have value for discovery and reach. For many SMEs, the smarter setup is not necessarily choosing one or the other. It’s using Shopee or Lazada for visibility while also building a direct sales channel where margins are easier to protect.

How to calculate Shopee seller deductions and Lazada seller deductions

If you want a practical system, use this simple formula:

Basic payout formula

Selling price 

minus marketplace commission fees 

minus transaction fee 

minus order processing fee 

minus shipping-related deductions 

minus program or campaign fees 

minus tax deductions 

= seller payout

To make this easier:

1. List every possible deduction per platform.

2. Separate mandatory and optional charges.

3. Build a pricing sheet for each SKU.

4. Recalculate after joining promos or free shipping campaigns.

This is the safest way to handle how to calculate Shopee seller deductions and how to calculate Lazada seller deductions without guessing.

You may also want to create your own calculator spreadsheet and link it to your costing sheet. For official updates, always verify rates on each platform’s latest seller terms and onboarding pages.

FAQs About Shopee and Lazada Seller Fees

1. What does Shopee deduct from every sale?

Shopee deductions can include commission fees, transaction fees, order processing fees, shipping-related charges, and other applicable service or tax deductions depending on your seller type and program participation.

2. Does Lazada really charge 0% commission?

Lazada promotes 0% commission for the first 90 days for new sellers in the Philippines, but sellers may still encounter other deductions such as transaction-related, logistics, or optional campaign costs.

3. Why is my payout lower than my listed product price?

Your payout is usually lower because marketplace platforms deduct multiple charges before remitting your earnings, not just one commission fee.

4. Are free shipping, vouchers, and campaigns always automatic?

Not always. Some fees are mandatory, while others are tied to optional programs, campaigns, or seller tools that you may actively join or enable.

5. Is there an alternative to relying only on Shopee and Lazada?

Yes. SMEs can also build their own online store using platforms like Prosperna, which offers an alternative sales channel with no platform fees, while giving businesses more control over branding, customer relationships, and margins.

Final thoughts

Understanding Shopee and Lazada seller fees explained is not just about knowing the commission rate. It’s about seeing the full picture of how deductions affect your margins, pricing, and long-term growth.

If you sell on marketplaces, review every fee that touches your payout and treat optional programs carefully. And if your goal is to build a more sustainable business, consider balancing marketplace exposure with your own ecommerce store so you’re not relying on a platform that takes a cut from every sale.

For many SMEs, the best move is not to leave marketplaces completely, but to pair them with a direct channel like Prosperna that can help protect margins and give you more control as you grow.

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