Lazada vs Shopee Seller Fees: Commission 3-8%, Ads 5-15% of GMV = 20% Margin Gone
Fashion seller SGD 200K GMV/month: Lazada commission 5% = SGD 10K, Lazada ads SGD 8K (4% of GMV), Shopee commission 3% = SGD 6K, Shopee ads SGD 12K (6%). Total platform fees: SGD 36K/month = 18% of GMV. COGS 40% = SGD 80K. Net gross profit: SGD 84K (42%). Less fulfilment SGD 10K, returns SGD 5K = actual contribution: SGD 69K (34.5%). AskBiz automates fee deduction so P&L reflects true marketplace profit.
The Real Cost of Selling on ASEAN Marketplaces#
Lazada and Shopee fees are not just commission. Sellers pay: (1) commission on each sale (varies by category: electronics 3%, fashion 5%, beauty 8%), (2) payment processing fee (~1.5%), (3) Lazada Sponsored Solutions / Shopee Ads (to appear in search — if you don't advertise, visibility drops 80%), (4) LazMall / Shopee Mall premium surcharge (0.5-1% extra for mall status), (5) returns handling fee. Total effective take rate: 18-25%.
Commission Rates by Category#
Electronics: Lazada 3%, Shopee 2% (low commission, high ads spend needed). Fashion: Lazada 5%, Shopee 5% (medium commission, medium ads). Beauty/Health: Lazada 8%, Shopee 8% (high commission, saturated = high ads too). Food/Grocery: Lazada 4%, Shopee 3%. Rule: high-competition categories = high commission + high ads = thin margin. Check category commission before listing.
Marketplace ads are pay-per-click (CPC).
Ads Spend — The Hidden Drain#
Marketplace ads are pay-per-click (CPC). Fashion: average CPC SGD 0.20-0.80. If conversion rate 2%: need 50 clicks per sale = SGD 10-40 ad cost per order. For a SGD 50 fashion item: ads SGD 15-25 (30-50% of selling price). Plus commission SGD 2.50 = total platform cost SGD 17.50-27.50 on a SGD 50 item (35-55%). COGS typically SGD 20 = selling at loss on ad-heavy SKUs.
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AskBiz Marketplace Fee Tracking#
Pulls Lazada and Shopee seller centre reports. Calculates per-SKU: GMV, commission deducted, ads spend, returns, net payout. "SKU A: GMV SGD 5K, commission SGD 250, ads SGD 400, returns SGD 200, net SGD 4.15K. Margin after COGS (SGD 3K): SGD 1.15K (23%). SKU B: GMV SGD 3K, commission SGD 240, ads SGD 600, returns SGD 100, net SGD 2.06K. COGS SGD 2K = margin SGD 60 (2%). Recommend: pause SKU B ads, test organic only."
- Fashion seller SGD 200K GMV/month: Lazada commission 5% = SGD 10K, Lazada ads SGD 8K (4% of GMV), Shopee commission 3% = SGD 6K, Shopee ads SGD 12K (6%).
- Total platform fees: SGD 36K/month = 18% of GMV.
- COGS 40% = SGD 80K.
People also ask
Is it better to sell on Lazada or Shopee?
Depends on category and country. Shopee dominates in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines (higher traffic). Lazada stronger in Singapore and premium segments. Most successful sellers use both. Allocate ad budget to whichever has better ROAS (return on ad spend) for your category.
How do I reduce marketplace dependency?
Build a direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel alongside marketplaces. Move repeat customers to your own website (offer exclusive deals). Marketplaces great for discovery, own channel better for lifetime value. Target: 30-40% of revenue from DTC within 2 years.
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Track True Lazada/Shopee Profitability (Per SKU, After All Fees)
AskBiz pulls marketplace reports, deducts all fees, calculates real margin per product. Identifies which SKUs are profitable. Try free.
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