Ask the Collective

What commission rates do major online drink marketplaces charge, and is there room to negotiate?

Most members report fixed commission structures with limited negotiation potential, particularly at lower volumes. **NOTHS** charges around 25% base commission, with members reporting no success negotiating this rate down. Promotional features push costs significantly higher: members noted that opting into additional promotional activity increases **NOTHS** commission to 35%, which can become loss-making despite increased volumes. **Amazon** typically generates 4–5 times the sales volume compared to specialist retailers and traditional wine merchants, suggesting a tiered approach to marketplace strategy rather than reliance on a single channel. Members emphasise that commission negotiation is largely unsuccessful at smaller volumes, suggesting scale is a prerequisite for better terms.