The best Amazon agency in the UK is the one whose fee rises only when your profit does, that works inside your own Seller Central and advertising accounts through Amazon’s access tools, and that will tell you in writing who does the work, how they report and how you can leave. Badges and “top agency” lists come second.
Why “best Amazon agency” lists don’t answer the question
Search for the top Amazon agencies in the UK and you mostly get directories. They are useful for building a shortlist, but they rarely explain how agencies charge, what access they need or what should make you walk away. Some show placements labelled “AD” or “Featured”, so the order on the page is not always a ranking of quality.
We run an Amazon agency, so we won’t pretend to give you a neutral league table. What we can do is show you how to compare any agency, including us, on the things that decide whether hiring one actually leaves you with more money.
How Amazon agencies charge
There are four common fee models, and some agencies mix them (for example, a base fee plus a percentage). The model matters more than the headline price, because it decides what the agency is rewarded for. If you want to see one version in detail, here is how our profit-based pricing works: a monthly base fee plus a share of gross profit, where gross profit is sales minus Amazon fees, landed cost and ad spend.
| Fee model | How it works | What it rewards the agency for | Who it can suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed retainer | A set monthly fee for an agreed scope | Keeping you as a client; pay is the same whether results go up or down | Sellers who want predictable costs and can judge the work themselves |
| Percentage of ad spend | A share of what you spend on Amazon Ads | Spending more on ads, whether or not that spend is profitable | Sellers who only want ads managed and keep a close eye on margin |
| Percentage of sales | A share of revenue | Growing sales, including sales bought with heavy discounting or ad spend | Brands with healthy, stable margins where more sales reliably means more profit |
| Profit share | A share of profit after Amazon fees, product cost and ad spend, often with a base fee | Growing what you keep, not just what you sell | Sellers willing to share landed costs and agree a clear definition of profit |
A worked example: same account, four fee models
This is an illustration with made-up round numbers, not a client and not our price list. A UK brand on amazon.co.uk sells £20,000 a month. Amazon fees are £6,000, landed cost of goods is £6,000 and ad spend is £3,000, so gross profit is £5,000.
The agency then doubles ad spend to £6,000. Sales rise to £24,000, but Amazon fees and landed cost rise with them (£7,200 each), so gross profit falls to £3,600. Here is what each model pays the agency, using illustrative rates, and what the seller keeps after the agency fee.
| Fee model (illustrative rate) | Agency fee before | Agency fee after | Seller keeps before | Seller keeps after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retainer, £1,500 a month | £1,500 | £1,500 | £3,500 | £2,100 |
| 15% of ad spend | £450 | £900 | £4,550 | £2,700 |
| 5% of sales | £1,000 | £1,200 | £4,000 | £2,400 |
| £500 base + 10% of gross profit | £1,000 | £860 | £4,000 | £2,740 |
The seller is worse off under every model. The difference is who shares the pain. Paid on ad spend or sales, the agency earned more for a change that cost the seller money. On a retainer, its fee didn’t move. On a profit share, its fee fell too, which is the point: the agency feels the same result you do.
Two caveats. First, a profit share can cost more than a retainer when things go well, because the fee grows with your profit. Second, spending more on ads is sometimes the right call, for example to launch a new product, and profit can dip for a while. Whatever the model, agree up front how launches and other planned investment are treated so nobody is surprised.
What makes a good Amazon PPC agency
If you are looking for the best Amazon PPC agency in the UK rather than full account management, the fee model above matters even more, because ads are where money is spent fastest. A good PPC agency should:
- Set bids against each product’s margin, not a single target ACoS (ad spend as a share of ad sales) across the whole account.
- Report profit after ad spend, not only ACoS or ROAS.
- Explain what they would change in your account and why before they change it.
- Work in an advertising account that belongs to you, so the history and data stay with you if you leave.
Listings, stock and pricing all affect how well ads convert, which is why we run PPC alongside listings and catalogue work. You can see how that fits together on our Amazon account management services page.
Questions to ask before you sign
These draw on Amazon’s published pages on advertising access, partner status and certification, plus the commercial terms that cause most disputes.
- How will you get access to my account? The answer should be through Amazon’s own user and partner permissions, never your password. Give the agency only the permissions it needs, check them regularly and remove them when you part ways.
- Who owns the advertising account and data? You should stay the admin. The Amazon Ads console lets an admin give other users admin or editor access, and custom options such as billing access, so you can grant only what’s needed.
- Can I see your Amazon Ads certificates? Amazon Ads certifications are earned by passing an assessment, and the certificate shows a completion ID, completion date and expiry date. Ask whose name is on it and whether it’s still in date. It shows product knowledge, not results.
- Do you hold Amazon Ads partner status, and what does it mean? Amazon awards “verified” and “advanced” status to some partners, shown with a badge in the Amazon Ads partner directory. Amazon describes status as a data point and recommends choosing a partner based on your own needs and objectives.
- Exactly how is your fee calculated? Get a worked example on your own numbers. For a sales or profit share, ask what counts: are returns, refunds, Amazon fees, storage and ad spend taken off first?
- Who will do the work? Ask for the name of the person changing your bids and listings, not just the person selling to you.
- What will you report, and how often? Ask to see a sample report. It should show profit, not only sales and ACoS.
- What is the minimum term and notice period? And what happens on exit: access removed, campaigns left running, files and reports handed over.
Red flags
- They ask for your Seller Central password. Anyone working on your account should have their own access with only the permissions they need.
- They say they are Amazon-approved or endorsed. Amazon’s Service Provider Network page says Amazon does not endorse any service provider, and that you contract directly with the provider you hire.
- They guarantee rankings, sales or a set ACoS. Nobody controls Amazon’s search results or your competitors’ bids.
- They want to run ads from an account they own. If you part ways, your campaign history can go with them.
- Their reports never mention profit. Sales can grow while your margin shrinks, as the example above shows.
- The fee formula is vague. If they can’t show you the calculation on one page, expect arguments later.
- A long lock-in with no clear exit. A good agency should be confident enough to agree a sensible notice period.
Where to find agencies to compare
Amazon runs two directories worth checking alongside general agency lists. The Amazon Ads partner directory lists advertising partners with their service offerings, and shows partner status where they hold it. The Service Provider Network, reached from Seller Central, lists third-party providers by category, including account management and advertising optimisation, and can be filtered by service, location, language or reviews. Remember Amazon’s own caveat: listing there is not an endorsement.
Then shortlist two or three and ask each the questions above. A good agency will answer them in writing without fuss.
How we work
Evolve Brands is run by Iain Campbell, an Amazon Ads certified Seller Central specialist who has worked with Amazon since 2014. You work directly with the person doing the work. We also sell our own brands on Amazon, so we test what we recommend with our own money first. Read more about Evolve Brands.
Our fee is a monthly base plus a share of gross profit, so we earn more only when you keep more. If you’d rather start simple, we offer a flat fee for the first three months before moving to the profit model. See the details on our pricing page, or book a free account audit: a short review of your PPC, listings and margins with the three biggest fixes, yours to keep.
FAQ
How much does an Amazon agency cost in the UK?
It depends on the fee model and the size of your account, so ask every agency for a worked example on your own numbers and compare what you would keep after the fee. Our own tiers are set out on our pricing page.
Is a percentage of ad spend a bad fee model?
Not always, but it rewards the agency for spending more. If you choose it, set a profit target as well as a budget and check that extra spend is paying for itself.
Should I give an agency my Seller Central login?
No. Give access through Amazon’s own user and partner permissions, with only what the agency needs, and remove it when you part ways. Nobody outside your business should need your password.
Does Amazon recommend or approve agencies?
Amazon lists providers in the Amazon Ads partner directory and the Service Provider Network, and gives some ad partners verified or advanced status. Its Service Provider Network page says it does not endorse any service provider, and Amazon Ads describes partner status as a data point to weigh alongside your own needs.
What is profit-share pricing for an Amazon agency?
The agency takes a share of the profit left after Amazon fees, product cost and ad spend, often alongside a base fee. It ties the agency’s pay to what you keep, but it only works if both sides agree exactly how profit is calculated.