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The beginner's guide to selling on Amazon
A few things to consider before you start selling
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€39 (excl. VAT) per month.
Intro
Welcome to selling on Amazon
It's no secret: At Amazon we are obsessed over customers. And our customers want a trusted place where they can buy a wide variety of products. That's why selling partners like you are so important. We're always looking for ways to add value to our customers' experience and become the world's most customer-centric company. As an Amazon selling partner, you help provide customers with better selection, better prices and a top-notch experience.
Hundreds of millions of active customer accounts around the world
195 million monthly unique visitors (in the US alone)
Over $1.9 billion in revenue recorded by selling partners during Prime Day 2021
(source: https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/prime-day-delivered-two-biggest-days-ever-small-medium-sized)
Amazon's competitive advantage
When you start selling on Amazon, you become part of a retail destination that's home to all kinds of selling partners, from Fortune 500 companies to artisan vendors who make and sell handmade products. They all sell here for a reason: to reach the hundreds of millions of customers who visit Amazon to shop.
- Selling partner sales account for around 60% of product sales on Amazon, and those sales are growing faster than Amazon's own retail sales.
- In 2019, over 200,000 entrepreneurs worldwide surpassed $100,000 in sales in our stores.
FAQ:
Is Amazon the right choice for your business?
In short: yes. The biggest household names sell on Amazon. And so do emerging brands that will soon show up on your radar. Small and medium-sized businesses see great success on Amazon, and they account for more than half of the units sold in our stores worldwide. Whatever your business and whatever its size, we're delighted to see you grow with us. Find the right selling plan for you and start selling today.
Before you start selling
Choose your desired plan
Amazon offers you the flexibility to sell one type of item or to sell thousands, through the Individual or Professional plans respectively (think of them as standard or premium plans). Before you start to sign up, decide which plan best fits your business.
The Individual selling plan costs €0.99 per item sold, while selling partners using the Professional selling plan pay €39 a month, no matter how many items they sell. If you sell more than 40 items a month, the Professional plan is the best option for you. Don't worry about making the wrong choice – whichever plan you choose, you can change your plan at any time. Please bear in mind that additional selling fees apply to the flat fees in both cases.
The Individual selling plan costs €0.99 per item sold, while selling partners using the Professional selling plan pay €39 a month, no matter how many items they sell. If you sell more than 40 items a month, the Professional plan is the best option for you. Don't worry about making the wrong choice – whichever plan you choose, you can change your plan at any time. Please bear in mind that additional selling fees apply to the flat fees in both cases.
Plans
Individual
Professional
This plan might be right for you if:
- You sell fewer than 40 items a month
- You don't need advanced selling tools or programmes
- You're still deciding what to sell
Did you know?
Tools for brand owners
If you own a brand, Amazon offers tools to help you enhance, grow and protect it. Enrolling in Brand Registry can help you personalise your brand and product pages, protect your trademarks and intellectual property and improve your customer experience. Amazon also gives you access to additional advertising options and recommendations to boost traffic and conversion.
What you'll need to get started
To complete your registration, please make sure that you have the following to hand:
- Business mail address or Amazon customer account
- Chargeable credit card (international cards are also accepted)
- Valid passport or ID document. Identity verification protects both sellers and customers
- Company registration details, including VAT number.
FAQ:
What is a VAT number and why do I need to get one?
If you sell products in any country in the European Union, it's likely that you will have to register for VAT in each country where you sell. VAT is a tax that VAT-registered traders in the European Union add to the price of the goods that they sell, and that they pass on to the national tax authorities when they file their tax returns. You may be able to claim back a portion of your VAT.
How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?
There are a few different types of selling fees that you may have to pay depending on the selling plan that you choose and the types of products you sell.
Subscription fees
These are the fees that you pay for your selling plan. They vary depending on the plan selected.
- The Professional selling plan has a flat fee of €39 a month and no per-item fee.
- The Individual selling plan has a €0.99 fee per item sold.
Selling fees
These fees are charged on each item sold and include referral fees (which are a percentage of the selling price and vary depending on the product group) and variable closing fees (which only apply to Media product groups).
Shipping fees
When you fulfil orders yourself, Amazon shipping rates apply. We charge these shipping rates based on the product category and shipping service selected by the buyer.
Fulfilment by Amazon fees
For products that Amazon fulfils for you (known as Fulfilment by Amazon), fees apply for order fulfilment, storage and optional services.
Check which fees may be associated with your account.
Get to know Seller Central
What is Seller Central?
Once you register as an Amazon seller, you'll have access to your Seller Central account. Think of Seller Central as your go-to resource for selling on Amazon. It's a portal for accessing your Amazon business and a one-stop shop for managing your selling account, adding product information, updating your inventory, managing payments and finding useful content that will help you navigate your Amazon business. It's also where you list all your products.
Below are just a few of the things that you can do in Seller Central.
- Keep track of your inventory and update your listings in the Inventory tab
- Download custom business reports and bookmark templates that you use often
- Use tools like customer metrics to track your seller performance
- Contact Selling Partner Support and open support tickets using the case log
- Track your daily sales for all the products that you sell on Amazon
Use the mobile app
Use the Amazon Seller app to analyse sales, fulfil orders, find products to sell, respond to customer queries, capture and edit professional-quality product photos and create listings directly from your phone.
VAT compliance
Understanding your VAT requirements
Depending on the type of activity that you carry out, you'll be required to obtain a VAT number in a European country as per current regulations. This depends on several factors, such as the location of the business, the fulfilment model and annual sales. Understanding and complying with the various VAT requirements will allow you to sell seamlessly on Amazon.
How to list products
Listing your first product
To sell a product on Amazon, you must first create a product listing. Match an existing listing (if another selling partner already sells the same product on Amazon), or create a new listing (if you are the first or only seller of that product).
The specific way in which selling partners upload and list their products varies depending on their selling plan. To put it simply, sellers who use a Professional seller account have the option to list large batches of products at the same time using bulk upload or inventory management through third-party systems, while Individual sellers list products one at a time.
The specific way in which selling partners upload and list their products varies depending on their selling plan. To put it simply, sellers who use a Professional seller account have the option to list large batches of products at the same time using bulk upload or inventory management through third-party systems, while Individual sellers list products one at a time.
Did you know?
Sell to both B2B and B2C customers with a single account
Once you've listed your product, it will become available to both B2C and B2B customers. This allows you to extend the reach of your offers from a single account
with no additional fees.
with no additional fees.
What you need to start listing products
In most cases, products must have a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), such as a UPC code, an ISBN code or an EAN code. Amazon uses these product identifiers to accurately identify the item that you're selling. If you match a listing, the product ID already exists, so you don't need to provide one. If you're adding a new product on Amazon, you may need to purchase a UPC code or request an exemption.
In addition to the product identifier, here is some important information to include in each listing:
- SKU
- Product title
- Product description and bullet points
- Product images
- Search terms and relevant keywords
FAQ:
What are restricted product categories?
It's important that customers are able to shop with confidence on Amazon, which is why some product categories (like certain food products or products in the Car and Motorbike category) are known as "restricted product categories". Amazon may require performance checks, additional fees and other requirements to allow you to sell certain brands or list items within restricted categories. You'll be able to request approval in Seller Central.
A successful listing = Successful launch
Best practices for adding listings can have a huge impact on their success. Make it easy for buyers to find your listings by adding descriptive titles, clear images and concise bullet points to your items. Avoid things that could negatively affect your launch:
Product variation issues
Products that vary only by colour, scent or size may be suitable for listing as variations. Ask yourself if the customer would expect to find the products together on the same page. If not, list them separately.
Image compliance
Images must be at least 500 x 500 pixels (1,000 x 1,000 for high-quality listings) and the product must be set against a plain white background. The product should cover at least 80% of the image area.
Product identifiers
Make sure that you meet the requirements for UPC and GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) product codes. Consistency in these codes helps to promote confidence in the range of products shown in the Amazon catalogue.
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€39 (excl. VAT) a month.
The product detail page
The detail page is where customers view a product sold on Amazon. If you've shopped on Amazon, you'll probably recognise the product detail page. This is where customers can find all the relevant information about a particular item.
When multiple selling partners offer the same product, Amazon combines data from these various offers into a single detail page (so that we can present customers with the best experience possible). You can propose to include product information on a detail page, along with other sellers and manufacturers, and you can request that the page be reviewed if you think that the information is not correct.
When creating a product detail page, try to think about what would best help customers to find your products, find answers to their questions and make a purchase decision. Aim to provide customers with the best experience possible through concise, accurate and clear listings.
When multiple selling partners offer the same product, Amazon combines data from these various offers into a single detail page (so that we can present customers with the best experience possible). You can propose to include product information on a detail page, along with other sellers and manufacturers, and you can request that the page be reviewed if you think that the information is not correct.
When creating a product detail page, try to think about what would best help customers to find your products, find answers to their questions and make a purchase decision. Aim to provide customers with the best experience possible through concise, accurate and clear listings.
1.
Title
200 characters maximum, capitalise the first letter of every word
2.
Images
500 x 500 or 1,000 x 1,000 pixels to increase listing quality
3.
Variations
Different colours, scents or sizes
4.
Bullet points
Short, descriptive sentences highlighting key features and benefits
5.
Featured offer ("Buy Box")
The featured offer on a detail page. Customers can add to their basket or choose "Buy Now"
6.
Other offers
The same product sold by multiple selling partners offering a different price, various shipping options and so on
7.
Description
Keywords that increase the chances that people will find your listing
One account for all of Europe
Amazon has unified its online European marketplaces. This allows you to sell, create and manage your listings, and control your inventory throughout the European Union, all from a single European seller account.
Sell across Europe
Take your business beyond borders and reach millions of customers all across Europe through amazon.co.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.it and amazon.es
Learn more
Learn more
VAT tools and resources
Every country in the European Union has its own VAT laws. Amazon's VAT support services offer you easy, efficient help – and at no cost for the first year.
Learn more in our VAT Knowledge Centre
Learn more in our VAT Knowledge Centre
Translation services
Build stronger relationships with customers by serving them in their own language. Use Amazon's translation services to translate product listings and information.
How to deliver products
Selecting the right fulfilment option
Amazon selling partners have two options for delivering products to their buyers: you can do it yourself, managing inventory and shipping products to customers (merchant fulfilment) or you can entrust Amazon to take responsibility for packaging, labelling and shipping products through Fulfilment by Amazon. Each of the two options has its own particular advantages: you just need to decide which one is right for your business.
Fulfilment by Amazon benefits
Amazon has more than 175 fulfilment centres around the world, featuring more than 14 million square metres of storage space. With Fulfilment by Amazon, you can store your products on our shelves. You can also use Amazon's excellent services, such as customer service and returns, as well as other advantages (such as automatic Prime eligibility and free shipping) that allow you to quickly scale your business.
Fulfilment across Europe
Amazon offers a range of fulfilment solutions across Europe, so that you can choose the one that suits your business best. Fulfilment by Amazon's Pan-European Programme is the most popular and the fastest: products are stored and distributed by fulfilment centres across the European Union. With the European Logistics Network, products are shipped from central storage in the country of origin. With International Inventory, however, goods are stored and shipped by the fulfilment centres in the countries that you specify.
Did you know?
There are two types of Fulfilment by Amazon fees
There are two types of Fulfilment by Amazon fees: fulfilment costs (which are charged per unit sold and include picking and packing orders, shipping and fulfilment, customer service and product returns) and inventory storage fees (which are charged monthly and are based on the volume of inventory stored at an Amazon fulfilment centre).
How Fulfilment by Amazon works
Step 1
Ship your inventory to Amazon. It will be scanned and made available for sale.
Step 2
With each order, Amazon packs and ships the product directly to the customer.
Step 3
Amazon collects payments from customers and pays the available amounts to you every two weeks.
Step 4
Amazon's customer service team handles questions, returns and refunds.
Fulfilling your own orders
Merchant-fulfilled means that you are in charge of storing and shipping products directly to customers. Amazon charges shipping fees based on the product category and the shipping service selected by the customer, and then transfers the amount to you in the form of shipping credit.
The shipping rates that you set apply to all products sold with an Individual selling plan. This means that you can set prices that are profitable for you. Amazon's Buy Shipping tool allows you to save money on shipping labels thanks to Amazon's network of trusted partners. It also allows you to ship and confirm orders and track shipments.
The shipping rates that you set apply to all products sold with an Individual selling plan. This means that you can set prices that are profitable for you. Amazon's Buy Shipping tool allows you to save money on shipping labels thanks to Amazon's network of trusted partners. It also allows you to ship and confirm orders and track shipments.
You've made your first sale. What are the next steps?
Managing your Amazon business
Your first sale is a huge milestone, but it's just the beginning of the growth opportunities that selling on Amazon can offer you. Once your store is up and running, you'll need to keep a few important things in mind.
Performance metrics (and why they matter)
Amazon sellers operate at a high standard so that we can provide a smooth, pleasant shopping experience. We call it being customer-obsessed. For Amazon selling partners, this means keeping an eye on key metrics:
- Order defect rate (a measure of a seller's customer service standards): < 1%
- Pre-shipment cancellation rate (initiated by the seller before shipment): < 2.5%
- Late delivery rate (orders shipped after the expected date): < 4%
You can keep tabs on your performance and ensure that you're meeting your targets in Seller Central.
Customer reviews
Customer product reviews are an integral part of the Amazon shopping experience and they benefit both customers and sellers. Make sure that you're familiar with which actions to take and which to avoid to get more reviews and avoid policy violations.
Amazon jargon:
Seller University
Seller University is an online resource from Amazon, with videos that include step-by-step guides, tutorials and training to help entrepreneurs start (and grow) their business on Amazon.
Opportunities for business growth
This is just the beginning
The moment that you start selling on Amazon you can start growing your business. Once you've launched your business, you can take advantage of the tools offered by Amazon to take it to the next level... or beyond.
Advertising
Amazon's advertising solutions create new ways for you to reach and engage shoppers, whether they're just starting to compare products or are ready to make a purchase. Ads are shown right where customers will see them (like the first page of search results or the product detail pages).
Amazon offers three advertising solutions, all accessible through Seller Central.
Amazon offers three advertising solutions, all accessible through Seller Central.
1. Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products ads are ads for individual product listings on Amazon that help boost product visibility (and sales). They appear on search results pages and detail pages.
2. Sponsored Brands
Sponsored Brands ads showcase your brand and product portfolio. These ads are shown in search results and include your brand logo, a custom title and up to three of your products.
3. Amazon Stores
Stores are personalised shopping destinations, developed on multiple pages and dedicated to individual brands, which allow you to share your brand story and listings. And you don't need any specific skills in creating websites to use them.
Promotions and coupons
Customers want to save, and promotions are an incentive to make an immediate purchase. There are three types of promotions: discounts, free shipping and promotions that offer customers the option to buy two products for the price of one. You can also offer percentage or money-off discounts through digital coupons.
Global expansion
Selling internationally is a huge milestone for any business. It means hundreds of millions of new customers and the potential for a big boost in sales. International expansion involves many variables, but with Amazon Global Selling, you can use Amazon's global infrastructure to showcase and sell your products to buyers from all over the world.
When it's time to take your business to the next level, use Amazon Global Selling to list and sell your products on any of our online stores in North America, Europe or Asia.
When it's time to take your business to the next level, use Amazon Global Selling to list and sell your products on any of our online stores in North America, Europe or Asia.
What makes a great seller?
A checklist for growing your business
Speed matters in business. For Amazon selling partners, the first 90 days are especially important for establishing marketing, fulfilment, pricing and other practices to accelerate performance beyond launch. Amazon data scientists define the use of five selling programmes (Brand Registry, A+ Content, Fulfilment by Amazon, Automated Pricing and Advertising) within those first 90 days as the Perfect Launch. Selling partners who take these five steps within this crucial time frame can generate sales more quickly, just as many selling partners have already done.
Ready to join them? The playbook is simple:
Ready to join them? The playbook is simple:
Enrol your brand in Brand Registry
Enhance product detail pages with A+ Content
Set up Fulfilment by Amazon
Automate pricing for your offers
Create Sponsored Products campaigns, coupons and/or deals
The first 90 days
The first three months after launching your Amazon business are an important time for establishing practices that will boost your performance in the future.
Start selling today
€39 (excl. VAT) per month.
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