How to sell globally on Amazon: A guide for beginners

Welcome to the Beginner's Guide to selling on Amazon.com, tailored for Southeast Asian sellers looking to expand their business and sell overseas with Amazon Global Selling. Learn how to create a selling account, list products, fulfill customer orders internationally, and more.
Professional Selling Plan Fee Promotion:
Pay USD$1 for 6 months instead of USD$39.99 a month*. Learn more.

Download our step-by-step Registration Guide.
An Amazon seller preparing to ship inventory to an Amazon Fulfullment Center in the US

What is Amazon Global Selling?

Amazon Global Selling is an ecommerce program that empowers all businesses, regardless of size, to expand globally. Through this program, you can take your business from Singapore to over 200 countries and territories and reach more than 300 million customers. Additionally, you can get extensive support in warehousing, shipping and returns as Amazon provides expert assistance every step of the way.

More than 60% of sales in the Amazon store
come from independent sellers

Get ready to sell

How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?

We offer two selling plans so you can choose the right package of tools and services for the right price.

• The Individual selling plan costs USD$0.99 per sale.
• The Professional selling plan costs USD$39.99 per month, no matter how many items you sell.
Professional Selling Plan Fee Promotion:
Pay USD$1 for 6 months instead of USD$39.99 a month*. Learn more
You can change or cancel your selling plan at any time. Amazon also collects a referral fee on each item sold, and other selling fees can apply in some cases. Some optional tools and programs involve added costs.

Create an Amazon Seller Central account

After choosing your selling plan, you’ll register with Amazon, select your plan, and create a Seller Central account. You can create your account using the email address associated with your Amazon customer account, or you can create it using a separate business email address.

Before you create your Seller Central account, make sure you have the following:

• Bank account and routing number
• Chargeable credit card or debit card
• Government-issued ID
• Tax information
• Phone number

Research products to sell

How do you select the "right" product to sell on Amazon? Check out our product selection guides for hot product ideas and customer insights, or learn more about product research tools like Product Opportunity Explorer to get data-driven insights on what customers are searching for, growth trends and competitor research.
An Amazon seller researching products to sell in the Amazon US store

Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?

Your Seller Central account

What is Amazon Seller Central?

Once you register as an Amazon seller, you’ll have access to your Seller Central account. Think of Seller Central as your one-stop shop for managing your Amazon Store. You can use it to list and price products, manage your inventory, fulfill customer orders, and more.
Below are a just few of the things you can do from Seller Central.
  • Keep track of your inventory and update your listings from the Inventory tab
  • Download custom business reports and bookmark templates you use often
  • Use customer metrics tools to monitor your seller performance
  • Contact Selling Partner Support and open help tickets using the Case Log
  • Keep track of your daily sales for all the products you sell on Amazon
Illustration of Amazon Seller Central user interface
Woman in a black blazer looking at her account in the Amazon Seller mobile app

Go mobile

Use the Amazon Seller App to track sales, fulfill orders, find products to sell, respond to customer questions, capture and edit professional-quality product photos, and create listings from your phone.
QR code to download the Amazon Seller app to your cellphone
Click here to download the Amazon Seller app on the Apple App Store
Click here to download the Amazon Seller app on Google Play

Start selling on Amazon.com

List your products

To start selling a product on Amazon, you’ll create a product listing in Seller Central. A product listing includes:
  • A product identifier, such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, or EAN to specify the exact item you’re selling. You can get a UPC code directly from GS1, or request an exemption.
  • A SKU, which is a product ID you create to track your own inventory
  • Offer details, including price, product condition, available quantity, and shipping options
  • Product details like name, brand, category, description, and images
  • Keywords and search terms to help buyers find your product
If another seller already offers the same product, you’ll match an existing listing (which means some details will already be in place, like the product identifier). If you’re the first seller to offer a product, you’ll create a new listing.
Amazon Seller Central product detail page showing where descriptions go
1.
Title
200 characters max, capitalize the first letter of every word
2.
Images
500 x 500 or 1,000 x 1,000 pixels to increase listing quality
3.
Variations
Such as different colors, 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 cart or “Buy Now”
6.
Other offers
The same product sold by multiple sellers offering a different price, shipping options, etc.
7.
Description
Keywords improve the chances that people will find your listing

Product categories and conditions

Visit Seller Central to learn how to request approval for a category. If you want to ship orders through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), be sure to also review specific FBA product restrictions.
Product Category
Product examples
Conditions allowed
Categories without restrictions
Amazon Device Accessories
Accessories for Amazon devices
New, Used
Amazon Kindle
Accessories for Kindle devices
Used
Beauty
Bath and shower*
Fragrance
Haircare
Makeup
Skincare

See also Health & Personal Care category.

*Topicals require approval
New
Books
Books
Calendars
Card decks
Journals
Magazines
Sheet music
Other publications
New, Used
Business Products (B2B Selling)
Business-related products across multiple categories

Special pricing features to target business customers
New, Used
Beauty Tools & Accessories
Bags and cases
Brushes
Tools for hairstyling
Tools for skincare
New
Camera & Photography
Cameras
Camcorders
Telescopes
New, Used
Cell Phone
Cell phones
Cell phone accessories

Note: Products must be listed using the manufacturer’s Universal Product Code (UPC).
New, Used, Unlocked
Clothing & Accessories
Athletic apparel
Belts
Innerwear
Outerwear
Wallets
New
Electronic Accessories
Audio and video
Camera
Car electronics
Cell phone
Computer
Photo
Office accessories
New, Used
Fashion Jewelry
Any kind of jewelry that does not contain precious or semi-precious gemstones, pearls, metals.
New
Grocery & Gourmet Food
View product category details on Seller Central.
New
Home & Garden
Bath
Bedding
Craft
Dining
Furniture
Garden
Home appliances
Kitchen
Pet supplies
Pool supplies
Snow removal
Storage
New, Used, Collectible
Luggage & Travel Accessories
Backpacks
Bags
Briefcases
Luggage
Travel accessories
Umbrellas
New
Musical Instruments
Guitars
Orchestra
Recording equipment
New, Used, Collectible
Office Products
Calculators
Furniture
Printers
Office supplies
New, Used, Collectible
Outdoors
Cycling
Outdoor gear
Outdoor sports apparel
New, Used
Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses
Boots
Eyewear frames
Handbags
Sandals
Shoes
Slippers
Sunglasses
New
Software & Computer Games
Business
Children's software
Media education
PC games
Security
Utility
New, Used
Sports
Boating and fishing
Exercise and fitness
Game room
Hunting accessories
Licensed/fan shop
Team sports
New, Used, Collectible
Tools & Home Improvement
Appliance parts
Building materials
Electrical
Hand and power tools
Plumbing
New, Used
Toys & Games
Action figures
Arts and crafts
Board games
Dolls
Learning toys

Holiday selling requirements apply to this category.
New, Collectible
Video Games & Video Game Consoles
Console games
Game consoles
Game console accessories
New, Used, Collectible
Categories with restrictions
Alcohol
View restrictions on alcohol on Seller Central.
New
Animal-Related Products
New
Automotive & Powersports
New, Used, Collectible
Baby Products
Carriers
Diapers
Feeding products
Food
Strollers
Topicals
Toys
New
Beauty Topicals
Bath and shower
Cosmetics
Fragrance
Haircare
Makeup
Skincare
Topicals
New
Certified Refurbished
Computers
Kitchen appliances
Laptops
Office equipment
Smartphones
Tablets
See Amazon Renewed
Collectible Coins
Graded collectible coins minted by governments
Gold coins
Silver coins
Platinum coins
Palladium coins
USA Mint packaged product
Collectible
Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care
New
Dietary Supplements
View restrictions on dietary supplements on Seller Central.
New
​​Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia
New
Electronics
View restrictions on electronics on Seller Central.
New
Entertainment Collectibles
Animation cels
Celebrity signed photos
Limited-edition figures and bust
Original movie posters
Collectible
Explosives, Weapons, & Related Items
New
Fine Art
View restrictions on fine art on Seller Central.
New
Gambling & Lottery
New
Grocery & Gourmet Food
New
Handmade
Handmade products
Hand-altered products
See Amazon Handmade
Hazardous & Dangerous Items
New
Health & Personal Care
Dietary supplements
First aid
Feminine hygiene
Nutrition
New
Historical & Advertising Collectibles
Promotional materials related to consumer brands.

Vintage collectables related to historical people, places, or events.
Collectible
Human Parts & Burial Artifacts
New
Industrial & Scientific
Electronic components
Industrial materials
Janitorial
Lab equipment and supplies
Power transmission
Sanitation
New
Jewelry & Precious Gems
New
Pet Products
View restrictions on grocery and gourmet food on Seller Central.
New
Laser Products
View restrictions on laser products on Seller Central.
New
Lighting
View restrictions on lighting products on Seller Central.
New
Lock Picking & Theft Devices
New
Medical Devices & Accessories
New
Medication
Drugs that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be sold over the counter.

View restrictions on drugs and drug paraphernalia on Seller Central.
New
Music
Cassettes
CDs
Vinyl
Other sound recordings
New, Used, Collectible
Offensive & Controversial Materials
New
Organic Products
View restrictions on organic products on Seller Central.
New
Pesticides
View restrictions on pesticides on Seller Central.
New
Pet Food
New
Plants, Plant Products, & Seeds
New
Postage Meters & Stamps
New
Sex & Sensuality
New
Sports Collectibles
Autographed items
Game-used items
Trading cards
Collectible
Subscriptions & Periodicals
New
Surveillance Equipment
New
Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products
New
Video, DVD & Blu-Ray
New, Used, Collectible
Watches
All types of watches
New
Warranties, Services Plans, Contracts & Guarantees
N/A

Select your fulfillment method

Amazon sellers have two options for shipping customers their orders:

1. You can fulfill orders yourself, maintaining your own inventory and shipping products directly to customers. We call this merchant-fulfilled shipping (MFN).

2. You can send your inventory to Amazon and have us pick, pack, and deliver products through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). FBA also takes care of customer service and returns.

Each method has its own benefits — and you can decide which one is right for each product you sell. If you’re a current seller, you can also use our Revenue Calculator to compare estimates for Amazon FBA and your own fulfillment method.
illustration of an Amazon customer receiving an Amazon package

Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?

Find success as an Amazon seller

Manage your Amazon business

Amazon sellers operate at a high standard so we can provide a seamless, delightful shopping experience. We call it being customer-obsessed, and as an Amazon seller it means keeping an eye on these key metrics:
  • Order defect rate (a measure of a seller’s customer service standards): < 1%
  • Pre-fulfillment cancel rate (initiated by the seller before shipment): < 2.5%
  • Late shipment rate (orders that ship after the expected date): < 4%
You can keep tabs on your performance and make sure you’re meeting your targets in Seller Central.
Graph showing the health of an Amazon seller account

Perfect Jumpstart and Launch Playbook

The first 90 days of launching your Amazon store is especially critical. Get an overview of the five Amazon selling programs — Brand Registry, A+ Content, Fulfillment by Amazon, Automated Pricing, and Advertising — you should enroll in within your first 90 days to be eligible for a Perfect Launch.

On average, sellers who achieve the
Perfect Launch generate 6.3x more first-year revenue than other sellers.

Whether you already have an existing brand or product, or are a new seller with no existing product, check out our all-in-one playbook to go global in 90 days.

Start selling today

Put your products in front of the millions of customers who search Amazon.com every day.
Professional Selling Plan Fee Promotion:
Pay USD$1 for 6 months instead of USD$39.99 a month*. Learn more.
Just have a few items to sell?
© 2024, Amazon.com Services LLC.