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The beginner's guide to selling on Amazon.com
(For Southeast Asian sellers)
A few things to consider before you start selling
Prefer some takeaway reading?
Intro
Welcome to selling on Amazon
It’s no secret: At Amazon, we obsess over customers. And our customers want a trusted destination where they can purchase a wide variety of goods—which is what makes sellers like you so important. We’re always looking for ways to add value for our customers and be Earth’s most customer-centric company. As an Amazon seller, you take part in offering those customers better selection, better prices, and a top-notch customer experience.
300+ million active customer accounts in 180+ countries
200+ million Prime members worldwide
$3.5+ billion sales by third-party Selling Partners during Prime Day 2020
The Amazon edge
When you start selling on Amazon, you become part of a retail destination that’s home to sellers of all kinds, from Fortune 500 organizations to artisan vendors who make handcrafted goods. They all sell here for a reason: to reach the hundreds of millions of customers who visit Amazon to shop.
- Since third-party sellers joined Amazon in 1999, they’ve grown to account for 58% of Amazon sales
- Third-party sales on Amazon are growing at 52% a year (compared to 25% for first-party sales by Amazon)
FAQ:
Is Amazon right for my business?
The short answer is: yes. The largest household brands sell on Amazon. So do emerging brands that will pop on your radar soon. Small and medium-sized businesses thrive here, and they account for more than half the units sold in our stores worldwide. Whatever your business is—and whatever size it is—we’re excited for you to grow with us. Find your fit and start selling today.
Stay Connected
Get helpful tips on building your brand with Amazon
Perfect Jumpstart & Launch
Speed matters in business. For Amazon sellers, the first 90 days of launching your Amazon store from scratch is especially critical, where you are conducting product research, deciding on your brand, sorting out trademarks, sourcing, arranging logistics, etc.
Check out our all-in-one playbook and go global in 90 days.
Check out our all-in-one playbook and go global in 90 days.
Pre-registration
How to register
With two selling plans (they’re called Individual and Professional, but you can think of them as standard and premium), Amazon offers you the flexibility to sell one item or sell thousands. Before you begin registration, decide which plan is a better fit for your business.
The Individual plan costs US$0.99 per sale, while sellers using the Professional plan pay US$39.99 per month, no matter how many items they sell. If you sell more than 40 items a month, the Professional option makes a lot of sense. Whichever plan you select, don’t worry about making the wrong choice—you can change plans at any time.
The Individual plan costs US$0.99 per sale, while sellers using the Professional plan pay US$39.99 per month, no matter how many items they sell. If you sell more than 40 items a month, the Professional option makes a lot of sense. Whichever plan you select, don’t worry about making the wrong choice—you can change plans at any time.
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 programs
- You're still deciding what to sell
- You sell more than 40 items a month
- You want access to APIs and more selling reports
- You want to sell with programs like Launchpad or Handmade
Don't worry about making the wrong choice—you can change plans at any time. Also keep in mind that, in both cases, additional selling fees apply.
Researching what to sell on Amazon.com
Finding profitable niches with low competition to sell on Amazon.com?
Find out how tools such as Product Opportunity Explorer and Helium10 can help.
Check out these 4 tips on finding the right products for US customers.
Find out how tools such as Product Opportunity Explorer and Helium10 can help.
Check out these 4 tips on finding the right products for US customers.
Did you know:
Tools for brand owners
If you own a brand, Amazon offers tools to help you build, grow, and protect it. Enrolling in Brand Registry can help you personalize your brand and product pages, protect your trademarks and intellectual property, and improve the brand experience for customers—along with unlocking additional advertising options and recommendations on improving traffic and conversion.
During registration
What you’ll need to get started
In order to complete your registration, make sure you have access to:
- Bank account number and bank routing number
- Chargeable credit or debit card
- Government issued national ID
- Tax information
- Phone number
How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?
There are a few different types of selling fees you might pay, depending on your selling plan and the types of products you sell.
Subscription fees
These are the fees you pay for your selling plan, and they vary depending on which plan you select.
- On the Professional selling plan there’s a flat fee of US$39.99 per month and no per-item fee.
- On the Individual selling plan there’s a US$0.99 fee for each item sold.
Selling fees
These fees are charged per item sold, and they include referral fees (which are a percentage of the selling price and vary depending on the product’s category), and variable closing fees (which apply only to media categories).
Shipping fees
When you fulfill orders yourself, Amazon shipping rates apply. We charge these shipping rates based on the product category and shipping service selected by the buyer.
FBA fees
For products that Amazon fulfills for you (known as Fulfillment by Amazon, or FBA), there are fees for order fulfillment, storage, and optional services.
Review the fees that may be associated with your account.
After Registration
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 to your Amazon business and a one-stop shop for managing your selling account, adding product information, making inventory updates, managing payments, and finding helpful content to help you navigate your Amazon business. It’s also where you list all your products.
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
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.
Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?
How to list products
Listing your first product
To sell a product on Amazon, you must first create a product listing. Either match an existing listing (if somebody else is already selling the same product on Amazon), or create a new listing (if you are the first or only seller).
The specific way sellers upload and list their products varies depending on their selling plan. To put it simply: Sellers using a Professional seller account have the option of listing their products in large batches using bulk uploading or inventory management with third-party systems, while Individual sellers list products one at a time.
Once you successfully list your product, it will become available to both B2C and B2B customers. This enables you to extend the reach of your offers from a single account and without any additional fees.
The specific way sellers upload and list their products varies depending on their selling plan. To put it simply: Sellers using a Professional seller account have the option of listing their products in large batches using bulk uploading or inventory management with third-party systems, while Individual sellers list products one at a time.
Once you successfully list your product, it will become available to both B2C and B2B customers. This enables you to extend the reach of your offers from a single account and without any additional fees.
Did you know?
Sell to both B2B and B2C customers with one account
Once you successfully list your product, it will become available to both B2C and B2B customers. This enables you to extend the reach of your offers from a single account without any additional fees.
What you need to start listing products
In most cases, products must have a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), such as a UPC, an ISBN, or an EAN. Amazon uses these product IDs to identify the exact item you’re selling. If you match a listing, you won’t need to provide a product ID since it already exists. If you’re adding a product that’s new to Amazon, you may need to purchase a UPC code or request an exemption.
In addition to a product ID, here’s some of the important information that goes into each product 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 grocery or automotive products) are known as “restricted product categories.” Amazon might require performance checks, additional fees, and other qualifications in order for you to sell certain brands or list items within restricted categories. You’ll be able to request approval from within Seller Central.
View the full list below for products categories with and without product restrictions
View the full list below for products categories with and without 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
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
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
Special pricing features to target business customers
New, Used
Beauty Tools & Accessories
Bags and cases
Brushes
Tools for hairstyling
Tools for skincare
Brushes
Tools for hairstyling
Tools for skincare
New
Camera & Photography
Cameras
Camcorders
Telescopes
Camcorders
Telescopes
New, Used
Cell Phone
Cell phones
Cell phone accessories
Note: Products must be listed using the manufacturer’s Universal Product Code (UPC).
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
Belts
Innerwear
Outerwear
Wallets
New
Electronic Accessories
Audio and video
Camera
Car electronics
Cell phone
Computer
Photo
Office accessories
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
Home & Garden
Bath
Bedding
Craft
Dining
Furniture
Garden
Home appliances
Kitchen
Pet supplies
Pool supplies
Snow removal
Storage
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
Bags
Briefcases
Luggage
Travel accessories
Umbrellas
New
Musical Instruments
Guitars
Orchestra
Recording equipment
Orchestra
Recording equipment
New, Used, Collectible
Office Products
Calculators
Furniture
Printers
Office supplies
Furniture
Printers
Office supplies
New, Used, Collectible
Outdoors
Cycling
Outdoor gear
Outdoor sports apparel
Outdoor gear
Outdoor sports apparel
New, Used
Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses
Boots
Eyewear frames
Handbags
Sandals
Shoes
Slippers
Sunglasses
Eyewear frames
Handbags
Sandals
Shoes
Slippers
Sunglasses
New
Software & Computer Games
Business
Children's software
Media education
PC games
Security
Utility
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
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
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.
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
Game consoles
Game console accessories
New, Used, Collectible
Categories with restrictions
Animal-Related Products
View restrictions on animals and animal-related products on Seller Central.
New
Automotive & Powersports
View restrictions on automotive and Powersports products on Seller Central.
New, Used, Collectible
Baby Products
Carriers
Diapers
Feeding products
Food
Strollers
Topicals
Toys
Diapers
Feeding products
Food
Strollers
Topicals
Toys
New
Beauty Topicals
Bath and shower
Cosmetics
Fragrance
Haircare
Makeup
Skincare
Topicals
Cosmetics
Fragrance
Haircare
Makeup
Skincare
Topicals
New
Certified Refurbished
Computers
Kitchen appliances
Laptops
Office equipment
Smartphones
Tablets
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
Gold coins
Silver coins
Platinum coins
Palladium coins
USA Mint packaged product
Collectible
Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care
View restrictions on cosmetics and skin and hair care products on Seller Central.
New
Entertainment Collectibles
Animation cels
Celebrity signed photos
Limited-edition figures and bust
Original movie posters
Celebrity signed photos
Limited-edition figures and bust
Original movie posters
Collectible
Explosives, Weapons, & Related Items
View restrictions on explosives and weapons on Seller Central.
New
Handmade
Handmade products
Hand-altered products
Hand-altered products
See Amazon Handmade
Health & Personal Care
Dietary supplements
First aid
Feminine hygiene
Nutrition
First aid
Feminine hygiene
Nutrition
New
Historical & Advertising Collectibles
Promotional materials related to consumer brands.
Vintage collectables related to historical people, places, or events.
Vintage collectables related to historical people, places, or events.
Collectible
Human Parts & Burial Artifacts
View restrictions on human parts and burial artifacts on Seller Central.
New
Industrial & Scientific
Electronic components
Industrial materials
Janitorial
Lab equipment and supplies
Power transmission
Sanitation
Industrial materials
Janitorial
Lab equipment and supplies
Power transmission
Sanitation
New
Lock Picking & Theft Devices
View restrictions on lock picking and theft devices on Seller Central.
New
Medical Devices & Accessories
View restrictions on medical devices and accessories on Seller Central.
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.
View restrictions on drugs and drug paraphernalia on Seller Central.
New
Music
Cassettes
CDs
Vinyl
Other sound recordings
CDs
Vinyl
Other sound recordings
New, Used, Collectible
Offensive & Controversial Materials
View restrictions on offensive and controversial materials on Seller Central.
New
Plants, Plant Products, & Seeds
View restrictions on plants, plant products and seeds on Seller Central.
New
Sports Collectibles
Autographed items
Game-used items
Trading cards
Game-used items
Trading cards
Collectible
Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products
View restrictions on tobacco and tobacco-related products on Seller Central.
New
Video, DVD & Blu-Ray
View restrictions on video, DVD and Blu-ray on Seller Central.
New, Used, Collectible
Watches
All types of watches
New
Warranties, Services Plans, Contracts & Guarantees
View restrictions on warranties, services plans, contracts and guarantees on Seller Central.
N/A
Successful listing = successful launch
Following best practices for adding listings can have a big impact on their success. Make it easy for shoppers to find your offers by adding descriptive titles, clear images, and concise feature bullets to your items. Avoid these things that could negatively impact your launch:
Variation issues
Products that vary only by color, scent, or size might be a good candidate 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
Your images must be at least 500 x 500 pixels (increase the size to 1,000 x 1,000 for high-quality listings) and set against a plain white background. The product should fill at least 80% of the image area.
Product IDs
Make sure you’re meeting the requirements for product UPCs and GTINs (Global Trade Item Number). Consistency in these codes helps promote confidence in the range of products shown in the Amazon catalog.
Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?
The product detail page
A product detail page is where customers view a product sold on Amazon. If you’ve shopped on Amazon, you’ll probably recognize the product detail page. It’s where customers can find all the relevant information about a particular item.
When multiple sellers offer the same product, Amazon combines data from all the offers into one product detail page (so we can present customers with the best experience). You can propose product information on a product detail page, along with other sellers and manufacturers, and request detail page reviews if you think the information is not correct.
As you’re building your product detail pages, try to think about what will best help customers find your products, discover answers to their questions, and make a purchasing decision. Aim for the ultimate customer experience by making your listings concise, accurate, and easy to understand.
When multiple sellers offer the same product, Amazon combines data from all the offers into one product detail page (so we can present customers with the best experience). You can propose product information on a product detail page, along with other sellers and manufacturers, and request detail page reviews if you think the information is not correct.
As you’re building your product detail pages, try to think about what will best help customers find your products, discover answers to their questions, and make a purchasing decision. Aim for the ultimate customer experience by making your listings concise, accurate, and easy to understand.
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
How to deliver products
Selecting the right fulfillment option
Amazon sellers have two options for getting shoppers their stuff: You can do it yourself, maintaining your own inventory and shipping products to customers (merchant-fulfillment), or have Amazon take responsibility for packaging, labeling, and shipping products through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). Each method has its own set of benefits—you just have to decide which one is right for your business. Learn about ecommerce fulfillment strategy.
If you’re fulfilling your own orders
Merchant-fulfilled just means you store and ship products directly to customers yourself. Amazon charges shipping rates based on the product category and shipping service selected by the customer, then passes the amount on to you in the form of a shipping credit.
Set shipping rates apply to all products sold with an Individual plan, so it’s important to determine if you can still price items profitably. Amazon’s Buy Shipping tool can help you get a great deal on shipping labels with Amazon’s trusted network of shipping partners, ship and confirm your orders, and track your shipments.
Set shipping rates apply to all products sold with an Individual plan, so it’s important to determine if you can still price items profitably. Amazon’s Buy Shipping tool can help you get a great deal on shipping labels with Amazon’s trusted network of shipping partners, ship and confirm your orders, and track your shipments.
The benefits of Fulfillment by Amazon
Around the world, Amazon has more than 175 fulfillment centers which contain more than 150 million square feet of storage space. With FBA, you get to store your stuff on those shelves. You also get Amazon’s world-class customer service and returns, along with other advantages (like automatic Prime eligibility and Free Super Saver Shipping) that help you scale your business—fast.
Did you know?
There are two types of FBA fees
There are two types of FBA fees: fulfillment fees (which are charged per unit sold and include picking and packing your orders, shipping and handling, customer service, and product returns), and inventory storage fees (which are charged monthly, and are based on the volume of inventory being held in an Amazon fulfillment center).
How Fulfillment 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 packages and ships the product directly to the customer.
Step 3
Amazon collects payment from the customer and pays you available funds every two weeks.
Step 4
Amazon’s customer service team handles questions, returns, and refunds.
Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?
You’ve made your first sale. What’s next?
Managing your Amazon business
Your first sale is a big milestone—but it’s just the beginning of your growth opportunities selling on Amazon. Once your store is up and running, there are a few important things to keep in mind.
Performance metrics (and why they matter)
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.
Customer reviews
Customer product reviews are an integral part of the shopping experience on Amazon, and they benefit both customers and sellers. Make sure you’re familiar with the right way and wrong way to get more product reviews and avoid policy violations.
Amazon jargon:
Seller University
Seller University is an online resource from Amazon, with videos featuring step-by-step guides, tutorials, and training to help entrepreneurs start (and grow) their Amazon business.
Don't have an Amazon seller account yet?
Opportunities for business growth
This is only the beginning
The moment you’re selling on Amazon is the moment you can start growing your Amazon business. Once you’ve launched your business, Amazon has tools in place to help you take your business to the next level (or the next couple of levels).
Advertising
Amazon’s advertising solutions create new ways for you to reach and engage shoppers, regardless of whether they’re just starting to compare products, or ready to make a purchase. Ads show up right where customers will see them (like the first page of search results or product detail pages).
Amazon offers three advertising solutions, and all of them are accessible through Seller Central.
Amazon offers three advertising solutions, and all of them are accessible through Seller Central.
1. Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products are ads for individual product listings on Amazon, so they help drive product visibility (and product sales). They appear on search results pages and product detail pages.
2. Sponsored Brands
Sponsored Brands showcase your brand and product portfolio. They’re search-result ads that feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and up to three of your products.
3. Amazon Stores
Stores are custom multipage shopping destinations for individual brands that let you share your brand story and product offerings. (And you don’t need any website experience to use them.)
Promotions and coupons
Customers want to save, and promotions are an incentive to make a purchase now. There are three types of promotions: money off, free shipping, and buy one get one free. You can also offer percentage or money-off discounts with digital coupons.
Global expansion
Selling globally is a huge milestone for any business. It means hundreds of millions of new customers and the potential for a big boost in sales. Global expansion has a lot of moving parts, but with Amazon Global Selling, you get to use Amazon’s global infrastructure to get your products in front of a worldwide audience.
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, and 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, and Asia.
Amazon Business
Becoming a seller on Amazon enables you to reach B2C and B2B customers from the beginning of your seller journey. Once you add listings, both customer segments will engage with your offers, enabling you to maximize the potential of a single seller account.
Stats about B2B customers
- Over 5 million registered business customers ranging from small businesses to large enterprises:
- 80+ of the Fortune 100 companies
- 92 of the 100 biggest US hospital systems
- 45 States
- 90 of the 100 largest cities and counties
- B2B customers have a larger basket size than B2C
- On average, B2B customers return products less frequently
What makes a great seller?
A playbook for growth
Speed matters in business. For Amazon sellers, the first 90 days are especially critical for establishing marketing, fulfillment, pricing and other practices to accelerate performance beyond launch. Amazon data scientists refer to the use of five selling programs—Brand Registry, A+ Content, Fulfillment by Amazon, Automated Pricing, and Advertising—within those first 90 days as Perfect Launch. Sellers taking these five steps within that critical timeframe can generate sales more quickly, as many of the most successful sellers already have.
Enroll your brand in Brand Registry
Enhance your product detail pages with A+ Content
Get set up with Fulfillment by Amazon
Automate pricing on your offers
Create Sponsored Products ad campaigns, Coupons, and/or Deals
Start selling today
Put your products in front of the millions of customers who search Amazon.com every day.
$39.99 a month + selling fees
Just have a few items to sell?
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