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The Beginner's Guide to Selling on Amazon
There are a few things to consider before you start selling
€39 (excl. VAT) per month + selling fees
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€47,250 in incentives
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Introduction
Welcome to Selling on Amazon
It's no secret: at Amazon, we put customers first. And our customers want a trusted place where they can buy a wide range of products. That's why you are so important as a selling partner. We're always looking for ways to add value for our customers and be the most customer-focused company in the world. As an Amazon selling partner, you help provide these customers with better selection, better prices and an excellent customer experience.
Hundreds of millions of globally active customers
195 million unique monthly visitors (in the US alone)
Over $1.9 billion in third-party sales during Prime Day 2021
The Amazon advantage
Becoming a seller on Amazon offers many advantages. You're part of a retail environment where you can find a range of selling partners, from Fortune 500 companies to artisan sellers who make handmade products. They all sell here for one reason: to reach the hundreds of millions of customers who shop on Amazon.
- Third-party sales account for approximately 60% of physical product sales on Amazon and are increasing faster than Amazon's own retail sales.
- More than 200,000 entrepreneurs worldwide had turnovers of more than $100,000 in 2019 in our stores.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Is Amazon right for my business?
Becoming an Amazon seller – a good idea? In short: yes. The biggest brands sell on Amazon. As well as up-and-coming brands you'll soon be hearing more about. Small and medium-sized companies are doing well here. They are responsible for more than half of all items sold in our stores worldwide. Whatever your business does, and whatever size it is, we'll do everything we can to help you grow. See what's right for you and start selling today.
Before you start selling
Choose your selling plan
Amazon gives you the flexibility to sell just one type of item or thousands of different ones via an Individual or Professional Selling Plan (the equivalent of Standard and Premium Selling Plans). Before you start registering, decide which selling plan is best for your business.
The Individual Selling Plan costs $0.99 per item sold, while sellers using the Professional Selling Plan pay $39 per month regardless of how many items they sell. If you sell more than 35 items per month, the Professional Selling Plan is likely to be more beneficial. Whichever selling plan you choose when you become a seller on Amazon, don't worry about making the wrong choice because you can change your plan at any time. Please note that both selling plans charge additional sales fees in addition to the fixed fees.
The Individual Selling Plan costs $0.99 per item sold, while sellers using the Professional Selling Plan pay $39 per month regardless of how many items they sell. If you sell more than 35 items per month, the Professional Selling Plan is likely to be more beneficial. Whichever selling plan you choose when you become a seller on Amazon, don't worry about making the wrong choice because you can change your plan at any time. Please note that both selling plans charge additional sales fees in addition to the fixed fees.
Selling plans
Individual
Professional
This selling plan may be right for you if:
- You sell fewer than 35 items per month
- You don't need advanced sales tools or programmes
- You don't know what you want to sell yet
- You sell more than 35 items per month
- You want access to APIs and additional sales reports
- You want to sell through programmes like:
Did you know:
Tools for brand owners
If you own a brand, Amazon gives you the tools to help you grow and protect it. By subscribing to Amazon Brand Registry, you can personalise your brand and product pages, protect your trademarks and intellectual property and improve the customer brand experience. In addition, you can use extra advertising options and recommendations to improve visitor traffic and conversion.
What you need to get started
Before you create your selling account, make sure you have the following:
- Business email address or Amazon customer account
- Credit card for payment (international credit cards are also accepted)
- Valid passport or ID Identity verification protects both sellers and customers
- Company registration information, including VAT number
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is a VAT number and why do I need one?
If you sell goods in a European country, you'll probably need to register for that country's value-added tax. This is a tax that VAT-registered traders in Europe add to the price of the goods they sell and pay to the national tax authorities when they file their tax returns. You may be able to claim a refund of part of your VAT.
How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?
There are a number of different types of selling fees that you may have to pay. Fees depend on your selling plan and the types of products you sell.
Subscription fees
These are the fees you pay for your selling plan, which vary according to the plan you select.
- The Professional Selling Plan has a fixed fee of €39 per month and there is no cost per item.
- For the Individual Selling Plan, a fee of €0.99 is charged for each item sold.
Selling fees
These fees are charged per item sold and include a referral fee (which is a percentage of the sales price, depending on the product category) and variable closing fees (which apply to media categories only).
Shipping fees
When you fulfil your orders yourself, Amazon's 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 fulfils on your behalf (Fulfilment by Amazon or FBA), you will be charged for order fulfilment, storage and optional services.
Check which fees apply to your account.
How payments and payouts work on Amazon NL
On Amazon NL, Amazon takes care of the full payment collection from buyers, so you don't have to set up a separate payment provider or pay these costs yourself. Once a customer completes a purchase, Amazon receives payment, deducts any applicable sales fees and transfers the net balance to your registered bank account via bank transfer. There are no additional transaction fees on top of your referral fees.
Your account balance is settled according to Amazon's DD+7 (Delivery Date + 7 days) policy, which now applies to all European marketplaces, including Amazon NL. Funds are held for seven days after delivery confirmation, not from the date your seller account was registered. Once this waiting period has expired, Amazon will process your payout and the amount will usually appear in your bank account within a few additional business days.
In total, sellers must expect a timeline of approximately 24 to 26 days from the sale date to receipt of payment in their bank account. Through the Payments section in Seller Central, you can keep a detailed record of every transaction, cost deduction and payout, so you will always have insight into your cash flow.
Amazon may reserve part of your balance, especially with newer accounts, to cover possible customer refunds or claims under the A-to-Z Guarantee. If your account has a negative balance due to refunds or charges that exceed your turnover, you can settle it with a valid credit or debit card associated with your account.
Sellers expanding to other European countries can use Amazon Currency Converter for Selling Partners (ACCS), which receives payouts in the local currency directly to a supported local bank account without the need for a separate foreign bank account.
Your account balance is settled according to Amazon's DD+7 (Delivery Date + 7 days) policy, which now applies to all European marketplaces, including Amazon NL. Funds are held for seven days after delivery confirmation, not from the date your seller account was registered. Once this waiting period has expired, Amazon will process your payout and the amount will usually appear in your bank account within a few additional business days.
In total, sellers must expect a timeline of approximately 24 to 26 days from the sale date to receipt of payment in their bank account. Through the Payments section in Seller Central, you can keep a detailed record of every transaction, cost deduction and payout, so you will always have insight into your cash flow.
Amazon may reserve part of your balance, especially with newer accounts, to cover possible customer refunds or claims under the A-to-Z Guarantee. If your account has a negative balance due to refunds or charges that exceed your turnover, you can settle it with a valid credit or debit card associated with your account.
Sellers expanding to other European countries can use Amazon Currency Converter for Selling Partners (ACCS), which receives payouts in the local currency directly to a supported local bank account without the need for a separate foreign bank account.
Getting to know Seller Central
What is Seller Central?
Once you register as an Amazon selling partner, you'll have access to your Seller Central account. Seller Central is your source of information for selling on Amazon. It's a portal for your Amazon business and a one-stop shop for managing your seller account, adding product information, making inventory updates, managing payments and finding useful content to help you navigate your Amazon business. It's also where you offer all your products for sale.
Here are some examples of things you can do on Seller Central.
- Keep track of your inventory and update your product listings via the Inventory tab
- Download custom business reports and bookmark templates that you often use
- Use customer statistics tools to track your sales performance
- Contact Selling Partner Support and open help tickets using Case Log
- Stay up to date with your daily sales of all products you sell via Amazon
Go mobile
Use the Amazon Seller app to track sales, fulfil orders, find products to sell, respond to customer questions, capture and edit professional-quality product photos and create listings – all from your phone.
Comply with VAT obligations
Understanding your VAT obligations
Depending on the nature of your business, you’ll need to apply for a VAT number in European countries to comply with the regulations in force. This depends on multiple factors, including place of business establishment, fulfilment model and your annual sales. If you are aware of these VAT obligations and know how to comply with them, you are contributing to a frictionless selling experience on Amazon.
How to add products
Offer your first product
How does selling on Amazon work? To sell a product on Amazon, you must first create a product listing. Link your product to an existing product listing (if someone else is already selling the same product on Amazon), or create a new product listing (if you're the first or only selling partner).
The specific way selling partners upload and list their products depends on their selling plan. Simply put, selling partners who use a Professional Selling Partner account have the option to offer their products in large batches using a bulk upload or inventory management with third-party systems, while Individual Selling Partners must offer products one by one.
Find more detailed information about adding products on this Listing Guide page.
The specific way selling partners upload and list their products depends on their selling plan. Simply put, selling partners who use a Professional Selling Partner account have the option to offer their products in large batches using a bulk upload or inventory management with third-party systems, while Individual Selling Partners must offer products one by one.
Find more detailed information about adding products on this Listing Guide page.
What you need to offer products
In most cases, products must have a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), such as a UPC, ISBN or EAN. Amazon uses these product IDs to identify the exact item you're selling. If you link your product to an existing product listing, you don't need to provide a product ID, as it already exists. When adding a new product for Amazon, you may need to purchase a UPC code or request an exemption.
In addition to a product ID, here are some important information that should be included in each product listing:
- SKU
- Product title
- Product description and summaries
- Product images
- Search terms and relevant keywords
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What are restricted product categories?
It's important that customers can shop on Amazon with confidence. That's why some product categories (such as certain foods or cars) are known as “restricted product categories”. Amazon may require verification of your performance or other qualifications and may charge additional fees if you want to sell certain brands or list items in restricted categories. You can request approval from Seller Central.
Successful product listing = successful launch
Following best practices for adding product listings can have a major impact on your sales success. Make it easy for customers to find your products by including descriptive titles, clear images and a brief summary of features to your item listings. Avoid things that could have a negative impact on your launch:
Offering as a product variation
Products that only differ in colour, scent or size are suitable for listing as a variation. Ask yourself if the customer expects to find the products on the same page together. If not, please list them separately.
Meeting image requirements
Your images must be at least 500 x 500 pixels (increase to 1,000 x 1,000 for high-quality product listings) and have a plain white background. The product must fill at least 80% of the image area.
Product IDs
Make sure you meet the requirements for UPCs and GTINs (Global Trade Item Number) for products. The consistency of these codes promotes trust in the product range displayed in the Amazon catalogue.
Don't have an Amazon selling partner account yet?
€39 (excl. VAT) per month + selling fees
The product detail page
A product page is where customers view a product sold on Amazon. If you've shopped on Amazon, you will probably recognise the product page. Here, customers can find all relevant information about a particular item.
When multiple selling partners offer the same product, Amazon combines data from all listings into one product page (so we can offer customers the best experience). Together with other selling partners and manufacturers, you can suggest product information for a product page and request a review of the product page if you think the information is incorrect.
As you create product pages, try to think about what can best help customers find your products, find answers to their questions and to make a purchase decision. Focus on the ultimate customer experience by creating concise, accurate and easy-to-understand product listings.
When multiple selling partners offer the same product, Amazon combines data from all listings into one product page (so we can offer customers the best experience). Together with other selling partners and manufacturers, you can suggest product information for a product page and request a review of the product page if you think the information is incorrect.
As you create product pages, try to think about what can best help customers find your products, find answers to their questions and to make a purchase decision. Focus on the ultimate customer experience by creating concise, accurate and easy-to-understand product listings.
1.
Title
Up to 200 characters, the first letter of each word must be capitalised
2.
Images
500 x 500 or 1000 x 1000 pixels to increase product listing quality
3.
Variations
Such as different colours, scents or sizes
4.
Summaries
Short, descriptive sentences that highlight key features and benefits
5.
Recommended Offer (“Buy Box”)
The recommended offer on a product page. Customers can add it to their cart or "Buy now".
6.
Other offers
The same product sold by multiple selling partners with different prices, shipping options, etc.
7.
Description
Keywords increase the chances of customers finding your product listing.
One account for the whole of Europe
Amazon has unified its online European stores so that you can sell, create and manage your product offerings as well as manage your inventory across Europe using a single European seller account.
Sell Across Europe
Cross borders with your business and reach millions of customers across Europe via amazon.co.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.se and amazon.pl
Learn more
Learn more
VAT tools and information
Each country in Europe has its own VAT legislation. Amazon's tax services support you to navigate through VAT easily and efficiently.
Learn more in our VAT Knowledge Centre
Learn more in our VAT Knowledge Centre
Translation services
Build stronger customer relationships by serving customers in their own language. Use Amazon's translation services to translate your product offerings and information.
How to deliver products
Selecting the right fulfilment option
Amazon selling partners have two options for delivering their purchases to customers: You can do this yourself by keeping track of your own inventory and shipping products to customers (fulfilment by seller) or by letting Amazon take responsibility for packaging, labelling and shipping products via Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). Each method has its own advantages. All you have to do is decide which method is best for your business.
The benefits of Fulfilment by Amazon
Amazon has more than 175 fulfilment centres around the world with more than 150 million square feet of storage space. With FBA, you can store your goods on those shelves. You also get world-class customer service and returns from Amazon, along with other benefits (such as automatic Prime eligibility and free Super Saver shipping for eligible products) that help you scale your business quickly.
Fulfilment across Europe
Amazon offers a range of fulfilment solutions across Europe, so you can choose the one that best suits your business. Pan-European FBA is the most popular and fastest: products are stored and distributed from fulfilment centres across Europe. With the European Fulfilment Network, your products are shipped from the central warehouse in the country of origin. With Multi-country Inventory, inventory is stored and shipped from fulfilment centres in the countries concerned.
Did you know:
There are two types of FBA fees
There are two types of FBA fees: fulfilment fees (which are charged per unit sold and include packing and packaging your orders, shipping and delivery, customer service and processing product returns) and inventory storage fees (which are charged monthly and based on the volume of inventory at an Amazon fulfilment centre).
How Fulfilment by Amazon works
Step 1
Ship your inventory to Amazon. It is 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 customer payments and pays you the available money every two weeks.
Step 4
Amazon's customer service team handles inquiries, returns and refunds.
Fulfilling your own orders
Seller fulfilment simply means that you store the products yourself and ship them to customers. Amazon charges delivery fees based on the product category and the delivery service selected by the customer, and then passes this amount on to you as a shipping credit.
There are fixed shipping rates for all products sold with an Individual Selling Plan. So it's important to check whether you can still price items profitably.
There are fixed shipping rates for all products sold with an Individual Selling Plan. So it's important to check whether you can still price items profitably.
You've made your first sale. What now?
Managing your Amazon business
Your first sale is a big milestone, but it's just the beginning of your growth opportunities when 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)
We set the bar high for Amazon selling partners so that we can provide a frictionless and great shopping experience. At Amazon, we put the customer first, and as an Amazon selling partner, that means you need to keep an eye on the following key metrics:
- Defective order percentage (a measure of a selling partner's customer service standards): < 1%
- Cancellation rate before fulfilment (initiated by selling partner before shipment): < 2.5%
- Percentage of delayed shipments (orders shipped after the expected date): < 4%
As a seller on Amazon, you also have access to Seller Central to monitor your performance and make sure you meet your goals.
Customer reviews
Customer product reviews are an integral part of the Amazon shopping experience; both customers and sellers benefit. Make sure you’re familiar with the right and wrong ways to get more product reviews and to avoid policy violations.
Amazon jargon:
Seller University
Seller University is an online resource from Amazon, featuring videos with step-by-step guides, tutorials and training to help entrepreneurs launch (and grow) their Amazon business.
Business growth opportunities
This is just the beginning
The moment you’re selling on Amazon is the moment you can start growing. Once you've launched your business, Amazon has the right tools to take your business to the next level (or subsequent levels).
Advertising
Amazon advertising solutions are creating new ways to reach and engage customers, whether they're just starting to compare products or are ready to make a purchase. Ads appear where customers see them (such as the first page of search results or product pages).
For Amazon sellers, Amazon offers three advertising solutions that are all accessible through Seller Central.
For Amazon sellers, Amazon offers three advertising solutions that are all accessible through Seller Central.
1. Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products are ads for individual product listings on Amazon to increase product visibility (and increase product sales). They appear within search results pages and on product detail pages.
2. Sponsored Brands
Sponsored Brands showcase your brand and product portfolio. They're search results ads with your brand logo, a custom headline and up to three of your products.
3. Amazon Stores
Stores are customised, multi-page shopping destinations for individual brands, allowing you to share your brand story and product range. (And you don't need any website experience to use them).
Promotions
Customers want to save money and promotions are an incentive to make an immediate purchase. There are two types of promotions: discount and free shipping. You can also offer a certain amount of discount.
Global expansion
Become a seller on Amazon – sell to customers around the world. Selling globally is a huge milestone for any company. It means hundreds of millions of new customers and the potential for a major increase in sales. Expanding internationally involves a lot, but with Selling Globally with Amazon, you can use Amazon's global infrastructure to show your products to a global audience.
When it comes time to take your business to the next level, you can use Global Sales with Amazon to offer and sell your products at one of our online stores in North America, Europe and Asia.
When it comes time to take your business to the next level, you can use Global Sales with Amazon to offer and sell your products at one of our online stores in North America, Europe and Asia.
What are the qualities of a great selling partner?
A growth checklist
Growth opportunities are up for grabs, but here are a few things to try out in your first 90 days as an Amazon selling partner.
Monitoring your account status using Seller Central
Using Fulfilment by Amazon
Advertising your product listings or offer deals and coupons
Signing up to Amazon Brand Registry and create A+ content
Expanding your selection by offering more products
Using the Seller Central Automatic Pricing Tool
Your first 90 days
The first three months after launching your Amazon business are an important time to learn practices that will improve your performance from then on.
FAQ
Can I sell on multiple Amazon marketplaces at the same time?
Yes, sellers can sell on multiple Amazon marketplaces with just one Amazon seller account. This makes it possible to reach customers in different countries and expand sales activities in Europe or other international markets.
When selling in multiple countries, it's important to consider local requirements, such as taxes, product compliance, product information in the appropriate language as well as logistical processes. A good international strategy can help provide a consistent customer experience and support the company's growth. Sellers who want to expand their business in Europe can make use of selling in Europe.
When selling in multiple countries, it's important to consider local requirements, such as taxes, product compliance, product information in the appropriate language as well as logistical processes. A good international strategy can help provide a consistent customer experience and support the company's growth. Sellers who want to expand their business in Europe can make use of selling in Europe.
Get started today: become an Amazon seller
Start selling on Amazon! It’s the best way to reach tens of millions of customers, whether you sell one item or millions of items. All European countries are enabled for selling in your account configuration.
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