Why start selling on Amazon? #
Amazon is the biggest online marketplace in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan. The revenue generated on Amazon in 2023 was:
- US: $395.64B
- Germany: $37.6B
- UK: $33.59B
- Japan: $26B
- Rest of the world: $81.67B
If you’re planning to launch a product, Amazon is one of the fastest ways to get in front of buyers. But the setup isn’t just plug-and-play. Here’s what you actually need to do.
Set up the Amazon Seller Account #
Amazon gives you two options:
- Individual Plan – You pay $0.99 per item sold. No monthly fee. Great for testing things out or selling occasionally.
- Professional Plan – Flat $39.99 per month, regardless of your sales volume. Ideal for those who are serious, selling more than 40 units per month, or seeking access to ads, bulk listings, and advanced tools.
You can upgrade or cancel your plan at any time. Note that Amazon also charges a referral fee (typically around 15% of the sale) and additional fees for optional features.
Amazon will ask you for:
- A bank account and routing number (for payouts)
- A credit card that works internationally
- A government-issued ID (passport, driver’s license, etc.)
- Your tax info
- A working phone number
You can use your personal Amazon login or create a new one just for the business.
Once you’re in, you’ll gain access to Seller Central – the dashboard for managing everything, including listing products, tracking sales, handling returns, and more. Start here: sellercentral.amazon.com.
List products and start selling #
You should have a good plan of what you are going to sell, how you are going to approach and communicate to buyers. After that, you will need to:
Set up the seller profile – Add store name, shipping policies, return info, etc.
List products – Add product details, pricing, and photos. You can either list one by one or upload them in bulk.
Choose how you’ll fulfill orders – Amazon gives merchants several options. Sellers can:
- Use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and let Amazon handle shipping and returns, or
- Do it with Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)
Enroll your brand – If you own a brand, sign up for Brand Registry. This gives you access to A+ content, reporting, and extra protections.
Start promoting – You can launch ads (Amazon calls it “sponsored products”) or join deals, coupons, and other programs to get more visibility.
