Brand owners and resellers can sell on Amazon through the marketplace and reach more customers through the retail giant’s online storefront.
Amazon charges fees for the sales service and collects commissions per item sold, with varying rates for different categories of products.
How to sell on Amazon
To sell on Amazon, you need to register as a seller on the retailer’s website or app. The seller account is different from the user or consumer account and requires proof of the legitimacy of your business by submitting documentation.
To create a seller account, whether as an individual or a legal entity, you must provide the following data and documents:
- Name of the account holder;
- Email and mobile number;
- Identity document or passport;
- Corporate name or name of the natural person holding the account;
- Business address with proof of domicile;
- Trade name (name for your online store on Amazon);
- Recent bank or credit card statement;
- Holder’s credit or debit card for billing;
- CPF or CNPJ.
With this data in hand, register as a seller on Amazon through the Seller Central website or through the Amazon Seller application — learn now how to do this:
Amazon at Seller Central
Seller Central is the site where sellers organize their sales on Amazon. Through it merchants can manage inventory, update prices, contact customers and add new products.
- Login sellercentral.amazon.com.br;
- Register your account;
- Provide the information and documents.
Amazon performs a verification of the documents sent in an average period of five days. You may be asked to meet with an Amazon agent to verify your shipment.
Amazon Seller App
The Amazon Seller application, available for Android and iOS systems, is an alternative for sellers to manage their sales activities on Amazon via cell phone.
- Download the app for Android or iOS;
- Register your account;
- Fill in the details and send the requested documents.
Verification of documents takes an average of five days. After approval, you can start selling products through the Amazon marketplace.
choose a plan
Amazon offers two options for plans to use the sales service. In the individual plan, sellers pay an amount per item sold (USD 2 plus commission). The professional plan works on a subscription model, charging a fixed fee per month (R$ 19.90).
The professional plan does not charge the amount per product sold, only the commission. This subscription includes additional features such as increased visibility through advertising, promotions and in the “featured offer” section; option to bulk add products to inventory; customization of shipping rates and inventory management with spreadsheets and reports.
list your products
With the account set up and verified, the next step is to list the items you want to sell on Amazon.
It is necessary to know that some products need to be authorized to enter the marketplace.
For items in the “toys and games”, “video games”, “books” and “beer, wine and spirits” categories, Amazon may require payment of additional fees, proof of receipt, performance checks and other qualifications.
Management of your inventory must be handled through your Seller Central or Amazon Seller seller account. You can catalog an item that is already on the site (when someone else sells the same product on Amazon) or create a new listing if you are the first to sell that product.
The announcement of a new product must contain the following information:
- Product identifier: GTIN, UPC, ISBN or EAN. If the product does not have any of these codes, you can request an EAN exemption;
- SKU: own identifier to organize your inventory;
- Offer details: price, product condition (new, used or collector’s), available units, shipping options, etc.;
- Product details: name, brand, category, description, images, etc.;
- Keywords and search terms.
To create a good offer and make it easier for users to find your products, it is recommended to add descriptive titles, good quality images and concise descriptions.
Amazon commissions and shipping costs
Amazon charges a commission on the total value of each sale on the marketplace. The rate varies between 8% and 15%, depending on the product category, with a minimum commission of USD 1.
The lowest taxed items are white goods, food and beverages. On the other hand, clothes, shoes, watches, jewelry and sunglasses have commissions of 15%. Cell phones, cameras, video games and consoles are charged 13% by Amazon.
Sellers can choose to ship products themselves or join one of Amazon’s logistics programs — with options for Prime delivery and even stockpiling. In these cases, fees are charged per unit based on the weight and size of the product.
What is Amazon Marketplace?
The Amazon Marketplace is the space where sellers — whether individuals, stores, companies or big brands — can offer their products to users and visitors to the Amazon website.
Items listed on the marketplace appear alongside products sold and shipped by Amazon itself. In this way, sellers benefit from Amazon’s audience reach to market their products.
To recognize if an item is sold by a marketplace partner, simply identify the seller’s name in the “Sold by” field next to the offer description.
How the Amazon Marketplace Works
Amazon’s marketplace works like a large virtual store, with products sold by several sellers. In the platform’s “showcase”, users can compare offers from different sellers for the same product and choose a shipping option and payment method.
For sellers, offering products on Amazon’s marketplace allows them to reach a large user base while leveraging Amazon’s brand reputation and logistics infrastructure.
Selling on Amazon Marketplace requires compliance with Amazon policies and guidelines, as well as payment of fees and commissions associated with sales made on the platform.
Also learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the marketplace in relation to an e-commerce.
