Selling on Amazon
01/01/2024

A Beginner’s Guide to Setting Up Your Amazon Seller Account

By dollarstoreprofits

So you are ready to take the plunge and get started selling? Awesome!

The first thing you will need to do is set up your Amazon Seller account. Think of it as your gateway to the world of Amazon selling. This account will be your central hub for managing your business, from listing products and setting prices to tracking inventory and analyzing your sales performance. It’s like having your own personalized business command center, all within the Amazon ecosystem.

Setting up the account can be a bit confusing (which it was for me in the beginning), which is why I created the below step-by-step guide which will walk you through each step of the account setup process.

  • Step 1: Choose Your Selling Plan – Amazon offers two different selling plans: Individual and Professional. Below are the features for both:
  • Individual Plan – This plan is best for you if:
    • You are new to selling
    • You are still deciding what to sell
    • You expect to sell less than 40 units/month
    • You plan to pack and ship all products yourself
    • You don’t need advanced reporting
    • Costs $0.99 per item sold*
  • Professional Plan – This plan is best for you if:
    • You expect to sell more than 40 units/month
    • You want access to advanced reporting
    • You want the ability to sell in restricted categories (like Grocery)
    • You want Amazon to store, pack and ship your products to customers
    • Costs: a $39.99/monthly subscription fee (no matter how many items you sell

*Amazon also collects a referral fee on each item sold, and fees can apply in some cases.

While signing up for the Individual Seller Plan might seem like the best option when starting out on Amazon, there’s a catch: you can only get “ungated” in the Grocery category with a Professional Seller Plan. This means you’ll need to provide proof of purchase from a product wholesaler or distributor, which is not possible with the Individual plan. I learned this the hard way, and I share my experience in my How to Get Ungated in the Amazon Grocery Category post.

If you are still balking at the monthly subscription fee, remember:

  • The fee is an investment to start, but as your product sales grow, it will be deducted from your profits, not directly out of your pocket.
  • It allows you to sell in the Grocery category (the cornerstone of this program), along with several other restricted (ie. gated) Amazon categories.
  • It gives you access to Amazon FBA, which is their in-house fulfillment setup (You send products to Amazon and they manage storage, packaging, and shipping to customers).
  • You are much much more likely to win the “Buy Box”, which gives you the best chance at getting your products seen and sold. Learn more about what the Buy Box is and why it is so important in my post The Amazon Buy Box – Your Secret Weapon to Increased Sales.

Concerned you don’t have the cash to get started? Don’t fret! Check out my post No Money, No Problem: 3 Creative Ways to Fund Your Amazon Business for unique and effective strategies to generate startup cash quickly.

Step 2: Gather Personal and Financial Information – Amazon will require the below information at account setup:

• Bank account and routing number
• Internationally chargeable credit card
• Government-issued ID
• Tax information
• Phone number

You may have heard whispers that you need a business license, seller’s permit, or even an external website to sell on Amazon. Let me assure you, that’s simply not true! I’ve personally been an active Amazon seller for the past two years without any of those requirements.

Step 3: Register Your Amazon Seller Account – To register your Amazon seller account, follow these steps:

  • Visit https://sellercentral.amazon.com/ and click on “Create a new account.”
  • Select your country and language.
  • Enter your email address and create a password.
  • Choose your selling plan.
  • Enter your business and legal information.
  • Enter your banking information.
  • Verify your account by phone or email

That’s it! You are now ready to begin selling on Amazon. Was this guide helpful? Comment below with any questions or comments, I am here to help!