All the market research and brainstorming have been done. You even have a business plan. You’ve decided to open Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), and now you want to know how to set up your business so that you can start selling your products.
Even if you’re just starting your online business, it might seem daunting to set up an Amazon Seller account. It’s quite simple and you will be selling within no time. To set up your Amazon seller account, read SellerApp’s Amazon seller central guide. Sellers from all corners of the globe are now able to list their products on Amazon Seller Central.
To ensure that the setup process runs smoothly, there are some things you should do ahead of time.
- The most difficult parts of setting up an FBA business are figuring out what product you want to sell and how you plan to source your product. These tasks should be completed before you start setting up an account. Do your product research that will make you a successful Amazon seller if you have not done so yet.
- Before you create an account, it is important to know what product you are selling. Do you plan to use your name or have you already chosen a brand or business name?
- First, decide if the account will be created as a business (also known as an LLC) or an individual (sole proprietor). Amazon offers two options for FBA sellers, depending on their circumstances. However, you will need to make this decision in advance for tax purposes. You’ll need tax forms to set up your account. Taxes!
Deciding on your business structure
The first question you’ll have to answer is: Would you prefer to operate your Amazon business as a sole proprietorship or an LLC (Limited Liability Company).
If you’re unsure about your commitment to a large FBA company and want to experiment with growing your business, a sole-proprietorship, or operating as an individual on Amazon (we’ll get to that in the next section). However, there is a catch.
You will be liable for all assets and liabilities as a sole proprietor. You are directly liable for any legal action against your business. You could lose your assets if you have a larger debt than your business assets.
An LLC will protect you as your business is an established entity and can be held responsible in the event of legal action.
You might be asking why anyone would set up a sole proprietorship. This is the simplest and most cost-effective way to be an Amazon seller. It’s not necessary to register the business or establish business income, as with an LLC.
An LLC is more expensive than a regular business. You will also be responsible for business fees. These fees would be included under your Amazon Professional Seller Central account. If you are creating an LLC, this option would be most likely.
Your next step in creating your Amazon seller account will be deciding whether you are an LLC or sole proprietorship. Do you prefer an individual seller account or a professional seller account through Amazon Seller Central?
You have the choice of whether you are a professional or an individual.
This might seem like an obvious question. “Of course, I’m a professional !”),” but Amazon has these options for your seller account plan. You should explore your options before creating an account.
You’ll still be able to sell your items and manage your FBA business. The main difference is whether you expect to be selling more than 40 items per month (and if you are willing to pay a monthly charge).
The amazon Individual seller plan does not have a monthly cost and is very appealing for those who are just starting out or in an experimental model with their products.
If you feel confident that your item will sell well, it may be worth paying $39.99 per month for Professional Seller status. Amazon will not charge $0.99 per item, as Individual sellers do.
You can either start as an Individual or upgrade to the Professional selling plan anytime you wish. There is a lot of overlap between these two plans. Professionals and Individuals both have to pay shipping, closing, and referral fees. All details are available on Amazon’s site.
Both Individual and Professional sellers are allowed to list their products within more than 20 categories. Professional sellers have the option of adding their products into 10 additional categories. No matter which plans you choose to use, creating your Seller account will be the same.