Checklist: Start

your ecommerce
business

sell.amazon.com
 Checklist: Start your ecommerce business

Introduction

Starting an ecommerce business can feel like a big step. While there are a lot of
considerations, it doesn't have to be complicated or overwhelming.

Some of the most popular brands and businesses started small, selling just one or two
products online and growing from there.

This guide will help you start selling online. We’ll walk you through how to get your
ecommerce business off the ground.

GET
LET’S D
TE
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Page 1
 Figure out what to sell

Step 1: Research your product idea and potential customers

Before you start building your online store, you need to research your business idea to
help you make critical choices quickly and efficiently. Here’s how to decide what
products to sell or build:

1.1 Find a pain point or challenge worth solving

Finding a problem worth solving is crucial because some innovative ideas can fail when they don’t
have an audience of customers to support them.

• What pain points or problems do you have and wish to solve?

• What flaws or complaints do you have with the products you currently use?

• What trends have you noticed in the world that you can capitalize on?

• What comments do you hear from friends or family members about products they use?

• What activities do you enjoy doing? What products would help improve those activities?

• What problem or challenge do you seek to solve?

Need ideas?
Check out this list of 38 business ideas

Next:
Validate your product idea Page 2
 Figure out what to sell

Step 2: Validate your product idea

The more time you put into validating your product, the better your chances of
succeeding. Once you've pinpointed your product idea, research how similar products
perform and what your potential customers might be looking for.

2.1 Identify your potential customers

Reach out to a small group of people to understand if they face the problem you’re trying to solve
and find out how they currently deal with this challenge.

• Who feels this pain point the most?

• Who would be most excited by you solving this challenge?

2.2 Talk to 5-10 potential customers

• Offer to buy 5-10 people a cup of coffee in exchange for 30 minutes of their time.

• Use your meeting to talk about the challenge and see if the pain point is something they would pay money to solve
or if it doesn’t bother them much.

• Avoid bringing up your product, as this may influence the answers you get.

Next:
Make sure it’s a product you can sell in Amazon’s store Page 3
 Figure out what to sell

Step 3: Make sure it’s a product you can sell in Amazon’s store

Some categories are open to all sellers, while others have different requirements.
Check to see if you cannot sell a specific product or if the product will require approval
to sell.

What products can you sell in Amazon’s store? Here’s an overview:

Categories without restrictions

Categories with restrictions

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Categories without restrictions Page 4
 Figure out what to sell

Categories without restrictions (1 of 2)

Product category Example Products Conditions allowed

Amazon Device Accessories Amazon Device Accessories New, used

Amazon Kindle Kindle Device Accessories Used

Fragrance, Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Bath & Shower (topicals require
Beauty Used
approval). See also Health & Personal Care.

Books, Calendars, Card Decks, Sheet Music, Magazines, Journals, Other

Books New, used
Publications

Business-relevant products across multiple categories. Special pricing

Business Products (B2B) New, used
features to target business customers.

Beauty Tools & Accessories Brushes, bags, cases, skin care tools, hair styling tools New

Camera & Photo Cameras, Camcorders, Telescopes New, used

Cell phones and accessories must be listed using the manufacturer’s

Cell Phones New, used, unlocked
Universal Product Code (UPC).

Clothing & Accessories Outerwear, Athletic Wear, Innerwear, Belts, Wallets New

Audio, Video, Camera, Photo, Cell Phone, Car Electronics, Computer, and
Electronics Accessories New, used
Office Accessories

Jewelry that does not contain precious or semi-precious gemstones,

Fashion Jewelry New
pearls, metals

Grocery & Gourmet Food See Grocery & Gourmet category details on Seller Central New

Kitchen, Dining, Pet Supplies, Furniture, Décor, Bedding, Bath, Craft,

Home and Garden Hobby, Home Appliances, Storage, Patio, Lawn, Garden, Pool Supplies, New, Used, Collectible
Landscaping, Snow Removal, Generators

Luggage & Travel Accessories Luggage, Bags, Backpacks, Briefcases, Umbrellas, Travel Accessories New

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Categories without restrictions (2 of 2) Page 5
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Categories without restrictions (2 of 2)

Product category Example Products Conditions allowed

Musical Instruments Guitars, Orchestra, Recording Equipment New, Used, Collectible

Office Products Supplies, Furniture, Printers, Calculators New, Used, Collectible

Outdoors Outdoor Gear, Outdoor Sports Apparel, Cycling, and Action Sports New, Used, Collectible

Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses Shoes, Boots, Sandals, Slippers, Handbags, Sunglasses, Eyewear Frames New

Business, Media Education, Utility, Security, Children’s Software and PC

Software & Computer Games New, used
Games

Exercise & Fitness, Hunting Accessories, Team Sports, Licensed/Fan Shop,

Sports New, Used, Collectible
Athletic Apparel, Boating & Fishing, and Game Room

Hand & Power Tools, Plumbing, Electrical, Building Materials, Appliance

Tools & Home Improvement New, used
Parts

Action Figures, Dolls, Board Games, Arts, Crafts, Furniture, Learning Toys
Toys & Games New, Collectible
(holiday selling requirements apply)

Video Games & Video Game Consoles Game Consoles, Console Games, Accessories New, Used, Collectible

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Categories with restrictions (1 of 3) Page 6
 Figure out what to sell

Categories with restrictions (1 of 3)

Product category Example Products Conditions allowed

Alcohol See Alcohol category details on Seller Central New

Animal-Related Products See Animals & Animal-Related Products category details on Seller Central New

Automotive & Powersports See Automotive & Powersports category details on Seller Central New, Used, Collectible

Baby Products Topicals, food, feeding products, diapers, strollers, carriers, toys New

Beauty Topicals Cosmetics, Fragrance, Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Bath & Shower New

Certiied Refurbished Laptops & Computers, Smartphones, Tablets, Kitchen Appliances, Office New

Certiied Refurbished Laptops & Computers, Smartphones, Tablets, Kitchen Appliances, Office See Amazon Renewed

Graded collectible coins minted by governments, US Mint packaged

Collectible Coins Collectible
product, gold coins, silver coins, platinum coins, palladium coins

Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care See Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care category details on Seller Central New

Dietary Supplements See Dietary Supplements category details on Seller Central New

Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia See Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia category details on Seller Central New

Electronics See Electronics category details on Seller Central New

Celebrity signed photos, original movie posters, limited-edition igures

Entertainment Collectibles Collectible
and busts, animation cels

Explosives, Weapons, & Related Items See Explosives & Weapons category details on Seller Central New

Fine Art See Fine Art category details on Seller Central Collectible

Next:
Categories with restrictions (2 of 3) Page 7
 Figure out what to sell

Categories with restrictions (2 of 3)

Product category Example Products Conditions allowed

Gambling & Lottery See Gambling & Lottery category details on Seller Central New

Grocery & Gourmet Food See Grocery & Gourmet category details on Seller Central New

Handmade Handmade and hand-altered products See Amazon Handmade

Hazardous & Dangerous Items See Hazardous & Dangerous Items category details on Seller Central New

Health & Personal Care First Aid, Nutrition, Feminine hygiene, dietary supplements New

Vintage collectibles related to historical people, places, or events and

Historical & Advertising Collectibles Collectible
promotional materials related to consumer brands.

Human Parts & Burial Artifacts See Human Parts & Burial Artifacts product details on Seller Central New

Lab Equipment & Supplies, Industrial Materials, Power Transmission,

Industrial & Scientiic New
Electronic Components, Sanitation, Janitorial

Jewelry & Precious Gems See Jewelry & Precious Gems category details on Seller Central New

Laser Products See Laser Products category details on Seller Central New

Lighting See Lighting category details on Seller Central New

Lock Picking & Theft Devices See Lock-Picking & Theft Devices category details on Seller Central New

Medical Devices & Accessories See Medical Devices & Accessories category details on Seller Central New

Drugs approved by the FDA to be sold over the counter. See Drugs & Drug
Medication New
Paraphernalia

Music CDs, Cassettes, Vinyl, and other sound recordings New used, collectible

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Categories with restrictions (3 of 3) Page 8
 Figure out what to sell

Categories with restrictions (3 of 3)

Product category Example Products Conditions allowed

Ofensive & Controversial Materials See Ofensive & Controversial product details on Seller Central New

Organic Products See Organic Products details on Seller Central New

Pesticides See Pesticides category details on Seller Central New

Pet Food See Grocery & Gourmet category details on Seller Central New

Plants, Plant Products, & Seeds See Plants, Plant Products, & Seeds category details on Seller Central New

Postage Meters & Stamps See Postage Meters & Stamps category details on Seller Central New

Sex & Sensuality See Sex & Sensuality category details on Seller Central New

Sports Collectibles Trading Cards, Game-Used and Autographed Items Collectible

Subscriptions & Periodicals See Subscriptions & Periodicals product details on Seller Central New

Surveillance Equipment See Surveillance Equipment category details on Seller Central New

Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products See Tobacco & Related Products category details on Seller Central New

Topicals See Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care category details on Seller Central New

Video, DVD & Blu-Ray See Video, DVD, & Blu-ray category details on Seller Central New used, collectible

Watches All Watches New

Warranties, Services Plans,

See Warranties, etc., category details on Seller Central --
Contracts, & Guarantees

Next:
Step 4: Source your products Page 10
 Figure out what to sell

Step 4: Source your products

Once you’ve validated your idea by finding a problem worth solving (and customers
who want the problem solved), it’s time to source your products.

You can either:

• Source and resell existing products (cheapest and easiest option to start selling online)

• Create or build your own products (ideal for creative entrepreneurs)

• Work with a manufacturer to build your products (most expensive and time-consuming option)

• Use the Marketplace Appstore to find an app that will help you screen prospective products using criteria such as
customer demand, allowing more data-driven sourcing decisions.

Congrats!
You’ve figured out what products to sell, who your customers are, and how to get your products.
Now, it’s time to list your products online!

Next:
Launching your ecommerce store Page 11
 Launching your ecommerce store

Where to build your ecommerce business? Start with Amazon

To launch your business, you can choose to set up an ecommerce website or host your
branded ecommerce store on your own domain name. You can also sell products on a
website like Amazon.com—or choose to do both!

Where to build your ecommerce business? Start with Amazon

If you’re new to ecommerce, you may want to start small and scale up. Selling on your own domain
might allow you to customize your entire website and online experience, but this takes time and
resources, and you’ll have to compete on the internet to get customers to your store.

Starting with Amazon allows you to reach millions of shoppers reasonably quickly. When you’re
ready, you can expand by building your own ecommerce website.

What you’ll need

• A registered business name

• Business email address or Amazon customer account

• Chargeable credit card

• Government ID (identity verification protects sellers and customers)

• Tax information

• Phone number

• A bank account where Amazon can send you proceeds from your sales

Next:
Step 1: Create an Amazon selling account Page 12
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 Launching your ecommerce store

Step 1: Create an Amazon selling account

You can create an Individual account or a Professional seller account.

• With the Individual plan, you’ll pay $0.99 every time you sell an item.

• The Professional plan costs $39.99 per month, no matter how many items you sell.

For both plans, Amazon also collects a referral fee on each sale, which is a percentage of the total
transaction and varies by product category. Visit our pricing page for a summary of selling fees.

Create your seller account

Next:
Step 2: List products on your seller account Page 13
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 Launching your ecommerce store

Step 2: List products on your seller account

To add products to your seller account, you’ll need the following information:

• A product identifier, such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, or EAN, to specify the exact item you’re selling. You can get a UPC
code directly from GS1, or request an exemption.

• A SKU, which is a product ID you create to track inventory.

• Offer details, including price, product condition, available quantity, and shipping options.

Next:
Step 3: Create a comprehensive product listing Page 14
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 Launching your ecommerce store

Step 3: Create a comprehensive product listing

Product detail pages are what customers read to decide if a product will fit their
needs. Create a thorough listing telling customers everything they need to know to
make an informed decision.

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A product detail page includes:

1. Title: 200 characters max. Capitalize the first letter of every word.

2. Images: 500 x 500 or 1,000 x 1,000 pixels to increase listing quality. Use professional-quality, high-resolution
images that highlight product features or show the product in use. If you add brand text to your images, make sure
it’s large enough to be readable on mobile devices.

3. Variations: Such as different colors, scents, or sizes.

4. Bullet points: Short, descriptive sentences highlighting key features and benefits.

5. Featured Offer: The featured offer on a detail page. Customers can add to their cart or “Buy Now.”

6. Other offers: The same product sold by multiple sellers offering a different price, shipping options, or item
condition.

7. Description: Keywords can help people find your listing.

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Step 3: Create a comprehensive product listing Page 15
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 Launching your ecommerce store

Step 3: Create a comprehensive product listing

Learn the lingo: ASIN

Every product offered for sale in Amazon’s store gets an automatically generated ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification
Number), which is different from a GTIN or SKU. Multiple sellers may offer the same ASIN.

What happens when another seller offers the same product?

If different sellers already offer the same product, you’ll match an existing listing (which means some
details will already be in place, like the product identifier). If you’re the first seller to offer a product,
you’ll create a new listing.

When multiple sellers offer the same product, Amazon combines data from all the offers into one
product detail page (so we can present customers with the best experience). You can propose
product information on a product detail page, along with other sellers and manufacturers, and
request detail page reviews if you think the information is not correct.

Congratulations, you’ve just created your first listing in the Amazon store!
You’re ready to start taking orders. Now, learn how to use tools to run a store efficiently, promote
products, and fulfill customer orders quickly.

Next:
Running your ecommerce business Page 16
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 Running your ecommerce business

Download the Seller App

Now that you’re up and running, these next steps will help you optimize a store,
promote products, and provide fast shipping to delight customers.

Download the Seller App

You can use the Seller App to manage your
store on the go.

Download the app from the Apple App Store,

Android App Store, or the Amazon App Store.

Next:
Figure out the best shipping option for your business Page 17
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 Running your ecommerce business

Figure out the best shipping option for your business

You can either ship products yourself or send the product through a service like
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).

How Fulfillment by Amazon works

When you sign up to sell in Amazon’s store, you’re automatically enrolled in FBA. If you decide to go
this route, you’ll send inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers, which will handle shipping, customer
service, refunds, and returns for those products. You can track FBA inventory in Seller Central.

Fulfill orders yourself (DIY)

Fulfillment by seller might be right if products aren’t ideal for FBA—for instance, hazardous goods
that don’t meet fulfillment center requirements or seasonal products that would incur excessive
storage fees. Also, you may not need FBA if you already have a logistics network in place.

In cases like these, fulfillment by seller allows you to:

• Keep inventory on hand

• Use your own packaging or labels

• Stay profitable on products with tighter margins

• Offer products that are eligible for sale in Amazon’s store, but ineligible for FBA

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Promote products Page 18
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 Running your ecommerce business

Promote products

You have a lot of options for promoting products online. Here are a few common
methods.

• Social media marketing: To make the most of your time and effort, build a social media strategy for how you will
promote your business, engage with social media users, court social influencers, and post content.

• Influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers who have a following or post content likely to appeal to your
customers. Influencers will commonly charge you a fee to post or promote your products.

• Email and blogging: Build your own audience by creating content through your blog or contributing to other blogs
frequented by your customers.

• Email marketing: Build an email list using leads from your website, events, or promotions. Nurture a relationship
with customers by sending them regular emails on relevant news, updates, or helpful tips relating to products.

• Advertising in Amazon’s store:

Sponsored Product ads show up within shopping results and on Amazon product pages, and can give new
products a boost in visibility to Amazon’s 300 million shoppers.

Sponsored Brands ads (available to registered brand owners) show your headline, logo, and up to three products
within Amazon shopping results.

Lightning Deals and Coupons can help drive sales and boost your visibility, especially when you’re trying to boost
awareness of your brand.

Advertising can help increase sales by encouraging reviews and driving sales from interested
shoppers. Consider advertising to get more customers to see products.

Learn more about advertising on Amazon

Next:
Create a branded store in Amazon’s store Page 19
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 Running your ecommerce business

Create a branded store in Amazon’s store

If you own a brand with a registered trademark, you can create a branded store in
Amazon’s store with your own branding and design. Here’s how to build a brand page:

Step 1

Enroll your brand in Amazon Brand Registry

Amazon Brand Registry helps unlocks a suite of tools designed to help you build and protect your
brand, creating a better experience for customers.

To enroll your business in Amazon Brand Registry, you’ll need:

• An Amazon seller account.

• An active registered trademark in the country where you want to enroll, or a pending trademark application filed
through Amazon IP Accelerator.

• Your brand name or logo displayed prominently on products and packaging.

1. Go to brandservices.amazon.com/eligibility and click “Enroll now.”

2. Choose the country-specific store in which you want to enroll your brand.

3. Follow the prompt to log in to Seller Central.

4. Complete the brief form by providing information about your business as it appears on legal documents or
trademark applications.

5. After you submit the form, you’ll be directed to the Brand Registry page connected to your seller account.
Select Manage >> Enroll a brand.

6. Follow the steps to submit your enrollment for review.

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Create a branded store in Amazon’s store Page 20
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 Running your ecommerce business

Create a branded store in Amazon’s store

Step 2

Create a branded store

Now that you’ve registered your brand, you can create a branded store in Amazon’s store.

1. Log in to Seller Central

2. In the navigation menu, select Stores >> Manage Stores.

3. Click the “Create Store” button.

4. Choose a store template. Each one includes adjustable tiles for images, text, video, and other content. The
template options include:

• Product Grid – A simple way to display your brand selection.

• Marquee – Include a curated product display with additional space for imagery, product descriptions, and
customer quotes.

• Showcase – A flexible option for brands with a broad selection of products, featuring plenty of space for
product information and rich visual content.

5. Open Store Builder to build an online store for your brand within the Amazon store.

6. Click on Page Manager and select "Add a page." Enter the page name and description, then choose a page
template.
.
7. Use the Tile Manager to add and arrange content. Combine product images, text, and video to create an engaging
experience.

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Create a branded store in Amazon’s store Page 21
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 Running your ecommerce business

Create a branded store in Amazon’s store

8. Handpick products to feature, or use dynamic widgets to automatically populate different product displays, such
as best-selling products or recommendations based on visitor behavior. Dynamic widgets use Amazon data such as
keyword search, best-selling products, and recommendation history to help you optimize and update the products
that appear on your store.

9. Use the Preview Window to see how the store will appear for desktop and mobile browsers. Click on an individual
tile within the page to edit.

10. Repeat steps #6–9 to create multiple store pages as needed to showcase different features, product categories, top
sellers, etc. Each page can navigate to a different page within a store, up to three levels deep.

11. Once you’ve finished building your store, click “Submit for publishing.” The publishing moderation process can t
ake several days, so keep an eye on the Status Bar to monitor progress. To avoid rejection during moderation,
review the Creative Guidelines.

12. After the store is live, go to Store Builder >> Insights to see how it’s performing. Track page views, visitors, traffic
sources, and sales to update and optimize the store.

Brands get perks

Registering your brand gives you access to additional benefits such as the ability to run virtual tests,
create bundles, and more.

Check out benefits for brands

Need more tips?

Check out Seller U for resources on how to grow your ecommerce business

sell.amazon.com Page 22
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