Setting up an Amazon Seller Account is much easier than you think. All you really need is about 30-60 minutes and some information nearby to make your account setup smooth. While everyone has a different reason for choosing to sign up to be an Amazon seller, whether it’s a desire to run your own online business or just make ends meet, Amazon FBA offers flexibility, opportunity, and income. It’s hard work, but we know you can do it if you’re willing to put in the time and effort!
As you already know, FBA stands for “Fulfillment by Amazon,” which means that you get to tap into Amazon’s distribution network, warehouse locations, customer base, order fulfillment, and even their customer service. This means that you can focus on finding profitable products (aka hitting up all your local department stores for specific items to resell). For the most part, once you send in your products for resale, you’ll have very little to do with the products.
If you’re ready to sign up or curious about the process, we’re here to give you the step-by-step guide on how to set up an Amazon seller account.
Step 1: Find the Amazon Seller Central Page
Amazon is a huge website, but its designers have made it relatively simple to get started (for the most part). If you’ve gotten confused trying to start your account, you’re not the only one! The easiest way to find the right page to create your account is by visiting Amazon’s Seller Central at https://sellercentral.amazon.com/. Seller Central is going to be the main “hub” of your business.
Step 2: Explore the “Sell on Amazon” Page
On this page, you’ll find a variety of resources for you from Benefits to Categories to FAQ pages. This information is helpful because it lays out simply how Amazon will help you as you help them source products for their client base. Once you’re ready to move on to the next step, click the blue button that reads “Register Now.”
Step 3: Choosing an Individual or Professional Account
You may have noticed that Amazon has two different types of accounts: Individual and Professional. While the individual account doesn’t require any money upfront, the Professional Account includes a subscription fee of $39.99 a month (but the first month is free). You’ll need to determine which type of account is right for your goals. You can read our in-depth information on individual and professional accounts here.
A good rule of thumb is that if you’re planning on selling more than 40 items a month, then you may want to jump for the Professional Account. Essentially, selling more than 40 items in a month on the Individual Account will end up costing you more in the long run. We outline the pros and cons of each account in our Beginners Kick-Start program.
Amazon does make it harder to sign up for the “free” individual account. If you click any of the orange buttons that say “sign up”, it will automatically register you for the professional account that charges $39.99/month.
To sign up for the individual account, you have to scroll down until you are almost to the bottom of the page, and you’ll see this link to register for the individual account:
Step 4: Set Up Your Account
Once you click “start selling,” Amazon opens up to Amazon Seller Central. To fill out your new account, you’ll need to have some information on hand. So grab it all before you even start to make it extra easy on yourself. You have to submit ALL information required in order to sell on Amazon. Additionally, if you are submitting bank statements or a driver’s license, they must be in PDF as photos often are not accepted.
Info Needed for your FBA Account:
Business Name* and Address
Agree to Seller agreement
Telephone number (Amazon will verify your identity through a phone call or text message after you input your phone number)
Billing method, deposit, or chargeable credit card (Professional Account)
Bank information (routing and bank account numbers)
Tax method (Professional Account)
Display Name*
Government ID
*note: For your business name, you can pick anything, and can change it later. However, keep in mind this is a public name that clients will see so you may not want to choose SoccerHead14 or WonderWoman1983 (unless it’s part of your brand in some way).
Step 5: Your Account is Created!
Once you’ve followed all of Amazon’s prompts, you’ll be congratulated with the completion of your very own Amazon FBA Seller account. You did it! Your new home page will look a little empty at first, but as you build your business, it will become a storm of data and information to help aid you in your shopping and product fulfillment. Since they have to process and verify all of your information, be prepared to wait anywhere from an hour to up to a week to get your account approved.
We’re super excited to see your business grow, so let us be the first to congratulate you on taking that first step in building your Amazon FBA business!! It can be super overwhelming to start this on your own, but it doesn’t have to be. While you can find everything you need to know about starting your Amazon FBA business online for free, we’ve come up with our Beginner’s Kick-Start to expedite the process for you so you don’t have to go down online rabbit holes to find the information you need now!
Want a simple, free guide on how to set up an Amazon Seller Account delivered to your inbox? Fill in the form on the right and we’ll deliver it to your email!
