If you’re located outside the US, you can still sell on Amazon.com and increase your sales by expanding into the US market. The best part is that you don’t need to ship products from overseas either. You can purchase inventory from suppliers (like 888 lots) that are located within the US, and then have the goods shipped to a US based prep company who receive, inspect, prepare, and ship your products to Amazon for you. This is a great way to get started as there are no borders to contend with or complicated importing requirements to learn.
Registering for an Amazon.com Seller Account
The first thing you’ll need to start selling on Amazon.com is a seller account. It’s very easy to register and Amazon will walk you through all of the steps required. You can open one by clicking
You’ll need the following information on hand:
- Your local address and contact information
- An internationally-chargeable credit card with valid billing address
- A phone number where you can be reached during this registration process
- A local bank in your country (supported by Amazon) – Amazon will convert the US funds into your local currency for you
- A US EIN number (not necessary as a Canadian though). To get one, just fill out form 10-BEN on the IRS.gov site
Amazon require you have a US based return address (for items that you choose to have removed and product returns). You can use a Prep and ship Company (A service that inspects, labels, packages and ships your items to Amazon for you) or a parcel receiving service/freight forwarder located in the US.
When registering, you’ll have two types of accounts to choose from:
- Sell as a Professional $39.99USD / Month (1st month is FREE)
- Sell as an Individual
In my opinion, you should register for a professional seller account. Running a profitable Amazon.com business requires some initial costs and ongoing costs, but it’s well worth it. Without a professional account, you won’t be able to win the buy box as easily (the “Add to Cart” button that Amazon customers click to purchase). You also need a professional account to get approval to sell in Amazon’s gated categories (For example, Groceries, Health & Personal Care, Beauty, Clothing & Shoes, Luggage, Automotive, Jewelry).
Prep and Ship Companies
One of the things that makes selling on Amazon.com possible for international sellers is the use of a Prep and Ship company. Simply put, a Prep and Ship company is a place you have your purchases sent to where they receive the items, inspect them, label and package them up, then ship the goods to Amazon for you.
So you could purchase a lot from 888 Lots, have it shipped and inspected by your prep company, and then shipped on to Amazon. All without you having to touch boxes yourself.
The costs are surprisingly affordable too. On average, you’ll pay between $1.50USD and $2.00USD per unit for items that they process for you.
Search around for prep companies to find out which ones work best for your situation. They all have their own set of requirements and processes. Some will even create shipments and print labels for you right from your Amazon seller account (don’t worry, you can give them limited access only so your listings are safe).
About the author:
Duncan Macpherson is a full time Amazon seller (based in Canada) and sells on both the US and Canadian platforms. He runs a blog (www.smartfbaincome.com) and a Facebook group documenting his Amazon journey and has written eBooks and seminars on the subject. He offers coaching services to others wanting to learn the Amazon business, along with tools and resources to help others succeed.
His passion is teaching others (especially parents) how to achieve financial independence and freedom of their time by escaping the 9-5 routine of a normal job.
Disclaimer: The information and views presented in this blog post are the opinions of the guest author, and not necessarily those of 888 Lots.
