Amazon Global Selling

Advantages of an Amazon Global Account

Amazon Global Selling helps you:

• Leverage the power of Amazon’s trusted global brand to boost your international sales.
• Grow your business by reaching millions of new customers via Amazon international marketplaces.
• Improve your cash flow and reduce low sales periods by taking advantage of peak seasons in other countries.

While these benefits may make the pursuit of Amazon international sales seem like a no-brainer, keep in mind that each of Amazon’s international marketplaces has its own barriers. Despite these obstacles, the benefits of cross-border commerce outweigh the start-up costs for most businesses. Check out our full Amazon Global Selling guide today!

How Does Amazon Global Selling Work?

1. Choose what and where you want to sell.
   Be sure that you understand the selling landscape of each potential marketplace before deciding where you want to conduct business and what products you want to offer. Consider factors such as local taxes and regulations before investing in any international marketplace. Our team works with Amazon to provide you with customized recommendations based on the items you already sell, product type reviews and sales of similar items.
2. Register your account and list products.
   Before you conduct business internationally, you must create a Seller Central account in the marketplaces in which you want to sell, even if you have an existing seller account in another Amazon marketplace. The only exception is the European marketplace. Thanks to Amazon’s unified accounts for North American and European marketplaces, you can sell across Europe from a single Seller Central account.
3. Start shipping and fulfilling orders.
   Efficient order fulfillment is a critical component of customer satisfaction. Understanding the nuances of international shipping and fulfillment in different international marketplaces — including shipping costs, time and requirements — is essential to your success. Want to simplify the process and hand off order fulfillment to someone else? In available marketplaces, our team sets up international Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for you. With the help of Amazon fulfillment services, you quickly get your products to customers across the globe.
4. Keep up with customer service and returns.
   Once your orders are complete, you should quickly address any complaints, product issues or returns submitted by your customers. You can handle customer service yourself or have Amazon do the work for you. Your Global Sales Summary lets you review your sales, orders and buyer messages from all your marketplaces in one place.

Get Started

Advantages and Obstacles by Country

Americas Marketplaces

• United States: This is a good starting point for any seller. Remote fulfillment with FBA is now an option.
• Canada: One of the easiest countries to enter. Taxes can be complicated if using FBA. Remote fulfillment with FBA is an option.
• Mexico: Seller support is available in English. Taxes can be complicated if using FBA. 
• Brazil: A newer marketplace with less competition. Limited categories are available, and FBA is available with certain stipulations. Remote fulfillment with FBA is now an option.

Europe

Overall it’s important to note that since Brexit there have been several challenges that sellers have had to navigate. Amazon recently introduced a program, European Fulfilment Network (EFN), that helps to simply this process for sellers. EFN enables thousands of businesses to sell across the border easily without the requirement to register for VAT in the destination store.

• UK¹: UK can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Germany¹: Germany can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Spain¹: Spain can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• France¹: France can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Italy¹: Italy can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Netherlands²: Netherlands can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Poland²: Poland can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Sweden²: Sweden can be used as a gateway to the rest of Europe (Pan-European FBA). Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.
• Turkey²: Roughly half of the country’s population shop online. The country is ranked the 11th richest country in the world. Businesses need a tax ID/business license to sell FBA from within the country.

Asia-Pacific

• Japan: With a population of 127 million and the third-largest economy in the world, this marketplace grants access to millions of customers. As a trusted brand and a proven high-volume ecommerce marketplace in Japan, Amazon has 556 million monthly visits. Sellers need an importer of record.
• India: Population size provides a large audience to sellers. Organizations can sell in India only with an invitation.
• Australia: A newer marketplace with less competition, Australian shoppers can only purchase products only through the Australian Amazon website, which has about a tenth of the product range as the U.S. site. FBA started only recently.
• China: China is home to 649 million Internet shoppers and is the world’s largest eCommerce market by value. Today, cross-border eCommerce represents one of the most dynamic forces driving China’s eCommerce development. A trademark of authorization is necessary to sell in China.
• Singapore²: Singapore is 100% English so no translation is needed. They also have lower FBA fees compared to the US.

Middle East & North Africa (MENA Region)

• United Arab Emirates²: Cross border fulfillment allowed from one unified Amazon Fulfilment Center to the UAE, no VAT required. The total population is about 150 million people. There is opportunity to fill product selection gaps.
• Egypt²: Cross border fulfillment allowed from one unified Amazon Fulfilment Center to the UAE, no VAT required. The total population is about 150 million people. There is opportunity to fill product selection gaps.
• Saudi Arabia²: Cross border fulfillment allowed from one unified Amazon Fulfilment Center to the UAE, no VAT required. The total population is about 150 million people. There is opportunity to fill product selection gaps.

¹ EU listings can be linked.
² Indicates new marketplace.

As you can see, deciding whether to expand your business globally entails a lot to do and consider. But, luckily, you don’t have to go at it alone. Our Amazon consultants are standing by to help you weigh the pros and cons of each international marketplace, choose where and what to sell, set up your Seller Central account and manage your account once you start selling.

Your Checklist for Global Domination

We use Amazon’s handy checklist for successful international business as a guide when coordinating your global sales. We cover the basics below, but you can download the complete checklist here.

How do I register for an account and list my products?

• Assess Amazon seller account options
• Research the registration requirements of each international marketplace
• Establish a preferred payment method
• Create an account for each marketplace in which you wish to sell
• Select a listing tool and list your products

How do I handle order fulfillment and ongoing account management?

• Self-fulfillment
  • Fulfill orders in compliance with local regulations and requirements
  • Provide timely customer support in the local language
  • Handle all returns in compliance with Amazon’s return policy
• Fulfillment by Amazon
  • Ship your inventory to an Amazon fulfillment center
  • Handle all nonfulfillment customer questions and leave returns and fulfillment queries to FBA