How to Start Selling on Amazon: Account Setup to First Listing

Amazon looks simple from the buyer’s side: search, click, done. From the seller’s side, the first week is a maze of plans, documents, verification checks, category rules and barcode requirements. Most new sellers who get stuck don’t fail on product. They fail on setup, with a rejected ID, a blocked category or a listing that won’t publish.

This guide walks through the order that actually works: choose a plan, gather documents, register, verify, check approvals, sort out barcodes and publish your first listing. Fees and rules change, so confirm the numbers on Amazon’s own pages before you commit.

Step 1: Choose your selling plan

Amazon offers 2 selling plans in the US store. You can switch between them later.

The math is straightforward. At 40 items, the Individual plan costs $39.60, almost the same as Professional. Past that point, Professional is cheaper on plan fees alone, and it opens tools most growing sellers want anyway.

On top of the plan fee, every sale carries a referral fee, which is a percentage of the sale price set by category. Amazon’s pricing page shows referral fees ranging from 3% to 45% depending on category, with a $0.30 minimum per item in most categories. Media items such as books, DVDs, music and software also carry a $1.80 closing fee per item. If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you also pay fulfillment and monthly storage fees that depend on size and weight.

Key takeaway: Model your margin before you register. Take your selling price, subtract the referral fee, plan fee per unit, fulfillment or shipping cost, product cost and returns. If the product doesn’t make money on paper, it won’t make money on Amazon.

Step 2: Gather your documents before you register

Registration goes faster when everything is on the desk before you start. Amazon’s seller sign-up page lists these items:

• Government-issued ID (passport or driver’s license) with a name that matches your registration
• Bank account and routing number for payouts
• A chargeable credit card
• Tax information (your SSN or EIN, entered through Amazon’s tax interview)
• Phone number
• Proof of address dated within the last 180 days, such as a bank or credit card statement
• Business registration, if you sell as a business

You don’t need an LLC to start. Amazon lets you register as an individual by choosing “None, I am an individual” as your business type. Many sellers still form a business entity for liability and tax reasons, which is a question for your accountant or attorney.

A few small details trip up a lot of applicants. The name on your ID, bank account and credit card should match. Your address statement should be recent and show the same address you enter. Scans should be clear, uncropped and in color.

Step 3: Register in Seller Central

Seller Central is the dashboard where you manage listings, orders, inventory, payments and performance. Registration follows a set order:

1. Create your seller login with an email address and password.
2. Enter business details: location, business type, name, registration number, address and phone.
3. Add your seller (primary contact) information.
4. Add your bank account and credit card.
5. Add store and product details, including the store name customers will see.
6. Complete identity verification.

Seller Central requires 2-step verification at sign-in, so you’ll need a phone or an authenticator app. An authenticator app avoids problems with delayed text codes. Our guide to setting up two-factor authentication explains the options.

Step 4: Pass identity verification

Amazon verifies every new seller before the account goes live. According to Amazon, registration often takes only a few hours, and identity verification usually takes 3 business days or less.

Some sellers are asked to confirm their identity on a short video call with an Amazon associate, showing the same ID they uploaded. Others get an in-app verification or a request for more documents. If Amazon asks for something extra, respond with exactly what was requested, and make sure names and addresses match across every document.

There is also a federal law behind some of these checks. The INFORM Consumers Act, which took effect on June 27, 2023, requires online marketplaces to collect and verify bank, tax ID and contact information from “high-volume” third-party sellers. Under FTC guidance, you’re high volume if you had 200 or more sales of new or unused consumer products and $5,000 or more in gross revenue in any continuous 12-month period during the past 24 months. Sellers with $20,000 or more in annual gross revenue on a marketplace must have their name, physical address and contact information disclosed to buyers. The law is enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general. This is not legal advice.

Step 5: Check category and product approvals

Not every product can be listed on day one. Amazon says your ability to list a product can depend on its category, condition and brand, and some listings require you to apply to sell first. Sellers often call these “gated” categories or brands.

How to check before you buy inventory:

1. In Seller Central, go to Add a Product and search for the item.
2. If a “listing limitations apply” message appears, open it to see what’s required.
3. Click Request approval and follow the prompts. Amazon may ask for invoices from a manufacturer or distributor, product safety documents or proof of authenticity.

Two rules worth remembering: some products are prohibited outright and can’t be approved, and listing a restricted item without approval can put your account at risk. Check approvals before you place a large inventory order, not after.

Step 6: Get valid barcodes and decide on your brand

Most Amazon listings need a product identifier, usually a UPC (a type of GTIN). Amazon checks these codes against the GS1 database, so buy codes from GS1 US or use the manufacturer’s existing barcode. Cheap codes from unofficial resellers can cause listing problems.

GS1 US pricing, as listed on its site:

Each variation, such as a different size or color, needs its own GTIN. If you sell products with no barcode, such as handmade or some private-label items, Amazon has a GTIN exemption process you can apply for in Seller Central.

If you sell your own brand, look at Amazon Brand Registry. It’s free to enroll, but you need a pending or registered trademark and a brand name or logo permanently on your product or packaging. It gives you access to tools such as A+ Content and Brand Analytics, plus more control over your listings. Amazon recommends enrolling before you list.

Step 7: Create your first listing

There are 2 ways to list:

• Match an existing listing. If the product is already sold on Amazon (common for resellers), you add your offer to the existing product page with your price, condition and quantity.
• Create a new listing. For your own brand or a product not yet on Amazon, you build the page: title, bullet points, description, images, product identifier, category and attributes.

A first listing checklist:

• Title that leads with brand, product type and key attribute (size, quantity, material)
• 5 bullet points that answer the questions buyers ask most
• A main image on a pure white background, plus lifestyle and detail shots
• Accurate category and attributes so the product shows up in filters
• Price checked against your margin model, not just against competitors
• Fulfillment method chosen: ship it yourself (merchant fulfilled) or send stock to FBA

FBA means Amazon stores, picks, packs and ships your orders, handles customer service and returns, and makes eligible items Prime-eligible. Amazon currently advertises incentives for new Professional sellers using FBA, such as credits toward inbound shipping and placement costs. These offers change, so check the current terms in Seller Central.

Where to start this week

If you want to go from idea to live listing in a week or two, follow this order:

1. Day 1: Pick 1 to 3 products and build a margin model using Amazon’s Revenue Calculator.
2. Day 1: Gather ID, bank, card, tax and address documents with matching names.
3. Day 2: Register and choose a plan. Start with Individual if you’re unsure, then upgrade.
4. Days 2 to 5: Complete identity verification and set up 2-step verification.
5. Day 5: Check each product for category approval in Seller Central’s Add a Product tool before buying inventory.
6. Day 5: Buy GS1 barcodes or confirm the manufacturer’s codes.
7. Day 6: Publish your first listing and place a small test order of inventory.

Once you’re selling, track a handful of numbers weekly: units sold, conversion rate, returns, ad spend and net margin per unit. Our guide to data analytics for small business shows a simple weekly routine, and AI in retail and ecommerce covers tools for listings and customer service. For the bigger picture on where online selling is heading, see retail tech trends for 2026.

Conclusion

Starting on Amazon is mostly paperwork done in the right order. Choose a plan that fits your volume, prepare matching documents, pass verification, confirm category approvals before you buy stock, use valid barcodes and build a listing that answers buyer questions. Do those steps carefully and your first sale is a matter of product and price, not admin.

Sources

• Amazon: Selling plans and fees — Individual and Professional plan prices, referral fee range, $0.30 minimum and media closing fee
• Amazon: How to sell on Amazon — registration documents, sign-up steps, verification time, approvals and Brand Registry requirements
• Amazon: Fulfillment by Amazon — what FBA covers, fee types and new seller incentives
• FTC: Informing businesses about the INFORM Consumers Act — effective date, high-volume seller thresholds and disclosure rules
• GS1 US: How to get a UPC barcode — single GTIN and Company Prefix pricing