As you’re probably well aware, the Amazon business model has been taking the e-commerce world by storm and with Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods for $13.7 billion it only stands to become more powerful than ever.
Entrepreneurs today are seeking to jump on the bandwagon by signing up for Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program which lets anyone operate their own digital retail store on Amazon’s large and highly trafficked marketplace. This program takes the work of fulfillment off the seller and instead places it on Amazon who will pick, pack, and ship the order to the customer.
A successful Amazon FBA seller is typically a young entrepreneur who works remotely from anywhere across the globe. They are highly driven to provide new, unique, and quality products at competitive prices. If you think you have the drive and desire to become a successful Amazon seller, we’ll give you the basics on how to set up an Amazon store worthy of that 5-star rating.
1. Create your Seller Account:
To set up your store you first need to set up your seller account with Amazon. Simply head to Amazon.com, scroll to the bottom footer and click the link that says Sell on Amazon.
From there you just need to fill out the required information and agree to Amazon’s Seller Agreement. Be sure you read the Seller Agreement thoroughly as Amazon is known to have strict rules for customer service, warehousing, and inventory levels that you must adhere to if you want to be a successful Amazon FBA seller.
2. Research Products and Manufacturers:
Deciding what you will be selling in your Amazon store can be intimidating. You want to be sure the product will sell, is profitable, and is of good quality. The Amazon Marketplace is wide and vast and can quickly become a black hole that swallows products up, burying them in its algorithm.
New sellers with little experience are encouraged to start small with one product that is already a popular seller before turning your shop into a niche market down the line. While the latter can be more profitable in time, the former can help you learn the ins and outs of selling with little risk.
3. Find a Quality Freight Forwarder:
This is going to be the most important decision you make. A large number of the products that sell in the FBA Amazon Marketplace are imported to the US from overseas countries like China.
When moving large quantities of product through the complex process of importing and exporting it is important to have someone that is experienced and knowledgeable in the procedure. When you elect to work with an international freight forwarder over a large shipping conglomerate you will receive a more personalized service with attention to your specific shipping needs.
Some international freight forwarders, like ETC International Freight Systems, have dedicated departments that specialize in the unique needs of Amazon FBA sellers like you and have developed processes and offerings that make your import/export process much easier so you can focus on your sales and customer service and less on shipping.
4. Consider your Warehousing Needs-
While Amazon does offer warehousing services to its FBA sellers it can be costly and limited to the amount of product that you can store. In addition to taking care of your import and export needs, some freight forwarders, like ETC International, can offer warehousing and dispatch to Amazon when your inventory becomes low.
It is important to consider additional warehousing, outside of Amazon, as you can face penalties such as loss of ranking should your product go out of stock before replenishment inventory arrives. ETC International can help you carefully schedule your imports with your warehouse dispatch to Amazon so that you never have to run the risk of running out of stock.
While running an Amazon FBA store may seem like a solitary effort, the most successful store owners have a strong network that they can rely on to keep their business running smoothly.
As many successful Amazon sellers would agree, having a reliable international freight forwarder that is personal, trustworthy, affordable and understands their unique needs is crucial to their success. Let ETC International Freight Systems be a part of your network with our specialized Amazon Freight Services. Click here to learn more.
