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How to sell internationally with Amazon Global Selling
Amazon provides selling partners with a variety of tools and services that simplify all aspects of selling internationally.
4 steps to succeed at selling globally
1
Decide where & what to sell
Seize the opportunity for your business to sell internationally on Amazon. Find out where you can sell through Amazon, what is required - including taxes and regulations - and strategic considerations for entering a new marketplace.
How we can help
Learn more about how and why to expand to Amazon stores around the world:
Where you can sell with Amazon
Overview
Amazon operates 16 online stores around the world (listed below by region), allowing you to grow your business internationally regardless of where it is physically based. With Amazon, you can quickly grow your business in other countries, introducing your brand and your products to millions of customers in Amazon's marketplaces.
These marketplaces are some of the most important opportunities in global e-commerce. When you register to sell through one of these Amazon marketplaces, you gain immediate access to customers who know and trust the Amazon shopping experience. By developing your sales activities on one or more Amazon marketplaces, you can benefit from the Amazon brand without having to advance the upfront costs required to become established in a new sales environment.
Language support considerations
When you are preparing to join a new Amazon marketplace, you need to know whether your business can transact in the local language. Proficiency in the local marketplace language is key to providing customer support for a particular marketplace (a requirement for selling through an Amazon marketplace) unless you use Fulfilment by Amazon. Local language proficiency is also helpful for conducting country-specific research and understanding how to best position your products. You may need to modify your products or reposition your marketing, copy or packaging to better meet the needs of your new customers.
However, many selling partners do successfully sell in Amazon marketplaces where they are not proficient in the local language. Amazon provides some services and tools to help ease the challenges posed by language barriers:
Seller Central language selector
The good news is that you don’t have to master Spanish, French or Japanese to sell across North America, Australia and in Japan. With Seller Central Language Switcher, you can manage your operations in all of these Amazon marketplaces in English, enabling you to quickly get up to speed on your international business by providing you a familiar interface you can quickly learn to use.
Amazon North American marketplaces account
In North America, just like in Europe, we have simplified managing your business across all of Amazon’s online stores. The Amazon North American stores account enables you to create and manage product offers in any and all of our online stores in the US, Canada and Mexico. You control what you sell where, and you manage your business from a single selling partner account interface.
When you sign up to sell through one North American marketplace, such as Amazon.com, your selling partner account is automatically enabled to sell on all other Amazon North American marketplaces, Amazon.com.mx and Amazon.ca. Reach millions of international customers and let Amazon help you grow your online business globally. All your orders will be managed in a single place, making trading in Canada feel just like trading in the US.
Customer support in the local language
When you sell in an Amazon marketplace, you are required to provide customer support in the local language of the marketplace. For instance, if you are selling on Amazon.jp or Amazon.com.mx, you’re required to provide customer support in Japanese or Spanish, respectively. You can choose to do it on your own or have Amazon do it when you join FBA.
However, many selling partners do successfully sell in Amazon marketplaces where they are not proficient in the local language. Amazon provides some services and tools to help ease the challenges posed by language barriers:
Seller Central language selector
The good news is that you don’t have to master Spanish, French or Japanese to sell across North America, Australia and in Japan. With Seller Central Language Switcher, you can manage your operations in all of these Amazon marketplaces in English, enabling you to quickly get up to speed on your international business by providing you a familiar interface you can quickly learn to use.
Amazon North American marketplaces account
In North America, just like in Europe, we have simplified managing your business across all of Amazon’s online stores. The Amazon North American stores account enables you to create and manage product offers in any and all of our online stores in the US, Canada and Mexico. You control what you sell where, and you manage your business from a single selling partner account interface.
When you sign up to sell through one North American marketplace, such as Amazon.com, your selling partner account is automatically enabled to sell on all other Amazon North American marketplaces, Amazon.com.mx and Amazon.ca. Reach millions of international customers and let Amazon help you grow your online business globally. All your orders will be managed in a single place, making trading in Canada feel just like trading in the US.
Customer support in the local language
When you sell in an Amazon marketplace, you are required to provide customer support in the local language of the marketplace. For instance, if you are selling on Amazon.jp or Amazon.com.mx, you’re required to provide customer support in Japanese or Spanish, respectively. You can choose to do it on your own or have Amazon do it when you join FBA.
Taxes and regulations
Be aware of local taxes and regulations when selling on Amazon’s various marketplaces and enlisting third-party resources. We recommend that you consult your tax and regulatory advisors before making decisions about how you will sell in other marketplaces.
Each country has legal and industry-specific requirements for selling products to consumers. In your home marketplace, there may be laws pertaining to intellectual property rights, product safety, the environment and other applicable requirements. The same is true for all marketplaces. Do your research and be aware of your responsibilities. You need to consider tax and customs, intellectual property rights, parallel importation, export controls, marking and labelling, the environment, health and safety, and product compliance.
Each country has legal and industry-specific requirements for selling products to consumers. In your home marketplace, there may be laws pertaining to intellectual property rights, product safety, the environment and other applicable requirements. The same is true for all marketplaces. Do your research and be aware of your responsibilities. You need to consider tax and customs, intellectual property rights, parallel importation, export controls, marking and labelling, the environment, health and safety, and product compliance.
Crafting a marketplace strategy
Overview
The process of deciding where and what to sell on a marketplace in another country can be similar to the process for your main Marketplace. However, there are a few additional considerations to take into account when selling internationally.
One way to evaluate a strategy for entering an international marketplace is to use the "four P's" of the marketing mix: Product, Price, Placement and Promotions. Let's look at each aspect within global selling on Amazon.
One way to evaluate a strategy for entering an international marketplace is to use the "four P's" of the marketing mix: Product, Price, Placement and Promotions. Let's look at each aspect within global selling on Amazon.
Product: choosing what to sell
When you select an Amazon marketplace in which to sell, you need to know if your product is appropriate for your target country. In particular, you must ensure that you comply with all laws in each country. Moreover, product standards vary from country to country. For example, mobile devices operating between 110 and 220V that use two-pin electrical chargers may not be suitable for European marketplaces, but could be appropriate for Japanese ones. Similarly, feather duvets you sell successfully in the UK would probably not sell well in the United States because standard mattress sizes vary from country to country.
When selling globally through Amazon for the first time, a natural approach is to think about your bestselling products in your main Marketplace. Based on your previous experience and data from sales reports, which products are selling well? It's also important to ask yourself why you think these particular products sell well. Will these same reasons hold true for the marketplace on which you’re getting started, or are there other fundamentals driving customer demand in the new marketplace, such as culture, climate or demographics, including average age and income? Also, think about how differences between marketplaces could benefit you. For example, do you have seasonal inventory that you don't know what to do with when the season is over in one marketplace? You could extend your selling season by selling abroad, where the product may find a new audience.
Tip: sell several different products rather than relying on one or two. Why? A wider selection of products means better overall exposure of your range to customers. This variety can help you quickly determine which products are popular in a given marketplace.
You can start slowly while still maintaining a wide selection, even if you’re not ready to place a lot of your inventory on another Amazon marketplace. If your sales increase, you can adjust your price or remove listings to mitigate stock-out risk, just like with your main Amazon marketplace. For a lower commitment, you can start by fulfilling orders yourself instead of sending inventory to another country. Remember that selling in another marketplace doesn’t mean you lose control over your listings.
When deciding which products to sell in an Amazon marketplace, you of course have another key source of information available to you - observations of the marketplace itself. You should be very familiar with this type of marketplace research thanks to the activities you undoubtedly engage in when selling on your main Amazon marketplace. For this research, local language proficiency is extremely helpful. If you're trying to research a marketplace in a language you don’t understand, you can get basic language interpretation from free online translation tools, but be wary of relying too heavily on these.
In your target marketplace, check the Bestsellers, New Arrivals and Featured Brand selections for your product categories. Read customer reviews to understand your competition’s strengths and weaknesses.
During this product research phase, it may be helpful to broaden your search to online retailers other than Amazon. Use a search engine to find relevant e-commerce websites by country. Trade publications and communities of online sellers in each country can also be a valuable source of information as you prepare to sell products in their region.
Tip: keep in mind that potential customers of a particular marketplace may not necessarily reside in the target country. Some customers of each marketplace may reside in a neighbouring country, prefer to shop in a particular language, seek products only available in a given marketplace, or choose to purchase from abroad. For example, an Amazon.com customer may reside in Mexico.
Tip: keep in mind that potential customers of a particular marketplace may not necessarily reside in the target country. Some customers of each marketplace may reside in a neighbouring country, prefer to shop in a particular language, seek products only available in a given marketplace, or choose to purchase from abroad. For example, an Amazon.com customer may reside in Mexico.
When selling globally through Amazon for the first time, a natural approach is to think about your bestselling products in your main Marketplace. Based on your previous experience and data from sales reports, which products are selling well? It's also important to ask yourself why you think these particular products sell well. Will these same reasons hold true for the marketplace on which you’re getting started, or are there other fundamentals driving customer demand in the new marketplace, such as culture, climate or demographics, including average age and income? Also, think about how differences between marketplaces could benefit you. For example, do you have seasonal inventory that you don't know what to do with when the season is over in one marketplace? You could extend your selling season by selling abroad, where the product may find a new audience.
Tip: sell several different products rather than relying on one or two. Why? A wider selection of products means better overall exposure of your range to customers. This variety can help you quickly determine which products are popular in a given marketplace.
You can start slowly while still maintaining a wide selection, even if you’re not ready to place a lot of your inventory on another Amazon marketplace. If your sales increase, you can adjust your price or remove listings to mitigate stock-out risk, just like with your main Amazon marketplace. For a lower commitment, you can start by fulfilling orders yourself instead of sending inventory to another country. Remember that selling in another marketplace doesn’t mean you lose control over your listings.
When deciding which products to sell in an Amazon marketplace, you of course have another key source of information available to you - observations of the marketplace itself. You should be very familiar with this type of marketplace research thanks to the activities you undoubtedly engage in when selling on your main Amazon marketplace. For this research, local language proficiency is extremely helpful. If you're trying to research a marketplace in a language you don’t understand, you can get basic language interpretation from free online translation tools, but be wary of relying too heavily on these.
In your target marketplace, check the Bestsellers, New Arrivals and Featured Brand selections for your product categories. Read customer reviews to understand your competition’s strengths and weaknesses.
During this product research phase, it may be helpful to broaden your search to online retailers other than Amazon. Use a search engine to find relevant e-commerce websites by country. Trade publications and communities of online sellers in each country can also be a valuable source of information as you prepare to sell products in their region.
Tip: keep in mind that potential customers of a particular marketplace may not necessarily reside in the target country. Some customers of each marketplace may reside in a neighbouring country, prefer to shop in a particular language, seek products only available in a given marketplace, or choose to purchase from abroad. For example, an Amazon.com customer may reside in Mexico.
Tip: keep in mind that potential customers of a particular marketplace may not necessarily reside in the target country. Some customers of each marketplace may reside in a neighbouring country, prefer to shop in a particular language, seek products only available in a given marketplace, or choose to purchase from abroad. For example, an Amazon.com customer may reside in Mexico.
Price: setting and adjusting your price
The following are potential new costs to consider when selling outside your primary marketplace. These additional costs may change your profitability calculation:
- Shipping costs when you are shipping directly to international customers.
- International return shipping costs, if you ship orders yourself.
- Shipping costs to send your inventory to fulfilment centres abroad when using Fulfilment by Amazon.
- Customer support costs if you provide these services yourself in a local language or appoint a third-party provider to manage language support for customers.
- Foreign exchange costs associated with payments in your local currency.
- Translation costs for listing ASINs in another language.
- Taxes and fees.
As you can see, many of the variable costs change based on whether you fulfil products yourself or use Fulfilment by Amazon.
Placement: optimising your distribution channels
In addition to growing your global business on Amazon, you can also consider expanding it outside of Amazon. Here are some other services offered by Amazon that you may find helpful in developing this international strategy:
Multi-Channel Fulfilment: If you already use Fulfilment by Amazon to fulfil orders by Amazon customers, you can handle online sales from other channels using the same inventory. Use Multi-Channel Fulfilment, a feature within Fulfilment by Amazon, to fulfil orders that come from sales channels other than Amazon, including your own website, other third-party platforms, and even catalogue or in-store sales.
Product ads: Amazon Product Ads is an advertising service designed to offer Amazon customers seamless access to products available on external websites. As an advertiser, you simply upload your catalogue, then set your cost-per-click bids and budget. Amazon will then display your ads to Amazon customers when they buy your product or related products. Customers who want to buy your product can click on your website and order it directly from you.
Multi-Channel Fulfilment: If you already use Fulfilment by Amazon to fulfil orders by Amazon customers, you can handle online sales from other channels using the same inventory. Use Multi-Channel Fulfilment, a feature within Fulfilment by Amazon, to fulfil orders that come from sales channels other than Amazon, including your own website, other third-party platforms, and even catalogue or in-store sales.
Product ads: Amazon Product Ads is an advertising service designed to offer Amazon customers seamless access to products available on external websites. As an advertiser, you simply upload your catalogue, then set your cost-per-click bids and budget. Amazon will then display your ads to Amazon customers when they buy your product or related products. Customers who want to buy your product can click on your website and order it directly from you.
Promotion: making your listings more attractive
As in your primary Amazon marketplace, Amazon provides tools that enable you to advertise and run promotions for your products. The promotional tools available depend on the Amazon marketplace and may include free delivery, discounts, buy one get one free, and external benefits.
Another way to increase the visibility of your listings is through Amazon Sponsored Products, a cost-per-click advertising service that helps you promote the products you sell on Amazon.com through keyword targeted ads.
Another way to increase the visibility of your listings is through Amazon Sponsored Products, a cost-per-click advertising service that helps you promote the products you sell on Amazon.com through keyword targeted ads.
2
Register and list your products
Leverage Amazon tools to manage global seller accounts and your marketplace listings. Translate your listings if necessary. Your products are now available for sale.
Build International Listings
The Build International Listings tool (BIL) helps you sell globally by adding listings and synchronising pricing across multiple marketplaces. BIL allows you to add numerous listings to other marketplaces quickly. Then, based on the rules you set, BIL manages marketplace pricing for you via automated updates.
Overview
You will need to set up your Amazon seller account for the online marketplace where you want to sell. Even if you already sell in one Amazon marketplace, you will need to create a new selling account in another marketplace. For example, if you sell in the UK or the US and want to sell in Japan, you need to create a new Amazon seller account for Amazon.co.jp.
An exception to this is if you already sell through a North American marketplace, such as Amazon.com, and want to sell on another North American Amazon marketplace, such as Amazon.ca. In this case, you can do so from your current seller account, because Amazon offers a unified account for North American marketplaces.
In some countries, Amazon has online registration processes in the local language, such as Spanish for Amazon.com.mx. If you do not speak these languages and are interested in selling in any of these marketplaces, register to sell on Amazon.com in English and then create listings on the Mexican marketplace with the unified account.
If you're already selling on Amazon, expand your business internationally. If you're new to Amazon, choose the location where you'd like to get started:
An exception to this is if you already sell through a North American marketplace, such as Amazon.com, and want to sell on another North American Amazon marketplace, such as Amazon.ca. In this case, you can do so from your current seller account, because Amazon offers a unified account for North American marketplaces.
In some countries, Amazon has online registration processes in the local language, such as Spanish for Amazon.com.mx. If you do not speak these languages and are interested in selling in any of these marketplaces, register to sell on Amazon.com in English and then create listings on the Mexican marketplace with the unified account.
If you're already selling on Amazon, expand your business internationally. If you're new to Amazon, choose the location where you'd like to get started:
North American registration requirements
When you register to sell in the US on Amazon.com, you will need to provide a credit card, phone number and valid tax information. In terms of taxes, you will need to go through a step-by-step online interview to determine whether you have to complete a W-9 form (as a US taxpayer) or a W-8BEN (as a non-US taxpayer). When you register to sell in Canada or Mexico, on Amazon.ca or Amazon.mx, you will need to provide a credit card, phone number and valid tax information.
North America Unified Account. In North America, we have simplified managing your business across the United States, Canada and Mexico marketplaces. The North America Unified Account enables you to create and manage product offers in the US, Canada, and Mexico. You control what you sell and where you sell =using a single seller account interface.
When you sign up to sell on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.mx, your seller account is automatically activated to sell across all these marketplaces. You can switch between marketplaces on Seller Central. This allows you to list products and manage orders in each marketplace.
As a professional seller, you will only pay subscription fees corresponding to the marketplace where you first registered to sell. For example, if you registered to sell on Amazon.com, you will pay the subscription fees for that marketplace. If you decide to sell on Amazon.ca, you will not pay additional subscription fees. However, for all per-item sales, you will pay the fees that apply to the marketplace where the item was sold.
In order to sell across the US, Canada, and Mexico, you will need to create listings on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.com.mx. Note that creating listings in the first marketplace where you register (e.g. Amazon.com) and beginning to sell does not automatically populate listings in the other marketplaces (e.g. Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.mx); if you want to sell across all three marketplaces, you will need to create listings in each one.
Finally, when setting up a North America Unified Account, you need to provide a bank account in one of the countries supported by Amazon. Currently, Amazon supports US, Canadian and Mexican bank accounts, as well as bank accounts in European countries.
North America Unified Account. In North America, we have simplified managing your business across the United States, Canada and Mexico marketplaces. The North America Unified Account enables you to create and manage product offers in the US, Canada, and Mexico. You control what you sell and where you sell =using a single seller account interface.
When you sign up to sell on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.mx, your seller account is automatically activated to sell across all these marketplaces. You can switch between marketplaces on Seller Central. This allows you to list products and manage orders in each marketplace.
As a professional seller, you will only pay subscription fees corresponding to the marketplace where you first registered to sell. For example, if you registered to sell on Amazon.com, you will pay the subscription fees for that marketplace. If you decide to sell on Amazon.ca, you will not pay additional subscription fees. However, for all per-item sales, you will pay the fees that apply to the marketplace where the item was sold.
In order to sell across the US, Canada, and Mexico, you will need to create listings on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.com.mx. Note that creating listings in the first marketplace where you register (e.g. Amazon.com) and beginning to sell does not automatically populate listings in the other marketplaces (e.g. Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.mx); if you want to sell across all three marketplaces, you will need to create listings in each one.
Finally, when setting up a North America Unified Account, you need to provide a bank account in one of the countries supported by Amazon. Currently, Amazon supports US, Canadian and Mexican bank accounts, as well as bank accounts in European countries.
Registration requirements for Japan
Amazon.co.jp offers an online registration process in English and Japanese. Once you have set up your account, you can choose to manage it in Seller Central in Japanese or English.
Payments
Using a bank account in the marketplace
If you prefer to maintain a high level of control over your financial accounts, you can open a bank account in the country where you want to sell. This is usually a more complex process as you may need to create a legal business entity in that country. Therefore, consult your legal, tax and banking advisers.
Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers
If you’d prefer not to open an account in the country of another Amazon marketplace, you have the option of using the Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS). With ACCS, you can get paid directly into your local bank account in the local currency, provided you have a bank account in a country supported by Amazon. Regardless of your country of residence, you can only receive payments into a bank account opened in a country and currency supported by ACCS.
How ACCS works
When entering bank account details, you must agree to the ACCS terms and conditions of use to receive payments into this account. Every disbursement will automatically be transferred to your local bank in the local currency. If you switch banks, you must agree to the ACCS terms and conditions again when entering the new bank account details.
The table below shows the currencies supported by ACCS for each marketplace account.
How ACCS works
When entering bank account details, you must agree to the ACCS terms and conditions of use to receive payments into this account. Every disbursement will automatically be transferred to your local bank in the local currency. If you switch banks, you must agree to the ACCS terms and conditions again when entering the new bank account details.
The table below shows the currencies supported by ACCS for each marketplace account.
Creating a listing
Overview
Once you've created a seller account in a new target marketplace, the next step is to create product listings within your new marketplace. Product listing requirements may differ depending on the marketplace. Therefore, make sure that you check the instructions available on the help pages of each marketplace. A listing on an Amazon marketplace includes the following:
- Product ID: a global identification number, such as a UPC, EAN or ISBN number.
Product title: a concise description of the product. - Product title: a concise description of the product.
- Bullet points and product description: Bullet points briefly outline the main product features and spark the customer’s interest. The product description provides detailed information about the product. Use a third-party currency conversion service.
- Product images: clear photographs of the product that show as much detail as possible. Images should be at least 500x500 pixels, although a size of 1000x1000 pixels is recommended if you want your product to be visible in detail. Image size requirements may be different for some categories. Check the instructions on Seller Central.
- Search terms: keywords that can be entered in the Search field by someone looking for your product. You can provide multiple search terms.
Note: the quality of your listing will affect how often your item is displayed in search results and consequently how likely it is that customers will buy your product. This is why it’s important to invest time and effort in producing high-quality listings to improve your sales potential.
Listing your products
If you have a limited inventory (fewer than 100 products), it may be easier to use the Add a Product listing tool to list products one by one. Alternatively, for sellers with professional accounts and larger inventories, you can create an inventory file and upload the inventory all at once using high-volume listing tools.
Listings need to be in the language of the Amazon marketplace where you intend to sell. For example, to sell on Amazon.de or Amazon.jp, your product listings should be in German or Japanese respectively. If you don’t know the language of the Amazon marketplace where you want to sell, there are many online resources that can help sellers professionally translate their listings. Here are a few links that other sellers have found useful:
Listings need to be in the language of the Amazon marketplace where you intend to sell. For example, to sell on Amazon.de or Amazon.jp, your product listings should be in German or Japanese respectively. If you don’t know the language of the Amazon marketplace where you want to sell, there are many online resources that can help sellers professionally translate their listings. Here are a few links that other sellers have found useful:
Build International Listings
The Build International Listings tool saves you time when managing listings and allows you to create and update listings simultaneously across multiple Amazon marketplaces with your unified account. Once you’ve launched and created listings in your main “source” marketplace, you can then select these listings and identify a target marketplace in which you currently have no listings. The Build International Listings tool performs the following automated functions:
The Build International Listings tool saves you time when managing listings and allows you to create and update listings simultaneously across multiple Amazon marketplaces with your unified account. Once you’ve launched and created listings in your main “source” marketplace, you can then select these listings and identify a target marketplace in which you currently have no listings. The Build International Listings tool performs the following automated functions:
- Listings are created across multiple target marketplaces based on products you are selling in the source marketplace.
- Whenever you add or delete a listing, listings in the target marketplaces are updated.
- It adjusts prices in your target marketplaces based on changes you make to prices on the source marketplace, according to the pricing rules you’ve set.
- It adjusts prices in the target marketplaces to reflect exchange rate fluctuations affecting the source marketplace currency.
3
Ship and sell
Amazon shipping services help you quickly ship products to customers around the world. Understanding what’s involved in shipping and handling in different countries, including costs, times and requirements. Learn about Fulfilment by Amazon international solutions, or handle shipping yourself.
Fulfilment by Seller
Sending your products internationally direct to your customers
If your inventory is located in a country other than the marketplace where your customers placed their order, you need to ship the product internationally to them. Here is an overview of the process:
- The seller chooses a carrier that is able to ship internationally.
- The seller ships the product and is the official exporter.
Important note: to ensure a positive customer experience and manage your customer reviews and seller performance evaluations, it is important not to subject customers to delays due to customs fees or unexpected costs associated with additional customs fees and taxes on their products. It is important that the seller handles such matters when shipping the product. - The carrier acts as a broker by default, in accordance with the terms and conditions set out on the waybill. The carrier will collect duties from the buyer on delivery of the goods.
It is also important to manage customer expectations. You should provide customers with accurate information about the country from which you are shipping your product. Specifically, you need to accurately state the 'shipping from' country in your seller profile and manage customer expectations by stating the actual shipping times from your country. You will be responsible for meeting shipping expectations for all orders you receive.
International shipment
International shipping charges vary depending on several factors, including:
- Package dimensions and weight
- Delivery time
- Source (where you are shipping from) and destination (where you are shipping to). Costs can be considerably higher for international destinations.
- Transperfect Translations
In addition to the above costs, you should be aware of the customs duties and taxes that will need to be paid. Amazon will not be responsible for any customs duties and taxes associated with FBA inventory. Any shipments arriving at an Amazon fulfilment centre with customs duty charges due will be returned to sender.
International Shipping Times
It will take longer to process an international order than a domestic one. Shipping times are specified in the details of a listing and may make your listing less competitive compared to domestic equivalents.
International Shipping Times
It will take longer to process an international order than a domestic one. Shipping times are specified in the details of a listing and may make your listing less competitive compared to domestic equivalents.
Other Resources
There are also plenty of online resources that can help sellers to set rates and that will make shipping easier. Here are a few links, listed by region, that other sellers have found useful. Visit their websites to calculate the approximate shipping costs you can expect when shipping orders for the Amazon marketplaces where you would like to list your products:
Fulfilment by Amazon
Overview
The seller is based
FBA fulfilment centre location
Is import required?
Outside the United States
United States
Yes, products need to be imported into the US
Outside Canada
Canada
Yes, products need to be imported into Canada.
Outside Europe
Country of the European marketplace: UK, Germany, France, Italy, or Spain
Yes, products need to be imported into the country where the FBA fulfilment centre is located.
In Europe
EU marketplace countries: UK, Germany, France, Italy, or Spain
No, goods don't need to be imported intra-EU. If the seller uses Fulfilment by Amazon, they can use FBA’s international programmes.
Outside Japan
Japan
Yes, products need to be imported into Japan.
Outside Mexico
Mexico
Yes, products need to be imported into Mexico.
Shipping your products internationally directly to your customers
If your inventory is located in a different country to the fulfilment centre, you need to export your products from the source country and import them into the destination country. You will act as the exporter of record in the source country and the importer of record in the destination country, and must comply with all laws and regulations of the source and destination countries. You may be subject to import taxes, customs duties and fees charged by the destination country. Amazon will not be responsible for any customs duties or taxes associated with FBA inventory. Any shipments arriving at an Amazon fulfilment centre with customs duty charges due will be returned to sender. Here is an overview of the process:
- Creating ads in Seller Central.
- Prepare a commercial invoice indicating that you are the official importer.
- Choose a customs broker (this service may be offered by your carrier).
- Ship the products from the factory or warehouse to the port.
- Clearing products for export.
- Load the products onto a carrier to be transported to the destination port.
- Ship the products to the destination port and unload them.
- Clearing products for import.
- Load the products onto a carrier to be transported to a fulfilment centre.
For more information about the rules and regulations for bringing inventory into an Amazon fulfilment centre, including requirements for LTL/FTL or floor-loaded shipments, please visit the followingAmazon help page.
Importing and exporting inventory
Overview
Overview
When you expand your business to an Amazon marketplace outside your home country and ship your products via Fulfilment by Amazon or a third-party provider, you need to understand your obligations in the import/export process. Although you may want to manage some or all of these import/export steps yourself, it could be easier to hire a logistics provider, such as a customs broker or freight forwarder, to manage the process for you. These providers can have the expertise and the time to ensure that your inventory is moved from one location to another in a timely and secure manner.
Tip: if you use FBA in a marketplace outside your home country and you wish to use a logistics provider, it is best practice to contact a provider as soon as you sign up for the FBA service. The process of completing the necessary paperwork can take some time, and you do not want it to delay the delivery of your products.
If you engage the services of a customs broker or a freight forwarder to help you move your inventory from one country to another, you must hire them directly. You must also directly make the necessary arrangements for establishing the official importer or exporter. Amazon cannot act in that capacity or make these arrangements for you.
Before hiring a customs broker or freight forwarder to help you move your inventory from one country to a distribution centre located in another country, you need to decide who will take on certain responsibilities:
When you expand your business to an Amazon marketplace outside your home country and ship your products via Fulfilment by Amazon or a third-party provider, you need to understand your obligations in the import/export process. Although you may want to manage some or all of these import/export steps yourself, it could be easier to hire a logistics provider, such as a customs broker or freight forwarder, to manage the process for you. These providers can have the expertise and the time to ensure that your inventory is moved from one location to another in a timely and secure manner.
Tip: if you use FBA in a marketplace outside your home country and you wish to use a logistics provider, it is best practice to contact a provider as soon as you sign up for the FBA service. The process of completing the necessary paperwork can take some time, and you do not want it to delay the delivery of your products.
If you engage the services of a customs broker or a freight forwarder to help you move your inventory from one country to another, you must hire them directly. You must also directly make the necessary arrangements for establishing the official importer or exporter. Amazon cannot act in that capacity or make these arrangements for you.
Before hiring a customs broker or freight forwarder to help you move your inventory from one country to a distribution centre located in another country, you need to decide who will take on certain responsibilities:
- Official Exporter (EOR): in general, the shipper is the official exporter. Amazon will not act as the official exporter. You may be able to make an agreement with your customs broker or freight forwarder for them to act as the EOR.
- Official Importer (IOR): it falls to the official importer to ensure that the import is handled correctly in the destination country. Responsibilities include filing the documents that are legally required and paying estimated customs fees and import taxes. It is important to note that neither Amazon nor its fulfilment centres will act as the official importer for inventory shipped using FBA. Any shipment of FBA inventory that attempts to be imported with Amazon as the IOR will be refused and returned at the shipper's expense, without exception.
Non-resident Importers
In some countries, a non-resident (foreign) official importer (IOR) can arrange the entry of goods. To become a non-resident IOR, please contact your customs broker or carrier for more details.
Important note: it is your responsibility to comply with all import and export laws, as well as to ensure that imported goods comply with the applicable laws and regulations. You cannot import prohibited or restricted items without having all necessary permits and authorisations. For example, the import of certain agricultural products, food, alcohol, plants and seeds, fish and wildlife products, or medications into the United States may be prohibited or restricted.
In some countries, a non-resident (foreign) official importer (IOR) can arrange the entry of goods. To become a non-resident IOR, please contact your customs broker or carrier for more details.
Important note: it is your responsibility to comply with all import and export laws, as well as to ensure that imported goods comply with the applicable laws and regulations. You cannot import prohibited or restricted items without having all necessary permits and authorisations. For example, the import of certain agricultural products, food, alcohol, plants and seeds, fish and wildlife products, or medications into the United States may be prohibited or restricted.
Arranging shipment with a customs broker or freight forwarder
Note that a carrier of your choice that will ship your products to the United States will have their own procedures in place, but may ask that you meet the following conditions:
- Power of Attorney: when you sign a Power of Attorney, the customs broker or freight forwarder is authorised to act as your agent to transport your inventory through the customs process.
- Registering the official importer: register as an IOR with the customs authorities of the country where you are importing inventory. Neither Amazon nor our fulfilment centres will act as the IOR for shipments of FBA inventory. This applies to shipments of any size or value, regardless of origin or product. Any FBA shipment that attempts to be imported with Amazon as the IOR will be refused and returned at the shipper's expense, without exception.
- Terms and conditions: the customs broker should specify the conditions to help you understand who is responsible for the goods at each stage of the shipping process.
- Duties, taxes and shipping costs: Amazon will not be responsible for or collect any duties, taxes or shipping costs associated with FBA inventory. All shipments must use the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping terms. Any shipment that arrives at an Amazon fulfilment centre with collect charges, including any duties, taxes or shipping costs, will be refused without further concessions.
To obtain your estimated shipping cost before you have the exact address of a particular Fulfilment Centre you will be shipping to in the US, we recommend that you pass the examples below (one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast) to your carrier to get a quote.
Example 1:
Example 2:
Breinigsville, PA 18031
Phoenix, AZ 85043
Check that your contact details are on the shipping documents in case there are queries about your shipment.
If you are having difficulty finding a carrier that meets your needs, we recommend using our service provider network, which includes third-party providers that are familiar with handling Amazon shipments worldwide.
If you are having difficulty finding a carrier that meets your needs, we recommend using our service provider network, which includes third-party providers that are familiar with handling Amazon shipments worldwide.
Ultimate consignee
Although Amazon is not an official importer, it may be listed as the ultimate consignee on your shipping documents, but only if “to” is noted before the name Amazon.
If you list Amazon as the ultimate consignee, your customs broker must contact Amazon at sellerimports@amazon.com in advance of shipping any inventory to obtain the EIN or Tax ID number required for customs clearance.
If you list Amazon as the ultimate consignee, your customs broker must contact Amazon at sellerimports@amazon.com in advance of shipping any inventory to obtain the EIN or Tax ID number required for customs clearance.
Commercial invoice
When your goods are ready for shipment from the manufacturer or distributor, the shipper prepares the commercial invoice. It is vital for the commercial invoice to be accurate to avoid delays clearing customs. The following information should appear on the commercial invoice:
- The date of the invoice.
- The names of the buyer and seller, including addresses (Amazon should not appear as a buyer or seller on the commercial invoice).
- The name and full address of the seller or manufacturer.
- The shipper’s name, company name, address and tax ID number.
- The ship-to address. Enter “To” here, then the name and address of the Amazon fulfilment centre you are shipping the goods to.
- Official importer. This field must contain the shipper's name, if it is the same as the owner of the goods. Do not leave these fields blank; if you do, the shipment will be refused and returned.
- Shipping method.
- Detailed description of the goods being invoiced. Include the following:
- Customs Harmonized Codes, if known
- Unit count
- Unit values
- Total value of each product. For samples or products with no commercial value, a nominal or fair-market value must be stated for customs purposes.
- The type of currency of the transaction.
- Conditions of sale. Note that the appropriate terms and conditions are Delivered Duty Paid (DDP). The shipper or FBA seller should pay all applicable customs duties and taxes and be responsible for clearing customs before delivery to the Amazon fulfilment centre. You are not authorised to import goods in the name of Amazon or to specify Amazon as the declarant or official importer on the customs declaration paperwork.
- Shipment tracking number. For shipments to Amazon fulfilment centres, state the FBA shipment number that you received when creating the shipment on your Amazon seller account. The shipment tracking number can also correspond to an air waybill number if you are sending the package via a carrier service such as FedEx or UPS.
- All certifications.
- Name of the carrier.
- Freight payment terms.
- Reason for export.
Shipping best practices
Amazon fulfilment centres have requirements for the shipments they receive, including the size of pallets and the type of truck that can deliver to the fulfilment centre. The How to Ship Inventory to Amazon guidelines provide the necessary information for preparing your shipment to an Amazon fulfilment centre. If you meet these requirements and apply best practices, you will avoid delays in getting your inventory to the distribution centre and to your customers.
Note: there are differences between pallets from retail sites in the US, UK, and Europe.
Wherever possible, arrange for your shipments to be loaded onto pallets before they arrive at the distribution centre. Amazon's fulfilment centres will accept floor-loaded shipments, but only if you request this in advance when you are preparing your shipment to the fulfilment centre. Additional charges may apply if the floor-loaded shipment requires extensive handling.
Make sure that your shipments comply with Amazon's policies on inbound shipments. If Amazon refuses to accept your shipments, it is your responsibility to remove the shipment from the fulfilment centre. For shipments that constitute less than half a pallet of bulk boxes, each of which weighs less than 15 kgs, it is better to ship your products through a carrier service. The carrier you use may depend on the destination country as carrier services vary. If you do choose to ship your inventory to a fulfilment centre via a carrier service, you should check with the carrier to make sure that they can clear your goods through customs based on the commercial invoice you provide. If the carrier cannot clear your goods based on the commercial invoice, you may need to contact a customs broker.
Logistics companies/customs brokers. There are many online resources that can help sellers set rates and make shipping easier. Here are some links for companies that sellers have found useful. Visit their websites to calculate the approximate shipping costs you can expect when shipping orders for the Amazon marketplaces where you would like to list your products:
First Choice Shipping: www.firstchoiceship.com Samuel Shapiro: www.shapiro.com
FedEx: www.fedex.com Regional Express: www.regionalexpress.co.uk
We suggest that you contact your freight forwarder or carrier before shipping any inventory to find out their fees and requirements.
Note: there are differences between pallets from retail sites in the US, UK, and Europe.
Wherever possible, arrange for your shipments to be loaded onto pallets before they arrive at the distribution centre. Amazon's fulfilment centres will accept floor-loaded shipments, but only if you request this in advance when you are preparing your shipment to the fulfilment centre. Additional charges may apply if the floor-loaded shipment requires extensive handling.
Make sure that your shipments comply with Amazon's policies on inbound shipments. If Amazon refuses to accept your shipments, it is your responsibility to remove the shipment from the fulfilment centre. For shipments that constitute less than half a pallet of bulk boxes, each of which weighs less than 15 kgs, it is better to ship your products through a carrier service. The carrier you use may depend on the destination country as carrier services vary. If you do choose to ship your inventory to a fulfilment centre via a carrier service, you should check with the carrier to make sure that they can clear your goods through customs based on the commercial invoice you provide. If the carrier cannot clear your goods based on the commercial invoice, you may need to contact a customs broker.
Logistics companies/customs brokers. There are many online resources that can help sellers set rates and make shipping easier. Here are some links for companies that sellers have found useful. Visit their websites to calculate the approximate shipping costs you can expect when shipping orders for the Amazon marketplaces where you would like to list your products:
First Choice Shipping: www.firstchoiceship.com Samuel Shapiro: www.shapiro.com
FedEx: www.fedex.com Regional Express: www.regionalexpress.co.uk
We suggest that you contact your freight forwarder or carrier before shipping any inventory to find out their fees and requirements.
Return of imports
Amazon cannot return inventory held in Amazon fulfilment centres to an address outside of the original import country. Furthermore, FBA does not support collection options for sellers at Amazon fulfilment centres. If you wish to have FBA inventory returned to you, you can find out more about the process here.
4
Manage your business
Provide customer support and returns in the local country, by yourself or through Amazon. Receive payments in your preferred currency. Use Amazon’s tools and recommendations to increase your international sales and expand your business globally.
Solution Provider Network
Solution Provider Network: your journey, from tax and compliance to international shipping and optimising your ads.
Customer support
Overview
When you expand your business to an Amazon marketplace outside your home country and ship your products via Fulfilment by Amazon or a third-party supplier, you need to understand your obligations in the import/export process. Although you may want to manage some or all of these import/export steps yourself, it may be easier to hire a logistics provider, such as a customs broker or freight forwarder, to manage the process for you. These providers have the expertise and time to ensure that your inventory is moved from one location to another in a timely and secure manner.
Create a seller account in an Amazon marketplace by clicking on one or more of the links below:
Create a seller account in an Amazon marketplace by clicking on one or more of the links below:
Customer support for seller shipping
Customer support in the local language. When you choose to fulfil customer orders yourself, it’s not only about preparing, packing and shipping to customers. Amazon also requires you to handle customer support. This can be tricky if you are selling in an Amazon marketplace where you aren’t proficient in the language.
You may be tempted to use automated translators to respond to e-mail queries from international customers. However, there is a risk that machine translation may not generate ideal translations, which could lead to a poor customer experience and ultimately affect your performance as a seller. A better option, if you do not have in-house customer support capabilities in the local language, is to use third-party service providers to manage your customer support.
Timely responses. Customers expect prompt, helpful service when they have questions or concerns about your products. For the best possible seller performance, you should hire customer service specialists who will understand your products, know where the customer's product is and when it will be delivered, and who will be able to respond quickly (within 24 hours) to customer emails in the local language. This can be tricky when you sell in marketplaces that are in different time zones to your own, as time differences will reduce the window during which you can reply to customers within your normal business hours.
There are numerous online resources that can help sellers with customer support. Here are a few links that other sellers have found useful, listed by region:
North America: Seller Engine
Europe: InterCultural Elements
Japan: Jumbo
You may be tempted to use automated translators to respond to e-mail queries from international customers. However, there is a risk that machine translation may not generate ideal translations, which could lead to a poor customer experience and ultimately affect your performance as a seller. A better option, if you do not have in-house customer support capabilities in the local language, is to use third-party service providers to manage your customer support.
Timely responses. Customers expect prompt, helpful service when they have questions or concerns about your products. For the best possible seller performance, you should hire customer service specialists who will understand your products, know where the customer's product is and when it will be delivered, and who will be able to respond quickly (within 24 hours) to customer emails in the local language. This can be tricky when you sell in marketplaces that are in different time zones to your own, as time differences will reduce the window during which you can reply to customers within your normal business hours.
There are numerous online resources that can help sellers with customer support. Here are a few links that other sellers have found useful, listed by region:
North America: Seller Engine
Europe: InterCultural Elements
Japan: Jumbo
Customer support for Fulfilment by Amazon
When you use FBA, Amazon will provide 24-hour customer support in the local language of the relevant marketplace. For many sellers, this feature of FBA is critical to selling successfully in international marketplaces. With local language customer support already included in the FBA service, you can provide your customers with world-class Amazon support and focus on growing and managing your business.
Customer returns
Overview
When you use FBA, Amazon will provide 24-hour customer support in the local language of the relevant marketplace. For many sellers, this feature of FBA is critical to selling successfully in international marketplaces. With local language customer support already included in the FBA service, you can provide your customers with world-class Amazon support and focus on growing and managing your business.
Customer returns for seller shipping
When listing products in an international marketplace and fulfilling items yourself, you must either provide customers with a local return address within the country of their Amazon marketplace website, or offer them free shipping for returns. This is a requirement to sell on Amazon's marketplaces.
When deciding how your customers will return the items they buy from you, keep the following options in mind:
When deciding how your customers will return the items they buy from you, keep the following options in mind:
- Using the Fulfilment by Amazon service: when you choose FBA, Amazon will handle local returns on your behalf for FBA orders in that marketplace, so that you don't have to worry about providing a local return address.
- Applying restocking fees and offering partial refunds: in some situations, it may be appropriate to charge the customer a restocking fee or to offer a partial refund for the returned product. Restocking fees or partial refunds must comply with Amazon's returns policies.
- Hiring a third-party international returns provider: we have created a list of returns providers that can accept returns in your customers' countries. Depending on your sales volume and unit price, international returns providers may offer solutions that reduce the costs you incur when customers in other counties return your products. For example, some providers will consolidate returns and ship them to you or to another customer.
Customer returns for Fulfilment by Amazon
When you choose FBA, Amazon will handle local returns on your behalf, so that you don’t have to worry about providing a local return address or changing your pricing to incorporate shipping for international returns.
