How to Sell on Amazon India (Amazon.in) - A Complete Seller Registration Guide?
Ready to tap into India's vast online marketplace? Selling on Amazon.in offers an incredible opportunity to reach millions of customers across the country. This complete guide simplifies the seller registration process, outlining each crucial step from initial account setup and GST verification to setting up shipping, banking, and finally, listing your products to go live. Whether you're an established business or a new entrepreneur, learn how to navigate Amazon's seller ecosystem and launch your online store efficiently.
This information provides clear instructions for registering as a seller on Amazon.in. It covers two scenarios: one for existing Amazon.in customer account holders and another for new users.
Here's a summary of the key steps:
1. Enter GST number:
To Start Registration: Go to sell.amazon.in or sellercentral.amazon.in. Click on 'Start Selling' to create your account.
If you have a customer account on Amazon.in (or Prime Video): Use the same email and password as your customer account to sign in. You will be prompted to verify your phone number with an OTP.
If you don't have a customer account on Amazon.in (or want a new seller account):
Click on 'Create your Amazon account'. Enter your name, mobile number, e-mail address, and set up a password. Click on 'Continue'.
To continue with your Amazon.in seller registration after signing in, you will be prompted to enter your Goods and Services Tax (GST) number.
Important Note:
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If you exclusively plan to sell products that are exempt from GST (such as books), you should select the option ‘I only sell tax-exempted products such as books’ instead of entering a GST number.
2. Verify GST number :
After entering your GST number during the Amazon.in seller registration, the next crucial step is to verify it.
Here's the process:
- Initiate Verification: Click on 'Continue to Verify'.
- Upload GST Document: On the subsequent screen, click on 'Upload GST document'.
- Required Document: You need to upload your GSTIN certificate (specifically Reg-06 with Annexure A and Annexure B).
- File Specifications:
Formats: The document can be in PDF, JPG, or DOC format.
Size: It must be less than 10MB.
- Submit: After uploading, click on 'Submit GST document'.
Important Information Regarding Verification:
- Timeframe: GST verification can take up to 72 hours.
- Notification: You will receive an email notifying you of the verification outcome.
- Continue Registration: While your documents are under review, you are still permitted to proceed with the remaining steps of the seller registration process.
3. Enter Store Name:
Now it's time to personalize your Amazon.in store by choosing a store name. This name is how customers will identify your business on the platform, so it's a key part of your brand identity.
You have two options for selecting your store name:
- Accept Amazon's Suggestions: You can go with one of the auto-generated store name suggestions provided by Amazon.
- Create Your Own: Alternatively, you can enter a unique store name that you've chosen yourself.
Choose a name that effectively represents your business and helps you stand out to customers!
4. Enter Pickup Address:
The next step in your Amazon.in seller registration is to provide your Pickup address details. This is the address from where Amazon or its logistics partners will collect product shipments for customer orders.
Here's what you need to know:
- Default Option: The address registered with your GST will be available as a default option.
- Adding a New Address: If you want your products to be picked up from a different location, you can add a new address by clicking on ‘Add new address’ under account settings on Seller Central.
- Crucial Compliance Point: It is absolutely essential to ensure that the pickup address is in the same state as your GST registration. This is a non-negotiable requirement for GST compliance in India.
5. Choose Shipping Method :
Following the pickup address details, you'll need to select how you want to ship your products to customers. Amazon.in offers two primary shipping methods:
1. Easy Ship
- How it works: With Easy Ship, you are responsible for storing and packing your orders at your designated pickup location. Once an order is ready, Amazon will pick up the packed product from your location and deliver it directly to your customers.
- Benefits: This method leverages Amazon's extensive logistics network, simplifying the delivery process for you. It often allows for faster and more predictable delivery times, order tracking for customers, and the availability of "Pay on Delivery" (Cash on Delivery) options.
- Fees: You will incur additional charges for this service, such as weight handling fees and pick and pack fees. These fees vary based on factors like product weight, size, and the distance of the delivery (local, regional, national).
- Delivery Charges to Customer: If you choose Easy Ship, you'll also need to decide how delivery charges are handled for your customers:
- Included in Product Price: You can incorporate the delivery charges into the product price and offer "free delivery" to your customers.
- Separate from Product Price: Alternatively, you can list the delivery charges separately from the product price, allowing customers to see the shipping cost at checkout.
2. Self Ship
- How it works: With Self Ship, you take full responsibility for the entire fulfillment process. This means you store, pack, and ship your products yourself. You can use your own delivery network or engage third-party courier services to deliver the products to your customers.
- Benefits: This method offers greater control over your logistics, packaging, and potentially allows for cost savings if you can negotiate better rates with couriers. It can also be beneficial in areas where Amazon Easy Ship services might be limited.
- Considerations: With Self Ship, you are responsible for managing all aspects of shipping, including tracking, customer service for shipping-related queries, and handling returns.
Choosing the right method depends on your business needs, volume, and logistical capabilities.
6. Add Bank Account:
The next crucial step in becoming an Amazon.in seller is to add your active bank account details.
Here's why this is important and what you need to provide:
- Payment Destination: This is the bank account where all the money you earn from your online sales on Amazon.in will be deposited.
- Business Account: It's highly recommended, and often necessary (especially if you have a GST number), to provide details of a bank account that you use specifically for your business. This helps in maintaining clear financial records.
When adding your bank account details, Amazon will typically ask for:
- Bank Account Holder's Name: This should exactly match the name on your bank account.
- Bank Account Number: Your full bank account number.
- IFSC Code: The Indian Financial System Code of your bank branch.
- Account Type: Whether it's a Savings Account, Current Account, Overdraft Account, etc. (For businesses, a Current Account is usually preferred).
Important points to remember:
- Accuracy is Key: Double-check all details to ensure they are absolutely correct. Any discrepancies can lead to significant delays in your payments.
- Security Hold: Whenever you add or change your bank account information, Amazon usually places a three-day security hold. During this period, fund transfers cannot be initiated. Plan your updates accordingly to avoid payment delays.
- Primary Account Owner: Only the primary account owner can make changes related to payment information in Seller Central.
Ensuring your bank account details are accurately provided and verified is vital for receiving your earnings from Amazon.
After setting up your bank account, you'll likely need to configure your Default GST Rate or Product Tax Code (PTC). This is a crucial step for ensuring accurate tax calculation on your sales.
Here's a breakdown of what the Default GST Rate/PTC means:
- What it is: The Default GST Rate or Product Tax Code (PTC) is a pre-defined code in Amazon Seller Central that directly corresponds to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate applicable to various product categories in India, as notified by the government. Essentially, it represents the percentage of taxes that applies to the sale of products or services under a specific category.
- Why it's important: Amazon's tax calculation system uses these PTCs to determine the correct tax amount to be charged on your product listings. You, as the seller, are responsible for remitting this collected tax amount to the GST authorities.
- Default Application: The "Default" PTC you select at the account level will be applied to all your product listings where you do not explicitly assign a specific PTC at the individual product (ASIN) level. This means if you sell various products, but most of them fall under a specific GST slab, you can set that as your default.
- Overriding the Default: If you sell products across multiple categories with different GST rates, you can override the account-level default by assigning a specific PTC to individual product listings (ASINs). This ensures that each product is taxed at its correct, applicable rate.
- Common PTCs in India:
- A_GEN_EXEMPT: 0% GST (for exempt products like certain books)
- A_GEN_MINIMUM: 0.25%
- A_GEN_JEWELLERY: 3%
- A_GEN_SUPERREDUCED: 5%
- A_GEN_REDUCED: 12%
- A_GEN_STANDARD: 18%
- A_GEN_PEAK: 28%
- And others for products with cess.
Key considerations:
- Accuracy: It's vital to select the correct PTCs to avoid issues with tax compliance. If you select an incorrect PTC, Amazon will calculate GST based on that selected code, regardless of the actual government-notified rate for your product. This could lead to you either overpaying or underpaying GST.
- Seller Responsibility: While Amazon calculates the tax, the ultimate responsibility for correctly classifying your products and remitting the right amount of GST lies with you, the seller.
- Consult a Professional: If you're unsure about the correct GST rate or PTC for your products, it's always advisable to consult with a tax advisor or Chartered Accountant (CA).
This step ensures that your products are taxed correctly as per Indian GST laws, which is essential for smooth operations and compliance on Amazon.in.
7. List Your Products:
You're almost there! The final step to launch your store on Amazon.in is to add your product listings.
Here's what that entails:
- Initiate Listing: Click on ‘Add products and start selling’. This is a mandatory action to officially launch your store.
- Provide Product Details: On the listing page, you'll need to meticulously enter all relevant information about your product, including:
- Photos: High-quality images are crucial as they are often the first thing buyers see.
- Descriptions: Detailed and accurate descriptions help customers understand your product.
- Price: Set your competitive pricing.
- Other details: This can include brand, manufacturer, dimensions, weight, features, specifications, and variations (like size or color), and any applicable safety or compliance information.
- Minimum Requirement: You must complete at least one product listing for your store to go live on Amazon.in.
- Buyer Evaluation: The information you provide on your product listings is what allows potential buyers to evaluate your products and make informed purchasing decisions.
- Prohibited Products: It's extremely important to be aware of what you cannot sell on Amazon.in. Make sure to review the list of prohibited products to ensure your items comply with their policies. This is critical to avoid any issues with your account or listings. You can typically find this information in the "Restricted Products" or "Prohibited Content" sections within Amazon Seller Central. These lists often include items like:
- Alcohol and tobacco products
- Weapons and ammunition
- Certain types of electronic surveillance equipment
- Medicines (unless specific approvals are met)
- Illegal goods or goods that promote illegal activities
- Counterfeit or unauthorized copies of products (books, music, movies, software)
- Products containing certain hazardous materials
- Items that infringe on intellectual property rights
- Products that are culturally or legally restricted in certain regions of India.
By following these steps and carefully listing your products, you'll be well on your way to selling on Amazon.in!.
8. Launch Your Store:
After meticulously completing all the registration and listing steps (including GST, bank details, store name, shipping, and at least one product listing), you are indeed just one final step away from making your products visible and available to millions of customers on Amazon.in.
The final action to launch your store is to click on the 'Start selling' button. This button will effectively "go live" with your Amazon.in store, making your listed products discoverable and purchasable by the vast customer base.