Amazon Marketplace is here! Global technology company Amazon recently launched its online platform for South African sellers. This will create new e-commerce opportunities for small businesses and independent entrepreneurs to sell their products online. The organisation sells many different products like electronics, sports gear, toys, home items, and kitchen appliances. And now, you can become an Amazon Marketplace seller too!
According to the company, more than 60% of the items sold in its stores globally are from small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). The company helps independent sellers quickly start and grow their business. They also provide tools and educational content.
In this article, we give you a step-by-step guide on how to become a seller on Amazon South Africa’s marketplace.
Decide on Your Selling Plan for Amazon Marketplace
Before you start, you need to decide between two selling plans:
1. The individual plan is ideal for businesses selling less than 40 units monthly, or those who are unsure of what to sell. If your small business has products in various categories, this plan will work for you. A fee of R10 per item sold goes to Amazon. However, this plan doesn’t provide access to programmes or APIs.
2. The professional plan is perfect for small businesses that sell more than 40 units every month. This plan provides access to APIs, programmes, tools and specific categories for selling. Amazon is currently running a special fee of R1 per month (plus additional selling fees). The price for this plan is normally R400 per month (plus additional selling fees).
Register on Seller Central
Once you have chosen which plan fits your business needs, you must register on the Seller Central platform.
Step 1: Go to https://sellercentral.amazon.co.za/ and log in with your Amazon account, if you don’t have one, click ‘create account’ to quickly register. Use an e-mail address not associated with any Amazon selling or customer account.
Step 2: To start the Selling Partner Registration process, click ‘Begin’ at the bottom of the page. Complete the five tasks: business information, selling partner information, billing, store, and verification. Ensure the information matches your official documentation for accurate verification.
Step 3: After submitting documents, the verification process may require you to join a video call. This call can be conducted instantly or scheduled. You will receive an e-mail about the progress once verification is complete, and/or if more documents are needed.
Step 4: Verification takes up to 2 days and you will receive an e-mail when it is complete. You need to schedule a video call to verify your identity in person by showing your identification documents.
Step 5: Sign in to your Seller Central account and turn on two-step verification to officially join the platform. You will also receive access to Seller University resources, list your products, and automatically join the Amazon Easy Ship fulfilment programme to leverage Amazon’s delivery infrastructure across South Africa.
Amazon Marketplace Has Many Programmes to Assist Sellers
Many resource programmes are also available to business owners and entrepreneurs to ensure success. These are as follows:
1. Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA): This is a good choice if you sell popular products and don’t have storage facilities. It’s competitive and convenient. Amazon will pick, pack, and ship your orders, as well as handle your returns and customer service. Amazon has partnered with DPD Laser and The Courier Guy for delivery.
2. Merchant-fulfilled Network: There are two options in this programme. The first option is Amazon Easy Ship. With this option, you store and pack your products, and Amazon delivers them to customers. The second option is self-ship. With this option, you store, pack, and deliver your products to customers.
3. Amazon Global Selling – you get to use Amazon’s global infrastructure to get your products in front of a worldwide audience and sell your products on any of Amazon’s online stores in North America, Europe, and Asia.
When you sign up on Amazon, you can add more products to sell. You can also use tools like Automate Pricing. This helps ensure your products are available and delivered through Amazon programs. Becoming an Amazon Marketplace seller allows you to reach more customers and expand into new markets without managing your own website or online store. Don’t wait any longer – seize the opportunity to grow your business today!
