As a seller on the Amazon marketplace, you have access to international customers. You don’t have to limit yourself to selling only in your local market. This can help scale up your business massively. You might feel intimidated to pursue international businesses but with some help to guide you, you can start exploring new markets soon.

What is Amazon Global selling?

Amazon Global selling enables sellers to list and sell products in any of the retail massive marketplaces in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. While Amazon has millions of customers in more than 180 countries, it has 14 marketplaces where global sellers can list their products.

 For instance, when a buyer in Germany purchases an item on Amazon, they do so through Amazon.de.

Amazon Global selling makes your customers’ life easier in several ways. For instance, it converts prices into local currency, includes taxes, import duties, and other fees. Buyers can choose a variety of shipping options, track, and receive notifications concerning the orders.

If you would like to get familiar with the Amazon Global Stores, here are the relevant links respectively:
Europe

Amazon.de – Germany

Amazon.co.uk – United Kingdom

Amazon.fr – France

Amazon.es – Spain

Amazon.it – Italy

Asia-Pacific

Amazon. in – India

Amazon.co.jp – Japan

Amazon.in – China

Amazon.com.au – Australia

America

Amazon.com.mx – Mexico

Amazon.ca – Canada

Amazon.com – United States

Amazon.com.br – Brazil

Middle East

Amazon.ae — United Arab Emirates

What is the process of starting Amazon Global Selling?

Here is a guide to help you expand your products to reach international markets:

1. Decide What You’ll Sell and Where

Deciding the products to sell in a crowded marketplace can be hard. We have gathered a few questions to help the journey easier.

Do you have one or more products in your inventory? 

You might already be selling a few different products but it’s recommended to focus on one first. Since you’re trying out new territories, start with your best-selling product or two to evaluate that marketplace first.

Do your products qualify for international shipping?

Amazon has different policies and regulations for each country. You need to get familiar especially the shipping regulations for certain items in different markets.  For instance, devices with lithium batteries are restricted in Germany, and children’s toys shaped as guns are also restricted in China. You can check out more lists of restrictions in the United States Postal Service resource.

What is the market and culture like in this country? 

Outside America, cultures and markets differ greatly and you need to get familiar before you try to introduce unpopular products.

What are the major shopping holidays in this country? 

If you’re looking to make huge sales, you need to consider holidays and target buyers in their festive mood. You can reap huge profits make an impressive rapport that goes a long way in future sales.

Do your products comply with legal regulations in this country?

 Every country has laws in place to protect its citizens. Governments establish product standards and your products need to qualify to sell there. It’s best to do your research first to ensure your items are legal in the said country to avoid fines and penalties. For more details, you can a full guide here, to help you understand better the Amazon marketplace.

2. Register to Sell and List Your Products

If you already have an Amazon account, note that you’ll need to create another for the countries you want to sell. For instance, if you’re a seller in Ireland and want to sell in the united states or Germany, you’ll need a new seller account for each country.

Amazon Global selling marketplace requires specific things for your account to get approved. For instance,

• A valid credit card
• Internationally chargeable credit card
• Bank account
• Phone number
• Proof of residence
• Tax information

Some details may be different but it’s nothing you can’t handle. After completing the setup stage, begin listing your products in the new marketplace and optimize accordingly.

3. Select Your Fulfillment Method

When it comes to packaging and shipping orders to international shoppers, you can choose between Fulfillments by Amazon (FBA) or fulfillments on your own.

You can choose if you want to handle all the logistics and shipping by yourself or you would like Amazon to help you with all the stressful repackaging and orders. Make sure you explore each option carefully and determine which method works best for you.

For instance, you may want to consider Fulfillment by yourself if you’re dealing with hazardous or fragile items. That way you can package and ship with the extra caution the product deserves.

4. Manage Your International Business

Now that your business is up and running, you need to manage and market your product to get customers flocking to your website. Make sure your customer service is top-notch otherwise, you risk negative reviews that will hurt your sales.

If you’re not using the FBA method, you’ll need to provide prompt delivery, local language customer service support, and quality products. It might cost you extra to hire a local logistics provider or translator to assist but it would be worth it.

You can also provide 24-hour customer support in the local language that will handle returns and complaints.

What are the benefits of Amazon Global Selling

• You can tap into the largest customer online platform in the world. By going global, you don’t limit yourself to your localities, that way you can grow your business fast.
• By choosing the FBA fulfillment all the stress of storage, picking, package, and shipping are done by Amazon, offering you more time to market for new customers.
• When selling through Amazon Global stores, you don’t have to worry about currency and payment issues. Currency conversions are automatic, deposits go directly to your bank, and ensure all payments are done smoothly.
• The Amazon marketplace makes it easy to sell internationally. If you decide to set up businesses in different countries off the platform, it would be expensive, time confusing and tedious. Amazon shortens the process and offers you a ready-made customer base.

What are the disadvantages of Amazon Global Selling?

• Reviews are restricted in some Amazon marketplaces. This means, if you’re in Ireland and receives a review, An American buyer won’t be able to see it. Reviews play a huge role in building trust, but on the bright side, if you had bad reviews, they won’t see it either.
• Marketing strategies don’t work the same in different marketplaces. For instance, whatever works in Canada, won’t work in India. You’ll have to learn the cultures and make strategies specific for each marketplace.
• There’s a lot of competition and you need to step up to make your items look unique to get your sales up.
• If you choose to handle the logistics, you might have complications with customer service, translations, and customs. In addition, you might need to hire locals to help with the issues which translates to fewer profits.

FAQs

What is Amazon Global’s selling fee?

In general, being a seller on Amazon is relatively expensive. Of course, the benefits you receive from selling on the marketplace are worth it. For the normal Amazon professional seller account, it costs $39.99 per month for the professional plan and $0.99 for the individual plan per unit sold. There are other selling fees but they differ depending on your fulfillment options and the new marketplace you’re looking to sell your products.

What are the main steps for Amazon Global selling?

Signing up as an Amazon seller takes a few steps, including:

• You have to determine the products you want to sell on the platform
• Estimate your monthly sales for the products to determine if the product is worth pursuing
• Find a reliable supplier for your products
• Choose between Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfillment by yourself (FBM).
• Create and optimize your products on the Amazon Marketplace

Is global shipping free with Amazon Prime?

Yes. Amazon Prime can be free for sellers using the Amazon Global Marketplace. You can benefit from international shipping as long as your orders meet the legal requirements for the destination. If it’s something you’d like to pursue, make sure to check out Free Amazon Global standard shipping options.

What is the cheapest way to ship internationally?

Amazon offers a cheap way to ship internationally without having to go through the painful process. However, if you prefer other ways, you can use the US Postal Service (USPS) but it only works if the US is your international destination. If you’re shipping to other countries, you can check out a free shipping rate calculator to select the cheapest international shipping company that offers the best rates.

If you have more questions or thoughts you’d like to share. Feel free to leave a comment below and we’ll be more than happy to help answer your queries.

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