You’ve heard the stories of individuals making a fortune selling products on the platform, but you are unsure of how to get started.

Amazon is one of the largest online marketplaces in the world and offers a variety of opportunities for individuals and businesses to sell their products. Amazon provides various tools and resources to help sellers create and manage their online store, reach a wider audience, and increase their sales.

In order to sell on Amazon, you must first set up an account to become a seller.

To set up an account to sell on Amazon, follow these steps:

• Go to Amazon’s Seller Central website (sellercentral.amazon.com).
• Click on the “Register Now” button.
• Enter your business information, including your name, address, and phone number. If you are an individual seller, you can enter your personal information instead.
• Select the category of products you plan to sell on Amazon.
• Choose a selling plan that works best for your business. Amazon offers two selling plans: Individual and Professional. The Individual plan charges a per-item fee for each sale, while the Professional plan charges a monthly subscription fee but offers more benefits, such as access to advanced selling tools and reports.
• Verify your identity and provide additional information, such as your bank account details, to enable payment processing and product delivery.
• Create product listings by providing detailed product information, including the title, description, and images.
• Once your account is set up and your products are listed, you can start selling on Amazon.

 

Keep in mind that Amazon has strict policies and guidelines for sellers, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with these rules to avoid any violations or penalties. Also, make sure to provide high-quality products and excellent customer service to earn positive reviews and build a strong reputation as a seller on Amazon.

There are several ways to conduct business on Amazon. Today we will cover selling other people’s products (Name Brands) and selling your own products (Private Label).

In order to sell Name Brand products you will need to get approval from either Amazon or the Brand themselves.

To sell specific brands on Amazon, you may need to get approval from the brand owner or manufacturer before you can list and sell their products. This is because many brands have strict requirements and guidelines for their products to be sold on Amazon.

Here are some steps you can take to get approval to sell specific brands on Amazon:

1. Check if the brand has a brand registry program: Many brands have a brand registry program that allows sellers to register as an authorized seller of their products. You can check if the brand has a brand registry program by visiting their website or contacting their customer service.
2. Contact the brand owner or manufacturer: If the brand does not have a brand registry program, you can contact the brand owner or manufacturer to request permission to sell their products on Amazon. You can usually find their contact information on their website or through a Google search.
3. Provide proof of authorization: When contacting the brand owner or manufacturer, you may need to provide proof of authorization, such as a letter of authorization or a purchase order.
4. Follow the brand’s requirements and guidelines: If you are approved to sell the brand’s products, make sure to follow their requirements and guidelines for product listing, pricing, and customer service. Failure to comply with these rules can result in the suspension of your selling privileges.

It’s important to note that some brands have exclusive distribution agreements with certain sellers or distributors, which may limit your ability to sell their products on Amazon. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check with the brand owner or manufacturer before investing in inventory to sell on Amazon.

You can also get approval directly from Amazon.

Amazon has a program called Amazon’s Invoice Verification (AIV) that allows sellers to provide invoices directly to Amazon as proof of product authenticity and to meet other requirements such as brand approval and category approval.

The AIV program requires sellers to submit invoices that meet certain requirements, such as:

1. The invoice must be an original, complete, and legible document that includes the seller’s name, address, and contact information.
2. The invoice must show the product name, brand name, and purchase date.
3. The invoice must show the quantity and purchase price of the products.
4. The invoice must show the supplier’s name, address, and contact information.
5. The invoice must be issued by the supplier or manufacturer, and not a third-party.

Sellers can submit invoices through their seller account on Amazon’s Seller Central website. Amazon’s AIV team will review the invoices and notify the seller if they are approved or rejected. If the invoices are approved, the seller can continue to sell the products on Amazon.

It’s important to note that the AIV program is not available for all products or categories, and some brands may require additional documentation or authorization before allowing sellers to sell their products on Amazon. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check the requirements and guidelines for selling specific products or brands on Amazon before investing in inventory.

What if you are a Brand owner and want to list your products for sale? Do you still need brand approval?

Yes, you will need to receive approval from Amazon to list a specific product under your brand name.

When trying to list your products on Amazon, you may receive an error 5664. That means you’re trying to list a product without a brand name, which goes against the Amazon Brand Name Policy. When creating a new ASIN, you can use your actual brand name or Generic if you don’t have a registered brand name. Amazon brand approval is the actual process of getting Amazon to allow you to sell your products under your brand or Generic brand attribute. When you get error 5664, you don’t have brand approval.

So, what do you do? Contact Amazon seller support and quote the error 5664.

You will also have to provide a few documents and information that Amazon will verify before approving you to sell your product under that brand name.

They include:

• The name you were using when creating the ASIN
• Actual pictures of your product, packaging, or both clearly showing your branding. The images can be of the product or packaging placed on the table or held in your hand. Your branding must be permanently affixed.
• If you’re using inventory file templates, provide the Batch ID of the inventory file report.

Amazon will reject any application where the brand name attribute is a product description, product type, model number, or another attribute besides the brand name. To get brand approval, you don’t need a registered trademark. You need to prove that you sell products from an authentic brand, not counterfeit products with generic packaging slapped with a brand name or logo.

If your Brand name is trademarked, you may want to take the extra step and get Brand Registered.

What is Amazon Brand Registry?

Amazon Brand Registry comes after brand approval. This one requires you to have a registered trademark. Brand Registry is an Amazon program that gives brand owners control over their intellectual property and content. The program allows you to do so much on your product detail page and provides access to plenty of tools for optimization. Since you need a registered trademark to enroll for Brand Registry, the program helps protect that trademark.

Brand Registry, at the end of the day, helps registered brands:

• Add branded products to their listings
• Manage their branded products
• Eliminate imitation products in the marketplace
• Ensure information on the listing page about the product is correct
• Leverage A+ Content and more robust Amazon advertising campaigns

So, who can enroll in Brand Registry? 

• Private label owners and manufacturers
• A distributor with a licensed trademark
• Product resellers and any other person with written permission from the manufacturer or brand owner to manage their product detail page on Amazon.

To enroll in Brand Registry, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Have an active and registered trademark in the country that appears on your packaging or product
• Verification of rights ownership through the contacts listed on your trademark registration
• An Amazon Seller Central or Vendor Central account in good standing

Why is Brand Registry important when selling on Amazon?

If you manufacture your own products or sell a manufacturer’s product under your own unique brand, you must enroll in Brand Registry. The program helps protect your registered trademark and creates a trustworthy experience for potential customers.

Here are a few reasons to consider enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry.

• Protection from ASIN hijackers: Amazon is a competitive marketplace with millions of sellers. Some will go the extra mile to stay ahead, including hijacking listings to sabotage a brand. The Amazon Brand Registry program helps protect you from such sellers because you will have a registered brand that Amazon recognizes. On top of that, the program gives you sole ownership of the Amazon Buy Box. Should someone try hijacking your listing as the authorized seller, you can contact Amazon Seller Support and have them removed from the listing. Amazon is legally obliged to act whenever a brand owner files an IP complaint against a seller, whether genuine or fake.
• More control over your listing: The Amazon algorithm is sometimes restrictive regarding how much information you can add to your product listing. With Brand Registry, the rules are loosened a little, giving you access to A+ content and complete control over your product listing. Because of that, you can control what goes in the title, description, quality of images, and unique brand stories and use of your product ID rather than UPCs & EANs.
• You get to control who sells your products: While product resellers can help promote your brand and increase visibility, not all resellers are good. When you enroll for Amazon Brand Registry, you get to decide who sells your products like manufacturers, private label owners, sellers who sell under their own unique brand name, white label product sellers, and distributors with registered trademarks.

 

Brand approval and brand registry are two distinct programs offered by Amazon, each with its own purpose and requirements.

Brand approval is a process whereby a seller or brand owner must obtain permission from Amazon to sell products under a specific brand name. This process is typically necessary for selling products in categories

where authenticity is a critical concern, such as electronics, fashion, and health and beauty.

In contrast, brand registry is a program designed to assist brand owners in managing and safeguarding their brand’s product listings on Amazon. The program aims to protect brand owners’ intellectual property rights, prevent unauthorized sellers from listing counterfeit or infringing products, and ensure customers receive authentic and high-quality products.

To participate in the brand registry program, brand owners must have a registered trademark for their brand in the relevant country. Once enrolled, brand owners can utilize the program’s tools to oversee and manage their brand’s product listings on Amazon, such as modifying product information, reporting infringements, and accessing data and analytics to evaluate their brand’s performance.

In summary, both brand approval and brand registry serve the purpose of promoting brand authenticity and ensuring a positive customer experience on Amazon. However, brand approval is the process of obtaining permission to sell under a particular brand name, while brand registry provides brand owners with tools to manage and protect their brand’s product listings on Amazon.

Whether you decide to sell Name Brand products or your own Brands products on Amazon, both paths can be equally rewarding.

 

The key to being successful on the platform is to understand what you should and shouldn’t be selling and ensuring that you are in fact profitable.

Regardless of whether you choose to sell name brand products or your own brand’s products on Amazon, both paths have the potential to be lucrative. The key to success on the platform lies in understanding what products are suitable for selling and which ones are not and making sure that you’re generating a profit from your sales.

When it comes to choosing what to sell, it’s important to consider factors such as demand, competition, and profitability. Selling products with high demand and low competition can be a profitable strategy, if the profit margins are sufficient. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that you’re pricing your products competitively while still making a profit.

Another important factor in achieving success on Amazon is maintaining good ratings and reviews. This can be achieved by providing excellent customer service, promptly addressing any issues or concerns, and delivering high-quality products. Consistently receiving positive reviews and ratings can help to build trust and credibility with customers, which can lead to increased sales and profits over time.

In summary, whether you choose to sell name Brand products or your own Brand’s products on Amazon, success on the platform ultimately comes down to choosing the right products to sell, pricing them competitively, and delivering high-quality customer service and products. With these key factors in mind, you can position yourself for success and maximize your earning potential on Amazon.

 

Skunk Labs has now added Amazon Account Management to our portfolio. 

If you are interested in selling Private Label products on Amazon and simply don’t want to deal with the complexity of the platform, feel free to get in touch!

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