Starting a business on Amazon in the UK these days is a bit easier than it used to be. There are many platforms available that allow you to sell products and services without having to build your own website or worry about marketing.
One such platform is Amazon UK, which is a popular marketplace for selling all sorts of items. If you are thinking about starting a business on Amazon UK, there are some things you should know first in order to be successful.
Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to building a successful Amazon UK business in no time!
Why Sell on Amazon?
Right off the bat, Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace, with over 310 million active customer accounts.
The platform offers sellers a unique opportunity to reach a vast number of potential customers.
Besides that, there are many reasons to join Amazon in the UK, including:
- Amazon has a large and growing customer base in the UK. In 2018, Amazon had over 97 million unique visitors from the UK (Comscore).
- They offer sellers a wide range of selling plans, so you can choose the option that best suits your business.
- Amazon provides extensive marketing and promotional support for sellers, helping them reach more customers.
- Amazon fulfillment services can save you time and money by storing, packing, and shipping your products.
- Customer Service is available 24/7 to help you resolve any issues that may arise.
- You can quickly and easily set up a professional seller account on Amazon.
- Selling on Amazon in the UK gives you access to powerful tools and features to help you grow your business.
Starting a Business on Amazon UK: The process step-by-step
Now that you know why Amazon might be the right fit for your business in the UK, let us look at the steps you can take now to get started:
But before you sign up, make sure you’re ready with the following:
- Business email address or Amazon customer account.
- Internationally chargeable credit card.
- Government ID (identity verification protects sellers and customers)
- Tax information.
- Phone number.
- A bank account where Amazon can send you proceeds from your sales.
Step 1: Choose a selling plan
To start a business on Amazon UK, you first need to choose the type of selling plan that fits your goals.
There are two plans:
a). Individual
Under this plan, Amazon takes $0.99 per item sold + additional selling fees.
It is perfect for you if:
- You sell fewer than 40 units a month
- You’re still deciding what to sell
- You don’t plan to advertise or use advanced selling tools
b). Professional
If you are planning on selling more than 40 units per month, this is the selling plan for you.
With this plan, you pay $39.99 per month, of course, plus additional referral fees.
It is for you if:
- You want to advertise your products
- You want to qualify for top placement on product detail pages
- You want to use advanced selling tools, like APIs and reports
- You want to sell products in restricted categories
Step 2: Create an Amazon seller account
Once you have decided on the right Amazon selling plan in the UK for you, the next step is to create an Amazon seller account.
To get started, head over to https://sellercentral.amazon.com/
Go ahead and click the sign up button.
To get here, you may have to click on the create a new Amazon account button.
From there, you need to provide all the details required to validate your seller account.
Step 3: Adding your products
Now that you have a seller account on Amazon UK, the next step is to start uploading products.
What can you sell on Amazon? This depends on the product, the category, and the brand.
You see, some categories on Amazon are open to all sellers, some require a Professional seller account, some require approval to sell, and some include products that cannot be sold by third-party sellers.
Either way, the process of updating a listing is quite simple:
First, you need to create a product listing in Seller Central (or via API). A product listing includes:
- A product identifier, such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, or EAN to specify the exact item you’re selling. You can get a UPC code directly from GS1, or request an exemption.
- An SKU, is a product ID you create to track your own inventory
- Offer details, including price, product condition, available quantity, and shipping options
- Product details like name, brand, category, description, and images
- Keywords and search terms to help buyers find your product
If the product you are uploading is already being sold within the platform, all you have to do is match the details. But if you are the first one offering that product, you need to create a new listing.
Step 4: Attracting customers
Once your Amazon store in the UK is live, the next step is to start attracting customers.
There are a few things you can do to get noticed and drive sales:
- Provide fast shipping: Customers often shop for products with the Amazon Prime badge, which you can get by using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to ship products from one of our fulfillment centers.
- Advertise your offers: You can easily improve the visibility of individual products and boost brand awareness by advertising in search results and on product pages. Running a deal or a coupon is another way to promote your products.
- Set competitive prices: Many customers here in the UK are on the lookout for the best price. Amazon UK Seller Central tools like automated repricing and bulk pricing for Amazon Business customers can help you stay competitive.
What to sell on Amazon UK
Are you looking for the best products to sell on Amazon in the UK?
To start with, let’s take a look at some of the most popular items that are selling well on Amazon in the UK.
- Home and garden items are always popular on Amazon UK. Think about what items you use around your own home that make your life easier – these are likely products that other people would be interested in as well.
- If you are crafty, handmade goods are always in demand on Amazon UK. Whether it’s jewelry, clothes, or home decor, there are plenty of people looking for unique items that can’t be found in stores.
- Technology is always a hot commodity, so if you have any old phones, laptops, or other electronics lying around, they could be worth a pretty penny on Amazon UK.
- Collectibles and antiques are also popular on Amazon UK. If you have any items that you think might be valuable, it’s worth listing them to see if anyone is interested.
Another great option is to sell products that are unique to the UK market. For example, if you are selling British-themed items or products that are only available in the UK, then you’ll be able to tap into a niche market and make good profits.
Finally, don’t forget about the ever-popular books category!
Whether you have old textbooks or novels collecting dust on your shelves, there’s a good chance somebody out there would love to get their hands on them – so list them today!
Fulfillment by Amazon in the UK
Fulfillment by Amazon is a service that allows businesses to ship their products directly to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, where the online retailer then stores, picks, packs, and ships the products on the business’ behalf.
The service can be used for both small and large businesses selling physical goods.
To get in, businesses in the UK must first fill out an application, after which they will be asked to provide some basic information about their products and shipping.
After that, businesses will need to create a listing on Amazon’s marketplace and wait for Amazon to approve it. Once approved, businesses can start shipping their products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers.
Fulfillment by Amazon is a great way for businesses to outsource their fulfillment needs and focus on other aspects of their business. The service is also beneficial for customers as it offers them faster shipping times and often lower prices.
Starting a Business on Amazon UK: Advertising on Amazon UK
Amazon Pay Per Click advertising is an online marketing service provided by Amazon to businesses that sell products on their website.
Here, businesses pay a fee to Amazon every time someone clicks on one of their ads, which are displayed on the Amazon website and other websites that are part of the Amazon network.
There are many benefits to advertising on Amazon UK.
For one, you can reach a large audience of potential customers who are already familiar with and using the Amazon platform.
Additionally, advertising on Amazon can be very targeted, allowing you to specifically target your ads to people who are likely to be interested in what you’re selling.
Finally, Amazon’s ad platform is very effective and efficient, meaning that you can get your message across without spending a lot of money on advertising.
Starting a Business on Amazon UK: Tips for success
There are a few key things to keep in mind when selling on Amazon:
a). Make sure your listings are accurate and complete
This means providing detailed product information, clear and high-quality product photos, and a competitive price. Accurate and complete listings help to ensure that buyers can find your products easily and that they know what they’re buying before they make a purchase.
b). Offer fast and free shipping
Buyers on Amazon expect to receive their orders quickly, so it’s important to offer fast shipping options. Free shipping is also a great way to encourage buyers to purchase from you instead of your competitors. If you can’t offer free shipping, be sure to clearly state the shipping costs in your listing.
c). Provide excellent customer service
Make sure you respond promptly to buyer questions and concerns, and ship orders as soon as possible after receiving payment. Providing great customer service will help build buyer trust and loyalty, leading to repeat business down the road.
d). Price competitively
In order to compete on Amazon, you need to offer a competitive price for your products.
Use Amazon’s Price Check tool to see how your prices compare to those of similar products offered by other sellers. If necessary, adjust your prices accordingly in order to stay competitive.
e). Use Amazon’s promotional tools
Amazon offers a number of promotional tools that can help you boost your sales. These include Amazon Sponsored Products, which allows you to pay to have your products displayed prominently on search results and product detail pages, and Amazon Lightning Deals, which are time-limited deals that can generate a lot of interest in your products.
By following these tips, you can increase your chances of success when selling on Amazon.
Conclusion
In conclusion, starting a business on Amazon UK can be a great way to reach a wide audience with minimal cost and effort.
With a few simple steps, you can create a professional-looking storefront and start selling your products to customers all over the world.
However, it is important to remember that Amazon is a competitive marketplace, so you’ll need to market your products well and provide excellent customer service in order to succeed.