How to Set Up an Amazon Seller Account

Starting to sell on Amazon is one of the most accessible ways to build a brand and reach millions of customers. With 310 million+ customers across 21+ marketplaces and over £570 billion in annual revenue, Amazon represents an enormous opportunity for sellers worldwide. However, getting your account set up correctly from the start is crucial. Mistakes during registration can lead to verification delays, account suspension, or payment issues.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know before, during, and after setting up your Amazon seller account, whether you’re launching your first product or expanding to a new region.

Before You Start: Three Critical Steps

Most new sellers jump straight into account registration and miss essential groundwork. Taking time to prepare before you start will save you weeks of problems later.

1. Set Up a Company

Never sell on Amazon as a sole trader. Setting up a company (whether a Limited Company (UK), LLC (US), or equivalent in your country) provides legal protection, tax advantages, and a professional image that helps you compete. If a customer sues your Amazon business, personal assets are protected. Additionally, companies can claim VAT and corporation tax benefits that sole traders cannot.

The setup is straightforward and inexpensive (typically £100-£300 in the UK), and services like Companies House in the UK or the Secretary of State in the US handle registration quickly.

2. Open a Bank Account in the Account Holder’s Name

This is non-negotiable: use an established bank, not fintech services like Wise or Payoneer. Amazon’s verification systems have known issues with modern payment platforms. Sellers report that accounts linking to Wise or Payoneer are flagged for additional identity verification or suspended during the crucial early weeks.

Open your business bank account with HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, Chase, Wells Fargo, or another major bank. The account holder’s name must match exactly on your ID documents, utility bills, and company paperwork. Any discrepancy stops the verification process.

3. Prepare Your ID Documents

Gather the following documents and ensure they all show identical information:

• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s licence or passport)
• Proof of address (utility bill, council tax letter, or bank statement not older than 90 days)
• Company registration documents (Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent)

The name on your ID must match your proof of address exactly. If your legal name is “Robert John Smith” but your utility bill says “Robert Smith,” Amazon will flag this. Update your bills before registering.

Account Types: Individual vs Professional

Amazon offers two seller account types. Choose the wrong one and you’ll struggle to scale or may incur unexpected fees.

Individual Seller Accounts

Cost: Free

Best for: Hobby sellers with very low sales volumes (fewer than 40 items per month)

Key limitations:

• Cannot create new product listings. Only add offers to existing products
• Per-item referral fee (typically 15-45% depending on category)
• Per-item closing fee (£0.86 per item sold)
• No access to bulk listing tools or FBA
• Cannot participate in Amazon Prime (FBA is required)
• Limited to one inventory location
• No access to advanced advertising tools

Individual accounts make sense only if you’re selling a handful of items per month and don’t plan to scale.

Account Requirements Checklist

Before creating your account, ensure you have these specific documents ready:

• Business trading details: Company registration documents or sole trader identification
• Owner identity details: Government-issued photo ID (passport or driver’s licence)
• Valid credit card: For account verification and fee payments
• Bank account details: Account holder name, number, and sort code (UK) or routing number (US)
• Important: All addresses on your documents must match exactly. If your ID shows “123 High Street” but your utility bill shows “123 High St,” Amazon will flag this as suspicious. Ensure consistency across all documentation before registering.

Professional Seller Accounts

Cost: £25+VAT/month in the UK (equivalent fees apply in other regions)

Best for: Any serious seller, brands, or anyone with more than 40 items per month

Key advantages:

• Create unlimited product listings
• No per-item closing fee (pay only referral fees)
• Buy Box eligible (critical for sales)
• FBA access (Fulfillment by Amazon)
• Bulk inventory management and editing
• Access to restricted categories after approval
• Full suite of advertising tools (Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display)
• Access to Brand Analytics and search term reports
• Can set Subscribe and Save pricing
• Seller Fulfilled Prime available (for FBM sellers)
• Access to Amazon’s APIs and integrations

Buy Box Eligibility (Professional Plan)

To be eligible for the Buy Box on your listings, you must:

• Have a Professional seller account (Individual accounts are not Buy Box eligible)
• Have at least one year of active selling history (updated from previous 3-month requirement)
• Maintain an Order Defect Rate (ODR) below 1% (competitive sellers maintain below 0.5%)

The recommendation is clear: unless you are a hobby seller with meagre sales, you should sign up for a Professional Amazon seller account. The £25/month cost pays for itself within days once you have meaningful sales.

Regional Accounts: Expand to Multiple Countries

Amazon’s combined account structure lets you manage multiple regional marketplaces from one seller account, dramatically simplifying international expansion.

Combined EU Account

A single Professional seller account can cover:

• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Netherlands
• Sweden

Benefits of the Combined EU Account:

• Share inventory across all seven countries
• Single monthly subscription fee (£25)
• One consolidated order screen showing all marketplace orders
• One account information section and payment method
• Automatic currency conversion for pricing
• Pan-European FBA (store stock in one location, serve all EU customers)

This is ideal for UK sellers targeting Europe or companies already operating across multiple EU markets. Note that following Brexit, the UK is no longer automatically included in EU accounts. You must set up combined accounts separately or use Pan-European FBA to serve the continent.

Combined North America Account

A single Professional seller account can cover:

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico

Benefits of the Combined North America Account:

• Share product listings and inventory across the US, Canada, and Mexico
• Single monthly subscription fee (£25 in the UK, with equivalent fees in other regions)
• One consolidated order screen
• Simplified inventory management across three major markets

This is the ideal entry point for US expansion, particularly for UK sellers with established European businesses.

Combined Account Benefits: Single Sign-On and Unified Management

Amazon’s combined account structure allows you to manage multiple regional marketplaces from a single seller account with additional benefits:

EU Account Benefits

• Shared inventory: List products once; inventory is shared across all seven EU marketplaces
• Combined order screen: View all orders from UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Sweden in one dashboard
• European fulfilment network: Use Pan-European FBA to store stock in one location and serve all EU countries
• Single sign-on: Access all EU marketplaces with one login via Settings > Global Accounts

North America Account Benefits

• Shared inventory and listings: Manage US, Canada, and Mexico marketplaces with unified product database
• Combined order screen: Monitor all North American sales in a single interface
• Single sign-on: Access all three markets via Settings > Global Accounts

Important warning: While a single company can technically open multiple accounts, this creates “linked accounts” problems with Amazon’s systems and violates the Seller Code of Conduct. You should only have one account per region. Multiple accounts from the same company will result in suspension of all linked accounts. Always consolidate to a single account per marketplace region.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

Once you’ve completed the preparation steps above, follow this process:

Step 1: Visit Seller Central

Go to sellercentral.amazon.co.uk (UK) or sell.amazon.co.uk and click “Start Selling” or “Register Now.”

Step 2: Create Your Amazon Account

Enter your email address and create a strong password. If you already have a personal Amazon customer account, you can use the same email, but a separate business email is cleaner (something like sellers@yourcompany.com).

Step 3: Provide Business Information

Enter your company name, business address, and store name (this appears on your storefront). The store name is public and should reflect your brand.

Step 4: Verify Your Identity

Upload your government-issued photo ID (passport or driver’s licence). Amazon uses AI to verify the document is genuine. Ensure your photo is clear, all four edges are visible, and the name matches perfectly with your other documents.

Step 5: Add Your Payment Method

Link your business bank account. Enter the account holder’s name, account number, and sort code (UK) or routing number (US) exactly as it appears on your bank statement. This is where Amazon deposits your seller earnings.

Step 6: Confirm Your Phone Number

Provide a contact number. Amazon may call to verify your identity. Answer the call. This is a standard security check.

Step 7: Choose Your Account Type

Select Professional or Individual. As discussed, Professional is the right choice for nearly all sellers.

Step 8: Review and Accept Terms

Read the Seller Code of Conduct and agree to the terms. This outlines your obligations as an Amazon seller (no counterfeit products, customer service standards, etc.).

Step 9: Wait for Verification

Amazon typically approves accounts within 24-48 hours. You’ll receive an email confirming your approval. Some accounts may require additional documentation. If this happens, respond quickly with what’s requested.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Learning from others’ experiences can save you weeks of frustration.

Documentation Mismatches

The single most common reason for account suspension during setup is inconsistent information across documents. If your driver’s licence shows “123 High Street” but your utility bill shows “123 High St,” Amazon flags this as suspicious. Ensure every document (ID, proof of address, bank statements, and company paperwork) uses identical formatting for names and addresses.

Using Unreliable Payment Methods

Linking to Wise, Payoneer, or other fintech payment services during setup is a recipe for verification problems. These platforms trigger additional checks, and Amazon’s systems are not yet configured to handle them smoothly. Wait until after you’re approved and established to experiment with alternative payment methods.

Registering Multiple Accounts

Opening more than one seller account is prohibited and will result in permanent suspension. If you want to operate multiple brands, work with Amazon’s technical team to create a separate account or use Seller Central’s brand management features. Do not set up separate accounts on your own.

Incomplete Account Information

Leaving fields blank or providing vague information (like “UK” as your address) delays approval. Fill in complete details: full street address, postcode, phone number, etc.

Starting with Gated Categories

Many new sellers want to launch in high-competition categories like Beauty, Electronics, or Toys. All of which are gated and require prior sales history or approval. Start with ungated categories to build your account history, then request gating approval. Learn more in our guide to restricted products.

What Happens After Approval

Once approved, your account is live but still limited. Amazon monitors all new accounts closely for the first 60 days. Keep your Order Defect Rate (ODR) below 1%, respond to customer messages within 24 hours, and avoid making changes that look suspicious (like sudden inventory spikes or pricing changes). This builds trust with Amazon’s systems and reduces the likelihood of automated review.

If you’re planning to sell restricted products, read the compliance requirements for your specific category before listing anything. Selling prohibited items is a faster path to suspension than almost any other mistake.

Next Steps: Building Your First Product

With your account approved, you’re ready to start selling. Most new sellers begin by adding offers to existing products before moving to own-label or white-label products. Understanding Amazon’s fee structure is also critical. Read our complete guide to Amazon fees