Getting Started on Amazon: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketplace Onboarding

19 May 2025 by

prashant Verma

Selling on Amazon is one of the most powerful ways for small businesses to reach millions of customers worldwide. With over 2.5 billion monthly visitors in 2025, Amazon offers unparalleled opportunities for growth. However, getting started can feel overwhelming for beginners. At Intermark Digital Agency, we specialize in helping small businesses and startups navigate Amazon’s marketplace with ease. This beginner’s guide to Amazon marketplace onboarding will walk you through the essential steps to set up your seller account, optimize your listings, and start selling in 2025.

1. Create Your Amazon Seller Account

The first step to selling on Amazon is setting up a seller account. Here’s how to get started:

Visit Amazon Seller Central: Go to sellercentral.amazon.com and click “Sign Up.”
Choose Your Plan: Select between the Individual Plan ($0.99 per item sold, ideal for low-volume sellers) or the Professional Plan ($39.99/month, better for businesses planning to sell more than 40 items monthly).
Provide Business Information: Enter your business name, address, tax ID, and bank account details for payments. You’ll also need a valid credit card and phone number for verification.
Complete Verification: Upload a government-issued ID and a bank statement to verify your identity. This process can take 24-48 hours.

Pro Tip: Choose a Professional Plan if you plan to scale quickly, as it includes advanced tools like inventory management and advertising options.

2. Understand Amazon’s Fees and Policies

Before listing products, familiarize yourself with Amazon’s fee structure and selling policies to avoid surprises:

Selling Fees: Individual sellers pay $0.99 per item, while Professional sellers pay a monthly subscription. Both plans incur referral fees (typically 8-15% of the sale price, depending on the category).
FBA Fees (if using Fulfillment by Amazon): If Amazon handles storage, packing, and shipping, you’ll pay additional fees based on product size and weight.
Key Policies: Adhere to Amazon’s rules on product quality, customer service, and prohibited items to avoid account suspension.

Pro Tip: Use Amazon’s Fee Calculator in Seller Central to estimate costs and set competitive prices that maintain profitability.

3. List Your Products Effectively

Creating compelling product listings is critical to attracting customers. Follow these steps to optimize your listings:

Choose Your Products: Start with high-demand, low-competition products. Use tools like Jungle Scout or Helium 10 to research profitable niches.
Write Detailed Listings:
- Title: Include key details (brand, product type, size, color) and relevant keywords (e.g., “Organic Cotton T-Shirt, Men’s Large, Blue”).
- Bullet Points: Highlight 5 key features (e.g., “Soft, breathable fabric” or “Machine washable”).
- Description: Provide a concise, engaging overview of the product’s benefits.
- Images: Upload at least 6 high-quality images, including a main image with a white background, lifestyle shots, and close-ups of features.
Set Competitive Pricing: Research similar products to price competitively while covering fees and ensuring profit.

Pro Tip: Optimize your listings with keywords like “organic,” “handmade,” or “fast shipping” to improve search visibility on Amazon.

4. Decide on Fulfillment: FBA vs. FBM

Amazon offers two fulfillment options:

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): You send your products to Amazon’s warehouses, and they handle storage, packing, shipping, and customer service. Ideal for scaling quickly and qualifying for Prime shipping.
Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM): You handle storage, packing, and shipping yourself. Best for low-volume sellers or unique products with higher margins.

Impact on Sales: FBA can boost sales by offering Prime eligibility, but FBM gives you more control over costs. Choose based on your business model and resources.

Pro Tip: Start with FBA for a few products to test demand, then adjust based on sales and profitability.

5. Launch Amazon PPC Ads to Boost Visibility

Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising helps new sellers get noticed in a crowded marketplace. Here’s a quick guide:

Set Up a Campaign: In Seller Central, go to “Advertising” and create a “Sponsored Products” campaign.
Target Keywords: Use automatic targeting to let Amazon choose relevant keywords or manual targeting to select specific terms (e.g., “organic coffee beans”).
Set a Budget: Start with $10-$20/day and adjust