How To Unlock Your Amazon Account To Sell in India
Amazon is the world’s leading online retailer that, not only offers an amazing shopping experience for customers but also enables sellers to penetrate new markets.
The marketplace continues to leverage e-commerce in an increasingly globalized world and has set up e-retail outlet stores in more than 15 countries and jurisdictions.
Renowned as the world’s most valuable e-commerce conglomerate, Amazon launched in India on June 5, 2013, when it first opened its virtual shelf to customers and sellers via Amazon.in.
In the beginning, the company only had 100 booksellers operating from a small warehouse in Mumbai. Fast forward to today, the company has invested more than $6.5 billion and has over 1.2 million sellers in its Indian marketplace.
The increased market expansion has seen more Indians interested in becoming Amazon sellers and understanding how vital features like Amazon Seller Central India work.
If you are looking to leverage targeted sales and partner with Amazon from India, here is a comprehensive guide to selling on Amazon India.
Why Sell on Amazon India?
Ten years since its launch, the company has digitized more than 4 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India, enabling start-ups to reach a broader customer base.
India is ranked among the world’s fastest-growing economies. From its over 1 billion population, 620 million people are internet savvy and are accustomed to online shopping.
Combined with Amazon’s deep understanding of regional demands, its close collaboration with local sellers, and its global scope and reach, these statistics are too good to turn down for Indian merchants looking to tap into its revenue potential.
Therefore, among others, here are four reasons why you should consider selling on Amazon India:
#1 Penetrate New Markets
Amazon.in, India’s version of the Amazon B2C marketplace, Amazon.com, boasts over 100 million registered users. The site receives 300 million page visits per month on average, and for any aspiring seller looking at these metrics, now is probably the most opportune time to reach hundreds of thousands of new customers.
#2 Boost Sales
On average, Amazon seller India receives at least 150,000 product orders across different categories daily. This translates to one order for every second pitch attempt on the marketplace. This means that sellers offering high-quality products at competitive prices are likely to hit high order rates and increased profits.
For context, more than 4000 Amazon sellers hit sales figures of more than 10 million Indian Rupee (INR) on Amazon in 2022. A further 7000 sellers hit order values of more than 1 million INR during the Great Indian Festival. This just indicates the high revenue potential associated with selling on Amazon India.
#3 Enhanced Profit Margins
Amazon India launched in 2013 but is pretty much in its nascent stages. Considering that India is the world’s most populated country, Amazon is just getting started and there is still more room to target new customers. This bodes well with new sellers looking to ungate Amazon’s restricted categories for enhanced profit margins.
#4 World-Class Customer Service
Amazon’s global reach and scope not only signify its massive e-commerce market share, but is also a testament to the company’s commitment to reliable, efficient, and excellent shopping experience. Through its massive logistics centers and FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) program, the company promises to handle products and customer interactions on behalf of Indian sellers.
How to Start Selling on Amazon India
Are you looking to take advantage of India’s growing Amazon marketplace? Amazon.in is India’s most visited e-retail destination, and this section highlights the necessary steps and requirements needed to register an account, list, and sell successfully.
To create your seller account on Amazon Seller Central India, four steps are involved, namely:
- Sign up on Amazon India via Amazon.in or sellercentral.amazon.in.
- Decide what to sell India: India has a massive wealth of consumer electronics, but other popular products over the years include apparel, jewelry, movies and TV shows, home & kitchen, etc.
- List the product on your Amazon India Seller Central account.
- Choose storage and shipping: The three types of fulfillment options available for Amazon India include Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), and Easy-Ship. Each method has its pros and cons.
How to Set Up an Amazon Seller India Account
Registering for an Amazon Seller India account is pretty straightforward and involves simple steps as highlighted below:
- Head over to Amazon.in and click on the Start Selling button.
- On the sign-up page, click on Create your Amazon account.
- Complete all the prompts using your name, mobile number, and valid email address and password, then click Continue.
- ou will receive a One-Time PIN (OTP) for account verification, but the system will request additional documentation to complete seller registration. These include a bank account number, a chargeable credit card, a Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN), and a Permanent Account Number (PAN).
- Choose a selling plan between Individual and Professional. The former is limited to 40 items and charges 88.47 INR (€0.99) per sale, while the latter charges a monthly fee of 3,485 INR (€39) regardless of the volume of sales.
- Once all the tabs have been completed and you have access to the Amazon India Seller Central, create a listing and add products.
How to List Products On Your Amazon India Seller Central Account
Once the Amazon India Seller Central account setup has been finalized with all important personal, account, and supplier details, next up is to create a listing. This is essentially the virtual store through which customers will browse and make orders for your products. The process is simple too, and all you need to do is follow the five steps below:
- Navigate to the Inventory button and hit the Add a Product tab.
- On the next prompt, select the I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon tab.
- Select the product category, brand, or type.
- On the next page, complete all the relevant fields, including your product identifiers such as price, SKU, titles, and name.
- Hit Save and Finish, and submit the listing to Amazon for review. It should go public within one day if everything is done right.
Quick Facts about Seller Central Amazon India
- Sellers ungated in Amazon’s out-of-country marketplaces must get approved to sell in India’s restricted categories.
- Product packaging and instructions must be written in the official language, and the labels must adhere to India’s selling guidelines, safety, and government controls. That requires sellers to obtain proper documentation, including licenses, VAT registration, and business permits.
- Amazon requires Indian sellers to offer world-class customer service and improve their Amazon metrics to have their accounts in good standing.
- Sellers who own Indian-based private limited companies must show proof of Certificate of Incorporation during account registration.
- All sellers must have a registered business to sell on Amazon India.
- he Pay on Delivery service (also referred to as Cash on Delivery) is in extensive use in India’s Amazon shipping and fulfillment practices. However, it comes at a cost. Instead, you can opt for Amazon’s FBA facility that fulfills orders using the same Pay on Delivery model.
- To become an FBA seller in the Indian Amazon Store, you need to collaborate with third-party companies with whom you will liaise to provide and maintain inventory in Amazon’s fulfillment centers across India. This will help store products close to customers and slash delivery times.
That said, India’s regulations don’t permit global entities to engage in direct business-to-customer retail (B2C). Therefore, if you are an out-of-country brand, you should liaise with India’s Amazon team to connect you to third parties who will list inventory on your behalf. India’s FBA model is unlike any other, and that means sellers should partner with Indian-based distributors who can then engage in outright B2C business.
Amazon Seller Central India Dashboard
Simply put, Amazon Seller Central India is a platform that enables thousands of Indian-based Amazon sellers to oversee the growth of their business on Amazon. Through this dashboard, sellers can take care of a variety of things, which include:
- Track orders: Sellers can check order status and monitor data in real time.
- View sales: Every day’s business information is displayed on this platform regarding revenues in a 24-hour timeframe. Sellers can also generate past sales information for up to 30 days.
- Access Feedback: Through this dashboard, sellers can view messages from buyers, access overall ratings, and respond to queries in real time.
- Monitor account health: Amazon’s business model puts customers first, and that’s why it puts more emphasis on excellent selling standards. Sellers can monitor such metrics via this dashboard and work towards meeting their performance targets.
- Cataloging: Sellers can manage their inventory, including existing orders, pricing, etc.
Features of Amazon Prime India
Amazon Prime membership launched in India in July 2016, bringing localized content to India’s online shopping and streaming-hungry population. Besides offering local content in Hindi, Amazon brought unlimited access to Indian and international content in different languages, including Bengali, Punjabi, Telegu, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, and English.
Prime content is streamed by customers in over 97% of India’s pin codes and has brought global platforms to the country’s backyard. The popular service continues to enjoy steady subscription rates, with over 60 million active members (ahead of Netflix’s 40 million active Indian users).
The service has lured Indian shoppers to the platform, most of whom enjoy exclusive benefits offered by its Prime and Prime Lite Membership plans. Popular features of Amazon Prime India include:
1. Free Delivery:
Prime members enjoy one-day delivery on millions of eligible products, including a 25 INR cashback for No-Rush Shipping to eligible addresses.
2. Prime Video:
Members have access to unlimited ad-free downloads and streaming of box office movies, Live Sports, Amazon Originals, and TV shows.
Prime members have limitless access to eBooks and comics through their Kindle E-reader or free access apps on PC, Android, macOS, and iOS.
4. Amazon Music:
Members get unlimited, ad-free access to millions of songs, stations, albums, and playlists at no additional cost.
5. Prime Early Access:
Prime members have early access to exclusive Prime Day deals as well as Lightning Deals on Amazon.in.
What Are Amazon Restricted Or Gated Categories in India?
Amazon gated or restricted categories in India are those with strict selling rules that no seller is allowed to sell freely. These categories, brands, and ASINs have specific approval guidelines, and any seller who meets the standards can enjoy a vast market with less competition.
That means Amazon only has the power to draw the rules and open gates for more sellers to access the categories. The good news, however, is that Amazon does not always restrict the entire category, like in the previous gating practices.
Instead, it gates subcategories, leaving some products open, even though they might be under gated categories. This explains why there is a short list of gated categories and a long list of restricted products or subcategories.
Generally, any seller who wants to sell within a gated category must apply for Amazon to let them in.
Also, enlisting the services of third-party ungating companies is another way to get ungated in India for Amazon to let them in.
To get a broader picture of ungating categories and brands, here is a big guide to read.
Why Does Amazon Gate Its Categories?
Most multi-million investments are built on trust, customer satisfaction, and a healthy working environment, and Amazon is no exception. Being a huge marketplace with millions of users globally, Amazon strives to maintain a good relationship with both buyers and sellers by ensuring only high-quality products are in circulation.
It achieves this by gating some categories, brands, and ASINs. Therefore, among others, here are the main reasons why Amazon gates its categories:
To Be Able To Monitor Product Standards
One of the first missions of the company is to ensure buyers are offered both high-quality and safe products. It does this by allowing only sellers whose products have undergone stringent quality assessment steps to access highly-demanded categories.
Since the platform is home to millions of brands and buyers, there are high chances of buyers getting counterfeit products.
Hence, it is Amazon’s responsibility to block such products by setting up strict selling rules. That is why ungating service for India requires sellers to show authorization and necessary documentation from agencies that oversee all safety standards concerning ingredients or raw materials, packaging, product labeling, and expiry dates.
For the Protection of Every Brand’s Reputation
Amazon also works jointly with big brands to ensure that only authorized resellers can list products from certain brands.
Therefore, to protect the brand’s reputation, Amazon asks sellers to provide legit documentation from these brands to show they are allowed to list their products.
Resellers who do not provide proof of authorization are locked out of certain categories. Many large and well-known brands require pre-approval with them directly, before even applying to Amazon.
This is true for both seasoned sellers, and individuals new to the platform.
To Enhance Customer Satisfaction
Besides ensuring buyers can get high-quality products, Amazon also restricts some categories to prevent sellers from exploiting buyers. That means only sellers with a positive track record can access the categories and reach buyers.
This enhances customer satisfaction and a positive rating. The company may also limit or dictate maximum pricing to ensure buyers are not being fleeced.
Categories And Products That Require Amazon Approval in India
As stated earlier, Amazon has a long list of gated products and a short list of restricted categories. That is because one category can have more subcategories, which can add up to tens of products.
Therefore, when applying for approval, Indian sellers need to consider three ungating levels; category, brand, and product ungating. They should also differentiate between category and product unlocking.
General Guidelines to Get Ungated on Amazon India
Whether you are a new reseller or an established FBA seller, utilizing the vast market space offered by Amazon should never be a challenge again.
Two of the most common questions new sellers seek answers to are; can you do Amazon FBA from India? And is FBA profitable in India?
The answer to both is yes. You can create an account, get ungated, scale your business, and enjoy the benefits that come with Fulfillment by Amazon such as storage spaces, returns, and world-class customer service. Amazon’s mission is to see its users grow, and thus, increase sales and profitability. And this does not matter if you are listing your products in a locked or unrestricted category.
As a result, if you want to expand your selling portfolio by accessing restricted categories, here are the general guidelines to get ungated on Amazon India:
Sign Up for A Professional Amazon Seller Account India
Amazon Seller Account India is the backbone of any seller as it records all the activities conducted by the seller on the platform. It is through this account that Amazon can tell your business position and determine whether you meet all the quality standards or not.
Analyze And Verify Your Account Health
Creating a professional Seller Account is not enough. You still need to maintain its health to maximize your chances of getting approved. Maintaining a healthy account includes meeting your customers’ expectations and adhering to Amazon’s business code. That means you should have a timely shipping record, good customer relations, competitive pricing, and avoid violating Amazon’s policies. To check your account health, go to the Account Health section on the Amazon Seller Central India Account and click on the Performance menu.
Check Specific Category Ungating Guidelines
Each category has specific ungating instructions, and you need to check them before requesting approval. Some categories are complicated, while others have simple instructions that even new sellers can unlock easily. For example, some categories like CA Grocery & Gourmet ungating service may require sellers to have at least three years of selling experience and running websites.
Choose A Reputable Supplier
Getting a reliable supplier is also a vital step, especially as your demand curve grows. Amazon will also ask you to provide legitimate invoices from trusted suppliers whose products fall under gated categories. After choosing a supplier, you need to place at least three orders, with each order having at least ten pieces of the restricted product. Retailers are not considered suppliers. You cannot go down to your local store and purchase a bunch of items for resale. The products need to come from verified wholesalers and distributors.
Prepare All Documents
Before submitting your approval request, you need to prepare your documents, which include recent purchase invoices from reputable wholesalers. These scanned copies of individual invoices should have all the ASINs written next to the product name. Price and other confidential information should be locked for wholesaler privacy.
Request Approval
With all the documents and other requirements ready, you can proceed to request approval from Amazon.
Final Thoughts on Ungating Amazon Service for India
Amazon is the leading e-commerce platform in the world, boasting 15 e-retail outlets and with business operations in over 190 countries.
The company leverages its understanding of every region’s market nuances to adapt and strategize, helping sellers reap the benefits of tapping into large populations worldwide.
Like other marketplaces, India is no exception when it comes to listing and selling on the platform. Through Amazon.in, sellers can create accounts, ungate Amazon’s restricted categories, and list and sell products to shore up their revenue potential.
As the world’s most populated country, India’s Amazon marketplace is one of the most potent, and, now more than ever, sellers can take advantage of its limitless possibilities.
