All About Selling

All you need to know about setting up your business on an online marketplace

A few simple requirements to get started

by Arshiya Dey on 18/01/2016

There are two ways to start off with an online business. You can either decide to setup your own e-commerce website, invest in it, and maintain it or you can register yourself as a seller on an online marketplace like Amazon.in. Exploring, researching, comparing and documenting all that you need to setup your store front on an e-commerce platform can be daunting, especially if you are new to the domain. But don’t worry, we’ve created a quick ‘cheat sheet’ type list to help you setup your online store on Amazon:

selling online representation of online store

Get PAN and VAT/CST Numbers (TIN Certificate)

PAN = Permanent Account Number
GST = Goods & Services Tax

If you intend to sell online, the first thing you have to do is make sure you have the proper tax documents. The most important thing is to apply and get for yourself and your business a Goods & Services Tax (GST) number. This will ensure that you are legally compliant to set up and run an online business. Even online marketplaces like Amazon.in have this mandatory rule without which you may not be able to list your products as a seller. You should have a PAN and VAT number to start with and if you intend to sell beyond your home state (which would be the case online) then you also need the CST number. Most tax departments issue VAT/CST numbers together as a part of the TIN process. If you need help in getting VAT/CST (TIN) certificates, then you can register to sell on Amazon and take the help of professionals here.

Register yourself and create an account

The registration process to create an account is very simple. Just visit the Amazon Services website and click on the ‘Register Now’ button. This will open up an easy to understand form where you have to add information about your business and the kind of products you want to sell. You will be asked to add your Business Name, Contact Information, VAT/CST (TIN) Numbers, Bank Account Details (so that Amazon can pay you when you have a sale) and verify your mobile number via OTP (so that we can minimize the chances of fraud). Doing this is not difficult and you can also use our Seller App (Download for iOS or Android) to register.

Once done, you will be guided to add information about the products you want to sell and the related categories.

List your products

Adding the right kind of information is one of the most important steps when setting up your online store. You should have images for your products and all the specifications that will let a buyer know the details. You also need to add detailed descriptions about the products.
If you are unable to get all the right images for your products or if you have a lot of products and you need professional help, then you can request assistance from Amazon’s Service Provider Network. These professionals can help you with photo-shoots, creating listings for your products and in helping to manage your account for reasonable rates

Start Selling

Once you have completed the steps above then your account is complete and you are ready to go live. Amazon will launch your account and your products will also become visible to millions of customers who come to the Amazon.in website. Now you have to just make sure you quickly process the orders, pack the products and send them to your buyers on time. You can manage your business via Seller Central from Desktop/Laptop or via the Amazon Seller App from your smartphone/tablet. If you need assistance, you can always get in touch with Amazon Seller Support from your account help section. The help section also has a lot of information available already but if you prefer watching video, then simply visit the Amazon Seller University channel to get access to lots of help and guidance videos.

And that’s all! Super simple, easy to start and lots of help on the way. Click here to become an Amazon Seller. We wish you happy selling on Amazon.in!

Disclaimer: Whilst Amazon Seller Services Private Limited ("Amazon") has used reasonable endeavours in compiling the information provided, Amazon provides no assurance as to its accuracy, completeness or usefulness or that such information is error-free. In certain cases, the blog is provided by a third-party seller and is made available on an "as-is" basis. Amazon hereby disclaims any and all liability and assumes no responsibility whatsoever for consequences resulting from use of such information. Information provided may be changed or updated at any time, without any prior notice. You agree to use the information, at your own risk and expressly waive any and all claims, rights of action and/or remedies (under law or otherwise) that you may have against Amazon arising out of or in connection with the use of such information. Any copying, redistribution or republication of the information, or any portion thereof, without prior written consent of Amazon is strictly prohibited.

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