Key takeaways
- Pick your path: Choose the right seller plan (Individual vs Professional) and complete Seller Central registration.
- Stay compliant & competitive: Get EORI/VAT, research profitable products, and create clear, keyworded listings with strong images.
- Deliver & improve: Select FBM or FBA based on costs and scale, then track metrics and iterate to boost visibility and sales.
In short: To sell on Amazon UK, choose a selling plan, register on Amazon Seller Central, and comply with UK tax rules such as EORI and VAT. Then research and source products, and create strong product listings. Finally, pick a fulfillment option (FBM or FBA), optimize your listings, and monitor performance.
Amazon hit nearly $575 billion in net sales revenue worldwide in 2023.
Amazon UK is considered the second-largest online marketplace in the United Kingdom. It helps businesses expand their reach and boost their sales.
Selling on Amazon UK offers a wide product selection, convenience, competitive prices, and a trusted, well-known brand. This can bring significant growth for your business. It lets you tap into the lucrative UK ecommerce market.
How do you sell on Amazon UK?
You sell on Amazon UK by following seven steps, from choosing a selling plan to monitoring your performance. To become a successful Amazon UK seller, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Choose Your Selling Plan
Amazon UK offers two seller plans:
Individual Selling Plan: This plan suits businesses that expect to sell fewer than 35 products per month. It is ideal if you are just starting out or sell a small range of products.
Professional Selling Plan: This plan suits businesses that expect higher sales volumes. For a monthly subscription fee, it unlocks advanced features like bulk listing tools and in-depth sales reports.
Think carefully about how much you expect to sell.
If you are unsure, the Individual Selling Plan can be a starting point. You can always upgrade to the Professional Plan later if your business grows.
Compare the per-item selling fee of the Individual Plan with the monthly subscription fee of the Professional Plan.
For higher sales volumes, the Professional Plan may cost less, because it has no per-item selling fees.
Step 2: Registering as an Amazon Seller
- Create your Seller Account by visiting Amazon Seller Central to start the registration process.
- You'll need a valid business email address for communication.
- You need a credit card to cover any selling fees or advertising costs you may want.
- Provide a government-issued ID to verify your identity.
Step 3: Complying with UK Tax Regulations
Selling on Amazon UK requires compliance with UK tax regulations, including Economic Operator Registration Identification (EORI) and Value Added Tax (VAT).
If you fail to comply with these rules, you can face penalties and disruption to your business.
Step 4: Research and Source Products
Do thorough market research to find products with high demand and low competition on Amazon UK.
Think about product size, weight, and shipping costs when you choose products to source. These factors can have a big impact on your profit margins.
Watch out for any import duties or taxes on your sourced products. Build these costs into your pricing strategy.
Step 5: Creating Product Listings
Product listings are your virtual storefronts on Amazon UK. Good listings are key to attracting customers and driving sales.
Include a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Universal Product Code (UPC), International Standard Book Number (ISBN), or European Article Number (EAN). This code uniquely identifies your product. It allows accurate product categorization and helps customers find it in search.
Create a unique Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) for your internal inventory management. This helps you track your stock levels efficiently.
Product Details
Write a clear, short product title that accurately reflects the product's features and benefits.
Write a detailed description that highlights the product's key selling points and answers likely customer concerns.
Include high-quality product images from several angles to show the product in detail. Use relevant search terms throughout your listings to help customers find them on Amazon UK's search engine. For a closer look, see What is an Amazon ASIN Number and How to Find it?.
Step 6: Fulfillment Options
Amazon UK sellers can deliver products to customers through Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). Decide on a fulfillment strategy before you start selling. Two primary options exist:
Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM): You manage the entire fulfillment process, including storage of your inventory, packaging of orders, and shipment to customers.
This option requires a robust logistics network. It may suit businesses with low sales volume. It may also suit oversized products that are expensive to store in Amazon's fulfillment centers.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon handles the complete fulfillment process, including storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for your products.
This option frees you from logistics, so you can focus on other parts of your business. However, FBA has extra fees that you must build into your pricing strategy.
Choosing the Right Fulfillment Option
Think about your business needs, resources, and budget when you choose a fulfillment option. If you have a limited budget or sell oversized products, FBM may be a good starting point.
As your business and sales volume grow, FBA can streamline operations. It may also improve customer satisfaction with faster delivery times.
Business Needs: Think about your expertise and resources. Do you have the infrastructure and staff to manage storage, packaging, and shipping efficiently? If not, FBA can take these burdens off you.
Product Size and Weight: FBA fulfillment costs are generally based on product dimensions and weight. For bulky or heavy products, FBM may cost less. This is especially true if you have storage space and can negotiate good shipping rates with carriers.
Sales Volume: If you're a new seller with low sales, FBM lets you test the waters and gain experience without extra FBA fees. As your sales grow and your business scales, FBA can become more attractive. It offers efficiency and potential cost savings.
Budget: FBM requires an upfront investment in storage space, packaging materials, and shipping costs. FBA removes these upfront costs but adds per-unit storage and fulfillment fees. Carefully compare your projected sales volume and fulfillment costs under each option. Then choose the most budget-friendly approach for your business.
Step 7: Optimize Your Listings and Monitor Performance
Amazon UK sellers should regularly check how their product listings perform and what customer reviews say. Use Amazon Seller Central analytics to track key metrics like sales data. You can also find your top-selling products and analyze customer behavior.
Use what you learn to optimize your listings. Add relevant keywords to improve your search ranking and attract more customers.
How Taxually handles this
Taxually’s CrossTax handles VAT registration, VAT, OSS and IOSS returns and fiscal representation in the countries you sell into, and checks your sales data against 250+ validation rules before each filing. OneTax then pays every tax authority with one bulk payment in your chosen currency.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Which seller plan should I choose?
Pick Individual if you expect <35 sales/month; choose Professional for higher volume, bulk tools, and reports. You can upgrade later as you grow.
What do I need to register and stay compliant?
Create a Seller Central account with a business email, credit card, and government-issued ID. For UK compliance, obtain EORI (if importing) and VAT registration as required.
Should I use FBA or FBM?
Use FBA for scale, Prime-eligible shipping, and outsourced logistics; use FBM if you handle storage/shipping, sell bulky items, or want tighter cost control. Reassess as volume and costs change.
