Getting Started with Merchants (FBA)
Hello all, I just finished signing up and getting my account ready for my first product. I've been talking to different merchants on which products to buy but everything is getting clustered and I was looking for some suggestions to get up and going. I already have an idea on what I will be selling, just need some tips when dealing with wholesalers/ merchants and how things are priced. Also how do I actually get set up with a wholesaler and connect it to my FBA account.
Thank you for any advise!
Getting Started with Merchants (FBA)
Hello all, I just finished signing up and getting my account ready for my first product. I've been talking to different merchants on which products to buy but everything is getting clustered and I was looking for some suggestions to get up and going. I already have an idea on what I will be selling, just need some tips when dealing with wholesalers/ merchants and how things are priced. Also how do I actually get set up with a wholesaler and connect it to my FBA account.
Thank you for any advise!
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
So many rookie questions. Start here -- SELLER U.
Since you are brand new, I will expand and give you my freshman, Amazon Rookie lecture. Please read it.
You are confusing AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
You really need to go study Seller U instead of TikTok and YouTube before your account gets kicked to the curb permanently.
Since you don't appear to have done that PLEASE pay attention to the following:
The first question is -- Are you authorized IN WRITING by the BRAND to sell their items on Amazon? That means from the BRAND, not some random wholesale source that can NOT authorize anything – they only SELL.
More and more brands have provided a "whitelist" of their approved sellers and if YOU are NOT on the list you will be stopped in your tracks and probably hit with an IP violation.
The second (and probably more important) question is -- Where are you sourcing your products? Are you buying direct from the brand or through an AUTHORIZED wholesale source?
There are a LOT of FAKE wholesalers out there ranging from places like Sam's Club, Costco, BJs Wholesale and others to all those Gray market providers touted on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and other places. AND there are places like Ali#$#$ that sell counterfeits and knockoffs.
Any of the guys mentioned have resulted in so many account suspensions that it is impossible to count the number.
When Amazon says in Seller U to use an Authorized Reseller they mean an AUTHORIZED (by the BRAND) Wholesale Distributor – NOT some random wholesale distributor that has “thousands of brands” in stock but is NOT authorized by the brand.
Here is an Amazon MOD response to another post with similar issues. I share this because a FEW people don’t believe in needing permission to sell from the BRAND.
“Hello @Photo1,
My name is Dougal from the Community Manager Team. This can be a difficult topic to navigate so I appreciate you posting here in case others have the same or a similar question.
Thanks to @NEVERLAST and @Brigittefor providing assistance and I don't have much more to add other than restating that you need the Brand Owner's approval to sell their brand. I also want to provide you the help page on why a letter of authorization is needed and what should be included in it: Letter of Authorization.
Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Dougal”
NOTE -- I AM NOT DOUGAL. I am quoting what he responded to on a different post regarding the same type issue.
6 replies
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
So many rookie questions. Start here -- SELLER U.
Since you are brand new, I will expand and give you my freshman, Amazon Rookie lecture. Please read it.
You are confusing AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
You really need to go study Seller U instead of TikTok and YouTube before your account gets kicked to the curb permanently.
Since you don't appear to have done that PLEASE pay attention to the following:
The first question is -- Are you authorized IN WRITING by the BRAND to sell their items on Amazon? That means from the BRAND, not some random wholesale source that can NOT authorize anything – they only SELL.
More and more brands have provided a "whitelist" of their approved sellers and if YOU are NOT on the list you will be stopped in your tracks and probably hit with an IP violation.
The second (and probably more important) question is -- Where are you sourcing your products? Are you buying direct from the brand or through an AUTHORIZED wholesale source?
There are a LOT of FAKE wholesalers out there ranging from places like Sam's Club, Costco, BJs Wholesale and others to all those Gray market providers touted on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and other places. AND there are places like Ali#$#$ that sell counterfeits and knockoffs.
Any of the guys mentioned have resulted in so many account suspensions that it is impossible to count the number.
When Amazon says in Seller U to use an Authorized Reseller they mean an AUTHORIZED (by the BRAND) Wholesale Distributor – NOT some random wholesale distributor that has “thousands of brands” in stock but is NOT authorized by the brand.
Here is an Amazon MOD response to another post with similar issues. I share this because a FEW people don’t believe in needing permission to sell from the BRAND.
“Hello @Photo1,
My name is Dougal from the Community Manager Team. This can be a difficult topic to navigate so I appreciate you posting here in case others have the same or a similar question.
Thanks to @NEVERLAST and @Brigittefor providing assistance and I don't have much more to add other than restating that you need the Brand Owner's approval to sell their brand. I also want to provide you the help page on why a letter of authorization is needed and what should be included in it: Letter of Authorization.
Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Dougal”
NOTE -- I AM NOT DOUGAL. I am quoting what he responded to on a different post regarding the same type issue.
Rose_Amazon
Hi @Express4You_,
Thanks for the post and Welcome to the Forums!
You may be asked to provide a Letter of Authorization, if a trademark is associated with a product that you are selling that is not approved by the brand for use in connection with that product.
There is also the New Seller group within the Seller Forums that provides a safe space for new Sellers to post any questions, interact with and learn from other Seller's threads, and meet and network with other new Sellers. If you haven’t already visited the group, you can access them by following the steps below:
• Top of your dashboard, click on Groups
• Under Discussion group, click on New Seller Community
I included some helpful links and a thread below for newbies:
Many brands and products are in restricted categories or require approval:
Categories and products requiring approval
Read what you agreed to, when you signed up:
Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement
Thoroughly read and understand:
Prohibited seller activities and actions (Code of Conduct)
Make sure to choose a Selling Plan that is appropriate for you:
Professional Selling Plan or Individual Selling Plan
Most importantly, watch the videos and read the .pdf files in:
Take a peak at The New Seller Tip thread.
Should you need anything, please hop on over to the Forums. We are all excited to have you.
Best Regards
Rose_Amazon
