SELL

How to start
selling on
Amazon Canada

Whether you’ve already got an established ecommerce business, a great idea for a new product, or you just have a passion for selling, here’s how to take that next step with Amazon.ca.
Read the beginner's guide to selling on Amazon Canada
Man in a plaid shirt and woman in a pink sweater opening a package from Amazon fulfillment

Before you start

Choose a selling plan

With the Individual plan, you’ll pay CDN $1.49 every time you sell an item. The Professional plan costs CDN $29.99 per month, no matter how many items you sell. For both plans, Amazon also collects a referral fee on each sale, which is a percentage of the total transaction and varies by product category. Visit our pricing page for a summary of selling fees.
Compare plans
Amazon app showing product listings of water bottles that can be shipped through Amazon Prime

Consider your selling strategy

Resellers find popular products that already exist and offer them in Amazon's stores.

Brand owners manufacture their own products—or source goods to sell under a private label—to offer shoppers unique selection.

Lots of sellers do both. You can choose whichever method works for your goals.
Learn how to build a brand on Amazon

Create an Amazon seller account

You can use your customer account to start selling, or you can create a new Amazon seller account with your business email. Before you sign up, make sure you’re ready with the following:
  • Business email address or Amazon customer account
  • Chargeable credit card
  • Government ID (identity verification protects sellers and customers)
  • Tax information
  • Phone number
  • A bank account where Amazon can send you proceeds from your sales
Create your Amazon seller account
Amazon Seller Central home screen interface

Amazon jargon:

Seller Central

Seller Central is the website where sellers log in to monitor their Amazon sales activity. You can manage inventory, update pricing, communicate with buyers, review account health, contact selling partner support, and add new products.
Woman in a black blazer looking at her account in the Amazon Seller mobile app

Go mobile

Use the Amazon Seller app to track sales, fulfill orders, find products to sell, respond to customer questions, capture and edit professional-quality product photos, and create listings—all from your phone.
QR code to download the Amazon Seller app to your cellphone
Click here to download the Amazon Seller app on the Apple App Store
Click here to download the Amazon Seller app on Google Play

Adding your products

What can you sell on Amazon? It depends on the product, the category, and the brand.

Some categories are open to all sellers, some require a Professional selling account, some require approval to sell, and some include products that cannot be sold by third-party sellers.

To sell branded products protected by copyright, trademark, or patent, you must be the legal owner of the brand or an authorized reseller. Log-in to Seller Central to learn more about Amazon’s intellectual property policy for sellers.

The table below provides an overview of Amazon product categories, but visit Seller Central Help to learn more about restrictions, and how to request approval. If you ship orders with Fulfilment By Amazon, be sure to review the specific list of FBA product restrictions.

Product categories

Product category

Example products

Conditions allowed

Categories without restrictions
Amazon Device Accessories
Amazon devices accessories
New, Refurbished, Used
Automotive Parts & Accessories
Parts, tires, tools & equipment, accessories
New, Used, Collectible
Books
Books, calendars, card decks, sheet music, issues of magazines and journals, and other publications
New, Used, Collectible
Camera & Photo
Cameras, camcorders, telescopes
New, Refurbished, Used
Clothing & Accessories
Outerwear, athletic wear, innerwear, belts, wallets
New
Electronics Accessories
Accessories for audio & video, camera & photo, car electronics, cell phone, computer, and office electronics accessories.
New, Refurbished, Used
Home & Garden
Kitchen & dining, home appliances, vacuums & storage, furniture & décor, bedding & bath, sewing, craft & hobby, patio, lawn & garden
New, Refurbished, Used, Collectible
Industrial & Scientific
Janitorial & sanitation supplies, lab & scientific products, occupational health & safety products, power & hand tools
New, Refurbished, Used,
Music
CDs, cassettes, vinyl, and other sound recordings
New, Used, Collectible
Musical Instruments
Guitars, keyboards, band & orchestra, recording equipment, instrument accessories
New, Refurbished, Used
Office Products
Office supplies, electronic office devices
New, Refurbished, Used
Personal Computers
Desktops, laptops, drives, storage
New, Refurbished, Used
Pet Supplies
Pet apparel, pet bedding & furniture, pet carriers & travel accessories, pet toys
New, Refurbished, Used
Software
Business, media education, utility, security, and children's software
New, Used
Sports & Outdoors
Sports equipment, athletic Shoes, bicycles, fan gear, camping equipment, hiking boots
New, Refurbished, Used, Collectible
Sports Collectibles
Trading cards, game-used and autographed items
Collectible - Lilke New
Tools & Building Supplies
Power tools, hardware, hand tools, lamps and light fixtures, kitchen and bathroom fixtures
New, Refurbished, Used
Video & DVD
Movies and tv shows, VHS tapes, DVD discs, blu-ray discs
New, Used, Collectible
Categories with restrictions
Animal-Related Products
See animals and animal-related product restrictions on Seller Central
New
Baby Products
Topicals, food, feeding products, diapers, strollers, carriers, toys
New
Cell Phones
Unlocked cell phones
New, Refurbished, Used
Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care
See cosmetics and skin/hair care restrictions on Seller Central
New
Currency, Coins, and Cash Equivalents
Imitation or replica Canadian currency not permitted
Collectible
Dietary Supplements
See drugs and dietary supplemensts restrictions on Seller Central
New
Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia & Dietary Supplements
See drugs & drug paraphernalia restrictions on Seller Central
New
Electronics
See electronics restrictions on Seller Central
New
Grocery & Gourmet Food
See food and beverage restrictions on Seller Central
New
Hazardous & Dangerous Items
See hazardous and dangerous Items restrictions on Seller Central
New
Helmets
See helmet product restrictions on Seller Central
New
Human parts & burial artifacts
See human parts and burial artifacts restrictions on Seller Central
New
Jewellery & Precious Gems
See jewellery & precious gems restrictions on Seller Central
New
Lock Picking & Theft Devices
See lock-picking & theft devices restrictions on Seller Central
New
Medical devices and accessories
See medical devices and accessories restrictions on Seller Central
New
Offensive Products
See offensive and controversial restrictions on Seller Central
New
Pesticides and Pesticide Devices
See pesticides restrictions on Seller Central
New
Pet Care
See pet care restrictions on Seller Central
New, Used, Collectible
Recalled Products
See recalled product restrictions on Seller Central
New
Surveillance Equipment
See surveillance equipment restrictions on Seller Central
New
Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products
See tobacco & related products restrictions on Seller Central
New
Topicals
See topicals product restrictions on Seller Central
New
Warranties, Service Plans, Contracts, and Guarantees
See warranties, etc., restrictions on Seller Central
New
Weapons and Imitation Weapons
See explosives and weapons restrictions on Seller Central
New, Used, Collectible
Toys & Games
Infant and Preschool Toys, Learning and Exploration Toys, Ride-ons, Action Figures, Dolls, Board Games, Arts, Crafts, Hobbies
New, Collectible
Other Restricted Products
See other restrictions on Seller Central
New
EXPLAINER

Understanding Product IDs

Learn more about product IDs and how to obtain one

Watch

Product listing details

To start selling a product on Amazon, you’ll create a product listing in Seller Central (or via API). A product listing includes:
  • A product identifier, such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, or EAN to specify the exact item you’re selling. You can get a UPC code directly from GS1, or request an exemption.
  • A SKU, which is a product ID you create to track your own inventory
  • Offer details, including price, product condition, available quantity, and shipping options
  • Product details like name, brand, category, description, and images
  • Keywords and search terms to help customers find your product
If another seller already offers the same product, you’ll match an existing listing (which means some details will already be in place, like the product identifier). If you’re the first seller to offer a product, you’ll create a new listing.

Amazon jargon:

ASIN

Every product offered for sale on Amazon gets an automatically generated ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number), which is different from a GTIN or SKU. Multiple sellers may offer the same ASIN.

The product detail page

Amazon Seller Central product detail page showing where descriptions go
Your offer details will be displayed on a “product detail page.” If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon.ca, you’ve seen one. Product detail pages are where customers find all of the relevant information about a particular item.

When multiple sellers offer the same product, Amazon combines data from those various offers on a single detail page. Sellers who offer the product can contribute detail page information—or request detail page reviews if the information displayed is incorrect.

If you sell your products under a registered trademark, consider enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry, a free service that gives you increased control over product detail pages that use your brand name.
Learn about Brand Registry
1.
Title
200 characters max, capitalize the first letter of every word
2.
Images
500 x 500 or 1,000 x 1,000 pixels to increase listing quality
3.
Variations
Such as different colors, scents, or sizes
4.
Bullet points
Short, descriptive sentences highlighting key features and benefits
5.
Featured offer ("Buy Box")
The featured offer on a detail page. Customers can add to their cart or “Buy Now”
6.
Other offers
The same product sold by multiple sellers offering a different price, shipping options, etc.
7.
Description
Keywords improve the chances that people will find your listing

Amazon jargon:

Featured offer ("Buy Box")

If more than one seller offers a product, they may compete for the featured offer (“Buy Box”), the most visible offers on the product detail page. Sellers must meet performance-based requirements to be eligible for Featured Offer placement.

Attracting customers

Once your products go live in Amazon's stores, there are a number of things you can do to attract customers. The Amazon Flywheel describes our method for driving growth.

Below are some ways to consider using “Amazon Flywheel” principles to generate momentum for your business.
Amazon Prime delivery screen with “get it today” selected
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Provide fast shipping

Customers often shop products with the Amazon Prime badge, which you can get by using Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) to ship products from one of our fulfilment centres.
Explore all shipping options
Graph showing Amazon Seller Central’s automated repricing and bulk pricing tools
PRICING

Set competitive prices

Many customers shop for the best price. Seller Central tools like automated repricing and bulk pricing for Amazon Business customers can help you stay competitive.
More ideas to increase sales
(sign-in required)

After your first sale

The moment you’re selling on Amazon is the moment you can start growing. We have tools in place to help you take things to the next level and then some.

Get customer reviews

Customer product reviews benefit customers and sellers. Make sure you’re familiar with the right and wrong ways to get more product reviews and avoid policy violations.
Get the guidelines
(sign-in required)
Amazon customer’s 4.5-star product review

Grow your business

Selling in Amazon stores enables you to build a worldwide company from your laptop or mobile device. Advertising, promotions, and global selling are just a few ways to expand.
Explore growth opportunities
Amazon Seller Central interface showing growth opportunities for an Amazon seller account
Graph showing the health of an Amazon seller account

Stay successful

We set a high bar for Amazon sellers because we want to provide a seamless, trustworthy, delightful shopping experience for customers.
Read the list
Just have a few items to sell?
Sign up to become an individual seller

Start selling today

Put your products in front of the millions of customers who search Amazon.ca every day.
Sign up
CDN $29.99 a month + selling fees
Important Notice for International Sellers As an international seller there are important steps you must take before selling on our Amazon.ca website to ensure a great experience for you and for customers.

Please read this important information for international sellers for more details of your obligations as a seller on Amazon.ca.
Conditions générales d’utilisation
Politique de confidentialité
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