How to Sell on Amazon: The Complete Beginner’s Guide (2026)

Amazon is the largest online marketplace in the world and represents the fastest way for Czech brands to reach millions of European customers. Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs postpone their launch – registration, logistics, and VAT seem complicated. In this guide, we will show you how to sell on Amazon step by step, without unnecessary theory and from the perspective of a seller from the Czech Republic.

Step 1: Decide what and where you will sell

Before you start registering, clarify two things: the product and the market. Amazon operates separate marketplaces in Europe – for Czech sellers, the most common choice is Amazon.de (Germany), which is geographically closest and has the highest purchasing power.

How to verify product potential

• Search for your product directly on Amazon.de and review the first page of results – how many reviews do competitors have and what prices do they hold?

• Calculate your margin: subtract manufacturing costs, Amazon commission (typically 8–15%), FBA fees, and shipping costs to the warehouse from the selling price.

• Initially, avoid risky categories (food, cosmetics, electronics with batteries) that require additional certifications.

Step 2: Create a selling account (Seller Central)

You create a selling account on sellercentral.amazon.de (the account is valid for all Amazon European marketplaces). Choose the Professional plan (€39 per month excluding VAT) – the individual plan is only worthwhile if you sell up to 40 units per month.

What to prepare for registration

• Company ID (IČO) and an extract from the Commercial or Trade Register

• ID card or passport of the executive

• Company bank account (a Czech one is sufficient, ideally with a euro sub-account)

• Payment card for billing fees

• Bank statement no older than 180 days

Expect a verification process (KYC) that can take from several days to a few weeks. Upload documents in good quality and ensure that the data exactly matches the register – discrepancies are the most common cause of rejection.

Tip: Take advantage of our free comprehensive checklist of requirements not only for setting up a professional Amazon account but also for listing products in the catalog. Just click here.

Step 3: Choose a logistics model – FBA or FBM?

Amazon offers two basic order fulfillment models:

FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)

You send goods to Amazon's warehouse, and Amazon handles storage, packaging, delivery to the customer, and returns. FBA products receive the Prime badge, which significantly increases conversions. For most Czech sellers, FBA is the clear choice for starting out.

FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant)

You ship orders yourself from your own warehouse. This makes sense for bulky goods, slow-moving products, or when you already have your own logistics with fast delivery to Germany.

What to pay attention to with FBA

• Fees: you pay for fulfillment (according to size and weight) and storage (per m³/month, significantly more expensive in Q4).

• Pan-EU program: Amazon can move goods between warehouses in different EU countries – but this creates VAT registrations for you in these countries (see below).

• Shipment preparation: each item must have a readable barcode (FNSKU), and the shipment must meet Amazon's packaging requirements.

Step 4: VAT – what a Czech seller must resolve

Taxes are a chapter you must not underestimate. Basic rules for selling from the Czech Republic to the EU:

• Distance selling from the Czech Republic: up to a limit of €10,000 annually, you pay Czech VAT; above this limit, you use the OSS (One Stop Shop) regime and pay VAT for the customer's country through a single Czech declaration.

• Storage in Germany (FBA): once your goods are physically in a German warehouse, you become liable for German VAT registration and need a certificate as per §22f UStG, which Amazon requires.

• Pan-EU FBA: warehouses in Poland, France, or Italy mean VAT registration in each of these countries. Therefore, start only with Germany and expand gradually.

We recommend cooperating with a tax advisor experienced with Amazon – penalties for late registration are significant in Germany.

Step 5: Create a listing that sells

The product page (listing) determines whether the customer buys from you or from a competitor:

• Title: brand + product + key parameters, in German and with relevant keywords.

• Photos: at least 6 high-quality images on a white background + lifestyle photos and infographics with dimensions.

• Bullet points: 5 customer benefits, not just technical specifications.

• Keywords: also fill in hidden backend keywords in Seller Central.

• EAN codes: each product variation needs its own EAN (GS1).

Step 6: First sales and PPC advertising

A new product without reviews won't stand out in organic search on its own. Budget for Amazon PPC (sponsored products) from day one – start with an automatic campaign, after two weeks extract search queries and move the best-performing ones to manual campaigns. Collect reviews exclusively through official channels (the "Request a Review" button or the Vine program) – purchased reviews pose a risk of account suspension.

Most common beginner mistakes

1. Underestimating VAT obligations when using FBA warehouses abroad

2. Incorrectly calculated margin – forgotten return and storage fees

3. Machine-translated listing without localization for the German customer

4. No budget for PPC in the first months

5. Violating Amazon's rules for obtaining reviews

Summary: how to start selling on Amazon

1. Verify demand and calculate margin on Amazon.de

2. Create a Professional account in Seller Central and complete verification

3. Choose FBA to start and prepare the first shipment to the warehouse

4. Resolve German VAT registration (or OSS) before warehousing

5. Create a localized listing with high-quality photos

6. Launch PPC campaigns and collect reviews through official channels

Selling on Amazon is not a sprint, but a well-established system. If you want to entrust the entire process – from registration through VAT to PPC – to specialists, SellerPortal helps Czech brands expand to Amazon, Kaufland, and Allegro. Contact us for a non-binding consultation.