Amazon enables small businesses to reach customers across a broad range of product categories.
Its seller tools, advertising options and brand features can support businesses as they grow. Sellers can manage orders themselves or use Fulfilment by Amazon, which can handle storage, picking, packing, delivery, customer service and returns for eligible products.
However, reaching a large audience does not guarantee success. Competition can be significant and sellers need to understand Amazon’s fees, catalogue requirements and fulfilment options before investing in stock.
Is Amazon right for your business?
Amazon may be suitable if you:
- sell products with broad consumer appeal
- want to test demand without building an online store from scratch
- can maintain reliable stock levels and competitive delivery times
- have enough margin to cover selling, fulfilment, storage and advertising costs
- want the option to expand into additional products or markets
Before opening an account, consider how your products will compete on price, availability, reviews and listing quality.
Understanding product identifiers on Amazon
Amazon uses product identifiers to organise its catalogue and match seller offers with existing product pages.
A Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN, gives each product and variant a unique identity. Depending on the product and market, this may appear as an EAN, UPC or another type of GS1 identifier.
Amazon may validate the GTIN and related brand information against GS1 records. It is therefore important that the brand name on your packaging, in your GS1 records and in your Amazon listing is consistent.
Amazon also uses its own fulfilment labels and barcodes in certain circumstances. These perform a different role from a GTIN:
a GTIN identifies the product
an Amazon barcode or fulfilment label identifies stock within Amazon’s fulfilment system
The labelling requirements that apply will depend on your products, your seller status and how you fulfil orders. Check the latest guidance in Seller Central before preparing or sending stock.
When a GTIN exemption may apply
Amazon allows GTIN exemptions for some products that do not have a standard product identifier. This may include certain handmade, private label, bundled or unbranded products. An exemption is not automatically available and must be requested for the relevant product category and brand. Exemptions may also limit how easily products can be managed or moved into other retail channels later.
If you plan to develop a brand, sell through multiple retailers or expand beyond Amazon, assigning GS1 GTINs from the outset gives your products a consistent identity that can be used across different systems and sales channels. Books normally use International Standard Book Numbers, or ISBNs, rather than a GTIN assigned directly by the seller.
Getting started: the essentials
A smooth start on Amazon comes down to preparation and consistency.
- Open your seller account: input your business details, a chargeable card, payout bank account, government ID and basic tax information. Having your core product data ready will help you list quickly
- Create listings that perform: good listings are clear, consistent and easy for customers to understand and embed clean product data so Amazon can match items correctly with its catalogue
- Assign identifiers: consistent identifiers and brand information help reduce errors. Assign a unique GTIN to each product and variant and make sure the brand name is recorded consistently across your packaging, your GS1 records and your Amazon listings. This is a common point of failure for new sellers. Each size, colour or format should have its own identifier and sit within a clear parent child structure. This improves the customer experience and reduces confusion
- Choose how you will fulfil orders: compare self-fulfilment with Fulfilment by Amazon using the latest fee pages and the FBA Revenue Calculator. Costs vary depending on size, weight and time of year
- Prepare your listings carefully: your main image should have a pure white background and be at least 1,000 pixels on the longest side. Titles, descriptions and product data should be clear and accurate to avoid suppression
- Check whether approvals are required: some categories or brands require approval before committing to stock. If you see an ‘apply to sell’ requirement in Seller Central, complete this step early
Tip: If you own a trademark, enrolling in Brand Registry gives you greater control over your listings along with enhanced content options.
The money model
Amazon offers two main selling plans.
- The Individual plan charges 75p per sale and is designed for low volume sellers. It has limited access to tools and reporting
- The Professional plan costs £25 per month, excluding VAT and provides a wider set of tools including bulk listing, advertising features and more detailed insights
Most businesses looking to grow will use this option. In both cases, you will also pay referral fees based on your product category. Always check the latest fee schedules, as these can change.
Tip: Before sending stock, model your margins using the FBA Revenue Calculator and current fulfilment fee pages rather than relying on static figures.
Checklist: core compliance areas
There are several additional costs and requirements to factor in when selling via Amazon.
- Since 1 August 2024, VAT has applied to Amazon fees for UK-established sellers. If you are VAT registered, this can usually be reclaimed through your return. If not, it becomes a direct cost
- Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging is now in effect in the UK, with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment rules also applying since 12 August 2025. Depending on where your business is based and what you sell, you may need to register and report directly or pay fees through Amazon’s service
- Since 31 March 2026, resellers using Fulfilment by Amazon must use Amazon barcodes, even where a manufacturer barcode exists. Brand owners meeting the criteria can continue to use manufacturer barcodes. This is worth factoring into your labelling approach early
A path to growth
First 30 days: Start with controlled stock levels. Many SMEs benefit from testing demand with smaller quantities, refining pricing and understanding how their product performs before scaling.
Next: Stay responsive once you are live. Prompt responses to customer queries, accurate listings and reliable fulfilment all contribute to stronger reviews and repeat sales.
Remember: Selling on Amazon is not just about getting listed. It is about building a setup that can scale without creating avoidable issues.
That means:
- Using consistent and accurate product data from the start
- Assigning identifiers correctly across products and variants
- Understanding your costs before you invest in stock
- Choosing the right fulfilment and selling plan for your stage
- Keeping listings clear, compliant and up to date
Driving sustainable growth with Amazon
With these foundations in place, SMEs can focus on what matters most: proving demand, improving performance and growing their business at a sustainable pace.
GS1 identifiers can provide a powerful tool in that journey, ensuring accuracy, consistency and ensuring customer expectations are met with every purchase.
