How to Start Selling on Amazon UK: Everything You Need to Know

Selling on Amazon UK has become one of the most reliable ways to grow an e commerce business in Europe. Whether you are a UK based entrepreneur launching your first product or an established international seller expanding from markets like the US or Germany, the UK marketplace offers enormous potential. With more than 500 million monthly visitors and strong buyer trust, Amazon UK remains one of the most profitable platforms for scaling a physical product brand.

Yet despite the opportunity, many sellers struggle with one core question: How to sell on Amazon UK successfully and sustainably. From account setup and VAT requirements to product research, fulfilment choices and listing optimisation, there are several moving parts to get right.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk through every stage of selling on Amazon UK, drawing on real world industry insights, competitive landscape knowledge and first hand experience supporting hundreds of European sellers. We also highlight where expert third party partners like Blue30 can support you on the operational side, especially with FBA prep, compliance and marketplace expansion.

By the end, you will understand exactly how to start selling on Amazon UK, avoid common pitfalls and position your business for long term success.

Why Sell on Amazon UK in 2024

Amazon UK is consistently ranked in the top three most popular international marketplaces for third party sellers. According to industry reports, more than 32 percent of all Amazon sellers operate their business across multiple marketplaces, with the UK often being the first expansion point beyond the US.

There are several reasons for this:

Strong consumer demand The UK has a mature e commerce culture, with shoppers who have high purchasing intent and a strong appetite for fast, convenient delivery.

Prime membership penetration A high percentage of UK households subscribe to Prime. This makes Prime eligible stock far more competitive.

Gateway to the European market With a unified Europe seller account, Amazon UK sellers can expand to Germany, France, Italy and Spain with minimal friction.

FBA infrastructure The UK has one of the most efficient Fulfilled by Amazon networks in Europe, allowing sellers to scale without investing in internal logistics.

Lower saturation in certain niches Compared to the US, many categories have less direct competition, offering more room for new sellers to enter with unique or improved products.

Adding to this opportunity, sellers can now rely on experienced third party partners such as Blue30 to help streamline operations, manage FBA prep and ensure fast turnaround times, which reduces the operational burden and unlocks scalability.

Setting Up an Amazon UK Seller Account

The first step in learning how to sell on Amazon UK is to create your seller account. Amazon offers two account types: Individual and Professional.

Individual Selling Plan

This is suitable for beginners who want to test the waters. There is no monthly subscription fee, but you pay a 75 pence fee for every item sold.

Choose this plan if:

• You expect to sell fewer than 35 units per month

• You do not need advertising tools

• You are still deciding which products to sell

Professional Selling Plan

This is the most popular choice for serious sellers. It costs £25 per month and eliminates the per item fee.

Choose this plan if:

• You plan to sell more than 35 units per month

• You want access to Amazon Advertising

• You want to win the Buy Box

• You want access to restricted categories

• You require detailed reporting tools

Most private label and wholesale sellers choose the professional plan because it unlocks the features needed to grow.

What You Need to Register

To set up your account, you will need:

• A business email address

• A chargeable credit card

• A valid passport or national ID

• Business registration details, including VAT number if applicable

• A bank account for payouts

Once you complete the registration steps, Amazon will verify your identity. After approval, you can begin listing products.

Fulfilment Options for Amazon UK Sellers

Understanding fulfilment is a crucial part of learning how to sell on Amazon UK. Amazon gives you two options:

Fulfilment by Amazon FBA

FBA is the most popular method, and for good reason. With FBA, sellers send their stock to Amazon fulfilment centres where Amazon handles:

• Storage

• Picking and packing

• Shipping

• Returns

• Customer service

This results in faster delivery times and Prime eligibility, both of which significantly improve conversion rates.

Many international sellers expanding into the UK rely heavily on FBA because it eliminates the complexity of shipping orders from abroad.

However, FBA does come with prep requirements. Products must be labelled, bagged, bundled or boxed correctly before arriving at Amazon’s warehouse. This is where specialised prep companies such as Blue30 can be invaluable. Blue30 supports sellers with compliant FBA prep, labelling, bundling, pallet building and fast turnaround times, making it easier to stay in stock and avoid inbound

shipment issues.

Fulfilment by Merchant FBM

With FBM, sellers handle storage, packing and delivery themselves or use a third party fulfilment provider.

Sellers often choose FBM if:

• Their product is oversized

• FBA fees are too high

• They want more control over dispatch

• They have an existing warehouse setup

In most cases, new or international sellers use FBA because it simplifies operations, but FBM can be effective for certain product types.

Costs Involved in Selling on Amazon UK

When learning how to sell on Amazon UK, understanding the fee structure is essential. The main costs include:

Referral Fees

Amazon charges a percentage of each sale. This varies by category but usually ranges between 8 percent and 15 percent.

Example:

• If you sell an item for £20 with a 15 percent referral fee

• Amazon takes £3

• You receive £17 before other costs

Refer to Amazon’s current referral fee chart for exact category rates.

FBA Fees

If you use FBA, you will also pay fulfilment fees based on the weight and size of each unit. This covers picking, packing and shipping.

Amazon provides a revenue calculator to estimate these fees.

Storage Fees

FBA storage is charged monthly based on the amount of space your products occupy. Rates increase during the peak season.

Sellers must plan their inventory management carefully to avoid unnecessary long term storage fees, especially on slow moving stock.

VAT Requirements for Amazon UK Sellers

VAT compliance is one of the areas that new sellers find most confusing when researching how to sell on Amazon UK. VAT stands for Value Added Tax. If you sell goods to UK customers, you may be required to register for VAT depending on:

• Where your business is located

• Where your stock is stored

• Your revenue

EU and non EU sellers storing goods in the UK must register for VAT before selling. In some European countries, non EU sellers must appoint a tax representative.

Amazon provides VAT resources, and many sellers choose to work with specialised VAT accountants to stay compliant.

If you plan to sell across Europe using the unified Europe account, you may require VAT numbers in multiple countries. Always check current regulations before expanding.

Using a Unified Seller Account to Sell Across Europe

One of the biggest advantages of selling on Amazon UK is that you automatically gain access to five major European marketplaces:

• United Kingdom

• Germany

• France

• Italy

• Spain

You can manage all listings from one central dashboard. Amazon also provides free translation tools for product listings, though many sellers prefer working with professional translators to ensure SEO accuracy.

Even better, your UK FBA inventory can be used to fulfil orders on other marketplaces. This means you do not need separate stock for each country unless you choose to.

How to Research Products to Sell on Amazon UK

Choosing the right product is the foundation of successful selling. Even with perfect listings and great fulfilment, the wrong product will struggle.

Here is how to approach product research:

Step 1: Analyse Demand

Use product research tools to validate search volumes, seasonality and buying behaviour.

Look for products with:

• Strong demand

• Manageable competition

• Healthy margins

• Clear differentiation opportunities

Step 2: Evaluate Competition

Study existing listings to understand:

• Current pricing

• Review count and quality

• Brand dominance

• Gaps or weaknesses you can improve on

Step 3: Calculate Profitability

Take into account:

• Amazon fees

• Product cost

• Shipping cost

• FBA prep costs

• VAT

• Storage fees

You must ensure your product remains profitable after all deductions.

Step 4: Validate Your Supply Chain

Work with reliable suppliers and factor in lead times, quality checks and packaging requirements. Sellers using FBA need compliant labelling and prep or Amazon will reject shipments.

This is where professional prep support from Blue30 can drastically reduce errors, delays and mislabelled units.

Real World Example: Chris’s Expansion into Amazon UK

To illustrate how to sell on Amazon UK in real life, consider the example of Chris, the owner of a German homeware brand. His products were performing well locally, but growth had levelled off. He wanted to tap into a larger market without committing to building his own warehouse in the UK.

Chris chose the UK marketplace because of its strong demand and fast delivery expectations. He used FBA to scale quickly but soon realised the prep requirements slowed him down. Incorrect labelling, packaging standards and inbound compliance issues were causing delays.

That is when Chris partnered with Blue30.

Blue30 took over his FBA prep completely, including:

• Labelling

• Bundling

• Quality checks

• Carton and pallet preparation

• Fast shipping into UK fulfilment centres

This allowed Chris to:

• Expand into the UK six months faster

• Reduce inbound errors

• Keep stock consistently available

• Scale his sales volume without adding operational stress

Today his UK marketplace is one of his strongest revenue channels, proving how the right fulfilment partner can transform scalability.

Common Questions About How to Sell on Amazon UK

Do I need a UK bank account?

No. You can use an international account for payouts.

Can non UK residents sell on Amazon UK?

Yes. Many international sellers operate successfully.

Do I need a warehouse in the UK?

No. FBA or a third party fulfilment provider covers storage and dispatch.

Do I need a VAT number to begin?

Most sellers do, especially if you store stock in the UK.

Is FBA better than FBM?

For most new and international sellers, yes. FBA increases conversion rates, improves delivery times and simplifies operations.

Final Thoughts: Ready to Sell on Amazon UK?

Selling on Amazon UK in 2024 remains one of the most powerful ways to scale an e commerce brand. With its strong customer base, fast delivery expectations and streamlined fulfilment network, sellers can grow quickly with the right preparation and strategy.

Whether you are launching your first product or expanding from other markets, success comes from:

• Choosing the right product

• Understanding VAT requirements

• Setting up your account correctly

• Managing your inventory and fulfilment effectively

• Staying compliant with Amazon’s prep and inbound rules

For many sellers, these operational steps are the biggest barrier to growth. That is where expert third party partners make a difference.

Blue30 helps sellers streamline their FBA prep, stay compliant and maintain fast stock turnaround, removing the operational pressure that often holds businesses back.

If you are preparing to sell on Amazon UK and want to simplify your fulfilment process, maintain consistent stock flow and avoid costly Amazon errors, Blue30 is here to support you.

Get in touch with Blue30 today to discuss your Amazon UK strategy and start scaling with confidence.