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How to sell to the US from South Africa
Learn how to sell from South Africa to Amazon customers in the US. Get step-by-step instructions for creating regional and country-specific selling accounts. Find out how to list products, and select shipping and fulfilment options.
Why sell from South Africa to the US with Amazon?
Learn how to sell from South Africa to Amazon customers in the US. Find out how to create an Amazon selling account, list products, and select shipping and fulfilment methods.
Sell in a store trusted by US customers
The Amazon brand can help you attract and reach more customers. Amazon.com is our largest store—and we were ranked the most trusted brand by US customers in 2023.
Grow and diversify your sales
Reduce the impact of fluctuating sales periods in South Africa by taking advantage of busy shopping seasons in the US. We provide tools you can use to explore customer search patterns and demand.
Simplify global expansion
Sell in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil with our North America and Brazil unified selling account. You can also streamline your global operations with cross-listing, supply chain solutions, vetted global shipping providers, and a digital wallet or automatic currency conversion.
Did you know?
The New Seller Guide can help you launch in the US
Speed matters—and for Amazon Sellers the first 90 days are especially critical. That’s why we invented the New Seller Guide, a set of brand, logistics, pricing, and promotional services that are backed by data science and designed to fuel the growth of your business—whether you’re new to Amazon or just new to selling in the US.
Sellers who use the New Seller Guide can take advantage of over $50,000 in New Seller Incentives in the US.
Sellers who use the New Seller Guide can take advantage of over $50,000 in New Seller Incentives in the US.
Ready to sell in the US?
Step 1: Decide what to sell
Start by exploring potential product categories in the US. Some of the most popular US categories are electronics, clothing, beauty, computers, healthcare, cars, home improvements, toys, and small household applicances. Note that while some of our categories are open to all Sellers, some require a Professional selling plan, some require approval from Amazon, and some cannot be sold by third-party Sellers.
If a product is part of a brand, your ability to list and sell it in the Amazon store may depend on your relationship with the brand.
After choosing which product categories to sell in the US, start by reviewing requirements for product compliance, safety and listing, along with US taxes and regulations. Use our Compliance Reference tool to navigate product requirements.
If a product is part of a brand, your ability to list and sell it in the Amazon store may depend on your relationship with the brand.
After choosing which product categories to sell in the US, start by reviewing requirements for product compliance, safety and listing, along with US taxes and regulations. Use our Compliance Reference tool to navigate product requirements.
Step 2: Create a US unified selling account
To sell from South Africa to the US, you should create a Professional US unified selling account. You’ll be able to use this account to sell in the US, and in the future add other markets like Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
Collect required materials
Before creating your North America and Brazil unified account, make sure you have the following:
- Government-issued ID, such as a passport
- Phone number
- Email addresss
- Internationally chargeable credit card
- Bank account and routing number Learn more
- Business license or registration Learn more
- Proof of residential address in South Africa or the US dated from the last 180 days, such as a bank or credit card statement
- Tax information
Create your account
We’ll guide you through account creation step-by-step. You’ll provide information about yourself and your business.
Account status
How to create a North America account
Have a selling account for another Amazon store
Visit your Sell Globally dashboard and create your North America and Brazil unified account from the Americas tab.
Don’t have a selling account and only want to sell in the Americas
Don’t have a selling account and want to sell in South Africa and the Americas
Sign up for an account in South Africa.
Then visit your Sell Globally dashboard and create your North America and Brazil unified account from the Americas tab.
Then visit your Sell Globally dashboard and create your North America and Brazil unified account from the Americas tab.
Verify your identity
In many cases, you’ll need to verify your identity with Amazon. You can take a photo of your face and government-issued ID, or you can use a scheduled or instant video call. If you verify your identity using a video call, make sure you have your government-issued ID and proof of residential address.
Configure your account
After creating a selling account, you should confirm and configure settings for your business, including preferences for shipping and returns. You’ll also complete a self-service tax interview, which will create the appropriate tax form on your behalf.
Step 3: Enrol your brand
If you’re new to Amazon and are the rights owner for an eligible brand, we recommend enrolling it in Amazon Brand Registry before you list your products. Brand Registry is free and provides Sellers with a suite additional selling benefits and protection tools, including A+ Content, Brand Analytics, and Manage Your Experiments.
You only need to meet two basic requirements to enrol:
You only need to meet two basic requirements to enrol:
- Brand name or logo: Have your brand name, or a logo that includes your brand name, permanently affixed to your products or packaging.
- Trademark: Have a pending or registered trademark for your brand name or logo that’s issued by the designated government trademark office of a country with a corresponding Amazon store.
After a single country’s trademark has been approved by Brand Registry, you’ll have a global account that can be used for every Amazon store worldwide.
To fully protect your brand when selling in the US marketplace, you'll need to:
1. Register your trademark in the United States
2. Get Brand Registry approval
While Brand Registry approval is important, a US trademark registration is essential for complete brand protection and access to all Seller rights in the US marketplace.
1. Register your trademark in the United States
2. Get Brand Registry approval
While Brand Registry approval is important, a US trademark registration is essential for complete brand protection and access to all Seller rights in the US marketplace.
Transfer brand benefits globally
If you’re expanding your Amazon business from South Africa to the US, you can transfer your brand selling benefits by creating a Brand Registry support case.
Video
6:08
Step-by-step brand transfer guidance
Learn how to transfer your brand to a new Amazon store.
*In 2024, Amazon's proacting controls blocked more than 99% of suspected infringing listings before a brand had to find and report them.
Step 4: List your products
Ready to list products in our US store?
If you already sell in another global Amazon store, you can use the Build International Listings tool to list your products on Amazon.com.
If you already sell in another global Amazon store, you can use the Build International Listings tool to list your products on Amazon.com.
If you’re listing products with Amazon for the first time, you can match offers to existing product detail pages or create new pages for your preferred Amazon store. Then you can use the Build International Listings tool to cross-list in other Amazon stores. For example, you can list on Amazon.co.za, then cross-list on Amazon.com.
Don't have an Amazon selling account yet?
Step 5: Ship inventory and fulfil customer orders
You have two basic options when it comes to getting US customers their stuff.
- Ship orders to customers yourself using a suite of solutions we call Fulfilled by Merchant. We offer a network of vetted providers for global shipping that offer discounted rates.
- You can use Amazon Global Logistics (AGL) or our Partner Carrier Programme (PCP) to ship your inventory to Amazon’s distribution and fulfilment network in the US. Ship your inventory to Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) to enjoy low-cost bulk storage, or send it directly to Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). With FBA, we store, pick, pack, and ship orders on your behalf while taking care of returns and customer service. AGL, PCP, AWD, and FBA are all part of a set of end-to-end services we call Supply Chain by Amazon.
To sell with FBA and earn Prime eligibility in the US market, you must arrange shipping of your inventory to Amazon's US FBA warehouses.
You are responsible for the international transportation of your products to Amazon's facilities.
You are responsible for the international transportation of your products to Amazon's facilities.
**Shipping with FBA costs 70% less per unit than comparable premium options offered by other US fulfilment services
Step 6: Manage your business
Use tools in Seller Central to manage and automate your global operations. We offer a variety of tools and programmes to help you run your business, reach new customers, and grow your sales, including:
Brand Store
Build a Brand Store to showcase all of your products, talk about upcoming product launches, embed videos and expand on brand values.
Automate Pricing
Create and apply dynamic pricing rules to help increase your chances of becoming the Featured Offer in the Amazon store.
Amazon Currency Converter
If you sell in Amazon stores in multiple countries, put global disbursements on auto-pilot with the Amazon Currency Converter.
Vouchers and deals
Create vouchers that appear on the Amazon Vouchers page, in search results, and on product detail pages.
Amazon Business
Business customers tend to buy more items in larger quantities. They also tend to return items less. Use a suite of B2B features to help attract more business customers.
New Seller Incentives
Explore $50,000 in incentives designed to support your launch in the Amazon store.
Product Opportunity Explorer
Get ideas for new products or offers. Product Opportunity Explorer generates insights about Amazon customer search and purchase behaviour.
Did you know?
Seller University can help you succeed in the US
Seller University offers step-by-step instructions for creating an Amazon selling account, listing and pricing products, and fulfilling customer orders. You can also learn how to manage your sales, build your brand, and advertise with Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to sell from South Africa to the US?
Costs for selling with Amazon vary by store and product. They can also depend on the tools, programmes, and services you select.
Selling plan fees
There are separate Professional selling plan fees for American and South African regional accounts. However, if you link global Amazon selling accounts, your monthly fee will be either the equivalent of USD 39.99 per month or the sum of the selling plan fees for each country in which you have active listings, whichever is lower.
Referral fees
Referral fees vary by product category. For every item sold, you’ll pay a percentage of the total price or a minimum amount, whichever is greater.
View referral fees by Amazon store:
Selling plan fees
There are separate Professional selling plan fees for American and South African regional accounts. However, if you link global Amazon selling accounts, your monthly fee will be either the equivalent of USD 39.99 per month or the sum of the selling plan fees for each country in which you have active listings, whichever is lower.
Referral fees
Referral fees vary by product category. For every item sold, you’ll pay a percentage of the total price or a minimum amount, whichever is greater.
View referral fees by Amazon store:
Costs for optional services
In addition to selling fees, you might have added costs if you use certain optional tools and programmes like Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) or Amazon Ads. Ultimately, you get to control the cost of selling in the Amazon store by selecting the programmes, tools, and services that are right for your business.
In addition to selling fees, you might have added costs if you use certain optional tools and programmes like Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) or Amazon Ads. Ultimately, you get to control the cost of selling in the Amazon store by selecting the programmes, tools, and services that are right for your business.
Do I need a US business or legal entity to sell with Amazon in the US?
No. As a South African business, you may not be required to own or form a US company to sell your products in the US. Depending on the specifics of your business and your sales strategy, however, it may be advantageous to do so.
Do I need a US bank account to sell with Amazon in the US?
No. You can use a US bank account as your deposit method for sales on Amazon.com, or you can use Amazon Currency Converter to have proceeds from your US sales deposited into your South African bank account.
How does customs work when I sell in the US?
When you expand your business to an Amazon store outside your home country and fulfil with Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) or a third-party fulfilment provider, you'll need to understand your obligations in the import and export process. Although you may want to handle some or all of these import and export steps yourself, it can be easier to hire a logistics provider such as a customs broker or a freight forwarder to handle the process for you. These providers may have the expertise and the time to make sure your inventory moves from one place to another in a timely and secure manner.
We offer a network of vetted providers via our Service Provider network.
You can also use services like Amazon Global Logistics, which offers door-to-door ocean freight transportation and includes customs support.
We offer a network of vetted providers via our Service Provider network.
You can also use services like Amazon Global Logistics, which offers door-to-door ocean freight transportation and includes customs support.
Can I sell branded products in Amazon’s US store?
If a product is part of a brand enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, you need to be a Brand Representative or Reseller authorised by the brand in order to add it to the Amazon catalogue using our standard listing processes (login required).
After a product associated with an enrolled brand is added to the Amazon catalogue, other Sellers can match offers to it. They may need to secure approval for the brand before doing so.
After a product associated with an enrolled brand is added to the Amazon catalogue, other Sellers can match offers to it. They may need to secure approval for the brand before doing so.
Can I sell the same products in South Africa, the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil?
Product requirements vary by country. You should review taxes and regulations for the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil if you plan to sell in those countries. They may differ from taxes and regulations in South Africa.
You should also review specific requirements for product compliance, safety, and listing in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. You can use our Compliance Reference tool to navigate product requirements.
You should also review specific requirements for product compliance, safety, and listing in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. You can use our Compliance Reference tool to navigate product requirements.
How do I manage international taxes?
Before you begin to sell in a new country, you should explore how taxes and regulations might affect your business:
- United States tax and regulatory considerations
- Canada tax and regulatory considerations
- Mexico tax and regulatory considerations
- Brazil tax and regulatory considerations
- For South African tax and regulatory considerations, you are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified tax professional or legal advisor for regulations on international selling.
If you’d like assistance with taxes, you can use our Service Provider Network to find an expert.
What are the tax requirements for selling from South Africa to the US?
Marketplace-Facilitator legislation requires Amazon to collect, remit, and refund Sales tax on your behalf, based on the destination of the order. How this is implemented in each State can be found here. There may still, however, be States which require you to register and file for other types of taxes.
It is your responsibility to understand your US tax obligations. If you are unsure of your obligations, or need support, you can speak to an accountant or a tax advisor, which you can find on the Service Provider Network on your Seller Central.
These Providers can help you understand your tax liabilities, support with tax registration and submit tax filings in any states which require you to do so. Some Providers offer free initial consultations to help you understand your specific US tax liabilities and may offer discounts to new clients.
As a South African business, you may not be required to form a US company to sell your products there. Depending on the specifics of your business and your sales strategy, however, it may be advantageous to do so. Generally, there are two approaches as a foreign business selling in the US:
1. Establish a US-based entity (such as an LLC) and sell products through that entity.
2. Sell products directly from your South African-based entity to customers in the US.
You should carefully consider your options and seek professional advice to make the best tax decisions for your business as Amazon cannot provide tax advice. You can find trusted tax advisors to support you with your questions and making these decisions on the Service Provider Network. Simply input your country of origin and destination store, e.g. South Africa and USA, selecting Taxes as the services. Submit a request to be contacted, ensuring your contact details are correct. Providers should respond to your request via email or phone within 48 hours.
It is your responsibility to understand your US tax obligations. If you are unsure of your obligations, or need support, you can speak to an accountant or a tax advisor, which you can find on the Service Provider Network on your Seller Central.
These Providers can help you understand your tax liabilities, support with tax registration and submit tax filings in any states which require you to do so. Some Providers offer free initial consultations to help you understand your specific US tax liabilities and may offer discounts to new clients.
As a South African business, you may not be required to form a US company to sell your products there. Depending on the specifics of your business and your sales strategy, however, it may be advantageous to do so. Generally, there are two approaches as a foreign business selling in the US:
1. Establish a US-based entity (such as an LLC) and sell products through that entity.
2. Sell products directly from your South African-based entity to customers in the US.
You should carefully consider your options and seek professional advice to make the best tax decisions for your business as Amazon cannot provide tax advice. You can find trusted tax advisors to support you with your questions and making these decisions on the Service Provider Network. Simply input your country of origin and destination store, e.g. South Africa and USA, selecting Taxes as the services. Submit a request to be contacted, ensuring your contact details are correct. Providers should respond to your request via email or phone within 48 hours.
Sell from South Africa to the US
Use best-in-class tools and programmes to sell in a store trusted by more US customers.
*Amazon internal data, May 2023-May 2024. Average figure for Europe-based Amazon Sellers listing in their local Amazon store vs. Europe-based Amazon Sellers also selling on Amazon.com.
**2023 Amazon Small Business Empowerment Report
**2023 Amazon Small Business Empowerment Report
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