Amazon Seller Singapore: How to Start Selling on Amazon in 2026

Amazon Seller Singapore: How to Start Selling on Amazon in 2026

Why Sell on Amazon from Singapore

Amazon remains the world’s largest online marketplace, with hundreds of millions of active customers across multiple countries. For Singapore-based sellers, Amazon offers access to consumer markets that local platforms simply cannot match — particularly the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

Being an amazon seller singapore-based does come with distinct advantages. Singapore’s strategic position in Southeast Asia, strong logistics infrastructure, and favourable business environment make it a practical base for managing an Amazon business. The city-state’s free trade agreements also reduce tariff barriers for certain product categories entering key markets.

However, selling on Amazon from Singapore is not without challenges. You are competing with sellers worldwide, dealing with cross-border logistics, navigating foreign tax regulations, and managing customer expectations across time zones. This guide covers the practical steps to set up, optimise, and scale your Amazon business from Singapore.

For a broader view of marketplace selling alongside other digital channels, our e-commerce marketing guide provides additional context.

Setting Up Your Amazon Seller Account

The first step is creating your Amazon Seller Central account. Amazon offers two plan types: Individual and Professional. If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month (which most serious sellers do), choose the Professional plan. It costs approximately USD 39.99 per month and removes the per-item fee charged on the Individual plan.

Registration requirements

To register as an amazon seller singapore-based, you need the following:

• Government-issued identification: Passport or NRIC for identity verification.
• Business information: Your ACRA-registered business entity details (for business accounts) or personal details (for individual accounts).
• Bank account: A bank account capable of receiving international payments. Singapore bank accounts work, though some sellers use services like Payoneer or WorldFirst for multi-currency receiving.
• Credit card: An internationally chargeable credit card for account fees.
• Phone number: A valid Singapore phone number for verification.

Choosing your marketplace

Amazon operates separate marketplaces by country. The US marketplace (amazon.com) is the largest and most competitive. Amazon Japan (amazon.co.jp) is often overlooked but offers significant opportunity — it is the world’s fourth-largest e-commerce market, and Singapore’s proximity is a logistical advantage. Amazon Australia (amazon.com.au) and Amazon Singapore (amazon.sg) are smaller but growing.

Most Singapore sellers start with Amazon US due to its sheer size, then expand to additional marketplaces once they have established their operations and supply chain. Amazon’s unified account system lets you manage multiple marketplaces from a single Seller Central dashboard.

Business structure considerations

Some sellers register a US LLC to simplify tax obligations and banking on Amazon US. While not strictly required, a US entity can make certain aspects of selling easier, particularly tax filing. Consult with an accountant familiar with cross-border e-commerce before making this decision — the right structure depends on your sales volume, product category, and long-term plans.

Fulfilment Options: FBA vs FBM

How you fulfil orders is one of the most consequential decisions you will make as an Amazon seller. There are two primary options: Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM).

Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA)

With FBA, you ship your products to Amazon’s fulfilment centres, and Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. FBA products are eligible for Amazon Prime, which significantly increases conversion rates. For Singapore-based sellers targeting the US market, FBA is almost always the preferred option because it eliminates the need to manage cross-border shipping for every individual order.

The FBA process for Singapore sellers typically works as follows:

• Source or manufacture your products (many Singapore sellers source from China, Southeast Asia, or local manufacturers).
• Prepare and label products according to Amazon’s packaging requirements.
• Ship inventory in bulk to Amazon’s fulfilment centres via freight forwarder.
• Amazon receives, stores, and fulfils orders as they come in.

FBA fees include storage fees (monthly, based on volume) and fulfilment fees (per unit, based on size and weight). These fees eat into your margins, so factor them into your product pricing and profitability calculations from the start.

Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM)

With FBM, you handle storage and shipping yourself. This gives you more control and potentially lower costs for certain product types — particularly large, heavy, or slow-moving items where FBA storage fees would be prohibitive. However, FBM products are not Prime-eligible (unless you qualify for Seller Fulfilled Prime, which has strict requirements), and shipping from Singapore to US customers is slow and expensive.

FBM can make sense for Amazon Singapore (amazon.sg) where you are shipping domestically, or for specific product categories where FBA is impractical. For most Singapore sellers targeting international marketplaces, FBA is the better choice.

Third-party logistics (3PL)

Some sellers use a hybrid approach: shipping inventory to a 3PL warehouse in the target country, then having the 3PL forward inventory to Amazon FBA or fulfil FBM orders. This adds flexibility but also adds complexity and cost. It is most useful for sellers managing large product ranges or frequent restocking cycles.

Product Listing Optimisation

Your product listing is your storefront on Amazon. A well-optimised listing drives organic visibility, improves click-through rates, and converts browsers into buyers. Listing optimisation is where your Amazon SEO efforts begin.

Product title

Your title is the single most important element for Amazon search visibility. Include your primary keyword, brand name, key product features, and relevant specifications (size, colour, quantity). Amazon allows up to 200 characters for most categories, but aim for clarity over keyword stuffing. A title that reads naturally while incorporating important search terms performs best.

Bullet points

Amazon provides five bullet points (sometimes more for Brand Registered sellers) to highlight key features and benefits. Each bullet should lead with a benefit, then support it with a feature. Use all available bullet points and front-load the most compelling information. Include secondary keywords naturally within the bullets.

Product description

The product description appears further down the page and provides space for longer-form content. If you are Brand Registered, you can replace the standard description with A+ Content (Enhanced Brand Content), which supports rich formatting, comparison charts, and brand storytelling. A+ Content typically improves conversion rates by 3 to 10 per cent.

Backend search terms

Amazon provides a hidden field for backend search terms — keywords that you want to rank for but do not want visible in your listing. Use this space for synonyms, alternate spellings, and related terms. Do not repeat keywords already in your title or bullets. Backend search terms are limited to 250 bytes.

Product images

Amazon allows up to nine images per listing. Use all of them. The main image must have a white background and show the product clearly. Subsequent images should show different angles, the product in use, size comparisons, packaging, and infographics highlighting key features. High-quality images are non-negotiable — they directly impact click-through and conversion rates.

Pricing strategy

Research competitor pricing before setting your price. Factor in all costs: product cost, shipping to FBA, FBA fees, Amazon referral fees (typically 8 to 15 per cent depending on category), and your target profit margin. Use Amazon’s revenue calculator to model different price points before committing.

Amazon PPC Advertising

Amazon’s pay-per-click advertising platform is essential for driving visibility, particularly for new products that lack organic ranking history. Our Amazon PPC management services help sellers build and optimise campaigns, but here is an overview of how the system works.

Campaign types

Amazon offers three main ad types:

• Sponsored Products: These appear in search results and on product detail pages. They are the bread and butter of Amazon advertising and where most sellers should start. You can target specific keywords (manual targeting) or let Amazon choose relevant search terms (automatic targeting).
• Sponsored Brands: These appear at the top of search results and feature your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products. Available only to Brand Registered sellers. They are effective for building brand awareness and driving traffic to your Amazon Storefront.
• Sponsored Display: These ads appear on and off Amazon, targeting shoppers based on their browsing behaviour, interests, or specific product views. Useful for retargeting and competitor targeting.

Campaign structure for new sellers

When launching a new product, start with this structure:

• Automatic campaign: Let Amazon discover relevant search terms. Run this for two to four weeks to gather data.
• Manual exact match campaign: Target your highest-priority keywords with exact match. Set competitive bids to gain visibility.
• Manual broad match campaign: Cast a wider net to discover additional relevant keywords.

Review search term reports weekly. Move converting search terms from automatic to manual campaigns. Add non-converting or irrelevant terms as negative keywords. This process of mining and refining is ongoing.

Budgeting and ACoS targets

Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) is the primary metric for Amazon PPC. It measures your ad spend as a percentage of ad-generated revenue. Your target ACoS depends on your profit margins — if your margin is 30 per cent, an ACoS below 30 per cent means your ads are profitable before accounting for overhead.

New product launches often require a higher ACoS (even unprofitable campaigns) to build sales velocity and organic ranking. Once your product gains organic traction, you can dial back ad spend and lower your ACoS target. This launch-and-taper strategy is standard practice for experienced Amazon sellers.

Brand Registry and Brand Building

Amazon Brand Registry is a programme that gives brand owners additional tools and protections on the platform. To enrol, you need an active registered trademark in the country where you want to sell. Singapore sellers can use a Singapore trademark or register a trademark in the target marketplace country.

Benefits of Brand Registry

• A+ Content: Create visually rich product descriptions with images, comparison charts, and brand story modules.
• Brand Analytics: Access search term data, market basket analysis, and demographic insights about your customers.
• Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display: These ad types are only available to Brand Registered sellers.
• Amazon Storefront: Build a multi-page brand store on Amazon with a custom URL. This serves as a landing page for Sponsored Brands ads and a hub for your full product range.
• IP protection: Report counterfeit or infringing listings and receive faster resolution from Amazon’s team.

For help designing your Amazon Storefront and A+ Content, see our Amazon storefront branding services.

Building a brand on Amazon

Many sellers treat Amazon as a pure marketplace, but the most successful long-term businesses build genuine brands. This means consistent packaging, a coherent product range, professional imagery, and a brand story that resonates with your target customer. Brand building on Amazon also involves driving external traffic to your listings through social media, email marketing, and your own website.

External traffic signals can boost your organic ranking on Amazon and reduce your dependence on Amazon PPC. Some sellers use their Shopify store as a complement to their Amazon presence, using each channel for different purposes. Our Amazon marketing services cover the full spectrum from listing optimisation to brand strategy.

Managing Operations and Scaling

Running an Amazon business from Singapore requires robust operational systems. As you scale, the operational complexity grows — more products, more marketplaces, more inventory to manage, and more customer interactions to handle.

Inventory management

Running out of stock on Amazon is costly. You lose sales, your organic ranking drops, and recovery takes time. Conversely, overstocking ties up capital and incurs long-term storage fees. Use inventory management tools (Seller Central’s built-in tools or third-party options like SoStocked or Inventory Planner) to forecast demand and plan replenishment cycles.

For Singapore sellers using FBA in the US, factor in lead times of four to six weeks for sea freight plus two to four weeks for Amazon to receive and make inventory available. This means you need to plan replenishment orders well in advance of expected demand.

Customer service and reviews

Amazon handles customer service for FBA orders, but you are still responsible for responding to seller messages and managing feedback. Respond to all customer messages within 24 hours — Amazon tracks your response time, and poor performance can affect your account health.

Reviews are critical for success on Amazon. Encourage reviews through Amazon’s Request a Review button, follow-up emails via Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging system, and product inserts (within Amazon’s guidelines). Never incentivise reviews with discounts or free products — Amazon strictly prohibits this and will suspend your account.

Account health and compliance

Amazon monitors seller performance through several metrics: Order Defect Rate, Late Shipment Rate (for FBM), and Policy Violations. Keep your Account Health dashboard green. A suspension can take weeks to resolve and cost significant revenue. Follow Amazon’s policies carefully, particularly around product authenticity, listing accuracy, and communication guidelines.

Tax obligations

Selling on Amazon US as a Singapore seller involves US tax obligations. Amazon collects and remits sales tax on your behalf in most US states. However, you may have income tax filing obligations depending on your business structure and nexus. For other marketplaces, VAT (in Europe) and GST (in Australia and Singapore) add further complexity. Work with a tax professional who understands cross-border e-commerce.

Scaling your Amazon business

Once your first product is profitable and your operations are stable, expand by launching additional products in your niche. Use Brand Analytics to identify gaps and opportunities. Expand to additional Amazon marketplaces — the effort to enter a new marketplace is much lower once you have established processes in one.

Consider building a team or outsourcing specific functions as you scale. PPC management, product photography, listing copywriting, and customer service are commonly outsourced by Singapore-based Amazon sellers who want to focus on product development and strategic growth.

Soalan Lazim

Can I sell on Amazon without registering a business in Singapore?

Yes, Amazon allows individual seller accounts. You can start selling with your NRIC or passport for identity verification. However, registering a business entity (sole proprietorship or private limited company through ACRA) provides better credibility, cleaner tax reporting, and easier access to banking services for receiving international payments. Most serious sellers register a business relatively early.

How much capital do I need to start selling on Amazon from Singapore?

A realistic starting budget is SGD 5,000 to SGD 15,000 for a single product launch. This covers product sourcing (including samples and initial inventory order), shipping to FBA, product photography, and initial advertising budget. Lower budgets are possible but limit your product options and advertising runway. Higher budgets provide more room for testing and scaling. Factor in three to six months of operating expenses before expecting consistent profitability.

Is Amazon Singapore worth selling on compared to Amazon US?

Amazon Singapore (amazon.sg) is still a relatively small marketplace compared to Amazon US. The customer base is growing but remains a fraction of the US market. Amazon Singapore can work well for sellers offering products with local relevance, competitive domestic shipping, and those wanting to test products in a smaller market before scaling internationally. For maximum revenue potential, most Singapore sellers prioritise Amazon US and use Amazon Singapore as a secondary channel.

What are the biggest mistakes new Amazon sellers from Singapore make?

The most common mistakes include choosing overly competitive product categories, underestimating FBA fees and shipping costs, launching with poor product photography and listing copy, spending too aggressively on PPC without understanding profitability targets, and failing to secure sufficient inventory for sustained sales. Another frequent error is not registering a trademark early — Brand Registry access is essential for competing effectively, and the trademark registration process takes several months.

How do I handle returns and refunds as a Singapore-based Amazon seller?

If you use FBA, Amazon handles returns and refunds according to their standard policy. Returned items are inspected and either returned to your sellable inventory or classified as unfulfillable. You can request that unfulfillable inventory be returned to you or disposed of. For FBM orders, you need to provide a return address in the marketplace country — this is another reason Singapore sellers generally prefer FBA, as providing a US return address is impractical without a local presence or 3PL partner.