Want to sell some products on Amazon.com, but you don’t have the money to commit fully? Well, then starting as an individual seller on Amazon is what you’re looking for. It’s a simpler process than setting up a professional account, allowing you to test the waters without a significant financial commitment. This article will explain how.

What Is an Amazon Individual Seller Account?

An Individual Seller Account is designed for those planning to sell less than 40 items per month. Instead of a monthly subscription fee, Amazon charges a \$0.99 fee per item sold and referral fees. This setup is ideal for casual sellers or anyone who wants to try selling on Amazon without paying a subscription fee upfront.

An Individual Seller Account only makes sense if you sell less than 40 items monthly. But if your business starts to grow and you expect to sell more than that, then a Professional Seller Account is best for you, as it includes a long list of benefits that Individual Sellers don’t get to enjoy. 

How to Set Up Your Individual Seller Account

1. Visit Amazon Seller Central and click on “Sign up.”
2. Choose the Individual Plan, which doesn’t require a monthly fee.
3. Provide Personal Information:

• • • • Government-Issued ID: For identity verification purposes.
      • Contact Information: A valid email address and phone number.
      • Bank Account Details for receiving payments from Amazon.
      • Tax Information: Such as your Social Security Number (SSN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN).
      • The address from which you’ll ship your products.

4. Complete the registration form: You’ll provide Amazon with all the documents and information listed earlier

Note: Amazon may request other documents to verify your identity, like a government-issued ID or utility bill. 

5. List Your Products: Once your account is set up and verified, you can start listing products for sale. For each product, you’ll need to provide details like these:

• • • • Product title
      • Detailed description
      • High-quality images
      • Price
      • Shipping options

You can start by using these ChatGPT prompts to optimize listings

6. Start selling! As orders come in, you’ll be responsible for packaging and shipping the products to customers. You can skip this process by signing up for the FBA Program. Here are the basics of FBA so you can make an informed decision.

Fees of an Amazon Individual Seller Account

Individual sellers pay a simplified amount of fees:

• Per-item selling fee: The fee you pay for every product sold. It consists of 0.99$
• Referral fees: These vary according to the product category and is a percentage of the total sales price (item price + shipping, but not tax).

Note: For a list of Amazon’s selling fees, see Breaking Down Amazon’s Selling Fees: A Comprehensive Overview.

Other possible selling fees:

• Refund administration fee: When you issue a refund for an already paid order, Amazon deducts a refund fee of $5.00 or 20% of the referral fee for that item, whichever amount is lower.
• Textbook rental fees: If you’re renting out textbooks, Amazon charges a $5.00 fee for every rental.
• Closing fees: These apply to each unit sold in categories like books, DVDs, music, and video games.
• High-volume listing fees: If you have a large number of unsold listings that have been active for over 12 months, you’ll be charged $0.005 per listing each month. 

Pros and Cons of an Individual Seller Account

Here’s a short list of different factors that may influence your final decision:

Pros:

• No monthly subscription fee.
• Simple setup process: Creating an account is easy, and you don’t have to worry about taxes in different states.
• Ideal for low-volume sellers: The individual account has a low entry barrier. You don’t need a registered business or a large inventory. This makes it easy for individuals to try selling online without much commitment.
• No inventory minimum: You can sell just one item in a whole month if you want. There’s no need to stock in quantities or to manage bulk shipments.

Cons:

• Individual sellers can’t use features like bulk listings, advanced inventory reports, or third-party integrations. These tools are only available on the Professional plan.
• Cannot apply for specific Amazon programs like Sponsored Products. You can’t create branded listings or set up promotions, coupons, or advertising campaigns. That makes it harder to stand out from other sellers or scale your business.
• There’s no automation for managing orders, so unless you sign up for the FPA Program, you must confirm each sale and arrange the shipping yourself. This can get tedious quickly if you start getting more orders.
• Not eligible for the Buy Box, which can greatly impact visibility.

Final Thoughts

Starting as an Individual Seller is a low risk way to explore what selling on Amazon feels like. It is straightforward, does not require a big upfront investment, and gives you the flexibility to sell on your terms. If you are just looking to offload a few items or test demand before scaling, this setup makes a lot of sense.

But keep in mind, as your business grows, so do your needs. At some point, upgrading to a Professional Seller account will open the door to better tools, more visibility, and programs that help you compete. Until then, this is a great place to start.

Ready to Start Selling on Amazon Without the Risk?

Getting started as an Individual Seller is a smart move if you’re testing the waters. No monthly fees. No inventory pressure. Just a chance to see what’s possible.

But here’s the truth: while Amazon makes it easy to list a product, it doesn’t make it easy to sell. Visibility, optimized listings, and smart strategy are what separate hobbyists from real sellers.

That’s where we come in.

At BellaVix, we help emerging sellers turn early momentum into lasting success. Whether you’re listing your first few items or gearing up to switch to a Professional account, we’ll help you:

• Write listings that convert

• Boost product visibility

• Avoid common setup mistakes

• Understand when and how to scale

Fill out the form below, and let’s make sure your Amazon journey starts off right. No guesswork. Just clear, actionable support to help you move faster and sell smarter.

Let’s grow your Amazon business—starting today.