Amazon Canada Account: How to Start Selling
Having and selling on Amazon CA account offers you the chance at thriving as a Canadian ecommerce owner, with forecasts to exceed seven trillion US dollars in 2025.
Selling on Amazon.ca account will help you gain access to a population with a high internet penetration rate and a strong preference for online shopping.
What is Amazon ca?
Amazon FBA Canada is the Canadian sector of the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon.com. It offers a vast selection of products across various categories, catering specifically to the Canadian market.
For businesses, Amazon.ca provides a ready-made platform to reach millions of potential customers and benefit from established fulfillment infrastructure.
How to Sign Up for an Amazon CA Seller Account
Creating an Amazon Canada seller account is the first step towards reaching millions of new customers.
The signup process is a pretty straightforward process, however, there’s a couple things to keep in mind:
1. Create Your Seller Account
Navigate to the official Seller Central Amazon Canada website and click on the “Create Your Amazon Account” button. Follow the on-screen instructions, which will guide you through providing your chosen business name, contact information, tax information, and selecting your selling plan.
2. Choose Your Selling Plan
There are two main Amazon Canada seller account plans, each with its own fee structure and benefits:
Individual Selling Plan: Ideal for casual sellers or those with a limited product selection (fewer than 40 individual products per month).
- Per–Item Fee: Depending on the product category, it typically falls between $1.35 CAD and $3.50 CAD per item sold.
- Closing Fee: A small fee (currently $1.35 CAD) is charged per item sold to cover the cost of processing the sale.
Professional Selling Plan: Caters to businesses with a higher sales volume or those anticipating significant growth.
- Monthly Subscription Fee: Currently at $39.99 CAD per month, regardless of the items being sold.
- Closing Fee: Similar to the Individual Selling Plan, a small fee (currently $1.35 CAD) is charged per item sold to cover processing costs.
What Documents Are Required to Apply for Amazon.ca?
Obtaining the following documents is a necessity:
Valid Government-issued Photo ID: This could be a passport, driver’s license, permanent resident card, or other government-issued identification with your photo and signature. It’s important to provide an ID that is current and not expired.
Business Contact Information: Includes your legal business name, registered business address, phone number, and email address. Your registered business address should match the address on file with your local government agency or tax authority.
Valid Credit Card: You’ll need a valid credit card to cover Amazon seller fees, including the monthly subscription fee (if applicable) and per-item closing fees. The credit card must be issued in your name and have sufficient credit available to cover potential Amazon seller charges.
Canadian Tax Information: Depending on your business structure and sales volume, you might need one or more of the following:
- Business number: A unique identifier assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for tax purposes. Obtaining a Business Number is a relatively straightforward process, but it’s important to register if you plan on carrying on commercial activities in Canada.
- Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) Registration: GST and HST are indirect taxes applied to most taxable supplies of goods and services in Canada. Registering for GST/HST is essential if you meet the sales thresholds to ensure you comply with the Canadian tax regulations.
Fulfillment Methods for Amazon Canada
Fulfillment by Amazon, is the process of storing, picking, packing, shipping, and providing customer service for your products.
Amazon.ca offers two main fulfillment methods, each with its own advantages and considerations:
1. Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)
With Amazon FBM Canada, you maintain complete control over the fulfillment process. You’ll be responsible for storing your inventory, packing orders, and shipping them directly to customers.
This method offers flexibility, allowing you to customize packaging and potentially reduce fulfillment costs for larger or heavier items.
You’ll need a reliable storage and shipping solution which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially for businesses with a high volume of orders. You’ll handle all customer inquiries related to order fulfillment and potentially face challenges scaling customer support as your business grows.
Depending on your product size and weight, shipping costs can vary significantly, which is why it’s important to negotiate competitive shipping rates with carriers which becomes crucial for profitability.
2. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
FBA allows you to leverage Amazon’s wide fulfillment network. You’ll simply ship your inventory to Amazon warehouses, and they’ll handle all picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for your orders.
This approach offers convenience and scalability. Amazon charges storage fees based on the size and weight of your inventory stored in their fulfillment centers. These fees can accumulate over time, so careful inventory management is essential.
Per-item fulfillment fees are charged for each order Amazon fulfills. With FBA, you relinquish some control over the fulfillment process, however, Amazon offers robust performance metrics and tools to help you manage your inventory and optimize your listings.
Amazon Canada Selling Fees
The optimal plan depends on your expected sales volume. For sellers with less than 40 items monthly, the Individual selling plan per item fee structure might be more cost-effective.
However, for higher volumes, the Professional Selling Plan’s lower per-item fees can provide significant savings, especially when considering the monthly subscription fee.
The professional selling plan also offers access to valuable features like bulk product listings and advertising options.
Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee for each item you sell on their marketplace.
This fee is a percentage of the total transaction value (including the product price and any applicable shipping costs).
The specific Amazon Canada referral fees percentage varies depending on the product category you’re selling. You can find a detailed breakdown of referral fees for different product categories on the Amazon Seller Central website.
FBA Fees
If you choose the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) method, you’ll offer additional fees associated with storing and fulfilling your products through Amazon’s warehouses.
Storage Fees: Amazon charges storage fees based on the size and weight of your inventory stored in their fulfillment centers. These fees are tiered and vary depending on the storage period.
FBA Fulfillment Fees: Per-item fulfillment fees are charged for each order Amazon fulfills. Thes fees cover picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for your orders. The specific FBA fulfillment fee depends on the size, weight, and destination of your shipment.
Canadian Tax and Regulatory Considerations
All business income earned in Canada, including your Amazon.ca sales, is subject to Canadian income tax. The specific tax rate will depend on your business structure and taxable income.
You’ll be required to file an annual tax return with the CRA. The specific forms you need to file depend on your business structure.
If you’re importing inventory from outside Canada, you might be subject to import duties and taxes. Understanding the customs clearance process and any applicable duties is essential.
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) website offers valuable information on importing goods.
How to Sell on Amazon Canada from the US
While you don’t need a registered Canadian business or bank account to get started, decide if you’ll order yourself (FBM) or leverage Amazon’s fulfillment (FBA) in order to sell on Amazon Canada.
FBA requires storing inventory in Amazon Canada warehouse, which might involve additional import considerations.
You’ll likely need to register for GST/HST (Canadian sales tax) if your annual sales exceed certain thresholds. Consult a tax professional to ensure compliance.
Set Up Your Seller Account
You can use your existing Amazon Canada account or create a new one specifically for your business.
Consider enrolling in the North America Unified Account Program (available with the Professional Selling Plan) to manage listings on both Amazon.com and Amazon.ca from a single platform.
Listing Your Products
If you already sell on Amazon.com, you can leverage the Build International Listing (BIL) tool to easily create listings on Amazon.ca. The tool copies product information from your existing US listings and allows you to adjust details for the Canadian market (pricing, currency, etc.).
For products not listed on Amazon.com, you’ll need to create new listings on Amazon.ca, providing product descriptions, high-quality images, and competitive pricing in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
Taxes and Compliance
If your sales exceed the thresholds, register for GST/HST with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Amazon might collect GST/HST on your behalf through Tax Collection Service (TCS), but you’re ultimately responsible for ensuring accurate collection and remittance.
What Are the Benefits of Selling on Amazon.ca vs Amazon.com?
Amazon.ca is the dominant ecommerce platform in Canada, offering access to a large and established customer base. By expanding to Amazon.ca, you can tap into a new market with unique buying habits and preferences.
The Amazon.ca marketplace might be less saturated than Amazon.com, depending on your product category. This can potentially lead to increased visibility for your listings and a higher chance of capturing sales.
While research is crucial, you might have more flexibility with pricing on Amazon.ca. Lower competition can allow you to set slightly higher prices to account for potential import/export costs and currency fluctuations.
By using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) in Canada, you can benefit from Amazon’s established fulfillment infrastructure, potentially simplifying logistics and reducing fulfillment headaches.
Depending on your business structure and sales volume, you might face a lower overall tax burden selling on Amazon Canada compared to Amazon.com. This is due to potential differences in sales tax rates and tax regulations between the US and Canada.