Selling on Amazon South Africa: A Most Interesting Prospect.

It's still under one year since Amazon launched its eCommerce platform in South Africa. The development of Amazon.co.za has been aligned with reasonable expectations. Although data is scarce, it appears that Amazon ZA had an impressive Q4 2024. The expectations of Amazon.co.za can be gleaned from Amazon's launches in Australia, Brazil, Poland, and many other countries.

Amazon's blueprint for new country success is clear, and Project South Africa is right on track to become another pumping Amazon marketplace.

While the eCommerce market in South Africa continues to grow rapidly, eComm penetration has 5x in the last six years - Amazon.co.za is a ripe opportunity. Currently Amazon's ZA marketplace is uncompetitive, but in two years it will probably look very different.

Sellers who secure top ranking spots in new Amazon marketplaces can hold on to those positions and grow naturally with Amazon as its market share in South Africa grows. Learn more about the First Mover Advantage offered by Amazon's newest marketplace.

The article below covers some of the essentials for interested Amazon sellers to understand. Covering: Optimized Listings, Managing Accounts, Advertising Products, Understanding Fees, and Registering GS1 Barcodes.

How do I sell on Amazon South Africa? To begin selling on Amazon South Africa, you first need to decide on a selling plan that best fits your business—either the Individual plan (charged per item sold) or the Professional plan (a fixed monthly fee, which is currently offered at a promotional rate for a limited time). Once you’ve chosen your plan, the next step is to gather the required documents (such as a unique email address, a chargeable credit or debit card, a company registration number if applicable, government-issued ID, proof of address, and a phone number) and register via Seller Central. This online portal is where you will create your seller account and manage your business activities.

After registration, you can start adding your products—either by matching them to existing listings or creating new ones if you’re the first seller of that product. You’ll also need to choose a fulfillment method (like Fulfilment by Amazon or Amazon Easy Ship) to handle shipping and returns. Amazon’s platform provides a wealth of tools and resources to help you manage, optimize, and grow your sales, making it accessible for both new entrepreneurs and established businesses.

How do I optimize my product listings on Amazon South Africa? Optimizing your product listings begins with crafting a compelling product title that includes essential keywords and clearly communicates the product’s unique features. Make sure your product images are high resolution (at least 500 x 500 pixels, ideally 1,000 x 1,000 for a zoomed-in view) and are set against a plain white background to meet Amazon’s guidelines. Use clear bullet points and a detailed description to highlight the benefits and specifications of your product, as these elements are critical for both customer conversion and improved search rankings.

Additionally, pay close attention to the product identifiers—most listings require a GTIN (such as a UPC, EAN, or ISBN) so that Amazon can accurately catalogue and match your products. Sellers on the Professional plan even have the option to list products in bulk and can leverage advanced tools for keyword optimization and listing management. Regularly updating your listings based on customer feedback and performance metrics can help maintain relevance and drive more traffic to your products.

How do I manage my Amazon South Africa selling account? Managing your seller account is done primarily through Amazon Seller Central—a comprehensive dashboard where you can monitor sales, manage inventory, update product listings, and review performance metrics. The interface also provides access to financial reports, customer feedback, and performance notifications, all of which are essential for keeping your business running smoothly. For sellers on the go, the Amazon Seller app is a valuable tool that lets you track your business activities and respond quickly to customer inquiries.

Moreover, it’s important to configure your account settings early on—ensure that your payment and shipping information is accurate, set up proper tax settings, and adjust notification preferences to suit your needs. You may also add multiple users to your account if you need team collaboration for handling different aspects of your business. Utilizing Amazon’s Seller University and help resources can further improve your ability to manage your account efficiently.

How do I advertise my products on Amazon South Africa? Amazon offers a variety of advertising options to boost your product visibility and drive sales. One of the most popular methods is Sponsored Products—cost-per-click (CPC) ads that appear within search results and on product detail pages. In addition, Sponsored Brands can help highlight your brand and showcase multiple products in a single ad unit, while promotions such as deals, coupons, and lightning deals are also available to attract customers.

Advertising campaigns are set up directly within Seller Central, where you can target specific keywords and monitor the performance of your ads in real time. The platform also allows you to adjust bids and budgets based on campaign performance, ensuring that your advertising spend aligns with your sales goals. For best results, continuously review your ad performance metrics and optimize your campaigns to reach the most relevant audience.

What are the fees for selling on Amazon South Africa? Selling fees on Amazon South Africa are divided into two main types: selling plan fees and referral fees. The selling plan fee depends on the option you choose—individual sellers pay a fee per item sold (commonly around R10 per sale), whereas professional sellers pay a fixed monthly fee (typically R400, though promotional offers may reduce this cost to as low as R1 per month for a limited time). In addition to these fees, Amazon charges a referral fee, which is a percentage of each sale’s price and can vary by product category.

If you opt to use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), there are also fulfillment fees for packing, shipping, and handling returns, as well as storage fees if your inventory is held in Amazon’s warehouses. It’s important to review the latest fee schedule on Seller Central since fees may change and additional charges (like VAT) can apply.

What are the requirements for selling on Amazon South Africa? Before you start selling on Amazon South Africa, you must have a few essential items in place. You’ll need an email address that isn’t already associated with another Amazon account, a chargeable credit or debit card, a valid government-issued ID (passport, national ID, or driver’s license), and a recent proof of address (such as a bank or credit card statement). If you’re operating as a registered business, you will also need your company registration number.

Furthermore, new product listings typically require a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which means you must have valid UPCs or EANs—often obtained through GS1 South Africa or an authorized reseller. Preparing these documents ahead of time will help ensure a smooth registration process and faster account verification. In some cases, Amazon may also require a brief video call to verify your identity and business details.

Are my GS1 barcodes ready and registered? Ensuring that your GS1 barcodes are ready and properly registered is a critical step for selling on Amazon and other retail platforms. If you purchased your barcodes directly from GS1 South Africa or a reputable reseller who registers them on your behalf, your barcodes should already be uniquely assigned to your products and registered in the appropriate online database. This registration not only verifies the authenticity of your codes but also ensures that retailers can easily scan and retrieve your product information.

If you obtained your barcodes through a third-party vendor, verify with them that your barcodes are registered in an official database and that the product details are correctly linked to each unique code. Registered barcodes help prevent duplication issues and are often required by large retailers like Amazon, so confirming their registration status before you start listing products is essential.

Learn more about selling on Amazon in South Africa and globally from fluid/sa, South Africa's First Full-Service Amazon Agency, and enjoy a free consultation.