Amazon Global Shipping and Mailing Service Made Easy

Most e-commerce sellers make a fair amount of money when working with Amazon. However, most of these sellers limit themselves to only selling to their local marketplace. If you are an Amazon seller, do not commit the same mistake! Selling your products on Amazon globally would allow you to scale your business massively. 

In this article, we will provide you a breakdown of the things that you need to know when it comes to Amazon Global shipping and mailing service so you can start selling internationally.

Amazon Global Selling (AGS)

Amazon Global Selling or AGS is a program in which sellers are allowed to list and sell their products in any of the retail giant’s marketplaces in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. 

Source: Amazon Global Marketplace

Where and How to Start

If you’re already certain that you want to expand your business into a new international marketplace, the first thing you need to identify is where. 

Once you’ve decided on which marketplace you wish to expand your business, it is crucial to do thorough market research. There are several things that you should consider such as your end-consumer preferences, culture, language, marketing strategies and most especially, which mailing and shipping services work best for you. Learning these things will help you tailor your products to meet your target consumer’s needs. Failing to do so will cause great economic hardship for your business.

Also, it is worth noting that selling internationally is a supply/demand situation. If you decide to get started at an international marketplace, the wisest thing to do it is by starting with your best-selling products rather than your entire catalog.

AGS Fees, Payments, and Taxes

Managing Payments

Managing  payments from your Amazon store is not as difficult as you might think. You can get the payment for your products in a couple of ways. You have the option to set up a local bank account yourself or you can make use of Amazon’s international payment solution or ACCS. Opting for ACCS will allow you to receive international payments in your local bank account in your own currency. However, you will still need to create an account with Amazon and pay an additional fee for their service and transactions. 

Dealing With Local Taxes. 

It is expected that you should pay goods and service taxes when shipping goods internationally. Before selling in your chosen international marketplace, make sure that you did an in-depth research about the laws and regulations when it comes to international shipping. It is your responsibility to make sure that you comply with all the local tax laws and make any required payments promptly to avoid back payments and penalties. 

Handling Your International Logistics 

Finding a reliable international shipping and mailing service is one of the most challenging aspects when selling on Amazon on a global scale. How you decide to fulfill your orders will depend on the quantity and the type of products you want to sell.

You can choose your mailing and shipping done via Amazon FBA or yourself (FBM)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is an Amazon program that aims to make Amazon Sellers’ shipping experience hassle-free. Amazon fulfillment centers can hold millions of items so there will be no minimum for the number of products you can send  . 

You can choose to fulfill orders yourself or use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) in all marketplaces. 

Some of the biggest benefits of FBA are the following:

1. Smooth logistics and shipping.  FBA allows sellers to outsource the entire shipping process, taking advantage of the company’s expertise and experience when it comes to logistics. If your business has higher sales, this would mean extra time handling the logistics- making you perfect for an FBA program. 
2. Discounted shipping rates. Amazon passes discounts on to sellers in the form of reduced shipping costs when sending your inventory to Amazon. Your customer will also benefit from this because plenty of orders on Amazon are eligible for free shipping.
3. No more dealing with returns. You don’t have to worry about angry customers anymore because Amazon will be taking care from inspecting returns to handling all of the administrative aspects. However, take note that Amazon charges returns processing fee for a minimal cost.
4. Managing customer service. Amazon offers 24/7 support via email, chat or phone. That will ease your buyer’s mind, and takes a heavy load off your plate.
5. No inventory minimums and unlimited storage. No need to worry about storage space because signing up for FBA means you are free to use Amazon warehouses no matter how much or how little space you need for your products. 
6. Fast delivery. With hundreds of Amazon’s fulfillment centers all over the world. No matter where you are sending your items, you can rely with them that your products will be delivered within the promised time.

Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

Fulfillment by Merchant or FBM is when you choose to be in control of the entire handling of the mailing and shipping process. Instead of paying and shipping your inventory to Amazon, you will be using your own resources to send the item directly to the buyer. 

When to Choose Fulfillment By Merchant

When you are selling items that are exclusive, FBM would be the best choice for you. This will build the credibility of your online store and its products. It is also beneficial for small businesses when the mailing and shipping process does not become overwhelming and possibly affect your customer’s and Amazon’s standards. 

The advantages of opting for FBM are listed below. 

• You can control every aspect of your business.
• You don’t need to pay additional fees to Amazon. 
• Growing your brand is more achievable.
• Less paperwork for the seller when working directly with the buyer
• You have a greater grasp of the inventory in stock, products that sell, and what changes are needed for higher sales. 
• Since you will be arranging your shipping service provider, you are aware of all finances every step of the way.

FBM comes with several disadvantages as well.

• You have to handle returns. Incorrect shipping is a common problem for FBM sellers.
• Dealing with angry customers and manage your own customer service
• Since Amazon favors FBA sellers to win the Buy Box, you may have to price your items lower than FBA sellers. 

      Pro Tip:   Make sure you hire a reliable shipping service that can perform a highly 

                       disciplined shipping operation to avoid shipping mistakes.

FBM vs Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)

It is worth noting that Seller Fulfilled Prime or SFP is different from FBM. SFP is a fulfillment method that is a combination of both Fulfillment by Amazon and Fulfillment by Merchant. Like FBA, you are given access to Amazon Prime customers- and handle the shipping process and the customer service yourself just like how FBM works. To qualify for SFP, you need to meet the several requirements listed below. 

• You need to have a professional account.
• You should have fulfilled a minimum of 30 premium shipping in a span of 30 calendar days with a tracking ID of no less than 94% of orders, have an on-time delivery rate of not less than 96%, and a cancellation rate of no more than 1%.
• You must work with Amazon-approved Buy Shipping Service carriers.
• A feedback of no less than 4.5 for the preceding 30 calendar days. 

It’s Your Time to Go Global

Now that you have a greater grasp about the ins and outs of Amazon Global Selling, and your shipping and mailing service options, it is the time to finally go global!

When you sell your goods on Amazon Global, you have limitless options of what to sell and where to sell. A thorough market research will help you identify which market to enter and which of your products are likely to perform well.

When you’ve established a strong presence in a new country and already comfortable managing your sales, customer service and return, you’ll be ready to expand your business into another international marketplace. 

If you are looking for a reliable shipping and mailing service near you for your Amazon shipping needs, Stallion express is the company you need. Our company offers the best way to ship internationally and is trusted by thousands of online sellers in Canada. We ship to the US., Canada or even around the world.  When it comes to reliable international shipping in Canada, Stallion Express got you covered!

Jenna M