A+ Content
Enhanced product description with images, comparison tables, and rich formatting. Available only to Brand Registered sellers. Lifts conversion rate 3-10%.
Every Amazon seller, US import, and cross-border term explained. Built for Indian founders going to USA - no jargon, no fluff.
Enhanced product description with images, comparison tables, and rich formatting. Available only to Brand Registered sellers. Lifts conversion rate 3-10%.
Ad spend ÷ ad-attributed revenue × 100. A measure of PPC efficiency. Lower = more profitable ads. Healthy range: 15-30%.
Amazon's in-house freight service from origin (e.g. China, India) to Amazon FCs. Competing with traditional freight forwarders.
Amazon Standard Identification Number. The unique 10-character ID Amazon assigns to each product listing.
Federal report all US LLCs must file with FinCEN identifying owners with 25%+ stake. Due within 90 days of formation. $500/day penalty for non-filing.
Amazon program protecting your trademark, unlocking A+ Content, Sponsored Brands, video ads, and the Brand Analytics dashboard. Requires a USPTO trademark application.
The featured offer on a product page that gets ~83% of sales when multiple sellers offer the same product. Won by best price + fulfilment method + seller metrics.
Volumetric unit for ocean freight pricing. 1 CBM = 1m × 1m × 1m. Most LCL shipments quoted in $/CBM (currently ~$90/CBM India to USA west coast).
US agency regulating consumer product safety. Requires certifications for children's products, electronics, and other categories.
Shipping term where seller pays all duties and taxes up to delivery. Used when shipping to Amazon FCs from outside USA.
US tax concept. If your business does not have ECI in the US (no employees, no office), you generally owe 0% US federal income tax on profits.
Federal tax ID for US businesses, issued by IRS. Required for opening US bank account, filing taxes, selling on Amazon US. Foreign founders apply via Form SS-4 by fax.
Shipping term. Buyer (you) takes responsibility from the seller's warehouse onward. Most common for India sourcing.
Amazon's 3PL service. You ship inventory to Amazon FCs, Amazon picks/packs/ships orders, handles customer service, and takes a per-unit fee.
You ship orders yourself or via your own 3PL. Cheaper per unit but loses Prime badge and Buy Box advantage.
You book an entire shipping container (20ft or 40ft). Best when shipment exceeds ~15 CBM.
US agency regulating food, cosmetics, supplements, medical devices. Beauty and supplement sellers need FDA registration.
Indian law governing foreign currency transactions. Affects how you remit USD payouts from Amazon US to India.
Unique barcode Amazon prints for each ASIN per seller. Must be applied to every FBA unit. Looks like X00ABC1234.
US domestic shipping. You book an entire truck. Faster than LTL but more expensive.
Amazon categories requiring approval before listing. Examples: jewellery, watches, automotive, grocery, beauty (for some products).
Total dollar value of goods sold over a period, before fees and returns. Often used as headline revenue metric.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule code. 10-digit number classifying products for customs. Determines US import duty rate. e.g. bedsheets = 6302.21.50.10 → 11.4% duty.
Inventory shipment going into an Amazon FC. Created in Seller Central. Includes labels for boxes, pallets, and units.
The legal entity responsible for ensuring an import complies with US customs law. Must be a US entity for FBA shipments. Your US LLC.
Amazon's 0-1000 measure of inventory health. Above 400 unlocks unlimited FBA storage. Below 400 = storage limits.
US export control laws. Most consumer products are not affected, but always check if you sell electronics or anything dual-use.
IRS-issued tax ID for non-residents who need to file US taxes. Not required for most Indian Amazon sellers - EIN is sufficient.
You share a container with other shippers. Priced per CBM. Best for shipments under 15 CBM. Slower than FCL (consolidation/deconsolidation adds 5-10 days).
US business structure offering liability protection and pass-through taxation. Most popular structure for Indian Amazon sellers.
US domestic shipping. Shared truck with multiple shipments. Cheaper than FTL but slower.
Lowest price a reseller is allowed to advertise. Brand-controlled. Violations can trigger Brand Registry takedowns.
Online-only US business bank popular with foreign-owned LLCs. Free, no SSN required, fully remote application.
47 US states require Amazon to collect and remit sales tax on your behalf. You are not liable for tax in those states for Amazon sales.
Internal LLC document defining ownership, profit distribution, and decision-making. Not filed publicly but required by most US banks.
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Compliance level required by payment processors. Stripe and Razorpay are PCI Level 1.
Document submitted to Amazon when your account is suspended. Required to reinstate. Must address root cause, immediate fix, and long-term prevention.
Amazon's advertising platform. Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display, and DSP. Pay only when someone clicks your ad.
Third-party warehouse that receives inventory, prepares it to FBA standards, and ships to Amazon. What we are.
Indian payment gateway. Accepts UPI, cards, net banking, wallets. Used for collecting INR payments from Indian clients.
A person or company designated to receive legal documents on behalf of your LLC. Required in the state of formation. $99-$199/year.
US customs rule allowing duty-free entry for shipments under $800/day per consignee. Useful for e-commerce trial shipments.
Amazon's dashboard for sellers. Where you manage listings, inventory, ads, performance, and finances.
Internal product identifier. You assign these. Different from ASIN (which Amazon assigns).
Documented process for repeating an operation consistently. Critical for prep centres and account management.
Amazon ad type showing your logo + 3 products at top of search results. Brand Registry required.
The most common Amazon ad - keyword-targeted product ads shown within search results and on product pages.
Customizable Amazon page showing your full brand. Available to Brand Registered sellers. Drives ~10% of brand sales for established sellers.
Ad spend ÷ total revenue (organic + ad). Better measure of brand health than ACOS alone. Target: 15-22% for established listings.
Rules for pricing transactions between related entities (e.g. your Indian co. → your US LLC). Matters when invoicing across borders.
Standard barcode for retail products. Amazon requires a UPC or GTIN to create a new ASIN. Buy authentic ones from GS1, not cheap resellers.
US government body for trademarks. Filing fee: $250-$350/class. Required for Brand Registry.
Value-Added Tax. Not used in USA at federal level - USA uses state sales tax instead. Relevant when expanding to EU/UK/UAE.
Amazon's official review program. You give free units to vetted reviewers in exchange for honest reviews. $200/ASIN. Brand Registry required.
US Supreme Court 2018 ruling allowing states to require sales tax collection from out-of-state sellers. Foundation of modern marketplace facilitator laws.
Walmart's answer to FBA. Worth considering for diversification beyond Amazon.
Tell us and we'll add it. We update this monthly with what clients ask.
21 steps from idea to first US sale. Free PDF.