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How to Set Up an Amazon Seller Account From Jamaica

The short answer

To sell on Amazon from Jamaica you register a seller account with five things ready: a bank account (number and routing number), a chargeable card, a government ID or business tax ID, a business tax structure, and a phone number. Start with an individual account if money is tight, pick a broad business name you can change later, and plan your shipping through a US prep center (or FBA) so your Jamaica location never slows delivery. If you are restarting, this is your chance to set the foundation up properly so the thing that stopped you last time does not happen again.

Set it up right this time

If you had an Amazon business before and stepped away, you are not starting over, you are re-entering. That is an advantage, but only if you fix the foundation instead of rebuilding the same setup that got fragile last time. Take the setup seriously now: the right account type, a proper business structure, and a shipping plan that does not depend on the one method that broke on you. Do that and the restart is built on solid ground.

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The five things you need to register

Before you open the account, get these together so registration takes minutes, not days:

A bank account with its account number and routing number.
A chargeable credit or debit card.
A government-issued ID or a business tax ID.
A business tax structure (how your business is set up for tax).
A phone number.

Keep your business banking separate from your personal accounts from day one. Mixing the two is a headache you do not need, and separating them makes everything downstream, from bookkeeping to taxes, far easier.

Individual or professional account?

Start with an individual account if you are budget-conscious. It charges a small fee per item sold and is perfectly fine while you are testing your first products. Upgrade to the professional account, a flat monthly fee, once you are moving more than roughly 40 items a month or you need access to gated categories and brands. There is no prize for paying for professional before you are using it.

Name your business (do not overthink it)

Keep the name broad. Do not box yourself into one niche or one country, because over time you will likely sell all sorts of products. It is a trade name, and you can change it later, so do not lose a week agonizing over it. Pick something clean and keep moving. Action is what gets you selling, not the perfect name.

The Jamaica-specific parts

This is where selling from Jamaica differs from selling in the US, and where restarters get tripped up:

Getting paid. You need a payout method Amazon accepts. Many Caribbean sellers use payment services built for international sellers. Sort this before your first sale so money lands cleanly.
Shipping your inventory in. You have three routes: ship from Jamaica via the post office, FedEx, or DHL; use a US prep center that receives, preps, and forwards your stock to Amazon; or send to a trusted family member in the US who forwards it. The prep-center route is what makes selling from Jamaica feel the same as selling from anywhere.
FBA vs shipping it yourself. Default to FBA so Amazon ships and handles service. If you fulfill an order yourself from Jamaica, the price usually has to be high enough to absorb the shipping cost, so reserve that for higher-margin items.

Do not let paralysis by analysis kill you

The single biggest thing that stops people is overthinking. Once your five things are ready, open the account, pick a broad name, and start. You can refine everything as you go. The sellers who win are the ones who take action, test small, and keep moving. Once your account is live, the next step is choosing what to sell, covered in the 2026 restart playbook, and getting shipping right from the Caribbean, covered in selling on Amazon from Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Setting Up Your Account - Questions

What do I need to open an Amazon seller account?

Five things. A bank account with an account number and routing number, a chargeable credit or debit card, a government-issued ID or business tax ID, a decision on your business tax structure, and a phone number. Get those together first and the registration itself is straightforward.

Should I choose an individual or a professional account?

Start with an individual account if you are watching your budget. It costs a small fee per item sold and is fine while you are testing. Move to the professional account, which is a flat monthly fee, once you are selling more than about 40 items a month or you need access to gated categories. Do not pay for professional before you need it.

How do I choose a business name for Amazon?

Keep it broad and do not lock yourself into one niche or one country, because you may sell all kinds of products over time. It is a trade name, not a tattoo. You can change it later, so do not let naming stall you for a week. Pick something clean and get moving.

Will I get bombarded with phone calls from customers?

No. When Amazon handles fulfillment, they handle customer service too, so direct calls are rare. Most sellers go a long time without a single customer phone call. Do not let that fear keep you from using a normal phone number to register.

Do I need a US bank account or US address to sell from Jamaica?

You need a way to receive Amazon payouts that Amazon accepts, and many Caribbean sellers use payment services built for international sellers. For shipping, you either send from Jamaica through the post office, FedEx, or DHL, or you ship your inventory to a US prep center or a trusted family member in the US who forwards it to Amazon. Confirm current requirements during registration, since they change.

How much money do I need to start?

Everybody is different, so start with what your budget can handle. You do not need a fortune. The smart move is to test small across a few different products rather than dropping everything on one unknown item, then reinvest your profit and repeat.

Can I buy from a liquidation company and resell on Amazon?

You can, but you have to vet the products first. They have to actually come to you, you have to inspect them, and you cannot send damaged goods into Amazon. For grocery items especially, the stock needs enough remaining shelf life to be accepted, so check expiration dates before you commit.

Should I use FBA or ship orders myself from Jamaica?

Use FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) as your default. You send inventory in bulk once, Amazon stores it, ships every order, handles customer service, and your listing gets the Prime badge. Shipping orders yourself can make sense for higher-margin or heavier items, but from Jamaica that usually only works when the sale price is high enough to absorb the shipping cost.

Do I need a separate business bank account to sell on Amazon?

Yes, and keep it separate from your personal accounts from day one. You need an account number and a routing number, and you want nothing but business money flowing through it. Mixing personal and business banking is a headache at tax time you do not need.

Can I use a debit card instead of a credit card for my seller account?

Yes. Amazon needs a chargeable card, and a debit card works fine as long as you use it strictly for the business and keep it separate from your personal spending. The point is a clean card tied to the business, not whether it says credit or debit.

What business structure should I choose to start selling on Amazon?

Pick what fits you now, whether that is a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation, and know you can change it later as you grow. Plenty of sellers start simple and formalize the structure once the business is profitable enough to justify it. Do not let this decision stall your start.

Do I need a business license or a retail license to sell on Amazon?

Most likely yes, and it depends entirely on where you live. Check your local county, state, or country rules for a small retail business, since some places require a business license, a retail license, or proper home zoning. Search the small-business requirements for your area and handle them before you register.

Ready to start (or restart) selling?

I still sell on Amazon, eBay, and Walmart every week, and I coach people to do the same from Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the US. Join the next masterclass and I’ll walk you through exactly how to get your first (or next) product live.

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