To launch a private label product on Amazon, confirm the margin after fees, file a trademark and enrol in Brand Registry, get product compliance and import paperwork in order, then launch a small first shipment with a strong listing and clear measures. The platform provides reach, but it is also a comparison engine: identical products, advertising costs and returns can erase a thin margin quickly. Amazon results are never guaranteed, whatever a course or agency may suggest.
Step 1: Check the unit economics first
Amazon’s own pricing page shows two main costs on most sales: a selling plan and a referral fee. The Professional plan is $39.99 a month on the US store, and referral fees vary by category, as a percentage of the total price or a minimum amount, whichever is greater. If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, add fulfilment and storage fees. Then add advertising, returns, freight, duty and inspection.
Use current fee tables for your category and size, since dimensions can move you into a far more expensive tier. Our calculator shows you the contribution per unit, and our unit economics guide explains how to read it. If the margin only works with no advertising, it does not work.
Amazon also advertises programmes for new brands and new FBA products, such as referral fee waivers and discounts. Check the current terms, but do not build your plan on a discount that ends.
Step 2: Trademark and Brand Registry
Amazon Brand Registry is free, and gives access to brand tools and protection features. According to Amazon, your brand needs an active registered trademark or a pending application, for a word mark or an image-based mark containing words, letters or numbers, from an approved intellectual property office. A few details cause most rejections:
- The application must come from the trademark owner.
- The brand name in the application must match the trademark record exactly, including spaces and symbols.
- The brand name must be permanently affixed to the product or packaging, and you may be asked for images of it.
- Amazon may contact the trademark’s correspondent to verify the application.
A US filing has its own rules. You can file on an intent-to-use basis, and foreign-domiciled applicants need a US-licensed attorney. Run a proper search first, since a pending application still has to survive examination. See the naming guide and naming.
Step 3: Product compliance by category
Amazon can ask for documents, and regulators can act independently. Requirements follow the product:
| Category | US example | EU example |
|---|---|---|
| Toys and children’s goods | ASTM F963, third-party test, Children’s Product Certificate, tracking label | CE marking under the Toy Safety Directive, technical documentation |
| Cosmetics | MoCRA facility registration, listing, safety substantiation, with some small-business exemptions | EU responsible person, safety report, CPNP notification |
| Supplements | Facility registration, cGMP, structure or function notice and disclaimer | National notification where required; authorised claims only |
| Electronics | FCC authorisation; battery rules | CE under LVD, EMC, RED; WEEE registration |
| General goods | General Certificate where a rule applies | General Product Safety Regulation, EU responsible person named online if the maker is outside the EU |
In the EU, also budget for EPR registration of packaging in each country you sell in. This summary is general information, which we verify with a licensed specialist in each project. See compliance and categories.
Step 4: Import changes that affect sellers
Two US changes hit overseas sellers directly. Duty-free de minimis treatment has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025, so sending small parcels to avoid duty is no longer an option. And since 8 July 2026 CPSC-regulated imports require eFiled certificate data, with no exemption for low-value shipments. Your importer of record and customs broker should confirm how each shipment is handled. Tariffs also change often, so test your margin at higher rates.
In the EU, a flat €3 duty on low-value parcels applies from 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028, as a step towards removing the €150 relief. Check how it applies to your model.
Step 5: The listing
- Main image that clearly shows the product and looks right at thumbnail size.
- Title and bullets that use the terms buyers really search for, without stuffing.
- Claims you can prove. Health, safety, green and origin claims are read by regulators too.
- Secondary images that answer objections: size, what is included, how it works.
- Packaging built for FBA, with correct labelling and durable cartons.
Compare yourself with the top listings a real customer would see. If you cannot name why someone should choose you, return to the product.
Step 6: Reviews, honestly
The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials has been in force since 21 October 2024. It prohibits fake reviews, buying positive or negative reviews, incentives tied to sentiment, undisclosed insider reviews and fake social indicators, and it lets courts impose civil penalties for knowing violations. Amazon has its own policies too. Asking customers for honest feedback through permitted channels is fine. Paying for five stars is not, and this applies to agencies acting on your behalf.
Step 7: Launch small, then read the numbers
Decide in advance how you will judge the first months: units per day at your target price, conversion rate, advertising cost per sale, return rate, reasons for returns and review content. Keep enough cash for a reorder. Stock-outs can hurt your momentum, and overstock incurs fees.
Set a simple rule. If contribution remains positive after advertising at a stable price, reorder. If it depends on continued discounting, fix the product or the listing first. If the reviews expose a design flaw, stop and correct it.
When Amazon is not the right first channel
Consider other routes if your product is bulky with low margin, is highly regulated, needs explanation or trial, or if you lack cash for advertising. A retail route, an owned store or a specialist marketplace may suit you better. Marketplace sellers looking to build a real brand can start with our page for sellers.