Whether you’ve selected your first product and want to set up shop online, or have built a brand and want to go global, an online store is a great way to connect with customers and tap the opportunities available through ecommerce.
Building a digital storefront so you can manage inventory and ship goods can be a major hurdle on your way to success. It takes time and resources to create your own direct-to-consumer website, maintain a presence on social media, or sell through other online channels. Luckily, there are resources to help simplify the process, plus best practices you can follow to ensure a smooth experience.
We’ll walk you through how to create an online store, and also cover a suite of Amazon tools you can use to share products with millions of customers.
Building a digital storefront so you can manage inventory and ship goods can be a major hurdle on your way to success. It takes time and resources to create your own direct-to-consumer website, maintain a presence on social media, or sell through other online channels. Luckily, there are resources to help simplify the process, plus best practices you can follow to ensure a smooth experience.
We’ll walk you through how to create an online store, and also cover a suite of Amazon tools you can use to share products with millions of customers.
Creating an online store from scratch
The right ecommerce solution can give you the ability to reach your intended audience, a smooth and secure user experience to win customer trust, and analytics to track sales and spot opportunities to grow your business.
The good news? Amazon makes creating an online store straightforward from start to finish. No design or coding experience? Not a problem.
Amazon templates allow you to create a customized shopping experience with text, images, and video. Like R+Co hair products, you can share your story and showcase your unique brand with multiple interactive pages.
The good news? Amazon makes creating an online store straightforward from start to finish. No design or coding experience? Not a problem.
Amazon templates allow you to create a customized shopping experience with text, images, and video. Like R+Co hair products, you can share your story and showcase your unique brand with multiple interactive pages.
Learn the lingo:
Stores builder
The Amazon Stores builder is a tool for creating an ecommerce storefront on Amazon. It uses drag-and-drop tiles to simplify the storefront creation process—no coding or design expertise required. Once live, the storefront layout automatically adapts for desktop, mobile, and tablet browsers.
How to create an online storefront on Amazon: 5 steps
The Amazon Stores builder allows you to create a multi-page, immersive experience to introduce customers to your business, tell your brand story, and showcase your catalog through customizable rich media such as text, imagery, and video content.
When you create an Amazon storefront, you get a custom web address (amazon.com/yourbrand) to use in your marketing efforts. You can then list products and start to get performance metrics about page visits, traffic sources, and sales so you can continue to optimize the shopping experience for your audience.
Here’s how it works.
When you create an Amazon storefront, you get a custom web address (amazon.com/yourbrand) to use in your marketing efforts. You can then list products and start to get performance metrics about page visits, traffic sources, and sales so you can continue to optimize the shopping experience for your audience.
Here’s how it works.
1. Sign up and enroll your brand
To start selling in the Amazon store, create a seller account and pick a Professional selling plan.
Next, enroll in Brand Registry, a program that helps protect your brand and gives you access to the Stores builder as well as other brand management tools and support.
To enroll in Amazon Brand Registry, you’ll need an active registered trademark in the country where you want to enroll (or a pending trademark application filed through Amazon IP Accelerator) plus the ability to display your brand name or logo prominently on all the products and packaging you offer through Amazon.
Next, enroll in Brand Registry, a program that helps protect your brand and gives you access to the Stores builder as well as other brand management tools and support.
To enroll in Amazon Brand Registry, you’ll need an active registered trademark in the country where you want to enroll (or a pending trademark application filed through Amazon IP Accelerator) plus the ability to display your brand name or logo prominently on all the products and packaging you offer through Amazon.
2. Create an Amazon storefront
Once your brand is approved for Brand Registry, use the Amazon online store builder to craft an online home for your business and convey what your product line is all about.
Here’s a quick tutorial along with some tips for using the Stores builder:
Here’s a quick tutorial along with some tips for using the Stores builder:
- Log in to Seller Central and in the navigation menu, select “Stores” >> “Manage Stores,” then click the “Create Store” button.
- Choose a storefront format. You can pick from three templates, each with adjustable tiles for images, text, video, and other content:
- Product Grid: Display a selection of products with this simple, straightforward, and user-friendly layout
- Marquee: Include a curated product display with additional space for imagery, product descriptions, and customer quotes
- Showcase: Flexibly feature a broad selection of products with space for product information and rich visual content
- Click on Page Manager and select "Add a Page" to build out the storefront:
- You’ll see there’s already a home page for your brand, but you can use this method to add subcategory pages to display all your wares.
- For each page, you can enter the page name and description, and choose a page template.
- Each page can navigate to a different page within the storefront, up to three levels deep. For example, you could have a page to cover different features, product categories, or top sellers.
- Use the Tile Manager to add and arrange content on the page. You can use a combination of images, text, and video content to create an engaging experience for shoppers.
- Check the Preview Window to see how the storefront will appear for desktop and mobile browsers. Click on an individual tile within the page to edit.
- Once you’ve finished building the storefront, click “Submit for Publishing.” The moderation process can take several days, so keep an eye on the Status Bar to monitor progress. To avoid setbacks, review the Stores creative guidelines.
When the storefront is approved, the content will go live and be visible to Amazon customers. To see how the storefront is performing, you can return to Stores builder anytime and navigate to “Insights” to track page views, sales, and more. You can also use the Stores builder to make ongoing edits and updates to the storefront as needed.
3. Add products
Listing products is an opportunity to use enticing headlines, product photos, and other elements to earn clicks.
You can either handpick products to feature in the storefront, or use dynamic widgets to automatically populate different product displays, such as best-selling products or recommendations based on visitor behavior. Dynamic widgets use Amazon data such as keyword search, best-selling products, and recommendation history to help you optimize and update the products that appear on the storefront.
You can either handpick products to feature in the storefront, or use dynamic widgets to automatically populate different product displays, such as best-selling products or recommendations based on visitor behavior. Dynamic widgets use Amazon data such as keyword search, best-selling products, and recommendation history to help you optimize and update the products that appear on the storefront.
4. Enhance product listings with A+ Content
A+ Content is an Amazon tool for adding advanced features like lifestyle imagery, comparison charts, and more to a product page to help it stand out against the competition and convince customers to place a purchase.
When you add a product to the Amazon storefront, customers will see the offer on a product detail page. The standard version looks something like this:
With A+ Content, you can enhance the product detail page by adding your branding and other flourishes to create something like this:
5. Drive traffic to your virtual doorstep
Once you’ve built an online storefront, take advantage of performance advertising and ecommerce marketing tactics to reach more customers.
These can include:
These can include:
- Pay-per-click product listing ads
- Special deals, coupons, and promotions
- Social media marketing
- Email and blog content
You can use a mix of these and other techniques such as SEO to increase brand awareness. For example, you can use social media to drive traffic to your blog. Then at the end of blog posts, encourage visitors to sign up for your monthly email newsletter. And in your newsletters, offer tips and advice, along with promotions and coupons for products available in your ecommerce store.
Integrate with an existing online store or ecommerce website
Is your brand already online? You can integrate Amazon with your existing sales channels. Expand your sales potential and customer base through the Marketplace Appstore:
- Add an ecommerce solutions connector app. Integrate additional ecommerce sites with Amazon for quicker listing, improved order management, cross-channel inventory sync, and more.
- Add a Multichannel Fulfillment app with complete solutions for multichannel Amazon sellers. Manage logistics such as order listings, inventory, shipping, and product reviews all on one dashboard.
Learn the lingo:
Multi-channel fulfillment
Multi-channel fulfillment is the process of managing and fulfilling orders across all the channels where customers can make purchases from your store. Having a multi-channel fulfillment solution can help you diversify your sales channels while keeping your order fulfillment process manageable.
Monetize your audience
If you’ve built a social media following, you can monetize your audience with an influencer storefront. The Amazon Influencer Program allows you to create your own page with an exclusive URL, share your recommendations with your followers, and earn rewards on qualifying purchases. You can also host shoppable livestream events where you can introduce new products, make tailored recommendations for customers, and more.
What are the benefits of building an Amazon store?
Answer: All the tools you need to launch in one place.
With an online store, the smallest details can make a huge difference to your bottom line. Amazon’s built-in ecommerce infrastructure is designed to optimize every step of the buyer’s journey and includes:
With an online store, the smallest details can make a huge difference to your bottom line. Amazon’s built-in ecommerce infrastructure is designed to optimize every step of the buyer’s journey and includes:
- Keep track of business details from on the go with an iOS or Android device.
- Protect customers with secure payment options
- Reduce cart abandonment with checkout optimization
- Measure performance and metrics with the insights dashboard.
- Integrate an Amazon store with other websites.
- Combine the power of promotions, advertising, coupons, and lightning deals to generate sales.
- Automate repetitive tasks to simplify your day-to-day and keep your business humming.
- Track of business details from the palm of your hand, download the Amazon Seller app for iOS and Android devices.
- In addition to other ecommerce benefits, Seller University is also available to help you keep learning and growing with online tutorials.
You can also lean on Amazon for fulfillment and shipping logistics to help you store, package, and ship products.
Meanwhile, if you need help with account management, returns, advertising, and other activity, the Service Provider Network can connect you to trusted vendors.
Set up and customize an ecommerce store, start seeing sales, and scale with the help of Amazon tools.
Meanwhile, if you need help with account management, returns, advertising, and other activity, the Service Provider Network can connect you to trusted vendors.
Set up and customize an ecommerce store, start seeing sales, and scale with the help of Amazon tools.
Launch and grow a storefront online
Get started with an ecommerce storefront to grow your business and achieve higher sales.
Helpful resources
Whether you’re looking to start a new brand, expand an existing brick-and-mortar business, or increase ecommerce sales, here are some resources to help support your path to success.
FAQs
What is an ecommerce store?
An ecommerce storefront is an online solution for business owners to advertise and sell products and services over the internet. In contrast to brick-and-mortar stores, ecommerce makes the exchange of goods and services a streamlined process by allowing customers to conveniently browse products, place orders, and initiate deliveries all through an electronic device.
A business may use just one sales channel, such as a website or a store on Amazon. Or, you may choose to add ecommerce as another sales channel as you grow your business.
A business may use just one sales channel, such as a website or a store on Amazon. Or, you may choose to add ecommerce as another sales channel as you grow your business.
How do I create an online store?
In ecommerce, you have options when it comes to choosing a selling channel. For example, you can build a direct-to-consumer website from scratch, sell on one or more social media sites, or create a storefront on an existing selling website like Amazon. To connect with the millions of online customers who visit Amazon stores worldwide, sign up for an Amazon seller account and enroll in Brand Registry to use the Amazon Stores builder.
What is an Amazon storefront?
An Amazon storefront is a designated space within Amazon.com for you to represent your business and showcase products for sale. You can use the Amazon Stores builder to customize a branded shopping experience for online customers. Publish the storefront, list products, and use A+ Content like tables, banners, and videos to enhance product pages. An Amazon storefront also gives you access to tools and other forms of support to help you grow and scale.
How do I create an ecommerce storefront?
The Amazon Store builder allows you to create your own branded look and feel on Amazon. To create an Amazon storefront, sign up for a Professional selling plan and enroll in Brand Registry to access the Amazon Stores builder in Seller Central:
- Go to “Create Store” and select a template based on how you want the storefront to look
- Go to “Store Builder” and add pages
- Use Tile Manager to design each page with text and imagery
- Use the Preview Window to see the content you create
- Once you’re done building the storefront, hit publish
What are the advantages of building an Amazon online storefront?
Along with access to millions of online customers, an Amazon storefront gives you the ability to:
- Create a multi-page shopping experience for your brand using rich media
- Manage inventory and use fulfillment solutions like Fulfillment by Amazon and Amazon Prime to offer customers fast, free shipping
- Make use of Amazon advertising options
- Access analytics to track sales and spot opportunities to optimize and scale
- Use pricing automation and other apps, services, and tools, including brand owner resources
What are the requirements to have an Amazon storefront?
To operate an Amazon storefront, check out the terms and conditions during sign up for an Amazon selling account (Professional selling plan) and enrollment in Brand Registry. Also, be sure to follow relevant guidelines and Amazon policies for listing products and keeping your account in good standing.
Do you need an LLC to open an Amazon storefront?
No, you can begin as a sole proprietor and later register as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) if you desire. However, this isn’t required while operating an Amazon storefront.
What is the Amazon Store builder and how does it work?
Amazon’s online store builder makes creating a custom storefront straightforward from start to finish. Design a beautiful Store on Amazon with predesigned templates—no coding experience necessary.
Customize with text, images, and video to share your brand story through multiple interactive pages. Consult this guide on how to get started with Stores for a little inspiration.
Customize with text, images, and video to share your brand story through multiple interactive pages. Consult this guide on how to get started with Stores for a little inspiration.
What does it cost to start a Store on Amazon?
It costs nothing. Stores on Amazon are free, always-on destinations for your brand. They’re available to vendors and sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry.
The cost to sell on Amazon depends on your selling plan, product category, fulfillment strategy, and other variables. Learn more about Amazon selling costs.
The cost to sell on Amazon depends on your selling plan, product category, fulfillment strategy, and other variables. Learn more about Amazon selling costs.
Can I use my own coding for a store on Amazon?
No, but Amazon’s online Store builder tools allow you to create a branded store experience. The Store builder also supports integration to help you connect across ecommerce channels. By integrating Amazon with your existing sales channels, you can expand your sales potential and customer base through the Marketplace Appstore. For example, you can:
- Add an ecommerce solutions connector app. Integrate additional ecommerce sites with Amazon for quicker listing, improved order management, cross-channel inventory sync, and more.
- Add a Multichannel Fulfillment app with complete solutions for multichannel Amazon sellers. Manage logistics such as order listings, inventory, shipping, and product reviews all on one dashboard.
"We found that the tools, the features, everything that we can do within the branded storefront can mimic what we’re doing on our website."
Susan Petersen
Chairwomen & Chief Brand Officer, Freshly Picked
