If you're a non-US seller planning to launch on Amazon FBA, this is the exact sequence we walk new clients through. Four weeks, ~25 concrete actions, with tool recommendations, cost estimates, and the traps we see new international sellers fall into.
We onboard sellers from Turkey, China, and Europe every month. The same questions come up — "do I need an LLC first?", "how do I get a US bank account from abroad?", "can I ship straight to Amazon or do I need a prep partner?"
This checklist answers those questions in the order they actually need to be answered. It's not a sales pitch — most steps don't even involve Shipprep. It's the operational playbook we wish someone had handed us when we started moving products into the US market 8 years ago.
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Before you can sell on Amazon, you need a US business entity, a tax ID, and a US bank account. Most international sellers underestimate how long this takes and start too late.
Wyoming, Delaware, or New Mexico are the 3 most common choices for non-US founders. Wyoming has lowest annual fees ($60). Delaware has the most legal infrastructure. New Mexico allows anonymous LLCs. Use a registered agent service — required for non-US residents.
Your LLC's tax ID. Required for everything: bank account, Amazon Seller Central, vendor contracts. Foreign founders cannot apply online — must fax/mail Form SS-4 to the IRS, takes 4–6 weeks.
Mercury and Wise (formerly TransferWise) are the two go-to options for non-US founders. Mercury offers a real US bank account with FDIC insurance and full ACH/wire support. Wise is faster to open but more limited. Both accept LLC + EIN as proof.
Don't wait until tax season. Even simple Google Sheets tracking is fine for month 1. Plan to graduate to QuickBooks or Xero by month 3.
Your home country may treat US LLC income differently. Turkey: US LLC pass-through income may be taxable in Turkey for residents. Talk to a tax advisor in your country before incorporating.
Amazon account verification can take 2–4 weeks for international sellers. Start this in parallel with banking. Required documents differ from US sellers — be ready.
Choose Professional plan ($39.99/month). Individual plan caps you at 40 items/month and blocks Amazon advertising. For FBA, Professional is required.
Amazon requires: government-issued ID (passport), business registration document (your LLC formation certificate), bank account statement (Mercury/Wise statement is acceptable), and credit card statement (use your business card).
Required for non-US entities receiving income from Amazon. Tells Amazon to withhold tax at the treaty rate (0% for Turkey-US treaty for most income types) instead of default 30%. File once, valid 3 years.
Brand Registry gives you A+ Content, Storefront, and protection against unauthorized sellers. Requires a registered trademark in the US (USPTO) or your home country (under TM5 program).
Start narrow. Pick products you can ship by air for the first batch (faster feedback) and reorder by sea (better margins). Verify product is not gated, not restricted, not hazmat.
Cosmetics, supplements, and topical products need FDA registration. Children's products need CPSC compliance. Toys need ASTM F963. Electronics need FCC. Verify before sourcing inventory.
By week 3, you should have your first product order with your supplier and a freight plan. International freight to Amazon FBA is a coordination puzzle — get it right or watch your margins evaporate.
Amazon has strict requirements: FNSKU labels, polybag with suffocation warning on items over 5", bubble wrap on fragile items. Either your supplier does this (cheaper) or your prep partner does (more flexible). Either way: spec it before you order.
Air freight: 5–10 days, $4–8/kg. Ocean freight: 25–45 days, $0.50–2/kg. For first batch (200–500 units), air is worth the premium — faster feedback loop, less inventory at risk. Ocean for restocks once velocity is proven.
Required for any commercial shipment over $2,500 (Section 321 below that). Your customs broker files entry, pays duties, and clears cargo. Most freight forwarders include brokerage as part of the service. If yours doesn't, hire separately.
Direct to Amazon: cheaper if your supplier preps perfectly. Via prep partner: safer, more flexible, handles inspection + repalletizing. International sellers usually need a prep partner because Amazon FCs reject more often than expected.
You need to know your container/airwaybill location daily. Most freight forwarders provide tracking links. Set up calendar alerts for: (a) shipment landed, (b) customs cleared, (c) arrived at warehouse, (d) ready for FBA.
Inventory is on the way or has landed. Now the operational details matter. The brands that grow are the ones that nail receiving, FBA shipment plans, and customer service from day 1.
If you're using a prep partner: they receive your container/pallets, inspect for damage, count, photograph, apply FBA labels. 2–5 business days from arrival to ready-for-FBA. Approve photos before they ship to Amazon.
In Seller Central, create a shipment plan for your prepped inventory. Amazon assigns destination FCs (often multiple — "distributed inventory placement" splits your shipment across 2–4 warehouses). Your 3PL ships per Amazon's instructions.
Amazon FBA returns from customers go to Amazon. But Amazon FBA removal orders (when you pull inventory back) need to ship to your prep partner — not your home country. Configure this in Seller Central.
Once Amazon receives and checks in your inventory (typically 2–7 days after arrival at FC), your listings go live. Verify titles, bullets, A+ Content, photos all render correctly. Test Buy Box ownership.
First reviews disproportionately affect ranking. If a customer reports damage, respond within 12 hours and file FBA reimbursement claim if Amazon caused it. Use Helium 10 / Seller Central alerts to track every order in week 1 of selling.
Calculate your weekly velocity. Reorder when you have 60 days of inventory left (accounts for ocean freight + customs + prep + Amazon check-in). For air freight, 30 days is fine. Going out of stock is ranking-poison.
Shipprep Houston handles weeks 3 and 4 (freight receiving, FBA prep, and ongoing fulfillment) for international sellers shipping into the US. Multilingual ops team, Port of Houston direct receiving, grant-ready invoicing for Turkish e-ihracat. We're not for everyone — but if your SKUs are clean and your supplier is in Turkey, China, or Europe, we're built for you.
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