How Does Amazon Merch Work?

Merch by Amazon is Amazon’s print-on-demand service for merchandise, which includes t-shirts, hoodies, and tank tops, as well as PopSockets, phone cases, throw pillows, and tote bags.

Merch by Amazon is a low-risk way for creatives with cool design ideas or clever phrases to put on products to get their work out into the world. Coming up with some good merchandise ideas can potentially increase your earnings on the platform for Amazon sellers looking for new revenue streams.

Because Amazon does not print your design on a product until it sells, merch is low risk. There’s no need to stock up on inventory and keep it somewhere, and there’s no risk of having to absorb the cost of unsold stock. Because Amazon treats its Merch products the same as any other Amazon product, your merchandise will be eligible for the Prime shipping options that customers have come to expect.

How to Do Amazon Merch

If that sounds appealing, here’s how to set up a Merch by Amazon account:

1. Go to the Merch program landing page on Amazon.
2. Select the Sign-Up button.
3. Sign in using your existing Amazon account. If you are not already a seller on Amazon, this can be the account you use to purchase products. Just keep in mind that the account you use here will become your Merch login, so select the one you want to be associated with your business. If you don’t already have an Amazon account, you’ll be asked to sign up for one. (check out this guide to create an Amazon seller account.
4. To apply for an account, please provide the requested information. This will include your contact information, bank account information, and tax identification number (or if you don’t have a business EIN, your Social Security number).
5. Wait for Amazon to contact you.

Amazon must evaluate applications and decide who to accept. It will send an email with an estimated time for verification for the program. Amazon does not provide a standard timeframe for how long it typically takes but expects to wait several months or more.

Don’t worry, this means you’ll have more time to work on designs and product ideas!

You can get down to business once your Merch by Amazon account is set up and approved. Amazon has provided templates for you to use to ensure that your designs are the correct size and resolution for each product type.

Load the design files and begin matching them to the product options and colors you want to offer. Review and adhere to the content best practices provided to ensure that your design looks as good on the products as it does in the file.

Check out this video to start selling on Merch by Amazon:

How much does Amazon Merch cost?

Amazon Merch has no upfront costs or standard fees. Fees are a common part of doing business with Amazon that may seem strange to Amazon sellers. However, because Amazon pays for materials and fulfillment, rather than charging fees, it simply pays royalties to the creator for each product sold. The royalties are a set amount based on how much you charge for your product.

What are the product listing guidelines for Merch by Amazon?

The following are the main guidelines for Merch by Amazon product listings:

• Any designs you load must be your property. That means you should stick to original designs you created yourself or designs you hired someone to create and are certain you own the rights to.
• You must ensure that all designs adhere to Amazon’s content policies. That means no illegal or offensive content, nor content that directly solicits reviews or suggests the sale’s proceeds will be donated to charity.

Read this dedicated merch by amazon guide to know more tips for selling successfully.