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5
MINUTE READ TIME
Published
September 26, 2024
|
Chelsea Cohen

Inventory Expert

|
EU & Global

Amazon Export Central to Simplify International Selling

Amazon Export Central to Simplify International Selling
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Table of Contents

Amazon has launched Export Central, a tool designed to help Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN) sellers expand to 39 European countries, even in countries without Amazon stores, such as Austria, Portugal, and Greece.

This means that a customer in Austria can purchase your products through amazon.de, making your offers accessible to millions of potential buyers across Europe and beyond.

With just three clicks, sellers can reach new markets without creating additional accounts or listings. This significantly simplifies logistics and offers growth opportunities, especially for sellers navigating complex VAT regulations.

Amazon’s VP of Seller Services Europe, Xavier Flamand, noted that Export Central helps remove many of the traditional barriers to international selling, allowing sellers to focus on their products rather than logistics.

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Key Features of Export Central

  • Countries Covered: MFN sellers can now connect with customers across 39 European countries, including countries that don’t have a dedicated Amazon store.
Albania Finland Liechtenstein Poland
Armenia France Lithuania Portugal
Austria Georgia Luxembourg Serbia
Belgium Germany Macedonia Slovakia
Bulgaria Greece Malta Slovenia
Croatia Hungary Moldova Spain
Cyprus Iceland Montenegro Sweden
Czech Republic Ireland Montenegro Switzerland
Denmark Italy Netherlands United Kingdom
Estonia Latvia Norway
  • Simplified Logistics: Sellers simply need to input their international shipping rates and transit times, while Amazon offers default settings for convenience. However, you can fully customize these settings to suit your business needs, giving you greater control over your shipping options.
  • Resource Centre: There are resources in the Knowledge Centre that help with Compliance, VAT, International Shipping, and Returns.
RELATED: Crossing the Pond: Preparing Your US Ecommerce Brand for Amazon Europe Expansion

How Export Central Works

  1. To get started with Export Central, visit the Export Central page, review your seller-fulfilled export opportunities, and familiarize yourself with key elements like VAT for international sales, shipping, and returns.
  2. When you’re ready to proceed, click “Start.”
  3. Select the European countries you wish to ship to and the stores from which you’ll dispatch your products. Amazon Export Central will then propose a set of standard shipping settings based on your selections, which you can customize before finalizing your enrollment.
  4. Click “Continue” to review and confirm the settings. Once the settings are complete, Export Central will activate the international shipping options for all your existing standard templates according to the configurations you’ve chosen. You will handle everything from shipping to returns.
  5. If needed, you can manually adjust any template from Shipping Settings in Seller Central, but remember that changes will need to be applied to each store individually.

VAT Compliance Considerations

One critical aspect of selling internationally is VAT compliance. Sellers using Export Central need to ensure they comply with the VAT requirements in the countries they are shipping to. The good news is that Amazon provides resources, like the Union One-Stop Shop (UOSS), to simplify VAT compliance, especially for sellers navigating the various regulations across Europe.

Ensuring VAT compliance is essential for sellers to avoid legal issues and business disruptions. To make this process easier, Amazon encourages sellers to review the VAT requirements for each country before shipping. Their Knowledge Centre offers valuable resources to guide you through these requirements, so you’re well-prepared without feeling overwhelmed.

RELATED: Unlocking Amazon Europe: Strategies for Expansion in Amazon EU

Impact of Export Central on Sellers

  • Potential 10% Sales Increase: Amazon reports that sellers who enable Export from their European stores can experience an average sales uplift of up to 10%. The reported increase is due to sellers accessing new markets, though actual growth may vary depending on factors such as product categories and target markets.
  • Ease of Expansion: MFN sellers will find Export Central particularly advantageous. It simplifies the logistics of expanding into new European markets by offering reduced complexity in setting international shipping settings. This streamlined expansion into new markets could lead to higher visibility and increased sales.
  • Broader reach without duplicating listings.
  • New Opportunities: Access untapped customer bases where Amazon does not have a physical store.

Export Central Drawbacks

  • Shipping Logistics: MFN sellers remain responsible for managing their shipping rates and times.
  • VAT Compliance and International Returns: Sellers must ensure VAT compliance in destination countries, a process that can be complex for those unfamiliar with European tax regulations. Additionally, sellers are responsible for managing international returns, which can add another layer of complexity to their operations.

Note: The US and EU operate under regulatory frameworks that are unique compared to other regions, presenting challenges for businesses that are new to these markets. For instance, in the EU, product safety requirements prioritize pre-market testing and conformity assessments to ensure products meet safety standards before reaching consumers, as mandated by the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). In contrast, the US regulatory approach emphasizes post-market surveillance, with agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) focusing on monitoring products once they are on the market and taking enforcement actions such as recalls if safety issues emerge.

RELATED: A Comprehensive Guide to Global Ecommerce for US Sellers
Urgent: Amazon sellers take action now!
Amazon reduced the reimbursement window by 88.89%, from 18 months to 60 days starting October 23, 2024.
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NEW! Free Q4 Playbook to boost your Amazon sales for peak-season success.
Download Now
Unlock your Prime Day potential!

Download the playbook for free
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Take Seller Central operations off your to-do list
Trust our team of experts with 24/7 account management!
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Maximizing the Benefits of Export Central

If you're considering expanding your reach through Export Central, here are a few action steps to ensure success:

  1. Review VAT Compliance: Before starting, make sure you're familiar with VAT requirements for each country. Utilize resources like Amazon's Union One-Stop Shop (UOSS) to simplify the process.
  2. Evaluate Your Shipping Capabilities: MFN sellers will need to ensure reliable international shipping partners and manage rates and transit times.
  3. Monitor Sales Uplift: Monitor your sales metrics closely as you expand into new markets. With the potential for a 10% sales increase, as suggested by Amazon, it’s crucial to stay vigilant about changing inventory demands to prevent stockouts.

By leveraging Export Central, sellers can expand their reach into untapped European markets, driving growth without the complexities traditionally associated with international selling. For MFN sellers, the increased exposure with minimal changes to their operations could be a powerful tool to accelerate business growth.

Ready to take your Amazon business international?

To fully maximize your global reach, pair Export Central with powerful tools like SoStocked for seamless inventory management, SellerTools to optimize your listings for new markets, and SellerAssist by Carbon6 to easily navigate regulatory frameworks for product safety in Europe. 

Together, these solutions help you streamline operations and enhance your listings, while also allowing you to avoid creating new listings for each market. This ensures that your international expansion is both smooth and successful.

Explore how SoStocked, SellerTools, and SellerAssist by Carbon6 can support your global growth.

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