Updated: August 2026
Amazon opened its Irish store, amazon.ie, on 18 March 2025, giving Irish shoppers local pricing, Prime and faster delivery, and giving sellers a home marketplace instead of routing everything through Amazon UK. For a beginner, Amazon is still one of the largest and most competitive marketplaces in the world, and success is not automatic. This guide sets out the essentials for starting to sell on Amazon in 2026, with a clear section on selling from Ireland and across the EU.
1. Choose a Seller Plan and Register
Registering a seller account is the first step. Amazon asks for a business email or customer account, a chargeable card, a valid passport or ID for identity verification, proof of address, and company registration details (a VAT number may also be needed).
There are two selling plans, and the correct names are Individual and Professional, not “standard and premium”. The Individual plan has no monthly fee and charges a per-item fee of about EUR 0.99 on each sale, which suits sellers moving fewer than around 40 items a month. The Professional plan costs about EUR 39 a month, excluding VAT, as a single fee covering all of Amazon’s European stores, and it adds bulk listing, advertising, API access, Buy Box eligibility and access to programmes such as Amazon Handmade. Referral fees of roughly 8% to 15% of the sale price, depending on category, apply on top of either plan.
2. Do Market Research First
Market research gives a new business direction by defining the target customer and the demand for a product. Before committing to stock, a beginner should be able to answer a few questions: who the core customers are, what problem the product solves, who the main competitors are and where they are weak, and whether the numbers work once Amazon’s fees are taken out.
3. Selling on Amazon in Ireland and Across the EU
Since amazon.ie launched in March 2025, an Irish seller can list on a local marketplace with Euro pricing and use Amazon’s Seller Central and Fulfilment by Amazon for Irish orders, rather than depending on Amazon UK and dealing with UK to Ireland customs on every order. Amazon also lets a seller based in one EU country create and manage offers across its other European stores from a single account. More on the firm’s Amazon support sits on the Amazon services hub, and the wider changes are covered in the 2025 updates for EU Amazon sellers.
Fulfilment across the EU uses one of two models. The European Fulfilment Network (EFN) stores stock in one country and ships cross-border to buyers in other EU stores, which needs only one VAT registration but carries higher per-unit fulfilment fees. Pan-European FBA spreads stock across several countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic) for lower fees and faster Prime delivery, but it requires a VAT registration in each country where stock is stored.
Since Brexit, Amazon’s UK and EU fulfilment networks are separate stock pools: UK inventory cannot fulfil EU orders and vice versa, so stock must be sent to each side. Moving goods across the UK to EU border needs a GB EORI number and an EU EORI number for customs. An EORI number can be arranged through the firm’s EORI registration service.
Many international sellers use an Irish company as their EU commercial base, because Ireland is an English-speaking EU member state with a 12.5% corporation tax rate on trading income and direct access to the EU single market. Setting up is handled through company formation in Ireland.
4. Choose the Right Fulfilment Model
At order level, a seller delivers goods in one of two ways. With Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM), the seller stores stock and ships each order. With Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon stores, picks, packs, ships and handles customer service and returns, and FBA listings are automatically Prime eligible.
FBM gives more control over stock and margins and can be cheaper for large or slow-moving items. FBA scales more easily and earns the Prime badge, at the cost of storage and fulfilment fees. A separate programme, Seller Fulfilled Prime, lets some FBM sellers display the Prime badge on their own shipped orders, but only if they meet Amazon’s strict delivery and performance standards. Whichever model is used, Amazon’s reimbursement rules matter when stock is lost or damaged; the Amazon FBA refund and reimbursement guide covers the current position.
5. Win Reviews the Compliant Way
Reviews build trust, but the way they are gathered is tightly controlled. Amazon has banned incentivised reviews since 2016: offering a discount, a free product or any other incentive in exchange for a review breaches policy, even when no positive review is required, and can lead to listing removal or account suspension. The compliant options in 2026 are the Request a Review button in Seller Central, which sends Amazon’s own neutral template, and Amazon Vine for brands enrolled in Brand Registry, where Amazon controls the incentive. Buyer-Seller Messaging can be used for service, but not to solicit or incentivise positive reviews.
6. Do the Numbers
Basic calculations come before any trading. A seller should model the referral fee (roughly 8% to 15% by category), any FBA storage and fulfilment fees, the plan fee, VAT, shipping and cost of goods, to see the true margin on each sale and set prices that leave a profit.
7. Mind VAT
VAT compliance depends on turnover, where the business is established and where stock is stored. For a business established in Ireland, the VAT registration thresholds since 1 January 2025 are EUR 85,000 for goods and EUR 42,500 for services. Storing stock in another EU country, for example under Pan-European FBA, generally triggers a VAT registration in that country regardless of turnover. The EU One-Stop-Shop (OSS) and Import One-Stop-Shop (IOSS) schemes let a seller report cross-border EU sales through a single registration. VAT registration in Ireland is handled through the firm’s VAT registration service.
8. Protect the Brand with a Trademark and Brand Registry
Sellers building a private label are strongly advised to enrol in Amazon Brand Registry, which requires a registered or pending trademark from an accepted office, the EUIPO for the EU, the UKIPO for the United Kingdom or the USPTO for the United States, often filed through Amazon’s IP Accelerator. Brand Registry unlocks several distinct tools that older guides often confuse. A+ Content improves listings with rich images and text and a branded Store. Brand Analytics is a separate reporting suite showing customer search terms and behaviour. Brand protection tools help find and report suspected infringement. For background on how Amazon’s brand protection systems have affected sellers and their trademark filings, see the note on Amazon’s trademark attorney ban controversy. Trademarks can be filed through the firm in the EU, the UK and the USA.
9. Know When to Get Help
Part of running an Amazon business is judging what to handle in-house and what to delegate, from company setup and VAT to account verification and brand protection. Getting the commercial and compliance setup right early avoids costly corrections later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a company to sell on Amazon in Ireland?
Not always, as individuals can register as sellers, but most sellers who build a brand or sell across the EU use a limited company for liability, VAT and credibility. An Irish company gives an EU base with a 12.5% corporation tax rate on trading income.
Is there an Amazon marketplace in Ireland?
Yes. Amazon launched its Irish store, amazon.ie, on 18 March 2025, with local pricing, Prime and faster delivery, and Seller Central and FBA are available for it.
Do Irish Amazon sellers need to register for VAT?
A business established in Ireland must register once turnover exceeds EUR 85,000 for goods or EUR 42,500 for services (thresholds since 1 January 2025). Storing stock in another EU country, such as under Pan-European FBA, generally requires a VAT registration there as well.
Should a beginner choose the Individual or Professional plan?
The Individual plan, with a per-item fee and no monthly charge, suits sellers moving fewer than about 40 items a month. The Professional plan, at about EUR 39 a month excluding VAT, is better above that volume and unlocks advertising, bulk tools and API access.
Get Your Amazon Setup Right
Chern & Co is a licensed Irish TCSP that helps EU and UK Amazon sellers form the right company, register for VAT, verify their account and protect their brand. See the trusted Amazon SPN partner service for EU and UK sellers to set up correctly from the start.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information for Amazon sellers and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Amazon’s policies, fees and programmes change; current terms should be confirmed on Amazon’s own seller pages, and professional advice obtained, before taking or refraining from any action.
