Overview
Amazon is the world's largest online marketplace and, for most consumer brands, the biggest single channel they can sell through. It runs dedicated stores across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, including amazon.com, amazon.de, amazon.co.uk, amazon.fr, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.nl, amazon.se, amazon.pl, amazon.com.be and amazon.ie. For a brand, Amazon is a place to sell, to advertise and, through its fulfilment network, a logistics partner.
Who is behind Amazon
Amazon was founded in 1994 in Seattle as an online bookstore. In 2025 its total net sales were USD 716.9 billion, up 12% on 2024, across online stores, third-party seller services, advertising, subscriptions such as Prime, and Amazon Web Services.
Third-party sellers drive the marketplace
Most of what sells on Amazon is not sold by Amazon itself. In the fourth quarter of 2025, third-party sellers accounted for 61% of paid units sold, and Amazon's revenue from third-party seller services, which includes commissions and fulfilment fees, was about USD 172 billion for the year.
Brands can sell on Amazon in two ways:
- Seller Central (3P). The brand sells directly to shoppers on the marketplace, sets its own prices and pays a monthly selling plan fee plus a referral fee per sale that depends on the category.
- Vendor Central (1P). Amazon buys the products wholesale and sells them as the retailer, with Amazon setting the retail price. Vendor relationships are by invitation.
Fulfilment and Prime
With Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), the brand sends stock to Amazon's fulfilment centres and Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, delivery, customer service and returns. FBA offers are eligible for Prime, which matters for conversion because Prime members expect fast, free delivery. In Europe, Amazon's Pan-European FBA programme lets a seller store stock in one country and have it distributed and sold across the EU marketplaces. Sellers can also fulfil orders themselves and still qualify for Prime through Seller Fulfilled Prime, if they meet Amazon's delivery standards.
Advertising on Amazon
Amazon is also one of the largest advertising platforms in the world, with advertising revenue of USD 68.6 billion in 2025, up about 22%. For brands, the main formats are Sponsored Products (individual products in search results and on product pages), Sponsored Brands (logo, headline and a selection of products) and Sponsored Display. Amazon DSP and ads on Prime Video reach shoppers outside the Amazon store.
Brand Registry and brand tools
Brands that own a registered trademark can enrol in Amazon Brand Registry. It gives access to A+ Content (richer product pages), Brand Stores, Brand Analytics, the Vine programme for early reviews, and tools to report counterfeits and listings that infringe the brand's rights.
What it takes to sell on Amazon
- Accurate product data and GTINs for each listing, in the format each category requires.
- Local-language listings for every marketplace, written for local search terms rather than translated word by word.
- Strong images and A+ Content that follow Amazon's image and content rules.
- Compliance with product safety and labelling rules in each country, including EU requirements such as GPSR and packaging registration.
- VAT registration wherever the brand stores stock or sells above the relevant thresholds, which is especially important with Pan-European FBA.
- Inventory planning, because stock-outs hurt ranking and storage fees punish overstock.
- Account health. Amazon measures sellers on order defects, late shipments, cancellations and policy compliance.
Why Amazon matters for brands
Amazon brings scale that no other single channel matches, and many shoppers search for products on Amazon before anywhere else. The trade-off is competition: many sellers compete for the same search terms, so content, reviews, pricing, stock and advertising have to work together. Brands that get these basics right can use Amazon to grow in one country and then expand to others with the same catalogue.
How eBrands looks at Amazon
Amazon is a core channel for eBrands, both for our own brands and for brand partners, across Europe and North America. If you want to launch on Amazon, expand to new Amazon marketplaces or get more out of an existing account, we are happy to talk it through.
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