Looking for a birds-eye view of your Amazon category? Download our live Amazon bencmark reports.

  • Platform
    Back
    • Advertising

      Benefit from smart, AI-powered ad scaling for your listings.

    • Dynamic Pricing

      Set automated pricing using the power of machine learning.

    • Workflow

      Optimize multiple e-commerce campaigns with one click.

    • Content

      Let our algorithm generate SEO-rich content for you.

    • Promotion

      Harness cutting-edge software to drive higher conversions.

    • Market Intelligence

      Gain access to game-changing data and dashboards.

    “I am able to automate the implementation of data-driven decisions.”

    Tobi O, Luxe Weavers
    Read success stories

    Ready to get started? Book a demo

    PricingChat to sales
  • Solutions
    Back
    • Growing brands

      Small team? Let us to be your virtual CMO.

    • Established brands

      We help seasoned marketers automate tedious decisions.

    • Agencies

      Turbocharge your clients’ ads, giving you room for more business.

    • Brand Aggregators

      Optimize your investment and prepare for a profitable exit.

    ecommerce merchandising strategies for merchandising experts

    How optimizing the same variables over and over again is stagnating your eCommerce store.

    Merchandising Strategy
    Building a Merchandising Strategy

    Ready to get started? Book a demo

    PricingChat to sales
  • Pricing
  • Marketplaces
    Back
    • Amazon

      Sell more on the world's largest eCommerce marketplace.

    • Walmart

      Optimize your listings with the world's largest retailer.

    • Google Shopping

      Reach more customers through the world's most popular search engine.

    “For a data guy, I also knew that AI and machine learning were the answer to my ability to successfully advertise on Amazon.”

    Map Sherpa
    Read success stories
  • Free Tools
    Back
    • Amazon Sales Estimator

      Free tools for product research.

    • Amazon Listing Analyzer

      Insights to optimize your listing.

    • Amazon Keyword Discovery Tool

      Keywords to accelerate growth.

    • Amazon ACOS Calculator

      Setup profitable campaigns.

    • Price Elasticity Calculator

      Find your optimal price.

    • Amazon Competitor Analysis

      Outcompete with real-time data.

    12 Ways to grow with 4ps of digital marketing

    Which ways can Trellis help accelerate your strategy?

    12 Ways to Grow Your Brand Using the 4Ps

    Ready to get started? Book a demo

    PricingChat to sales
  • Resources
    Back
    • Blog
      • Understanding the Amazon Impression Curve
        Understanding the Amazon Impression Curve
        How to Improve Your GMV on Amazon?
        How to Improve Your GMV on Amazon?
        Using strategic ecommerce automation
        Case Study: 450% Growth With Strategic 4...
        How to Create Amazon Product Listing Using AI?
        How to Create and Analyze Amazon Content...
        Read All
    • eBooks
      • Amazon PPC Strategy ebook
        Advanced Amazon PPC Strategy eBook
      • Ecommerce Quadrants: Interlock Your Amazon Growth Strategy
      • Subtle Art of Pricing Amid Economic Downturns
      • Real Data Rundown: Increasing Ad Spend During BFCM
    • Success Stories
      • Using strategic ecommerce automation
        Case Study: 450% Growth With Strategic 4...
        Walmart Advertising Software Case Study
        Case Study: 12X Luxe’s Sales With ...
        Case Study: World Products Increases Sal...
        Sponsored Brands Video 101: Harness the ...
        READ ALL
    • Trellis Training
      • Platform Overview
        setup and configuration ads automation
        Setup and Configuration
        Category Targeting
        Scheduled Budgets
        Read More
    • Platform News
      • Trellis Supercharges the 4Ps of Marketing With the World’s First  Merchandising Platform for Amazon Sellers
        Trellis Launches the First 4P Platform f...
        Press Release: Trellis to Provide Supercharged Walmart Advertising With Best-in-Class AI and Automation
        Trellis to Provide Supercharged Walmart ...
        Control With Automation
        A New Automation Experience: Gain More C...
        Trellis Corporation Raises $1.5M In Seed...
        READ ALL
    • Guide to Merchandising
      • Merchandising Manifesto
    • Benchmark Reports

    Ready to get started? Book a demo

    PricingChat to sales
Login Schedule a demo

Category

  • eCommerce

Amazon FBA Seller Individual vs. Professional Plans

Share
Denis Leclair

Denis Leclair

  • April 7, 2022

We’ve covered the beginner essentials of being a FBA seller, but one critical element remains: what type of Amazon seller are you?

There are two different FBA seller plans available: individual and professional. By understanding the Amazon Seller account types and choosing the right plan you will maximize your ROI. We’ll break down the definition of each to help you make an informed decision, and cover the costs and benefits associated with them.

Table of contents
  1. Three reasons to choose an Amazon individual selling plan
    1. 1. No monthly fee
    2. 2. Basic analytics at a lower cost (if fewer sales)
    3. 3. You can sell items in ungated categories
  2. Three reasons to go professional as an Amazon FBA seller
    1. 2. Advanced reporting
    2. 3. Buying the buy box
  3. How niche are your products?
  4. Comparing individual and professional fees
  5. So, which plan is right for you as an Amazon FBA seller?

Three reasons to choose an Amazon individual selling plan

Individual selling plans are designed for Amazon FBA sellers with smaller operations with less sales volume than that of the “bigger guys.” Amazon Seller accounts that are Mom-and-pop stores and startup businesses often choose this option for a few reasons:

1. No monthly fee

You won’t need to pay a base monthly fee. While it isn’t a free seller account, you only a smaller charge for each sale (we’ll cover this in more detail further down when comparing against professional FBA accounts). 

2. Basic analytics at a lower cost (if fewer sales)

You won’t have the ability to create Amazon sponsored ads. However, if you only make a handful of sales each month and don’t want access to more detailed reporting, it’s still feasible to stick with the individual plan.  This is especially true if you sell more niche, expensive items that can help cover your operating expenses and Amazon FBA fees.

You won’t have the ability to create Amazon sponsored ads. However, if you only make a handful of sales each month and don’t want access to more detailed reporting, it’s still feasible to stick with the individual plan.  This is especially true if you sell more niche, expensive items that can help cover your operating expenses and Amazon FBA fees.

3. You can sell items in ungated categories

You’re able to create product listings and sell items in ungated categories. The latter of which refers to those that don’t require a professional plan (more on this further down).

Three reasons to go professional as an Amazon FBA seller

Professional plans are available to those who require more data to work with and tend to move many products each month. Key benefits of this option include the following:

1. Access to sponsored ads

As noted earlier, sellers with an individual account cannot create Amazon sponsored ads. Therefore, they miss out on the enormous cost-saving, profit-boosting benefits of having well-optimized PPC campaigns. Calculating your ACoS and profit margin can help reduce your campaign spend. It can also increase ad engagement by targeting the right shoppers. 

Using an automated, self-driving PPC tool such as Trellis does much of the work in a single click including automatic keyword generation and data-driven bid and budget optimizations. This is key to helping further improve the potential of every advertised product. However, without a professional plan, you’ll miss out on these opportunities. in

 

Amazon Sponsored Products

2. Advanced reporting

Paying more means being able to do more when it comes to the FBA professional plan. Sellers who choose this option can still create new product pages like with the individual plan, but they can also:

  • Actively monitor and manage their FBA inventory,
  • Consult order reports and feeds,
  • Use the Amazon Marketplace Web Service to perform critical API functions,
  • Set their own shipping rates for select products,
  • Create promotions and incentives such as coupons,
  • Critically, professional sellers can implement taxes with orders,
  • Create those aforementioned sponsored ads,
  • Manage user permissions and grant access rights, and more.

3. Buying the buy box

Long story short, the Buy Box is just what it sounds like: a quick-action box for users to click that allows them to immediately purchase an item. This is located directly under the Add to Cart box in a listing, and it drastically streamlines the purchase process as long as a buyer has a valid, active credit card pre-linked to their seller account. 

The Buy Box is only available to professional brand/private-label merchants and professional resellers and is a feature that is either granted or revoked by Amazon. This means that sellers can’t simply “opt-in” to this feature.

Amazon Buy Now

How niche are your products?

Do you plan on selling something a little more out-of-the-ordinary such as collectible items or even auto parts? Both individual and professional plans allow sellers to list under the same standard 20 product categories. However, professional plans grant you access to much more. Therefore, if you sell in any of the following gated categories, you’ll need a professional seller account set up:

  • Collectibles & Coins,
  • Fashion Jewelry,
  • Fine Jewelry,
  • Fine Art,
  • Grocery,
  • Food & Gourmet,
  • Industrial & Scientific,
  • Professional Services,
  • Sports Collectibles,
  • Video, DVD & Blu-Ray,
  • Watches.

Comparing individual and professional fees

Professional plans cost $39.99/month for a base subscription fee, which individual plans don’t require. However, the latter charges you 99 cents for every product sold. In that sense, if you move more than 40 units a month, it’s worth signing up for the professional plan. You only pay one flat subscription fee, so there’s no guesswork or sticker shock to worry about – as long as you factor in additional costs such as those for fulfillment fees, referrals, unsold products, or otherwise.

So, which plan is right for you as an Amazon FBA seller?

We recommend an individual plan if you just started selling on Amazon and want to get your toes wet.  If you sell more than 40 items a month and want to focus on growing your business, then the professional account is a better choice. Doing your research and selecting the most appropriate path can help maximize your business potential. 

Running a successful e-commerce business of any size takes plenty of work and dedication. Manually optimizing Amazon sponsored ads only adds to the challenge, which is why automated, self-driving PPC tools such as Trellis are significant time and cost savers. 

We’ve helped many brands since our launch including Petpeppy, whose advertising sales increased by 88% while driving down their ACoS by 14%. 

IIn addition, our content module can help you create the best A+ content to lead your industry by example. 

That’s a huge win for any seller, and we’d love to help your business improve in a similar fashion! Schedule a Demo of Trellis today.

Denis Leclair

Denis Leclair

Experienced software engineering leader with a demonstrated history of delivering state of the art software solutions in a variety of application spaces. With a proven track record of spearheading the development of cutting-edge software solutions across diverse application domains, Denis stands as a testament to innovation and achievement.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending Posts

Understanding the Amazon Impression Curve

Understanding the Amazon Impression Curve

July 7, 2023
How to Improve Your GMV on Amazon?

How to Improve Your GMV on Amazon?

July 4, 2023
Using strategic ecommerce automation

Case Study: 450% Growth With Strategic 4P Automation

June 29, 2023

See how you rank among your competitors.

Get additional insights about your category with our live dashboard. 

Download Your Report

Choose To Sell More With Trellis

Book a Demo

Subscribe for growth tips and tricks straight to your inbox.

Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube

Get Started

  • Schedule a Demo
  • Sign Up
  • Pricing

Product

  • Advertising Automation
  • Dynamic Pricing
  • Product Content
  • Promotion

Solutions

  • Growing Brands
  • Established Brands
  • Agencies
  • Brand Aggregators

Company

  • About
  • Partners
  • Contact Us
©Trellis Corporation 2023 •  Privacy Policy •  Terms and Conditions
cross