Pakistan is on Amazon Sellers’ list: Perfect Time to Encourage Entrepreneurship on a grand scale
Hi Pakistan, A very warm welcome to the world’s biggest e-commerce platform.
It’s been the early days of May 2021 when the Government of Pakistan has announced that “Amazon” had accepted the name of Pakistan on the Sellers List. It was a joyful time for Pakistanis. While giving this announcement the impression of pride was dominant.
Now we, the Pakistanis, can use the E-commerce giant platform to sell our products as an entrepreneur. It is the beginning of a new era of E-Commerce in 2021 where Pakistani companies and brands can sell their products all across the world.
If you are planning a startup and want to link it to Amazon but you don’t know much about it then this article is surely for you.
Let’s have a look at what Amazon is and how it can be a game-changer for young entrepreneurs in Pakistan? How can you join Amazon as a seller, a virtual assistant, or through its affiliate program?
What is Amazon?
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon.com in 1994 as an online book marketplace. Over the next several years, Amazon.com grew to include films, music, and games; now, Amazon.com, dubbed the “everything shop,” is a global marketplace for almost every material object.
The IPO (Initial Public Offering) launched in 1997 as a Public Limited Company on the Nasdaq (American Stock Exchange) for $18 a share. It touched its highest price of $3531.45 on September 2, 2020. It is now priced at about $3200.00. This high rate of its script shows the company’s strength and success.
Amazon, The Everything Shop
Amazon wants to be “the everything shop,” integrating the operations of a worldwide online grocery shop, mall, and hardware store. Because we’re still used to getting our items from specific stores, Amazon wants to remove that barrier and focus on the ultimate customer journey, making online shopping simple and convenient.
Amazon platform provides the opportunity to sell your goods to every potential buyer across the globe. Amazon, as we all know, is a marketplace where you can buy goods. There’s a lot of it. Where does the substance come from, though?
Many individuals believe that the things offered on Amazon are also sold by Amazon. This is not the case.
Yes, Amazon sells its own merchandise. iPads, Alexa, Amazon Echo speakers, and a variety of other household goods are examples. They also own brands that sell items on Amazon but aren’t affiliated with Amazon when you look at their listing.
The majority of the things you see on Amazon are not sold by Amazon; instead, they are offered by more well-known firms or by ordinary people. Anyone over the age of 18 can become an Amazon seller.
You publish your goods on Amazon, and Amazon earns a percentage on each sale. This way, Amazon earns profits, you earn a profit, and everyone is earning by using the platform of Amazon.
Amazon as a source of new business opportunities in Pakistan
With the opening of doors of selling through the platform of Amazon, you can expect to see a boom in e-commerce activities. In Pakistan, e-commerce has flourished in recent years, and the push provided by the COVID-19 epidemic has made e-commerce and online marketplaces indispensable for enterprises and brands.
Getting included among Amazon sellers couldn’t have come at a better moment, as it might give the country’s e-commerce scene a huge boost. This option is only available to sellers; buyers will have to wait until the e-commerce behemoth determines that there is a sustainable market in the nation before the business opens its permanent offices.
New Avenues For Customers Targets
Following the launch of the Amazon Platform, not only will the doors of competition open, but local platforms expect to develop as well. Furthermore, selling on Amazon is easier than developing your website and selling online; it combines the benefits of an online platform with access to a global consumer base, as well as the necessary tools and infrastructure.
The impetus To The Manufacturing Industry
When the sellers from Pakistan will search through Amazon and get the export orders there will be opportunities to increase the manufactured goods.
Diversification
There are many advantages to being able to sell on Amazon. Aside from increasing market size, diversifying markets, increasing revenue potential, and boosting local brands, local manufacturers, SMEs, startups, entrepreneurs, and exports, the film is expected to open up new opportunities for local brands, local manufacturers, SMEs, startups, entrepreneurs, and exports.
Affiliated benefits
Then there are the affiliate benefits: local banks, financial service providers, logistics, and distribution will all gain from the increased global exposure.
Boost in Export Volume
Pakistan’s current exports are at USD25.000 billion, but China earns USD70.000 billion on the Amazon platform. By using this platform, we can have a hefty increase in our exports and increase in our Foreign Exchange Reserves.
There is a potential of USD5.000 Billion to USD10.000 Billion of exports through this platform for our country.
Why choosing Amazon over other platforms?
Amazon holds tight quality control mechanisms hence, can be trusted for those who often accuse of low quality on platforms like Daraz. Moreover, Amazon is continuously adding more quality features for its customers along the way.
According to Statista, there are about 150.6 million smartphone users, who accessed Amazon in September 2019.
According to a survey randomly conducted in 2019, 89% of the people in the U.S trust Amazon more than other shopping sites.
Statistics on bigcommerce revealed that Amazon has got an unbelievable directory of more than 12 million products.
Amazon prime has 150 million prime subscribers by 2020.
This huge success is a clear indication of how much people trust Amazon for its products offered.
Challenges to face
This worldwide opportunity, yet, accompanied by challenges that few are aware of — or are pointing out. Despite its simplicity, selling on Amazon is not as simple as the majority portrays — at least not in a nation like Pakistan, where e-commerce is still in its infancy and sellers are inexperienced.
Be careful, you are representing Pakistan
But there is one thing to note that we have to be very cautious and honest while sending shipments.
Shipped consignments should be following the order received. Otherwise, we will have to face the ban imposed in 2013 by the authorities of Amazon.
How to Start With Amazon
There are 3 categories to start with Amazon via:
1. Sellers Account
2. Virtual Assistants
3. Affiliate Market
1. Sellers Account
Anyone above the age of 18 can open an account with Amazon, in their name or business entity.
When you register for an Amazon seller account, you have to make a critical decision. You must select between a personal and a professional seller account. However, which account is best for you is entirely depends on the type of business you intend to establish.
Individual Account
Individual seller accounts come with basic features and are simple to use. It’s free to sign up, and you’ll charge a fee for each transaction you make.
You can sell a maximum of 40 things each month with an individual seller account, and those things must already be listed on Amazon. As an individual seller, you won’t be able to create a new listing, so you’ll have to choose things that are already selling on Amazon.
You also don’t have access to Amazon’s advertising network, which may help grow your business if you want to make a lot of sales.
Business Account
As a professional seller, you have a lot more advantages for a $40 monthly subscription, and this may be the best option for most of the sellers.
You can sell an infinite number of things and create listings for goods that aren’t existing on Amazon. You may also use the advertising platform and register for Amazon’s fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program.
If you want to sell more than 40 items per month and/or sell private label products, you must set up a professional account.
The steps to follow for the opening of account:
● Create a user account
● Locate the items to sell
● Make a product listing for it (if the product is not already on Amazon)
● Ship the items to Amazon’s fulfillment center (for FBA sellers)*
● Complete your inventory
● Start selling
● Deliver the goods
● If you sell through Amazon FBA, Amazon will complete and ship your purchases
FBA Sellers
With Amazon’s FBA service, you ship all of your items to Amazon, and they will handle the order fulfillment. This is a fantastic option for people who don’t have the means to transport a large number of products.
Take in mind that Amazon charges a price for this service, so keep that in mind when planning your budget.
FBM Seller
Shipments handled the merchant/exporter himself, but, referred to as Fulfilled by Merchant. You’ll have to make your packaging and courier all of your goods to your clients if you choose this option.
While this is the most cost-effective option, it is also time-consuming and difficult for a one-person business.
2. Virtual Assistants
A virtual assistant is someone who helps business owners with administrative work online and offshore.
Amazon’s virtual assistants have a wide range of capabilities and have undergone significant training. They do a variety of things to save you time so you can focus on growing your Amazon business.
Amazon virtual assistants will handle everything for you if you sell products or services on Amazon. They excel at tasks such as processing orders, creating product pages, providing product descriptions, and managing social media accounts.
The JD of Virtual Assistant is being listed as follows:
Customer service
Inventory control on Amazon
Creating and optimizing Amazon listings
Processing of orders
The worldwide market is limitless. VAs, including secretaries and transcribers, can work from anywhere in the world. As a result, business owners can recruit virtual assistants from all over the world.
3. Affiliate Market
The Amazon Associates Program is one of the world’s largest affiliate networks, assisting content creators, publishers, and website owners with monetizing their traffic.
Associates may earn money on products that their readers buy on Amazon besides the products to which they drive traffic.
Amazon Associates use simple link-building tools to guide their readers to products and profit from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com, which offers millions of things to pick from.
Associates compensate not only for the things they sell but also for the services they provide.
Associates make money on qualifying purchases and programs by using simple link-building tools to guide their audience to their suggestions.
Follow 3 simple steps to join this program:
Sign up
With your audience, you may share millions of products. Amazon custom linking solutions have helped large publishers, individual bloggers, and social media influencers alike.
Associate commissions of up to 10% can earn on qualifying purchases and programs. Our low conversion rates help you make the most of your money.
Conclusion
So, we can say it confidently that the inclusion of Pakistan in the seller’s list of Amazon can play a vital role in the development of industrial growth, boosting of trade activities, easing unemployment, and rising of Foreign Exchange Reserves provided. This is why it is called a game-changer.
Although some Pakistani enterprises already sell on Amazon through their abroad offices, the country’s placement on the sellers’ list will expand chances for SMEs. The move is claimed to help promote more businesses and give online buyers access to Pakistani products, which can now be found in all major markets via Amazon.
Pakistani products on Amazon are largely textiles, sports goods, leather items, and surgical instruments. Previously, Pakistani businesses had to register from offices outside Pakistan or make things for other Amazon brands.
Now, we have to use this platform with skill, dedication, and honesty.
Good luck Pakistan!
