- Your GST number comes before everything else
- Waiting for GST verification
- Selling without a GST number: the exempt goods route
- The pickup address has to match your GST state
- Easy Ship or Self Ship
- The business bank account that receives your sales
- Choosing a default tax rate
- Launching the store
- Scams that use Amazon's name
- So, can you sell on Amazon from India?
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can become an Amazon seller in India, and the first gate is your GST number. According to Amazon India's registration guide, GST is mandatory for most products, verification can take up to 72 hours, and sales go to your business bank account. The catch is that tax and shipping choices are yours to manage.
When people search for Amazon seller India, they usually want to know what Amazon will ask for before they can list a single product. I've read Amazon India's own seller registration guide, and the answer is simpler than the videos make it sound. It starts with one number, your GST registration. Here's what Amazon says, step by step, and where you'll need to make your own decisions.
Your GST number comes before everything else
Amazon India says that under Indian regulations, GST registration is mandatory to sell on online platforms like Amazon. A GST number is a unique 15-digit code assigned by the Indian Government. You'll find it on your GST registration certificate, or on your GST challan or return filing documents.
Amazon also explains why it asks: providing the number helps it stay compliant with the law and lets you claim input tax credit. If you can't find your number, Amazon's advice is to contact the GST helpdesk.
Waiting for GST verification
After you enter the number, Amazon verifies it. The guide says this can take up to 72 hours, and that you'll get an email with the outcome. The useful part is that you don't have to sit and wait, because you can carry on with the remaining registration steps while the documents are under review.
If verification fails, there's a fallback. You can upload your GSTIN certificate, which Amazon describes as Reg-06 with Annexure A and Annexure B. The files can be pdf, jpg or doc and each needs to be less than 10MB.
Selling without a GST number: the exempt goods route
There's one exception. If you only sell GST-exempt products, such as books, you can register without a GST number by giving your PAN details instead. For everything else a valid GST number is mandatory. Amazon says a composite GST number doesn't change that rule, and if you hold several GST numbers you still need to give one.
If you don't have a GST number yet, Amazon points you to the government's GST site, gst.gov.in, where you can register online. You can also register offline at a GST Seva Kendra or a GST Taxpayer Service Center. I'm not a tax adviser, so ask a local accountant which route and which category suits your business.
The pickup address has to match your GST state
This is the detail that catches people out. Amazon India says your pickup address must be in the same state that your GST is registered in. The address on your GST certificate is already offered as an option, and if you want products collected somewhere else you can add a new address under account settings on Seller Central.
So if your GST registration is in one state but your stock sits in a spare room in another, sort that out before you start. It's much easier to fix an address at registration than after your first order.
Easy Ship or Self Ship
Amazon asks you to choose how orders will reach customers. With Easy Ship, you store and pack at your pickup location and Amazon picks the parcels up and delivers them. You pay extra for that, including weight handling fees and pick and pack fees. With Self Ship you store, pack and ship yourself, or you can use third-party delivery services.
The guide gives example Easy Ship charges for standard-sized items weighing less than 500 gms: 27 rupees for local, 45 rupees for regional and 65 rupees for national deliveries. Local means pickup and delivery in the same city. If you choose free delivery for customers, Amazon still charges the shipping fee, so you bear the cost yourself. Those figures are examples from the guide, so check the current rate card before you price anything.
| What I checked | What Amazon India says |
|---|---|
| Main requirement | GST number, unless you only sell GST-exempt goods |
| GST verification time | Up to 72 hours |
| Fallback document | GSTIN certificate, Reg-06 with Annexure A and B |
| Pickup address | Must be in the state of your GST registration |
| Delivery options | Easy Ship or Self Ship |
| Where your money goes | The business bank account you add |
| To launch the store | At least one completed product listing |
The business bank account that receives your sales
Amazon says it transfers the payments due to your seller account to the bank account you share. It should be the active account used for the business entity you're registering, not simply whichever account is handy. You can change the details later in account settings on Seller Central, but Amazon warns that wrong or out-of-date details can cause payment delays.
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If you also earn from clients abroad, keep those flows separate. My guides on Payoneer in India and using Wise from India cover that side, and how Amazon KDP pays authors in India shows a very different payment route from a seller account.
Choosing a default tax rate
Near the end of registration Amazon asks for a default GST rate, also called a Product Tax Code. It's the rate notified by the government for each category, and Amazon's system uses it to work out tax on any listing where you haven't chosen a code. The seller has to remit the tax due on sales to the GST authorities, so the tax isn't Amazon's to handle for you.
If you sell across categories with different rates, Amazon suggests choosing the rate that applies to most of your categories, then adding the right rate on individual listings. Ask your accountant to confirm what applies to your products.
Launching the store
You can't just open an empty shop. Amazon says you need to complete at least one product listing to launch your store on Amazon.in, and it has a list of prohibited products you should read first. Then you press the Start selling button.
Scams that use Amazon's name
- Don't pay anyone who promises to get your GST verified faster or to guarantee approval. Amazon says verification can take up to 72 hours and sends the result by email.
- Don't share your GST login, PAN or bank details with a stranger who offers to run your account.
- Start only from sell.amazon.in or sellercentral.amazon.in, the addresses named in Amazon's own guide.
So, can you sell on Amazon from India?
Yes, if you can meet the GST rules or you sell only exempt goods. Get your GST number sorted, match your pickup address to your registered state, pick Easy Ship or Self Ship with the fees in mind, and connect the right bank account. Then list one product and you're live.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GST number to sell on Amazon India?
According to Amazon India's registration guide, yes for most products. You can register without one only if you sell GST-exempt goods, such as books, and then you give PAN details instead.
How long does GST verification take on Amazon India?
The guide says it can take up to 72 hours and that you'll get an email with the result. You can continue the other registration steps while it's under review.
What if GST verification fails?
Amazon says you can upload your GSTIN certificate, Reg-06 with Annexure A and Annexure B, as a pdf, jpg or doc file of less than 10MB.
Which bank account should I add?
Amazon says to enter the active bank account used for the business entity you're registering. You can change it later in account settings on Seller Central.
Where must my pickup address be?
Amazon India says the pickup address has to be in the same state that your GST is registered in.
What does Easy Ship cost?
For standard-sized items under 500 gms the guide lists 27 rupees local, 45 rupees regional and 65 rupees national per delivery, plus Amazon charges the shipping fee even when you offer free delivery.
