I've been selling on Amazon.com as a Canadian seller (using my Canadian business). I'm considering setting up a US company to get a US‑registered seller account. The main reason is to avoid some of the intense competition and maybe access better opportunities.
I recently found a partner who can help with the US setup. A few questions:
-
Would a Canadian company account work the same as a US company account for selling on .com? What are the real differences?
-
What are the actual advantages of having a US‑registered seller account? Do they get better traffic or higher trust from buyers? Are there specific categories that only US accounts can sell in?
-
For logistics, do I have to use a US warehouse? Can I ship directly from Canada? How do you handle customs, duties, and bookkeeping for cross‑border shipments?
-
Besides Amazon, are there other platforms where a US‑registered account has a clear advantage (Walmart, TikTok Shop, etc.)?
Thanks for any insights.
Answers (4)
One more thing – Vendor Central (VC) is easier to get with a US account. VC lets you run continuous Best Deals with lower ad spend. But Amazon controls the pricing – you become a supplier, not a retailer. It works well if you have a strong product and can handle wholesale margins.
Other platforms where a US entity helps:
For logistics, you don't have to use a US warehouse, but it's way easier. Shipping from Canada adds cost and time. If you can afford it, use a third‑party logistics (3PL) warehouse in the US. Amazon will pull inventory from there. You can also ship directly to FBA from Canada, but you'll need a freight forwarder to handle customs clearance and duties.
For bookkeeping, get a US accountant. Don't try to DIY cross‑border taxes – it gets messy.
Honestly, a US‑registered account doesn't get any special traffic boost. I've seen plenty of Canadian and Chinese sellers rank just fine. The idea that Amazon favors local accounts is mostly a myth.
The real advantages are:
So unless you want to sell in those restricted categories, a Canadian account is fine. You're not missing out on traffic.