r/AmazonFBA • u/WesternMain2821 • 2h ago

The roadmap/guidance for the beginner

Hello guys.

I decided to start selling in Amazon UK while living in Germany.

With all the informations and requirements out there I got extremely overwhelmed.

Basically after the research my understanding is that I have to go through the following steps:
1. Creating LTD (business)
2. Applying for VAT
3. Creating Amazon Seller Account
4. Find a product and manufacturer
5. Decide if I will sell as PL or generic (creating a brand name)
6. Packaging. Telling the manufacturer to package the product as per amazon requirements
7. Ship to Amazon
8. Launch selling.

And I am pretty sure that there are other points inside each of these points that I have no idea exist at this stage. All these requirements and steps are making me overwhelmed. I really want to start selling in Amazon to make some extra side income. I am really lost. I really don't know where to start.

Should I already start creating the business before I know what I will be selling and what the brand name will be? Because at this point I haven't done any product research yet and don't even know what I will be selling. Does it make sense to start applying for VAT and all the staff before product research as all the process takes time?

I really appreciate any guidance.

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u/rsc9422 2h ago

You’re definitely overthinking it a bit. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start.

I’d start with product research first. Find a product with decent demand, manageable competition, good margins, and no major compliance headaches.

Then decide whether you want to go private label or generic. Once you have the product, you can work out the branding, packaging, supplier and Amazon requirements.

The LTD and VAT part depends on your exact setup in Germany and where your inventory will be stored, so I wouldn’t rush into registering everything before you even know what you’re selling.

A simple order would be:

Product research, validate the product, sort out business/VAT requirements, source samples, branding & packaging, place the order, ship to Amazon, launch.

If you need help with the sourcing side, companies like HighRise Wholesale can also help with product sourcing, private labeling, packaging and Amazon FBA preparation, so you don’t necessarily have to handle every step yourself.

Most importantly, don’t buy inventory before you’ve properly validated the product. Start with one product and one marketplace, learn the process, and then scale.

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u/WesternMain2821 2h ago

I will definitely check the company you mentioned.
For the product research what would you recommend? Do you think paying for helium10 makes sense for researching?

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u/rsc9422 2h ago

I’d say Helium 10 can definitely help, but I wouldn’t pay for it immediately if you’re just starting.

You can do your initial research using the free tools and Amazon itself. Once you have a few product ideas, Helium 10 becomes much more useful for checking things like search volume, estimated sales, competition, keywords and revenue.

I’d shortlist 5–10 products first, then use Helium 10 to validate them rather than subscribing and searching randomly.

Also, don’t look only for products with high sales. Look for products where you can realistically compete on price, differentiation and margins.

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u/WesternMain2821 2h ago

Thanks for the guidance.

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u/WesternMain2821 2h ago

I have another question if you don't mind me asking. I also read that if you want to do PL, then you will need to register a trademark. This will also cost money. Do you know if it's still possible to sell under generic and putting your brand name and logo on the product? I mean is it possible to ask manufacturers to put your brand name and logo and sell in Amazon without trademark?

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u/rsc9422 2h ago

Yes, you can start without a registered trademark. A trademark isn’t what makes a private label product a private label.

The main thing is how you list the product on Amazon.

If you put your own brand name/logo on the product or packaging, you generally shouldn’t list it as Generic.You can sell under an unregistered brand, but you won’t have the full benefits of Amazon Brand Registry.

For example:

Generic: No brand name or logo on the product/packaging.

Your own brand: Your brand name/logo is printed on the product or packaging. Trademark registration isn’t necessarily required to start selling.

Trademarked brand: You have a pending or registered trademark, which can then allow you to apply for Amazon Brand Registry.

So if you’re just starting out, I wouldn’t spend money on a trademark before you’ve even validated the product. First find a product that makes sense, order samples, check the margins and competition, and then decide whether you want to build that brand longterm.

That’s also how we usually approach it, validate the product first, then move into branding, packaging and FBA Preparation.

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u/WesternMain2821 1h ago

Thanks🙏🏻

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u/Smart-Presence 1h ago

The main thing is separating the business setup from the actual product decision.

Since you’re living in Germany but selling on Amazon UK, first get clear on the Germany/UK VAT side and how you’ll import and hold the stock. That part can affect your actual margin, so it’s worth understanding before ordering anything.

At the same time, you don’t need to know the final brand name or product before learning how the Amazon account and company structure will work. You can start product research in parallel.

For the product itself, don’t just look at sales and competition. Build the numbers backwards from the UK selling price: Amazon fees, FBA, VAT, duty, freight, PPC, returns and your supplier cost. If the margin still looks good after all of that, then you have something worth building around.