Seller Onboarding in Eight Steps

This page walks through the eight steps of the seller application in Seller Center, what each step asks for, and what happens after you submit. Each step is its own page under /seller/onboarding/, each step saves as you go, and you can leave mid-application and return: your progress is kept. The overview page at /seller/onboarding/overview shows a progress bar ("X of 8 complete") and a card for each step. This page summarizes the Seller Onboarding Policy, which governs.

Before you start

Have these ready before Step 2, because the same legal identity must agree across Steps 2, 3, and 4

• Your legal business name, exactly as it appears on your tax documents.
• Your business address and business type, and documents that prove the business exists and that you are authorized to act for it.
• Your tax ID (EIN or SSN) and business type for payouts and Form 1099-K reporting.
• The bank account for payouts, in a name that matches your legal business name.

Name mismatches across these three steps are the most common reason an application is returned for corrections.

The eight steps

Step 1: Overview

Orientation only: what to expect, the step list, and the progress bar. Nothing to fill in.

Step 2: Business Verification (/seller/onboarding/business-verification)

Enter your legal business name, business address, and business type, and upload supporting documents. Verification of high-volume sellers under the INFORM Act starts here; see Business Verification and Tax Identity and the INFORM Act Compliance Policy.

Step 3: Tax Identity (/seller/onboarding/tax-identity)

Select your business type: Individual / sole proprietor, LLC, Corporation (C-corp / S-corp), Partnership, or Nonprofit: and your Tax ID type, EIN or SSN. Your tax ID is encrypted and is never displayed publicly. A sole proprietor may use an SSN; an EIN, available from the IRS at no charge, keeps an SSN out of a third-party system.

Step 4: Bank Info (/seller/onboarding/bank-info)

Enter the payout account where the Company sends your money. This is the initial account of record collected during the application; you manage payout methods later under Payments (see Payments, Wallet and Payouts). If the bank account name does not match the legal name from Step 2: for example, a DBA account or a personal account for a business entity: expect a verification question.

Step 5: Policy Acceptance (/seller/onboarding/policy-acceptance)

Read and accept all six policies, each with its own checkbox. All six must be checked to continue; there is no partial acceptance

1. Seller Agreement: terms of selling, the fee schedule, and account responsibilities.
2. Listing Policy: accurate titles, images, and descriptions; prohibited items and claims, including veterinary claims.
3. Fulfillment & Shipping SLA: ship within your stated handling time, provide tracking, and meet delivery promises.
4. Returns & Refunds Policy: accept returns under the platform policy, issue refunds promptly, and handle damaged-item claims.
5. Intellectual Property Policy: list only items you have the rights to sell, and respond to intellectual property complaints within 48 hours.
6. Seller Code of Conduct: fair pricing, no review manipulation, and professional customer communication.

Acceptance is recorded against your account and can be reviewed later under Account → Policy acceptances. An appeal does not succeed on the ground that you did not know a rule you accepted.

Step 6: Global Markets (/seller/onboarding/global-markets)

Select the regions you sell in. Your shipping templates, delivery promises, and tax obligations key off the markets you select, so select only regions you can ship to reliably.

Step 7: Customer Favorites (/seller/onboarding/customer-favorites)

Set your preferences for how your products may appear in featured placements. This step sets preferences; it does not guarantee placement.

Step 8: First Listing (/seller/onboarding/first-listing)

Create your first product using the same listing flow as the catalog (see Creating Listings), so your shop is not empty when review completes.

After you submit

The platform team reviews completed applications within 24–72 hours. You can keep working in the portal while you wait: more listings, shipping templates, inventory: but nothing sells until you are approved. Approval marks your account approved, and that is the moment your listings can go live.

If your application is returned for corrections

1. Fix exactly what is flagged.
2. Check the common causes first: name mismatches across Steps 2–4, blurry or expired verification documents, and a bank account in a different name than the business.
3. Resubmit the application.

Eligibility and business verification requirements are stated in the Selling Terms of Service, the Seller Onboarding Policy, and the Business Verification Policy. The tax and identity steps are explained by the Tax Identity and 1099 Reporting Policy and the INFORM Act Compliance Policy.