How to Get Accepted in Merch by Amazon: 5 Key Steps

If you’re in the Print on Demand business then you know that most Print on Demand (POD) websites allow you to sign up for free and get started instantly. However, with Merch by Amazon it’s a bit different. Getting into Merch by Amazon can be a difficult process for those who are new to the world of POD. Getting into Merch by Amazon requires approval and not everyone gets accepted. The company has strict guidelines and requirements, which is why this post aims to provide a step-by-step guide on how to get accepted into the program. However please note that following these steps doesn’t mean you’ll get accepted, it just means you’ll have a higher chance of doing so.

The very first step is to visit the Merch by Amazon landing page – Merch by Amazon – Once there, you’ll notice a tab that says “Sign Up”. You’ll want to click on that tab and then you’ll either sign into your Amazon account if you already have one or you can simply create one. Just remember that whatever email you use to create the account is what you’ll use to sign into your Merch by Amazon account as well.

After this it’ll prompt you to the Terms and Services Agreement which you’ll have to accept followed by a page that’ll show you the 3 things you’ll need to provide Amazon with in order to get started. These are:

1. Business contact information – This may seem confusing if you don’t already have a business set up of your own. If you don’t have a business set up of your own then all you’ll have to provide here is your First and Last name. If you do have a different business then you can use that info here. If you also have a website that’s gaining traffic you can also provide that in this section, this would just be to let them know that you’re already generating traffic of your own that can follow you to Merch by Amazon. Including this is not a requirement though.
2. Bank account and routing numbers – Amazon needs this information so that they know they can pay you. It’ll ask you to select the country where your bank is located and this is where you may or may not need to do an extra step. Amazon supports banks from a good number of countries so you’ll just select the country that pertains to you, however if your country is not supported it will tell you that you can’t continue with an account set up.
3. Social Security number or other tax identification number – this is pretty straight forward. If you’re in the U.S just fill out with your tax information. If you’re outside of the U.S then it will prompt you with what you need to provide which is likely to be your tax identification number in your local country.

The next step is filling out the Sign Up form where you’ll request the invitation and here’s where we’ll get into the 5 things that play a huge role into you getting accepted into Merch by Amazon. There are many factors 5 that I feel are huge components:

1. You have actually read and understand their Terms of Service agreement. This is huge because Merch by Amazon doesn’t want to spend their time having to worry about sellers violating their policies and it lets them know you won’t be an issue for them if you get accepted. Refer to some elements of the TOS in your application to prove you’ve read and understood them.
2. Show them you have good quality designs ready to go. You can link to an exisitng storefront on another POD site or even your own website so they can see the quality of your artwork. 
3. Let them know you have done your research and that your designs will not infringe on any copyrights. It’s a big hassle for Merch by Amazon to continually monitor new listings for infringement on copyrights so it puts them at ease that your designs are all original.
4. As mentioned previously, if you have a website of your own that’s generating traffic then it’s good to let them know that you’ll happily send traffic to their plaform which is a bonus for them.
5. If you have already had success selling print on demand apparel on other platforms then let them know some high level stats. Make them feel like you are bringing value to their platform and that being accepted would be a win-win for both of you.

Those are the 5 tips you’ll want to pay attention to when applying for Merch By Amazon. As a reminder, following these tips won’t guarantee an acceptance but it should certainly increase your chances of being accepted. Best of luck on your Merch by Amazon journey!