Are you interested in selling food on Amazon? Many sellers are exploring this market as more consumers choose to buy food online instead of from their local grocery stores.
Amazon offers access to a wider range of products, including items that may not be available in certain areas. This has driven vendors to look into selling food on Amazon to reach more customers.
However, selling food on Amazon requires careful planning. There are many factors to consider, such as meeting Amazon’s requirements and managing logistics.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to sell food on Amazon. From the pros and cons to best practices, this guide will help you get started on the right foot.
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How to Sell Food on Amazon
If you want to start selling food products online, Amazon is a great place to start with it being one of the top brands in the world. But selling food is a bit different than other products. Things like keeping food fresh and following food safety rules are important.
To successfully sell food on Amazon, you need to understand the platform’s requirements and processes. You’ll need to ensure compliance with food safety standards, choose the right fulfillment method, and create optimized product listings to stand out from the competition.
Important Things to Know Before Selling Food on Amazon
Before you start selling food on Amazon, there are some rules you have to follow. These rules are there to make sure the food you sell is good quality, the labels are correct, and it’s safe for people to eat. They also help you comply with federal and state regulations.
Seller Requirements
If you want to start or maintain selling food on Amazon, you must meet certain performance metrics:
- Order Defect Rate (ODR)
This must remain below 1%. The ODR includes negative feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks, all of which directly affect your account’s health.
- Pre-fulfillment Cancel Rate
This must stay under 2.5%. Canceling an order before it ships can negatively impact the buyer experience.
- Late Shipment Rate
This must remain under 4%. Timely delivery is crucial for food products, especially perishables, so it’s vital to ensure your fulfillment processes are efficient and reliable.
Failing to meet these performance targets can lead to account suspensions or even the removal of your selling privileges.
Product Requirements
To sell food on Amazon, you must comply with several key product requirements designed to ensure quality and safety:
- Packaging and Labeling:
Food must be properly sealed, packaged, and labeled in English to prevent contamination and comply with FDA and USDA regulations. Expiration dates are mandatory on all food products, with clear labeling of the earliest date for multi-packs. Food items must be sold as new—used or expired products are prohibited.
- Shelf Life and Expiration:
All products must have sufficient shelf life remaining. Items sold or stored through Amazon Fulfillment Centers require accurate expiration date information to prevent expired goods from being shipped to customers.
- Temperature Control for Perishables:
For refrigerated or frozen items, ensure that packaging maintains the correct temperature during shipping. Temperature-sensitive foods like meat, dairy, or frozen products must adhere to specific temperature ranges (e.g., frozen foods below 10°F).
| Food Type | Conforming Temperature |
|---|---|
|
Refrigerated meat |
28-41°F |
|
Refrigerated poultry |
28-41°F |
|
Refrigerated fish and crustacea (crab, shrimp, lobster) |
32-41°F |
|
Refrigerated processed dairy products or liquid eggs |
32-41°F |
|
Refrigerated processed foods |
32-41°F |
|
All refrigerated cut fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables |
32-41°F |
|
Refrigerated shellfish (clams, mussels, scallops, oysters) |
32-45°F |
|
Refrigerated shell eggs or fluid milk |
32-45°F |
|
Frozen foods |
< 10°F |
|
Whole, uncut, not ready-to-eat produce |
32-65°F |
|
Bananas |
56-64°F |
- Compliance
Sellers must hold the necessary food safety licenses and meet all federal and state laws. Compliance extends to proper labeling, handling of allergens, and meeting Amazon’s Restricted Products policy for any prohibited items.
Product Listing Requirements
When selling food products on Amazon, it’s important to follow Amazon’s listing standards for the Grocery & Gourmet Foods category. Here are the key requirements:
- Follow the Grocery Style Guide
Ensure your product titles, descriptions, and bullet points align with Amazon’s Grocery Style Guide for clear and compliant listings.
- Display Dietary and Allergen-Free Claims Accurately
Any claims like “Organic,” “Kosher,” or “Gluten-Free” must be shown on the product label and backed by regulatory approvals. These claims must be clearly visible in the listing.
- Provide Accurate Price Per Unit (PPU) Data
All new listings must include PPU details to help customers compare products. Ensure your PPU is calculated correctly per Amazon’s guidelines.
- Multi-Packs and Variety Packs
For multi-packs, list the earliest expiration date on the outer packaging. If creating variety packs, use “Custom Variety Pack” as the brand name when the pack contains items from different brands and clearly lists all the contents.
- Seller-Created Bundles and Restricted Products
Ensure seller-created bundles meet Amazon’s Bundling Policy, and check the Restricted Products list for prohibited items, such as certain plant-based products.
Steps to Get Approved to Sell Food on Amazon
Selling food on Amazon is an exciting opportunity, but you’ll need to follow specific steps to get approved and ensure compliance with the platform’s strict guidelines. Whether you plan on selling frozen food, gourmet snacks, or shelf-stable groceries, these steps will help you pass the approval process.
Step 1: Research Amazon's Requirements
Amazon has different requirements depending on the type of food you plan to sell. Selling frozen foods, for instance, requires more stringent temperature control than selling packaged dry goods.
So before doing anything else, start by familiarizing yourself with all the Amazon requirements as well as the FDA and USDA guidelines.
Step 2: Prepare Your Business Information
To sell on Amazon, you’ll need to set up an Amazon Seller Central account. This account will require specific business information, including:
- A bank account and routing number for receiving payments.
- A credit card for international charges.
- Government-issued I.D. for verification.
- Business tax information to ensure compliance with tax regulations.
Ensuring your business information is accurate will help speed up the approval process and prevent unnecessary delays.
Step 3: Source Reliable Suppliers
Your supplier choice can make or break your Amazon food business. Find reliable suppliers that provide high-quality ingredients or prepackaged food products to maintain freshness and ensure compliance with Amazon’s food safety standards.
When sourcing products, consider whether they meet packaging and quality requirements, particularly for temperature-sensitive items.
Step 4: Choose Your Fulfillment Option
One of the most important decisions you’ll make is selecting your fulfillment method. Amazon offers two primary options:
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon stores, packs, and ships your products. FBA is ideal if you want access to Amazon Prime customers and want Amazon to handle logistics.
- Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM): You handle the storage, packing, and shipping yourself. FBM is a good option for businesses with established fulfillment systems or those selling products with specific handling requirements.
For food sellers, especially those dealing with perishable goods, selecting the right fulfillment method is crucial. FBA may offer faster shipping and Amazon’s renowned customer service, but you need to ensure that your food products remain fresh and meet Amazon’s packaging and shelf life requirements.
Step 5: Manage Storage and Inventory
Since food products are perishable, inventory management is critical. You must store your food in a way that maintains its freshness and prevents spoilage before it reaches the customer’s doorstep.
Using FBA gives you access to Amazon fulfillment centers, but you must provide products with sufficient shelf life and regularly update expiration details to avoid potential issues.
Step 6: Submit Your Request for Approval
Once you’ve gathered all the necessary documentation and met Amazon’s performance requirements, go to Seller Central and submit your request for approval to sell in the Grocery & Gourmet Food category. Make sure to provide:
- Product details (including UPCs, expiration dates, and packaging information).
- Proof of compliance with food safety regulations.
- Packaging details, especially for temperature-sensitive products, to show they can be stored and shipped properly.
Step 7: Start Listing and Marketing Your Products
After approval, you can begin listing your products on Amazon. Make sure to follow Amazon’s Grocery Style Guide to ensure your listings are accurate and optimized.
Once your products are listed, it’s crucial to market them effectively to move inventory quickly. This can be done through:
- Amazon advertising campaigns that target customers looking for your products.
- Using Amazon Prime benefits to reach a wider audience.
- Encouraging positive reviews from customers to increase trust and credibility.
The Pros and Cons of Selling Food on Amazon
Selling food on Amazon can be a great way to reach a vast audience and expand your business. However, like any platform, there are advantages and challenges.
Here’s a look at the pros and cons of selling food on Amazon:
Pros of Selling Food on Amazon
- Amazon attracts millions of shoppers every day, including those looking for groceries. This offers food sellers a huge potential market, allowing them to reach customers they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
- Many consumers turn to Amazon to buy specialty foods or niche products that they cannot find in local grocery stores, such as organic, gluten-free, or international food items.
- Customers often trust Amazon for food purchases because of its reputation for reliable service, reviews, and easy returns, which helps build consumer confidence in your products.
- Selling food on Amazon allows you to cross-promote your products with other categories. For example, a food seller can bundle snacks with kitchen gadgets or gift baskets.
- Amazon offers robust marketing tools to food sellers, such as Sponsored Products ads, SEO optimization, and customer reviews, to help boost visibility and drive sales.
Cons of Selling Food on Amazon
- Issues with improper packaging (like shipping glass bottles in padded envelopes) can lead to broken products and expensive mistakes. Ensuring correct packaging, especially for fragile or temperature-sensitive items, is crucial to avoid losses.
- Shipping costs are higher for some food products like frozen or refrigerated food. Frozen products often require special packaging, and sellers must deal with high shipping fees, which can significantly reduce profit margins.
- The growing number of sellers, including international manufacturers and large brands, makes it difficult for smaller businesses to compete on price and visibility. Chinese sellers are particularly aggressive, often driving prices down.
- Selling food on Amazon means adhering to strict guidelines for food safety, labeling, and packaging. Ensuring you meet all the necessary requirements can be time-consuming and costly.
- Amazon PPC costs are rising, making it more expensive to promote your products. Coupled with challenges like hijacked listings and black hat tactics from competitors, this can create additional hurdles for growing your brand.
7 Proven Tips for Selling Food on Amazon
Even though there are many challenges involved in selling food on Amazon, there are strategies that can help you overcome these hurdles and make your business more successful. With the right approach, you can handle the complexities of selling food on Amazon and grow your business.
Here are the best practices to follow:
1. Create Detailed and Accurate Product Descriptions
Your product description should clearly highlight key information that food buyers care about, such as:
- List all ingredients clearly, especially if your product caters to specific dietary needs (e.g., gluten-free, vegan).
- Provide full details on calorie content, fats, sugars, and other nutritional facts. Many buyers are health-conscious, so this information can influence purchasing decisions.
- Include clear warnings for common allergens such as nuts, dairy, soy, or gluten to avoid potential issues with customers.
- Specify the exact size of the product (e.g., 12 oz, 6-pack), so customers know what to expect. Also, mention any unique packaging that keeps the product fresh or easy to store.
2. Use High-Quality Product Images
High-quality images are essential for selling food products online since customers cannot physically inspect the items. Consider the following:
- Ensure the primary image shows the product clearly and accurately. Use a plain white background, as per Amazon guidelines.
- Include images of the product packaging from various angles, as well as close-ups of the product itself, especially if it has a unique texture or appearance.
- Include images of the nutritional information and ingredients, especially if your product caters to health-conscious consumers or those with dietary restrictions.
- Consider adding images that show the product in use or in a real-world setting, such as a meal preparation or a serving suggestion.
3. Optimize for Keywords Specific to Food Products
Search Engine Optimization plays a huge role in getting your product in front of the right customers. Use relevant, food-specific keywords in:
- Product Title: Include essential keywords such as the product type (e.g., organic, gluten-free, snack), brand name, and important features like flavor or pack size.
- Bullet Points: Use the bullet points to emphasize unique selling points like “organic ingredients,” “handmade,” or “low sugar.” Highlight any certifications such as “USDA Organic” or “Non-GMO.”
- Backend Keywords: In the backend search terms section, include any additional keywords that may not fit naturally into your title or bullets, such as variations of food terms (e.g., “keto snack,” “healthy snack”).
Pro Tip: Use keyword research tools like Helium 10 to target keywords that are relevant to your products. Below is a video guide on how to use Helium 10 to find keywords that can add value to your product listings.
4. Highlight Certifications and Unique Selling Points
Many food customers are looking for specific qualities in the food they buy. If your product is:
- Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher, or Gluten-Free, make sure to mention this prominently in your listing. Display the appropriate certifications in both the product description and the images.
- If your food product is part of a niche market, such as vegan or keto, use that to your advantage in marketing, and ensure the listing speaks directly to those consumers.
5. Encourage Customer Reviews and Feedback
Positive reviews build trust and credibility, especially in the food category. Encourage your customers to leave reviews by:
- Offering inserts that encourage feedback after purchase (complying with Amazon’s rules for product inserts).
- Following up with customers via Amazon’s messaging system to thank them for their purchase and politely request a review.
- Engage with customers who leave both positive and negative reviews. Address issues professionally and offer solutions for any negative experiences to build trust with future buyers.
6. Set Competitive Pricing
Pricing is an important factor for selling food products on Amazon. To ensure your pricing is competitive:
- Monitor competitor prices regularly and adjust yours if needed to stay competitive without sacrificing profit.
- Consider offering multi-packs or bundles to encourage bulk buying and increase the perceived value of your product.
- Use Amazon’s discount features, such as coupons and lightning deals, to attract budget-conscious customers.
7. Use Enhanced Brand Content (A+ Content)
If you’re a brand-registered seller, take advantage of A+ Content to create visually rich product descriptions. This feature allows you to use enhanced images and formatted text to highlight your brand story, product features, and customer testimonials.
A+ Content can lead to higher conversion rates and set your food products apart from competitors.
FAQs About Selling Food Products on Amazon
Get Approved to Sell Food Products on Amazon
Selling food products on Amazon offers a great opportunity to grow your business, but success depends on meeting Amazon’s requirements and optimizing your listings. By ensuring compliance with regulations, focusing on high-quality packaging, and using effective marketing strategies, you can make your food business both profitable and sustainable.
Do you need help getting approved to sell food items on Amazon or managing your existing food business? Our Amazon agency can assist you in handling the complexities of the platform, from approvals to fulfillment. Contact us today!
