What do you get when you combine a rapidly growing market segment with the world’s largest retailer? A whole lot of exciting opportunities! According to market research published by Grand View Research, the US supplement market was expected to top $133 billion in sales during 2020. With an annual projected growth rate of 8.2%, those sales figures represent a significant opportunity for those selling private label supplements. These impressive industry stats, combined with the selling power of Amazon, point to a new and potentially lucrative chance for those looking for new ways to market their private label supplements.
In this piece, we’ll show you how to get started selling your private label supplements on Amazon. We’ll cover the essentials of how to sign up for an Amazon reseller account, important guidelines that apply to dietary supplement sellers, and how to unlock the Prime Shipping benefit by qualifying as an approved Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) seller.
Signing Up for an Amazon Seller Account
Before you begin selling your private label supplements on Amazon, you’ll need to sign up for a seller account. Amazon offers two main types of seller accounts: individual and professional. Individual seller accounts don’t charge a monthly service fee, but Amazon does collect $0.99 for each item you sell. If you’re selling less expensive supplements, or your sale volumes are high, this per-sale fee can add up quickly. On the other hand, a professional seller account includes a $39.99 monthly fee, but there’s no flat rate per sale.
If you opt to pursue the Fulfillment by Amazon endorsement we discuss later in this post, a professional seller account is required. And no matter which type of seller account you choose, Amazon will collect an 8% referral fee for items with a sale price of $10 or less. For items over $10, the referral fee jumps to 15%.
Amazon’s Dietary Supplements Compliance Checklist
As you might expect, Amazon has quite a few guidelines for selling dietary supplements on their platform. They’re quite detailed and require you to keep your eye on the ball to make sure you follow them to the letter. Staying on the right side of Amazon’s requirements is critical to ensuring a long and prosperous selling relationship.
Here’s a rundown of what’s required for your dietary supplement packaging, labeling, product details page, and product and ingredients. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it hits the high points of what’s required for selling private label dietary supplements on Amazon. You can find the full laundry list of dos and don’ts here.
Packaging
- Dietary supplements must still be sealed in the manufacturer’s original packaging.
- Dietary supplements must be in new, unused condition.
- Identifying codes placed on the containers must still be clearly visible. These codes include serial numbers, lot numbers, and matrix codes.
Labeling
- Dietary supplements must include English-language labels that list the product’s name, total amount or quantity included, ingredients, Supplement Facts panel, and the name and address of either the packer, distributor, or original product manufacturer.
- Unless approved by the FDA, the dietary supplement cannot include claims that it in any way treats, cures, mitigates, or prevents any human diseases.
- Dietary supplements cannot display the FDA logo or claim that they are FDA approved.
- No claims can be made that the dietary supplement has the same effects as any controlled substance or prescription drug.
Detail Page
- The detail page must include the name of the dietary supplement, ingredients list, and an image of the ingredient list as displayed on the product label.
- Dietary supplement details cannot claim to have effects similar to those produced by anabolic steroids.
- Dietary supplement details cannot include the names of any diseases as a keyword.
Product and Ingredients
- Dietary supplements cannot be part of an FDA recall or safety alert.
- Dietary supplements cannot contain any ingredients that have been banned by the FDA.
- Dietary supplements cannot be identified in an FDA warning letter as misbranded or adulterated.
- Dietary supplements cannot contain any controlled substances.
Gaining Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) Seller Status
Some product categories on Amazon are gated. That means you’ll need to go through a special approval process in order to sell FBA products within those categories. Once you’re approved, your private label supplements will be eligible for the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) designation. This unlocks the Prime Shipping option for buyers.
As of October 2020, there were 126 million Amazon Prime members in the US. With one- or two-day shipping now considered the norm, unlocking this benefit can significantly increase sales of your private label supplements on Amazon. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Sign up for a professional seller account.
Without a professional account, there’s no moving forward. And if you already have a seller account on Amazon, it has to have a clean track record. That means no red flags like high numbers of canceled orders or missed product delivery targets.
Step 2: Submit a qualified invoice from a supplement manufacturer or distributor.
Amazon wants to make sure you’re getting your supplies from reputable sources. The invoice copy you submit must include the following components:
- Your name and address is an exact match with what’s listed on your Amazon seller account.
- The invoice is dated within 180 days from the date you applied to Amazon to sell in the gated dietary supplement category.
- 10 or more product units were purchased.
- The name and address of the manufacturer or distributor are included.
Step 3: Send photos of the product.
When applying for a gated product category, you only need to submit a request to sell one product in order to gain access. The product you’ve selected should be the one on the wholesale or distributor’s invoice mentioned above. You’ll need to submit photos of all six sides of the dietary supplement container. They need to be actual photos taken by you, not pulled from the internet. The photos need to clearly show both the name of the manufacturer and the product name, model number, or trademark.
Step 4: Submit additional documentation.
Lastly, Amazon also requires submission of one of the following documents:
- Certificate of Analysis (COA)
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certificate
- 510(K) Premarket Notification
- Screenshot of FDA registration
Depending on the product you’ve chosen to submit, tracking down this documentation may require visiting the manufacturer’s website or reaching out to the manufacturer or wholesaler for help.
In Conclusion
Making the decision to sell your private label supplements on Amazon is exciting. But it can be difficult to know just how to begin. Following Amazon’s extensive and detailed dietary supplements compliance checklist will ensure you’re aware of requirements for selling in this category. And once you gain Fulfillment by Amazon status, you’ll also have access to coveted Prime Shipping benefits that can add a significant boost to your overall sales.
You might also like:
- How to Choose the Best Private Label Supplement Manufacturer
- How to Create an FDA Approved Supplement Facts Label
- 5 Tips for Amazing E-Commerce Packaging
