Is there any added risk to being an Amazon individual seller as opposed to pro?

[eaterparlor]

Is the verification process any more difficult? Is Amazon more likely to request extra documentation if you're an individual vs pro? I understand that if you sell a lot of items you save the $0.99 fee but other than that are there any real benefits to having a pro seller account over individual? Do they limit sales volume more? More verification?
Amazon is stating they're going to charge $39.99 /month even though I clicked on the link to sign up as an individual seller. Should I just go with it and take the $40 hit the first month and downgrade or is that more risk because they may want more docs since you started as a pro seller? Not planning to sell regularly so the $40/month doesn't make sense unless it reduces risk of an account ban long term.

[Hank]

Anyone can sign up to a pro seller account, it doesn't matter whether you signed up as an individual or a business seller.

Signing up to a pro account, or downgrading, will not influence the paperwork they require as it's merely a fee structure option and nothing to do with verification.

If you expect to sell 40 or so items per month then the pro subscription will pay for itself, you also have the option to set free shipping and are eligible for the buy box.

If you really do only plan on selling the odd item now and again then downgrade and if they take the first months subscription then if you ask nicely they will consider refunding it but don't wait until the last minute.

[olwjfl]

No inventory tools, no promotion, hard to get buybox,no secondary account etc.
If you're okay with it, it's fine to downgrade acc.
Can't say pro account reduces risk, it depends on what are you gonna do with it.
Stop feeding a vimpire doesn't sound like a good idea. $39.99 as a tribute, fair enough.

[eaterparlor]

Originally Posted by Hank

Anyone can sign up to a pro seller account, it doesn't matter whether you signed up as an individual or a business seller.

Signing up to a pro account, or downgrading, will not influence the paperwork they require as it's merely a fee structure option and nothing to do with verification.

If you expect to sell 40 or so items per month then the pro subscription will pay for itself, you also have the option to set free shipping and are eligible for the buy box.

If you really do only plan on selling the odd item now and again then downgrade and if they take the first months subscription then if you ask nicely they will consider refunding it but don't wait until the last minute.

From what I have heard when stealth accounts were still possible, if you downgraded from pro to individual it required re-verification. I wonder if that's the same for real info accounts.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by eaterparlor

From what I have heard when stealth accounts were still possible, if you downgraded from pro to individual it required re-verification. I wonder if that's the same for real info accounts.

I've never heard of downgrading triggering re-verification but I guess anything is possible in the world of Amazon.

[Beautiful]

If you start off as an individual and stay one there's no issues

Same with Pro and stay pro

The problem sometimes happens if you start as individual, upgrade to pro and then months later downgrade back to individual. When you upgrade to Pro again you may go through verification again - depending on how verified your shop is

[eaterparlor]

Originally Posted by Beautiful

If you start off as an individual and stay one there's no issues

Same with Pro and stay pro

The problem sometimes happens if you start as individual, upgrade to pro and then months later downgrade back to individual. When you upgrade to Pro again you may go through verification again - depending on how verified your shop is

How do you sign up as an individual? Amazon is asking me to enter a credit card for pro seller fees? Already gave them passport # but haven't completed the verification process fully. I clicked the link on the seller central home page where it says "Just have a few items to sell?
Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by eaterparlor

How do you sign up as an individual? Amazon is asking me to enter a credit card for pro seller fees? Already gave them passport # but haven't completed the verification process fully. I clicked the link on the seller central home page where it says "Just have a few items to sell?
Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees.

You've already signed up as a pro seller. As I said earlier, you need to downgrade to an individual and then try and recover the subscription.

Sort it out soon or your account will be in arrears and a (permanent) suspension will surely follow.

[e2free]

The above information posted is wrong, for European accounts no verification happen when upgrade accounts,
It's only happen sometime on usa accounts

[Beautiful]

Originally Posted by eaterparlor

How do you sign up as an individual? Amazon is asking me to enter a credit card for pro seller fees? Already gave them passport # but haven't completed the verification process fully. I clicked the link on the seller central home page where it says "Just have a few items to sell?
Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees.

Google: Amazon individual seller

You'll see a link below sign up as a Pro that lets you sign up as an individual

What I previously mentioned is choose a shop type that you will use long term, rather than upgrade or downgrading a month later, you'll lower your risk of re-verification

But if its your legit shop, then re-verification doesn't matter as you should have no issue either way

[eaterparlor]

Originally Posted by Beautiful

Google: Amazon individual seller

You'll see a link below sign up as a Pro that lets you sign up as an individual

What I previously mentioned is choose a shop type that you will use long term, rather than upgrade or downgrading a month later, you'll lower your risk of re-verification

But if its your legit shop, then re-verification doesn't matter as you should have no issue either way

Yeah, I think I mentioned the link you're referring to, I click ""Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees. "
Is there no way to restart the application process once Amazon starts asking for CC?

[e2free]

Originally Posted by eaterparlor

Yeah, I think I mentioned the link you're referring to, I click ""Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees. "
Is there no way to restart the application process once Amazon starts asking for CC?

No once you started you can't change

[Beautiful]

Originally Posted by eaterparlor

Yeah, I think I mentioned the link you're referring to, I click ""Sign up to become an individual seller" but it just brings me to where I left off in the application process where it wants my credit card for charging pro seller fees. "
Is there no way to restart the application process once Amazon starts asking for CC?

If you have not completed registration you can remake the shop as individual and be fine.

People likely do it all the time when they realize they can't go back