In this post, we'll take you through our journey of starting an Amazon Store for our puzzle business. The idea to develop jigsaw puzzles and utilize Amazon FBA as our sales channel was born around the same time. As an experienced entrepreneur, I knew one thing for sure—I wanted the freedom and flexibility of running a business without the constraints of traditional hours and employees.
It took approximately a month from the time I opened our Amazon store until we received full approval. I was eager to explore this new avenue, and to navigate the application process, I quickly realized that Amazon's own online materials were not the most helpful. I turned to YouTube videos, where I found a wealth of valuable guidance from other experienced sellers. Armed with this knowledge, I dove into setting up our store, which turned out to be a challenging task, even with my 30 years of IT experience. The intricacies and nuances of the process were a reminder that each platform has its own unique requirements.
Early on, we made the strategic decision to register our own brand, "G+D," for our puzzle store. Amazon offered us numerous advantages as brand owners. We aimed to establish a distinctive identity and build trust among our customers. Additionally, we opted for Amazon FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon), which allowed us to send our products directly to Amazon. This meant that Amazon would handle the warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping processes. The benefits of FBA were significant—it saved us time and resources, enabling us to focus on other aspects of our business, such as product development and marketing.
While the majority of our experience with Amazon has been positive, it's important to mention our encounters with their support team. Unfortunately, the support we received fell short of our expectations, especially in terms of email communication. I faced challenges with product categorization, as certain products were inadvertently assigned to the wrong type, causing confusion and issues in customer searches. Despite countless back-and-forth emails and a few support phone calls over a four-week period, I struggled to receive the necessary assistance. This was a frustrating experience, but it reminded us of the importance of being resilient and finding alternative solutions.
I officially signed up for the Amazon Store in late November, and after several weeks of dedicated effort, we had it up and running by the beginning of March. It's crucial to understand that setting up an Amazon Store is a time-intensive process that requires meticulous attention to detail. From product listings and inventory management to optimizing keywords and images, every element contributes to the overall success of your store. Patience and perseverance are key during this stage, as it may take time to fine-tune your store to meet Amazon's requirements and standards.
For those considering opening an Amazon Store, we highly recommend seeking professional assistance to set up the store for you. While I initially opted to handle the setup independently, I soon realized that the complexity of the process demanded expertise beyond my own. The countless hours spent researching, learning, and troubleshooting could have been better allocated to other aspects of our business. Utilizing a professional service to set up your store not only saves time and energy but also ensures that your store is properly optimized from the start. Investing in this support can streamline your setup process and provide a solid foundation for your business.
Starting an Amazon Store has been an exciting venture for us, despite the challenges we encountered along the way. It has provided us with a valuable platform to reach a wider customer base and grow our brand. We remain committed to continuous improvement and exploring new strategies to enhance our presence on Amazon. In future blog posts, we'll share more insights and experiences as we navigate the world of e-commerce.