Amazon Seller Account Types: Which Model Best Fits Vietnamese Merchants?

1. Overview of Amazon Seller Account Types

Amazon currently offers two main types of seller accounts: Individual and Professional. Each account type has its own advantages and limitations, catering to different business stages and seller profiles. Choosing the right account not only helps optimize costs but also directly impacts your business strategy and competitiveness on this e-commerce platform.

1.1. Individual Account

The Individual account is suitable for small-scale sellers or those who are just starting to explore the market. With this account, sellers do not have to pay a monthly subscription fee but are charged $0.99 per item sold. However, in addition to this fixed fee, sellers are still subject to other Amazon-imposed charges, including:

Referral Fee
Fulfillment Fees
Storage Fees
Return Processing Fees

Thus, while the Individual account saves you from monthly subscription costs, the actual operating expenses may still increase depending on the product type and order fulfillment method used. Moreover, the Individual account comes with certain limitations that may hinder sellers aiming to scale up and optimize revenue. Specifically:

No access to Amazon Ads – The inability to run ads limits your product’s visibility to target customers, reducing exposure and competitiveness on Amazon.
No access to the Buy Box – The Buy Box plays a critical role in conversion rate optimization, but only Professional sellers are eligible to win it.
Restricted access to gated categories – Some product categories require Amazon approval, and Individual accounts are not eligible to apply.
No bulk listing tools – Manually listing each product is time-consuming and can hinder operational efficiency as your business scales.

Given these limitations, the Individual account is best suited for sellers who are testing the market or selling fewer than 40 items per month. If your goal is to build a sustainable brand and fully leverage Amazon’s potential, investing in a Professional account would be a worthwhile choice.

1.2. Professional Account

A Professional Account is the optimal solution for sellers who:

Process over 40 orders per month
Want to run ads or use advanced selling tools
Intend to sell products in restricted categories
Aim to appear at the top positions on product detail pages

With a monthly subscription fee of $39.99, sellers not only eliminate the $0.99 per-item fee but also unlock a range of exclusive features that optimize sales and streamline operations:

Access to Additional Product Categories: Professional accounts allow sellers to list products in more categories, including those requiring special approval. This expands market reach and opens opportunities in high-potential, low-competition segments.
Bulk Product Listings: Instead of listing items manually one-by-one, professional sellers can upload product details in bulk using advanced tools - saving time and reducing errors.
Inventory Management via Feeds, Spreadsheets, and Reports: Track inventory in real-time, forecast demand, and optimize supply chains to prevent stockouts or overstocking.
Eligibility for the Buy Box: The Buy Box is a premium spot on product pages that significantly boosts conversion rates. Only sellers meeting Amazon’s strict performance standards—typically those with a professional account - can win this position.
API Integration for Sales Efficiency: APIs allow sellers to sync data, automate order fulfillment, update inventory, and track sales in real time - enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing errors.
Custom Shipping Rates for Non-Media Products: Unlike individual accounts, professional sellers can set shipping fees tailored to their pricing strategies - especially useful for non-media products, helping control operational costs.
Access to Amazon Advertising Tools: Professional sellers gain access to powerful ad solutions such as Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display - crucial for increasing visibility, reaching target audiences, and boosting sales.
Launch Promotions Including Free Shipping: Professional accounts enable sellers to launch diverse promotions such as discounts, coupons, bundle offers, and even free shipping to drive customer engagement.
Add Multiple Users to the Account: Assign different access levels to team members, making your business operations more organized and secure.
Unlimited Product Listings: There's no cap on the number of products you can list - empowering you to expand your catalog, test new product lines, and adapt to market trends quickly.
Grow Your Business with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): With FBA, sellers ship products to Amazon’s warehouses, and Amazon handles storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service - enabling a more scalable and professional operation.

2. Which Amazon Seller Account Should You Choose?

Choosing the right Amazon seller account is not solely based on the number of orders, but also depends on your business model, expansion strategy, and ability to leverage available tools. For Vietnamese sellers - especially businesses targeting international markets and aiming to build a sustainable brand - a Professional Account is always the optimal choice. Below are the key factors to consider:

2.1. Business Models – What Do Vietnamese Sellers Need?

If you're just testing the market or running a small-scale operation, an individual account can help save on initial costs. However, this approach limits your ability to scale and makes it harder to build a long-term brand.

For sellers pursuing Private Label strategies, building their own brand, or developing a professional dropshipping system, a Professional Account is essential. It allows for better inventory management, pricing optimization, and more effective customer reach. For many Vietnamese export businesses aiming to expand their distribution channels on Amazon, this is the model with the highest growth potential.

2.2. The Buy Box – A Key Driver of Sales

The Buy Box is a prominent section on a product detail page that significantly boosts visibility. Statistics show that over 80% of sales on Amazon come from the Buy Box. However, only Professional accounts are eligible to win it. This means:

A Professional account dramatically increases the conversion rate
It allows sellers to compete more effectively, especially in highly competitive categories

Revenue can be optimized without relying heavily on discounts or continuous promotions

For Vietnamese businesses, reaching international customers through Amazon is not easy, but winning the Buy Box is one of the most powerful tools to ensure product visibility to potential buyers.

2.3. Advertising Tools – The Launchpad for Professional Sellers

Vietnamese sellers looking to build their brand on Amazon cannot ignore advertising. However, only Professional accounts can access Amazon Ads to run Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display campaigns. These tools offer major advantages:

Increase visibility and expand global reach
Gain a competitive edge over non-advertising sellers
Build brand awareness even with limited product reviews

If you're selling handicrafts, fashion, organic goods, or any exportable products from Vietnam, investing in advertising from the beginning is a strategic move to gain market access quickly.

2.4. Cost Optimization – Why a Professional Account Is More Cost-Effective

A common mistake for new sellers is assuming that an Individual account is cheaper. In reality, if you're selling more than 40 items per month, paying $0.99 per item will quickly exceed the fixed $39.99 monthly fee of a Professional account.

Looking beyond the short term, a Professional account not only helps optimize costs but also brings long-term benefits such as:

Access to the Buy Box for increased sales without heavy discounting.
Easier product management with bulk listing tools.
API integration to automate operations and save time.
Access to Amazon FBA, enabling Vietnamese exporters to reach customers in Europe and the Americas more efficiently.

In today’s competitive global e-commerce market, a Professional Account is not just a sales tool – it’s a powerful launchpad for Vietnamese businesses to grow and succeed on Amazon.

3. LianLian Global – A Secure Cross-Border Payment Solution for Amazon Sellers

Choosing the right seller account is just the beginning. Another crucial factor is having an effective cross-border payment solution to optimize cash flow and transaction costs.

LianLian Global, an official payment partner of Amazon, provides receiving accounts that help Vietnamese sellers collect revenue safely and cost-effectively:

Receive payments from Amazon completely free of charge
Support for multiple currencies, offering flexibility in conversions
High-level security, compliant with international standards

4. Conclusion

Choosing the right Amazon seller account is a critical decision that directly impacts your business growth. If you aim to build a sustainable business on Amazon, a Professional Account is the smartest choice to maximize revenue, scale your operations and fully leverage Amazon’s vast ecosystem. Starting with the right investment gives you a competitive edge and lays the foundation for long-term success.

Alongside selecting the optimal seller account, an efficient cross-border payment solution is also a key factor in thriving on Amazon. With LianLian Global’s secure, cost-effective payout accounts, Vietnamese sellers can stay in control of their cash flow, minimize risks and focus their energy on conquering international markets.