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In This Article:
Why You Should Use Shopify-Amazon Integration
Pre-Integration Checklist
How to Choose Your Integration App
Create Your Professional Seller Account on Amazon
Add Amazon as a Sales Channel
Create Your Product Listings on Amazon
Link Amazon Listings to Your Shopify Account
Manage Your Inventory
Sync Your Inventory
Start Selling
Optimizing Your Amazon Presence Post-Integration
Common Shopify-Amazon Integration Challenges
FAQ
Expanding your e-commerce store’s reach is an important step to ensuring your products are visible and expanding your customer base. While you might be satisfied with your Shopify store, there’s one thing you should consider taking your store to the next level: integrating Shopify with Amazon.
It is indisputably one of the best places to showcase your products and reach possible customers, with a massive 56.7% of all e-commerce sales in the United States in 2021 taking place on Amazon. With numbers like that, it’s no wonder more people are turning to Shopify-Amazon integration.
But why should you connect Shopify to Amazon, and how can you make this happen? Read more to find out!
Why You Should Use Shopify-Amazon Integration
The platform is one of the best places to advertise your products and make sales – but if you’re already running a successful Shopify store, you might wonder why it’s necessary to consider the best Shopify-Amazon integration. Here are a few reasons why this is such a good idea:
- It is the most visited online retail website worldwide, with over five times as many visits as eBay, the second most visited site. Using it can expand your customer reach like nothing else.
- Using it increases sales potential – exposing your products to millions of buyers gives you a better chance of selling and profiting.
- The marketplace will improve your brand visibility, increasing brand recognition and trust.
- It has a global presence, so if you’re looking to expand into global markets, it might be your best option to start this process.
- Many customers trust Amazon to provide secure transactions more than other e-commerce websites and retailers. By using it, you can increase customers’ trust in your products.
Pre-Integration Checklist: Is Your Business Ready?
Before you connect your stores, it's important to ensure your business can handle the transition smoothly. Rushing in can lead to stockouts, operational chaos, and unexpected costs. Use the table below to audit your readiness.
| Checklist Item | Key Questions to Ask | Why It's Important |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory & Supply Chain | Is my stock level stable and reliable? Can my supplier handle a surge in orders? | Prevents overselling and stockouts on either platform, which damages your seller reputation and search rankings. |
| Product-Market Fit | Are my products allowed on the marketplace? Is there demand? Can I compete on price after fees? | Avoids wasting time listing products that are restricted, have no audience, or are unprofitable on the marketplace. |
| Financial Readiness | Have I calculated all marketplace fees to ensure profitability? | Its complex fee structure can easily turn a sale into a loss. |
| Operational Scalability | Can my current shipping & customer service processes handle a significant increase in order volume? | Prevents operational breakdowns, delayed shipments, and poor customer service, which lead to negative reviews. |
| Data & Listings Prep | Are my product images, titles, and descriptions optimized to meet Amazon's strict formatting rules? | Properly formatted, keyword-rich listings are essential for visibility and sales; poor data causes rejections. |
How to Choose Your Integration App
Your integration app is the bridge between your Shopify store and Amazon. This app acts as your command center: it manages inventory, orders, and product data across both platforms. Your choice here is critical for a smooth, efficient, and scalable operation.
Shopify offers a native sales channel, but many businesses soon outgrow its basic features. These businesses typically turn to specialized third-party apps from the Shopify App Store. Your final choice depends on your business size, budget, and specific needs.
To help you decide, here’s a comparison of some of the most popular and powerful integration apps available:
| App Name | Best For | Key Features | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codisto | Medium to large businesses needing deep, real-time synchronization. | - Real-time inventory & order sync - Centralized product listing management - Built-in repricing tool - Supports FBA & MCF | Subscription-based (monthly fee, often with tiered plans based on order volume or features). |
| CedCommerce | Businesses looking for a robust, all-in-one solution with strong support. | - Bulk product import & listing - Intelligent order routing - Superb customer support | Freemium model (basic plan often free, advanced features require a paid subscription). |
| WebBee | Sellers who need advanced automation and customization. | - Advanced rule-based workflows - Bulk product uploads & updates - Seamless FBA/MCF integration - Strong reporting capabilities | Subscription-based with tiers based on the number of SKUs or orders. |
| Shopify's Native Amazon Channel | Beginners and small businesses testing the waters. | - Direct integration within Shopify Admin - Basic product listing and syncing - Simple order management | Free to install (you still pay standard Amazon selling fees). |
Key factors to consider before you choose:
- Real-Time Sync Reliability: This is non-negotiable. Delays of even a few minutes can cause overselling. Look for apps that explicitly promise real-time or near-instant synchronization.
- FBA/MCF Support: If you plan to use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), ensure the app fully supports these services for both inventory tracking and order routing.
- Data Mapping and Flexibility: Your Shopify product data may not fit Amazon's templates. A good app allows you to easily map and transform your fields (e.g., turning a Shopify description into Amazon bullet points) to meet requirements.
- Pricing and Scalability: Understand the pricing model. Is it based on orders, SKUs, or a flat fee? Choose an app that can grow with your business without incurring unexpectedly high costs.
- Customer Support: When your multi-channel business hits a snag, you need help fast. Check app reviews specifically for comments on the responsiveness and effectiveness of customer support.
1. Create Your Professional Seller Account on Amazon
Before integrating Shopify with Amazon, you must set up a professional seller account on the marketplace. You can sign up to sell easily. You’ll need the following information to make your account:
- Your organization’s name
- Your phone number
- Your business address
- A valid bank account
- Credit card information
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or EIN
2. Add Amazon as a Sales Channel
Once you have your professional seller account set up, you can add Amazon as a sales channel through Shopify. You can do this in the following steps:
- Log into your Shopify Admin account.
- Select the “+” icon next to the “Sales Channels” option.
- Select “Amazon,” then “Add Channel.”
- Choose the “Connect to Amazon” option.
- From here, you’ll be given directions to link your Shopify and Amazon Seller accounts.
- Go to your Amazon Seller Central page and confirm that you are allowing Shopify to access your Amazon account.
- Your Shopify and Amazon data can now be shared between the platforms!
3. Create Your Product Listings on Amazon
Once you connect Shopify store to the marketplace, you can start creating your product listings to make them visible on Amazon’s platform! You can create your product listings through the Shopify Admin page.
However, this process might differ depending on what you’re listing. If you are creating an item not listed on Amazon, you can choose the “Create Listing” option, fill in all relevant information about your product, and select “Publish.”
If you’re advertising a product that sellers are listing on Amazon or working as a reseller, you’ll need to select the “Find Product” option instead. From here, you can select the product that matches what you’re selling, choose a sales price, and choose “Publish.”
4. Link Listings to Your Shopify Account
If you already have products listed and want to link them to your Shopify account, this is also possible! You can do this by going to your Shopify Admin page and selecting “Amazon.” You will see an option to “Link Products.” Once you’ve selected this option, browse your products and select the ones you want to link to your Shopify account.
After you’ve selected your products, you’ll be asked to fill in some information about what you’re selling. Once you’ve filled this out, select the “Link Products” option again to finish the process!
5. Manage Your Inventory
Depending on your preferences, you can manage your inventory manually or sync it with Shopify. If you manually manage your inventory, select the “Manually Manage Inventory” option when creating and editing your listings. From here, you can enter the quantity available.
6. Sync Your Inventory
While you can choose to update your inventory manually, it’s often easier to do Shopify-Amazon inventory sync instead, so things update automatically. When you edit your product listings, pick the “Use Shopify Inventory Settings” option. Under “Inventory,” there will be an option for “Shopify tracks this product’s inventory.” By choosing this option, you permit Shopify to update your inventory on Amazon.
While a Shopify-Amazon sync is easy, you might run into problems if Shopify doesn’t list the correct amount of inventory available. For instance, Shopify might say you have more inventory than you do, meaning customers can order on Amazon even if something is sold out. Make sure you list the right amount of inventory before syncing your stores!
7. Start Selling
After determining how to manage your inventory, you can move to the final step: selling your products! Connecting Shopify to Amazon can be an amazing way to sell more products and get more people interested in your business.
There are certain steps you’ll need to take to sell your products when customers make an order through Amazon connected to your Shopify store. You can fulfill all Amazon orders in Shopify in the following steps:
- Go to your Shopify Admin page and select “Orders.”
- Pick the correct order number.
- Navigate to the “Order Details” section and choose the “Start fulfilling option.” Selecting this will open your fulfillment page, allowing you to fulfill the order.
- Pick the same shipping method that your customer selected.
- Select the “Mark as fulfilled” option, then choose “Fulfill items.”
Optimizing Your Amazon Presence Post-Integration
A successful connection is only the start. Now, optimize your strategy to maximize results. Simply listing products on Amazon will not drive growth; strategic optimization is what builds profitability.
1. Boost Search Visibility
Research high-converting keywords using tools like Helium 10 to understand what customers are searching for. Strategically place primary terms in titles and backend search fields where Amazon's algorithm weighs them heavily. Use secondary keywords naturally throughout your bullet points and description to capture additional search traffic without keyword stuffing.
2. Increase Conversion Rates
Win the Buy Box through competitive pricing and maintaining excellent seller metrics, as this is where most sales occur. Systematically generate reviews using Amazon's approved request feature to build social proof and credibility. Enhance listings with multiple high-quality images from different angles and promptly respond to all customer questions in the Q&A section.
3. Implement Smart Advertising
Begin with Sponsored Products campaigns using automatic targeting to let Amazon discover your best keywords. Gradually refine with manual campaigns based on performance data to optimize your advertising spend. Protect your brand by bidding on your own terms while closely monitoring your Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS) to maintain profitability.
4. Perfect Customer Experience
Maintain above 4.7-star seller ratings through exceptional service and accurate product descriptions. Ensure reliable fulfillment and fast response times to customer messages to build trust and encourage repeat business. Track key metrics including Order Defect Rate (keeping it under 1%) and Late Shipment Rate (below 4%) to maintain good standing with Amazon.
Common Shopify-Amazon Integration Challenges
A smooth integration of two powerful platforms requires a plan for common hurdles. Prepare for these challenges to ensure a smooth and profitable multi-channel operation.
Inventory Sync Errors and Overselling
One of the biggest fears is selling a product on Amazon that has already sold out on your Shopify store (or vice-versa). This can happen due to sync delays, especially during high-traffic periods or with a weak Shopify integration app.
The Fix: Invest in a robust integration app known for real-time, reliable syncing. Additionally, consider setting a "safety stock" buffer. For example, if you have 100 units, you might set your Amazon available quantity to 95, reserving 5 units as a buffer for Shopify sales to prevent overselling.
Product Listing Inconsistencies and Rejections
Your Shopify product descriptions might be creative and brand-focused, but Amazon has strict, data-driven requirements for titles, images, bullet points, and search terms. Simply syncing your existing data can lead to listing rejections or poor performance.
The Fix: Audit and optimize your product data before syncing. Use your integration app's field-mapping features to ensure your Shopify data fits Amazon's template. Often, this means reformatting your Shopify description into concise bullet points and using Amazon's specific keywords in the title and backend fields.
Unclear Fee Structures and Profitability
Many sellers are shocked when Amazon fees eat into their margins. Beyond the monthly subscription, you have referral fees, variable closing fees, and if you use FBA, fulfillment and storage fees. It's easy to miscalculate and accidentally sell at a loss.
The Fix: Use Amazon's Revenue Calculator before listing a product. Factor in all costs—including your product cost, Shopify fees, and Amazon fees—to determine your true profit margin. Then, set your Amazon price accordingly to ensure profitability on both channels.
Maintaining Brand Control and Customer Relationships
On your Shopify store, you control the entire experience. On Amazon, you are confined to their template, and customer communication is limited. This can make it hard to build a distinct brand identity and capture valuable customer data like email addresses.
The Fix: Use Amazon as a customer acquisition channel, but treat your Shopify store as your brand home. Include "insert cards" in your Amazon shipments that invite customers to your Shopify site for exclusive content, deals, or a loyalty program. This helps you build a direct relationship and reduce your reliance on the Amazon platform in the long run.
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FAQ
Can you integrate Shopify with Amazon?
Yes, absolutely! You can seamlessly integrate your Shopify store with your Amazon seller account. Using official apps like the "Amazon by Codisto" or Shopify's own sales channel, you can sync your inventory, manage orders from both platforms in one place (Shopify), and automatically update product listings to avoid overselling.
Can I list my Shopify items on Amazon?
Yes. By connecting the two platforms, you can push your existing Shopify product catalog to Amazon to create new listings. You can also set rules to sync inventory levels, so when an item sells on Amazon, the quantity is automatically updated in your Shopify store, and vice-versa.
Can Amazon fulfill Shopify orders?
Yes, through a service called Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF). If you use Amazon's fulfillment network (FBA), you can have Amazon pick, pack, and ship orders placed on your Shopify store. This allows you to leverage Amazon's fast shipping (like Prime) for your own website's customers directly from your Shopify admin.
Can you dropship from Amazon to a Shopify customer?
Technically, yes, but it comes with significant risks and is generally not recommended. While you can manually place an order on Amazon and ship it to your customer, this practice often includes Amazon's packing slips and pricing information, which can confuse the customer and harm your brand's credibility. It is better to use official dropshipping suppliers or Amazon's Multi-Channel Fulfillment for a professional, white-labeled experience.
What are the main benefits of connecting Shopify and Amazon?
The primary benefits are centralized management and expanded reach. You can manage inventory, orders, and products from two major sales channels in a single dashboard (Shopify), saving time and reducing errors. Simultaneously, you tap into Amazon's vast customer base, turning your online store into a true multi-channel business.
Written with the assistance of Sergey Girlya
Adobe Commerce Business Practitioner | Certified PSM & PSPO at TA
Sergey ensures project success by validating business cases, defining success metrics, and identifying sustainable benefits. His proactive approach leverages existing systems, processes, and data to deliver additional value. Serge excels in planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling all aspects of the project lifecycle, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and strategic oversight.
Sergey ensures project success by validating business cases, defining success metrics, and identifying sustainable benefits. His proactive approach leverages existing systems, processes, and data to deliver additional value. Serge excels in planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling all aspects of the project lifecycle, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and strategic oversight.
