Amazon Vendor Central is the web interface used by manufacturers and distributors. If you sell via Vendor Central, you’re called a first-party seller. You’re acting as a supplier, selling in bulk to Amazon. Registration on Vendor Central is by invitation only.

A tell-tale sign that a company is selling through it is the phrase “ships from and sold by Amazon.com.”

The Short List:

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the differences between having a VS and a Seller Central account:

Seller Central

1. Open to anyone
2. Sell directly to Amazon’s customers
3. Flexible logistical options
4. Quick payment terms
5. Brand controls retail pricing
6. Limited advertising options
7. Complex sales process
8. Enhanced Brand Content

Vendor Central

1. Invite only
2. Sell to Amazon
3. Fixed logistical options
4. Traditional payment terms
5. Amazon controls retail pricing
6. Multiple advertising options
7. Traditional sales process
8. A+ content

Facts About Amazon Vendor Central:

1. You want an invitation
2. They also offer you the standard payment provisions
3. You are able to perform A+ Content
4. You receive access to special applications such as Vine, Subscribe & Save, and much more.
5. You have less control over your cost
   There might be several abilities to market more.

What can you do in Vendor Central?

As the main hub for vendors to interact with Amazon, there are a lot of different features provided in it.

The most important ones include:

1. Orders, where vendors receive purchase orders and provide shipment information.
2. Items, for vendors to provide product information. You can upload images, edit costs and provide other product-related information.
3. Merchandising, for handling the marketing of products. This is where you access features like Amazon Vine and A+ Content.
4. Payment, where you’ll find your invoices and remittances.
5. Advertising, which takes you to the separate Advertising Console (formerly Amazon Marketing Services or AMS) where you can manage ad campaigns.
6. Reporting, where you can see how your business is doing. Some reports are accessed directly in it, while others can be found via Amazon Retail Analytics (ARA).

Like Seller Central, the features in it are not always as intuitive and sophisticated as users would like. It can be a big source of frustration!

Read More: Amazon Seller Central – How To Be An Amazon Seller