You don't need a big business to get business pricing. Here's how to set up a legitimate sole proprietorship and unlock Amazon Business discounts — even as a side hustler or part-time creator.
Probably yes. If you make any money outside of a traditional employer — selling on eBay, freelancing, driving for Uber, posting on social media, doing odd jobs — you are operating as a sole proprietor. Even a part-time influencer making a few thousand dollars a year qualifies. Nobody ever said your business needed to be profitable or full-time.
A sole proprietorship is the simplest business structure. There's no paperwork to file with the state, no formation fees, and no ongoing compliance requirements. You simply start doing business. The downside is that you and your business are legally the same entity — meaning personal liability isn't separated from business liability. For bulk buying purposes this doesn't matter, but it's worth knowing.
An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is like a Social Security Number for your business. Go to IRS.gov and apply for an EIN as a Sole Proprietor. It takes about 10 minutes online and you receive your EIN immediately. This is the number Amazon will ask for when you set up your Business account.
You need to keep your business and personal finances separate. I recommend the American Express Business Checking account — it's free, has great perks, and integrates well with the Amazon Business Amex card we'll set up later. Opening takes about 15 minutes online.
Go to Amazon Business and sign up using your EIN. If you already have a personal Amazon account you can convert it or create a separate one. Amazon Business gives you access to exclusive bulk pricing, quantity discounts, and ASINs not available to regular shoppers.
The Amazon Business American Express Card gives you additional cashback on Amazon purchases — typically 3% back on Amazon and AWS purchases. Combined with business pricing and bulk discounts, this compounds your savings significantly on every order.
Taxes become more complicated. As a sole proprietor you pay self-employment tax of about 15.3% on your business income. Filing is about $15 more per year using FreeTaxUSA. You'll also want basic accounting software — ZipBooks has a free tier that works well. If your business grows significantly, an LLC or S-Corp structure may make more financial sense.
Only if you want to operate under a name other than your legal name. In Florida a DBA (doing business as) costs $50 to register and renew annually. If you're just buying supplies for personal or household use under your own name, you don't need one.
Now that you have your EIN, learn exactly how to set up your Amazon Business account and unlock exclusive bulk pricing.
Next: Amazon Business Guide →