Online Marketplace Seller Onboarding
Get listed as a seller on major e-commerce platforms, with the registrations and catalogue paperwork prepared for you.
Selling on an online marketplace requires a specific set of registrations, and the platforms verify them before a listing goes live. The requirements differ from those of a purely offline business, and the differences catch first-time sellers out.
The most significant is GST. Anyone supplying goods through an e-commerce operator must be registered regardless of turnover — the threshold exemption that protects a small offline trader does not apply.
Choose a package
What you need before you can list
- GST registration, compulsory for goods sellers regardless of turnover
- PAN of the seller entity
- A bank account in the name of the seller entity
- Business registration appropriate to the structure
- Brand authorisation or a trademark, for brand-gated categories
- FSSAI licence, for any food product
- Barcodes, for most retail product categories
- Product images and catalogue content meeting the platform’s specification
Tax collected at source
Marketplaces collect tax at source on the net value of supplies made through them and deposit it against your GSTIN. It appears in your electronic cash ledger and is set off against your liability.
That collection has to be reconciled against your own records each period. Where the marketplace has reported against a different GSTIN, or the returns and settlement reports do not agree, the credit does not reach you and the difference surfaces later as a mismatch.
Returns are the economics
For most categories, the return rate is what determines whether marketplace selling is profitable. A product that appears to carry healthy margin at list price frequently does not once returns, reverse logistics and the commission on the original sale are accounted for.
Credit notes must also be issued correctly for returned goods, and the corresponding GST adjusted. Sellers who account for returns only as a reduction in receipts end up overstating turnover and paying tax on sales that were reversed.
Brand gating
Major categories are brand-gated, meaning you cannot list under a brand without authorisation from the brand owner or your own trademark registration.
For sellers building their own label, this makes the trademark application a commercial prerequisite rather than a legal nicety. An application filed and pending is often sufficient for gating purposes, which is why filing early matters.
How we handle it
- 1 Establishing the requirements We identify what your category actually requires, since gating and licence requirements vary considerably between them.
- 2 Registrations GST registration is obtained where not held, along with FSSAI, barcodes or a trademark application as the category requires.
- 3 Account setup The seller account is created and the verification documents submitted to the platform.
- 4 Catalogue Product listings are prepared to the platform specification, which is where most rejections occur.
- 5 Tax setup The tax collected at source reconciliation process is set up so the credit actually reaches your ledger.
- 6 Compliance cycle GST returns are set up to reconcile marketplace settlement reports against your own records each period.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need GST to sell online?
For goods, yes, regardless of turnover. The threshold exemption does not apply to supplies made through an e-commerce operator, which surprises most first-time sellers.
What is tax collected at source?
The marketplace collects tax on the net value of your supplies and deposits it against your GSTIN. It appears in your cash ledger and must be reconciled against your own records each period.
Can I sell without a trademark?
You can sell generic or unbranded goods, and you can resell another brand with authorisation. Building your own label in a gated category generally requires at least a pending trademark application.
Why do my margins look worse than expected?
Usually returns. Reverse logistics and the commission on the original sale are frequently not modelled, and for many categories the return rate is what determines whether the channel is profitable at all.
Do I need separate registration for each state?
You need a GSTIN in each state from which you supply. Sellers using a marketplace fulfilment centre in another state generally need registration there as well.
What is not included. Government fees, statutory charges, stamp duty, court and registry fees, digital signature costs and any third-party professional charges are separate and payable at actuals. GST applies on professional fees where indicated. Prices shown are indicative and may change without notice; we confirm the total in writing before any work begins — see our terms on pricing.
Talk to us about Online Marketplace Seller Onboarding
Share your requirement and our team will confirm the documents needed, the exact charges and a realistic timeline — usually the same working day.
- Expert document checking before submission
- Regular status updates on WhatsApp
- Transparent professional charges
- Assistance in Marathi & English
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