Launching on a United States marketplace is not a marketing exercise. It is an operational project with dependencies, lead times, and failure points that most brands do not anticipate until they are already behind schedule. Whether you are entering Amazon, Walmart, or both, the difference between a successful launch and a stalled one almost always comes down to preparation.
This checklist is built from the operational reality of launching dozens of brands into US marketplaces. It is not a high-level strategy document. It is the actual sequence of work that needs to happen, in roughly the right order, with the blockers and dependencies called out where they matter.
Phase 1: Entity and Account Setup
Before anything else, you need a legal and financial foundation that the marketplace will accept. This is where international brands especially lose weeks.
US Entity or Authorized Seller of Record. Amazon and Walmart both require a US-based entity or a verified international entity with specific documentation. If you are working with an authorized distribution partner, they may serve as the seller of record, but the brand must still provide authorization letters, trademark documentation, and tax identification.
Tax Registration. You need an EIN (Employer Identification Number) or ITIN at minimum. Marketplace tax collection is automated in most states, but your entity still needs to be registered correctly. If you are using a distribution partner, confirm who holds tax liability and how remittance is handled.
Brand Registry. On Amazon, Brand Registry is not optional if you want any control over your listings. You need a registered trademark in the USPTO or the equivalent through the IP Accelerator program. This process alone can take 8 to 14 months if you are starting from scratch, so plan accordingly. Walmart Brand Portal has a similar but less rigid process.
Account Health Baseline. If the account already exists, audit it before launching new products. Check for policy violations, intellectual property complaints, or performance metrics that could throttle your launch. A new ASIN launched on an account with a 10 percent late shipment rate is going to have a bad time.
Phase 2: Catalog and Listing Readiness
Listings are not something you finalize after launch. They need to be done correctly before the first unit ships to a fulfillment center.
Product Data Requirements. Every marketplace has a product type taxonomy with required and recommended attributes. Amazon's flat files are notoriously specific by category. Missing attributes do not always block a listing from going live, but they do suppress it in search. Get the full attribute list for your category and fill in every field.
UPC or GTIN Assignment. You need legitimate GS1-issued barcodes. Resold or third-party UPCs will eventually cause problems, either through listing suppression or GTIN validation errors. If your products do not have GS1 barcodes, budget two to four weeks to get them issued and assigned.
Content: Titles, Bullets, Descriptions. Write for the buyer, not for the algorithm. Titles should include the brand name, product name, key differentiator, and size or count. Bullets should answer the top five questions a buyer would have. Descriptions should reinforce trust and address objections. Keyword stuffing is visible and it hurts conversion.
Images. Amazon requires a pure white background main image with the product filling 85 percent of the frame. You need a minimum of five images; seven is better. Include lifestyle images, infographics with key specs, and scale reference shots. Image quality is the single highest-leverage listing element for conversion rate.
A+ Content or Enhanced Brand Content. If you have Brand Registry, use A+ Content. It improves conversion rate by 5 to 15 percent on average. Plan the modules before launch, not after. Walmart's Rich Media works similarly but uses a different content management system.
For a full breakdown of how we approach listing readiness and catalog buildout, see our capabilities overview.
Phase 3: Fulfillment Prep and Inbound Planning
This is where most launches get delayed. Fulfillment prep is not glamorous, but it is the operational backbone of a marketplace business.
Fulfillment Model Selection. Decide between FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), WFS (Walmart Fulfillment Services), merchant fulfilled, or a hybrid approach. FBA and WFS give you Prime or equivalent badges, faster delivery promises, and better search placement. Merchant fulfilled gives you more control but requires you to meet strict performance standards on your own.
Prep Requirements by Product Type. Every product has specific prep requirements based on its category, material, and packaging. Glass items need bubble wrap and "Fragile" labeling. Liquids need poly bagging. Sets and bundles need "Sold as Set" stickers. Apparel needs poly bags with suffocation warnings. Getting this wrong results in chargebacks, rejected shipments, or inventory stranded at the fulfillment center. Review our detailed coverage of prep, labeling, and barcode requirements for specifics.
FNSKU Labeling. If you are using FBA with commingled inventory disabled (which you should, to protect against counterfeits), every unit needs an FNSKU label. These must be printed at a specific size, on scannable labels, and applied so they cover or replace the manufacturer barcode.
Case Pack Configuration. Amazon and Walmart have specific case pack rules. Mixed-ASIN boxes have different handling fees and routing. If you are shipping case-packed product, the case quantity must match what is declared in your shipping plan. Mismatches cause receiving delays and can result in inventory discrepancies.
Inbound Shipping Plans. Create your shipping plans early enough to secure carrier appointments. Amazon's inbound placement service controls where your inventory ships, and it can split a single shipment across multiple fulfillment centers. Budget for this or use Amazon's partnered carrier program to reduce splitting.
Phase 4: Compliance and Regulatory
Compliance is not a launch-day task. It is a pre-launch gate.
Product Compliance Documentation. Depending on your category, you may need FDA registration (food, supplements, cosmetics, medical devices), EPA registration (pesticides, antimicrobial products), CPSC testing and certification (children's products), or state-specific requirements like California Prop 65 warnings.
Listing Compliance. Claims made on listings are regulated. "Organic" requires USDA certification. "FDA-approved" is almost always misused and can trigger listing removal. Health claims on supplements must comply with DSHEA structure/function claim rules. Review every word on the listing for regulatory exposure.
Labeling Compliance. Physical product labels must meet US requirements. Nutritional facts panels must follow FDA formatting. Country of origin must be declared. Ingredient lists must be in descending order by weight. Net weight must be in both metric and US customary units for food products.
If any of these areas are unclear, reach out to our team before you ship product. Fixing compliance issues after inventory is in a fulfillment center is significantly more expensive and slower.
Phase 5: Timeline Planning
Here is where most brands underestimate by a factor of two or more.
Realistic Timeline from Zero to Live. If you have no US entity, no Brand Registry, and no existing marketplace account, plan for 12 to 20 weeks minimum. If you have an entity and Brand Registry, you can compress to 4 to 8 weeks depending on catalog complexity and inventory readiness.
Key Dependencies That Create Delays.
- Brand Registry approval: 2 to 14 weeks depending on trademark status
- GS1 barcode issuance: 1 to 4 weeks
- Product compliance testing: 2 to 8 weeks depending on category
- Inbound shipping to fulfillment center: 1 to 3 weeks after shipment creation
- Receiving and stowing at fulfillment center: 1 to 2 weeks (longer during Q4)
Launch Window Planning. Do not plan a launch for the week before a major sales event. Inventory receiving slows down before Prime Day and Black Friday. If you need to be live for a specific event, work backward from that date and add buffer.
If you want a realistic assessment of your launch timeline and readiness, request a Snapshot. We will review your current state and tell you exactly what needs to happen and how long it will take.
The Bottom Line
A marketplace launch is a supply chain project, a compliance project, and a content project all running in parallel. The brands that launch well are the ones that treat it like an operational buildout, not a marketing campaign. If you are planning a US marketplace launch and want to work with a team that has done this before, start a conversation with us.
FAQ
How long does it realistically take to launch on Amazon from scratch?
If you are starting with no US entity, no trademark, and no existing account, plan for 12 to 20 weeks. The longest lead time items are usually trademark registration for Brand Registry and product compliance testing. If you already have a US entity and trademark, you can compress the timeline to 4 to 8 weeks depending on catalog size and inventory readiness.
Do I need Brand Registry before launching on Amazon?
Technically, no. You can list products without Brand Registry. But without it, you cannot use A+ Content, you have limited control over your listings, and you are more vulnerable to hijackers and unauthorized sellers. For any serious brand launch, Brand Registry should be treated as a requirement, not an option.
What is the most common reason marketplace launches get delayed?
Fulfillment prep issues and compliance documentation are the two biggest delay drivers. Brands frequently underestimate the specificity of FBA prep requirements and the time needed to gather product compliance documents like safety data sheets, FDA registrations, or CPSC certificates of compliance. These are not things you can rush once the deadline is close.
Should I launch on Amazon and Walmart at the same time?
It depends on your resources and inventory position. Launching on both simultaneously doubles the operational workload without doubling the return in most categories. Amazon typically drives higher initial volume, so most brands launch there first, stabilize operations, and then expand to Walmart within 60 to 90 days. If you have the operational capacity and inventory depth to support both, simultaneous launch is viable but requires more coordination.