Ecommerce Export from India: Amazon Global Selling vs Your Own Site vs Other Marketplaces

The easiest first route for most Indian sellers who want to export is a marketplace programme that already has buyers, and Amazon Global Selling is the biggest one with a public India page. Amazon says it launched the programme in India in 2015 and that Indian sellers crossed US$20 billion in cumulative ecommerce exports, announced on 27 October 2025. Your own website gives more control but no built-in traffic. This page compares the routes as of November 2026 and says plainly where a fee or rule was not confirmed.

What are the main ways to export ecommerce from India?

There are three routes sellers actually choose between:

1. A marketplace export programme, such as Amazon Global Selling. The platform brings the buyers; you bring the catalogue and stock.
2. Your own website, usually on a hosted store builder, selling to overseas customers directly.
3. Other marketplaces in the destination country, which differ by market and by how they treat sellers outside that country.

Many brands start with one and add the next later. The right first choice depends on how known your brand is abroad, how heavy and fragile your product is, and how much cash you can tie up in stock overseas.

What does Amazon Global Selling offer Indian sellers?

Amazon's India page describes Amazon Global Selling as an export programme that lets Indian sellers reach customers on Amazon marketplaces abroad. The facts from that page and Amazon's October 2025 announcement:

• Scale claimed by Amazon: over 2 lakh exporters registered in ten years, the seller base up more than 33% in the past year, and over 75 crore "Made in India" products sold worldwide.
• Marketplaces: Amazon's press release says sales run through 18+ Amazon marketplaces, including the US, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Canada. The seller page itself names 14: the US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Netherlands, Australia, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The two do not match, so check which marketplaces are open to you when you register.
• Payments: proceeds can be credited to your bank account in INR or in an international currency.
• Categories growing fastest: Amazon reports ten-year growth rates of 45% for health and personal care and for beauty, 44% for toys, 39% for home, 37% for apparel and 36% for furniture. These are Amazon's own figures, not a promise for your category.

The fee amounts are not shown on the public India page I could open; Amazon shows pricing by region (America, Europe, Middle East) and the numbers load separately. I do not quote any export fee here. Read the live fee page for your marketplace before you price.

How does fulfilment work on Amazon Global Selling?

Amazon lists three options:

MFN suits a first test with a few SKUs because you risk little stock. FBA gives faster delivery and usually a better chance of winning the Buy Box, but you commit stock and must forecast demand in a market you do not know yet. SEND is the bridge between the two: it solves the cross-border movement of FBA stock.

What does Amazon ask for at registration?

Amazon's page says you register with identity proof, address proof and a credit or debit card with international transactions enabled, and its FAQ adds an email address, a mobile number and business address proof. The page does not list an IEC, GST registration or a bank account as registration requirements, and says export documents depend on category, origin and destination, with Amazon Export Navigator giving guidance. Separately, customs and DGFT rules still apply to the goods you send, so do not read the registration list as the whole legal checklist. See DGFT's learning section, which lists an E-Commerce Exports Handbook for MSMEs.

Is there any launch incentive for new exporters?

On its India page, Amazon lists new-seller incentives that apply only to the US, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany marketplaces, subject to terms:

• 10% back on the first US$50,000 in branded sales, then 5% back through the first year until US$1,000,000
• a US$200 SEND fulfilment credit and a US$400 inbound placement credit
• free storage and customer returns with FBA New Selection enrolment
• up to US$1,000 in Sponsored Products credits within 30 days of launch

Offers change and carry conditions. Treat this as what the page said when I opened it in November 2026, and read the current terms before planning around it.

What about selling from your own website?

A store on a hosted platform lets you sell to any country you can ship to, with your own brand, your own customer data and your own pricing. The trade-offs:

• Traffic is yours to buy. A marketplace sends shoppers who are already searching; your site does not. Budget for ads, influencers and email from day one.
• You carry shipping, duties and returns. Decide whether the customer pays import duty on delivery or you quote a duty-inclusive price. Overseas customers dislike surprise charges.
• Payments and foreign exchange need setup. You need a payment gateway that settles in India and handles foreign-currency cards. Check which gateways and banks you can use for export receipts; I have not verified current gateway terms.
• Trust takes time. An unknown Indian brand with no reviews converts poorly abroad. Marketplaces lend you their trust badges; your site does not.

A site makes the most sense if you already have an overseas audience, a distinctive product, or a diaspora market where your brand is known.

And other marketplaces?

Regional marketplaces in the Gulf, Europe, the US and Australia each have their own seller rules, fee tables and rules for sellers based abroad. I have not compared their fees here, because they differ by country and change often. For the Gulf, our export from India to Dubai guide covers one corridor. Selling in Australia from India is covered under Amazon Global Selling from Australia, which looks at the same programme from the other side. Before you register anywhere, ask: does the platform allow sellers based in India, which fulfilment options do they get, and how are returns charged?

How do the routes compare?

What is a sensible first step?

1. Pick one destination and five SKUs. Choose products that are light, not fragile and not restricted in the destination country.
2. Check restrictions. Cosmetics, food, electronics and supplements often have destination rules. Confirm them before you list.
3. Work out landed cost. Product cost, packing, freight, duty, marketplace fees, returns and the cost of ads. A rupee-and-dollar example is easier to trust than a rule of thumb: if your product costs ₹800 and sells for US$20, convert at today's rate, then subtract every line above, not just the commission.
4. Test with MFN first if you are unsure of demand, and move proven SKUs to FBA.
5. Protect the brand. Amazon's Brand Registry in India is the starting point for protecting listings; check whether it covers the marketplaces you pick.
6. Plan returns. Overseas returns are expensive. Our returns and RTO reduction guide covers the thinking, and the destination country's consumer rules apply.

FAQ

Is Amazon Global Selling free to join for Indian sellers? Amazon's India page describes registration steps but I could not open a fee table in the content I read, so I cannot confirm that registration is free or what fees apply. Read the pricing section for your marketplace on Amazon's page before you register.

Do I need an IEC to export from India? DGFT rules govern exporters, and Amazon's registration page does not list an IEC as a requirement. Whether you need an Importer Exporter Code depends on how you ship and the value, so check DGFT's e-commerce export handbook and ask your customs broker or accountant before the first shipment.

Which is better for a new exporter, Amazon or my own website? If you have no overseas audience, a marketplace usually gives faster first orders because buyers are already there. If you already have followers abroad, your own site keeps more margin and customer data. Many brands run both.

How many Amazon marketplaces can Indian sellers use? Amazon's press release says 18+, while the seller page names 14. Marketplace availability can change, so confirm in the registration flow which ones are open to you.

Can I get paid in rupees? Amazon's page says proceeds can be credited to your bank account in INR or in international currency. Check the exchange rate and any conversion charges with your bank and with Amazon.

What happened to e-commerce export policy in 2026? The government relaxed foreign investment rules for export-oriented inventory models through Press Note 3 of 2026, dated 23 July 2026. That affects foreign-funded platforms more than a seller; see FDI in inventory ecommerce for exports.

Next step

If you are deciding whether to take your catalogue abroad, Blooprint's Amazon account management team can review your listings and help plan a first export test. Start with one market and a few SKUs.