Amazon need UK business account for pusblishers?

Louis Crowe

Hi,

I started a software company, www.readpal.com, a year ago with a friend. We've got a series of publications -mainly software and digital books- that we wish to sell on amzon.com . However, it seems that they are not accepting any new publishers to their US or UK sites unless these publishers have a UK (/US/Canadian) address, phone number and bank account. Presumeably this was to combat fraud or money laundering, but it has left us without an important sales channel.

Needless to say as a start-up we don't have foreign offices. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Louis

dahamsta

Any family or friends in the UK? That's what I always do when I need a foreign office.

jmcc

Louis Crowe wrote:

Hi,

I started a software company, www.readpal.com, a year ago with a friend. We've got a series of publications -mainly software and digital books- that we wish to sell on amzon.com . However, it seems that they are not accepting any new publishers to their US or UK sites unless these publishers have a UK (/US/Canadian) address, phone number and bank account. Presumeably this was to combat fraud or money laundering, but it has left us without an important sales channel.

Digital books should be ok with Amazon. The only way to handle printed publications is to make sure each has an ISBN and a UK agent. As for the US, the same would apply. The US/UK aspect has been in place for years and it is not new.

Regards...jmcc

Louis Crowe

Thanks for the replies. I'd prefer not to use personal contacts as it is hassle for them.
Re digital books being OK. Amazon have changed their policy even with an ISBN they will not stock anything new without the UK address, phone and bank account. I have been onto them... believe me it is very difficult to talk to a human in Amazon!

jmcc

Louis Crowe wrote:

Thanks for the replies. I'd prefer not to use personal contacts as it is hassle for them.
Re digital books being OK. Amazon have changed their policy even with an ISBN they will not stock anything new without the UK address, phone and bank account. I have been onto them... believe me it is very difficult to talk to a human in Amazon!

The obvious option would be to use a mail forwarding address in the UK and have a UK bank account set up via some of the Irish banks via one of their UK branches. Use a UK mobile for the phone number if you have to.

Regards...jmcc

ballooba

Talk to Enterprise Ireland. They should be falling over themselves to help you!

http://www.enterprise-ireland.com

jmcc

ballooba wrote:

Talk to Enterprise Ireland. They should be falling over themselves to help you!

http://www.enterprise-ireland.com

Should be. But would they know how? The accommodation address and bank/phone solution is one of the simplest to set up. Not sure about the US though. I always used an American publisher as an agent for handling the US side of operations - well at around 14 Euros a book in postage, it made sense.

Regards...jmcc

ballooba

I did an interview for EI last year, the job was as a representative for irish companies in a foreign company. I would have been representing circa 30 companies. Those companies would have used the EI offices in my host country as their local address.

Don't know how much they charge. I'm sure you don't have to go the whole hog and have a representative. You may find that they will give you grants to export.

Louis Crowe

Enterprise Ireland suggested I try a forum!
Bank of Ireland Galway where we have a business account said they couldn't help...

jmcc

Louis Crowe wrote:

Enterprise Ireland suggested I try a forum!
Bank of Ireland Galway where we have a business account said they couldn't help...

Would it be possible to set up an account with a UK bank over the net?

Regards...jmcc

Louis Crowe

That's a good idea. And get a po box that automatically forwards and a uk mobile phone, (they are still accepting UK mobiles).

ballooba

Jaysus, glad i didn't get the job now if that's the attitude!