A polished pitch deck can make every Amazon agency look capable. You will see growth charts, impressive logos, promises of better advertising and a plan to take work off your team. But the real value of an agency becomes clear after the contract is signed, when listings break, stock gets tight and someone has to explain why sales grew but profit did not.

Choosing an Amazon agency is a business decision with lasting effects. The partner may have access to your advertising budget, product catalogue, pricing information, Brand Registry and customer-facing content. A poor choice can waste money or create account problems. A good one should make your Amazon operation easier to understand and run.

Before you sign, ask questions that reveal how the agency works, who does the work and how it handles difficult situations. These ten questions are designed for brands using Seller Central, Vendor Central or both. Use them as a practical interview, not a checklist to rush through. A useful answer should be specific to your products and current account, rather than a line copied from a standard presentation.

1. Who Will Actually Work on Our Amazon Account?

Ask who will run the account after the sales call ends. Will the senior person presenting the strategy also be involved in delivery? Is there a dedicated lead? How many other accounts does that person manage? Which tasks are handled by specialists, and which go through a general account manager?

The question matters because expertise in the sales process does not guarantee expertise in daily delivery. One person may be excellent at Amazon PPC but unable to resolve catalogue problems. Another may understand Vendor Central negotiations but have little experience improving creative content. You want to know which people own each important part of the service.

Request names, roles and a simple responsibilities chart. Ask what happens during holidays or staff changes. If the agency uses contractors, ask which responsibilities they cover and how work is checked. A backup plan is especially important for policy warnings, listing suppression and stock-related emergencies that cannot wait for the next scheduled meeting.

A strong answer: The agency introduces your working team, explains each person's role, names the accountable lead and shows its backup and escalation process. A warning sign: You hear about a senior expert throughout the pitch but cannot find out who will perform the work or how much time they will spend on your account.

2. Have You Managed Brands Like Ours, in Our Category and Selling Model?

Amazon experience is not one single skill. Running a skincare brand in Seller Central is different from negotiating wholesale terms in Vendor Central. A seller with fifteen hero ASINs has different needs from a business with thousands of spare parts. A company selling only in the UK does not face exactly the same rules as one moving into Germany, France or Northern Ireland.

Ask for relevant experience, not a list of the biggest brands the agency has ever touched. Which product categories has the delivery team worked in? Does the partner understand the economics and restrictions that apply to your range? If you run Vendor Central, can the team discuss purchase orders, deductions, shortage claims and annual terms? For Seller Central, can it explain account health, inventory, variations and fulfilment choices?

Case studies are helpful, but read them carefully. Check the starting point, time period, markets covered and the measure used. A claim that sales doubled is incomplete without knowing whether the brand launched new products, increased discounting or spent much more on ads. Ask which actions drove the result and which factors were outside the agency's control.

A strong answer: The team describes similar challenges, admits where experience is limited and explains a relevant problem-solving method. A warning sign: It shows unrelated success stories and insists that the same strategy works for every product category.

3. What Will You Audit Before Recommending a Growth Plan?

The agency should want to understand your account before telling you what it can achieve. An honest audit goes beyond advertising campaigns. It should look at catalogue quality, listing visibility, pricing, inventory, account health, reviews, returns and the real profit contribution of your key ASINs. Vendor Central brands also need scrutiny of trade terms, shortages and deductions.

Ask which reports the agency needs and what it can assess without full account access. It should explain what data it requires, how access is granted and how information will be used. It should also ask about your business constraints: minimum margins, manufacturing lead times, hero products, brand rules and any markets or retailers that affect pricing decisions.

The output should be prioritised. Some problems are immediate risks, such as suspended listings or missing compliance documents. Other opportunities, such as creating improved product imagery, take more time. A useful partner can distinguish a quick fix from a longer investment and show what it would tackle first.

A strong answer: A structured audit identifies account risks, commercial gaps, practical opportunities and the evidence behind each recommendation. A warning sign: The agency offers a fixed sales forecast before looking at margins, stock availability or the existing catalogue.

4. What Exactly Is Included in the Fee, and What Costs Extra?

Agency fees can be hard to compare because the scope varies. One proposal may cover Sponsored Ads only. Another may include catalogue management, content planning, operational cases and weekly business reviews. Two contracts with similar monthly prices may create very different amounts of work for your internal team.

Request an itemised scope. Ask whether it includes listing rewrites, A+ Content, image production, campaign setup, ongoing optimisation, Amazon Store work, catalogue repairs, FBA issues, weekly reporting and support for promotions. If something is excluded, ask who is responsible for it and how much extra it might cost.

Also separate agency fees from Amazon fees. Media spend, referral fees, fulfilment charges and storage costs are not the agency's management fee. Clarify onboarding charges, minimum terms, VAT treatment, approval for extra work, annual increases and pricing when you add brands or marketplaces. Make sure you know whether percentage-based fees apply to total spend, total sales or only a defined share.

A strong answer: You receive a clear statement of work, fee schedule, change-control process and examples of possible add-ons. A warning sign: The proposal describes full account management but leaves core responsibilities vague or makes ordinary changes chargeable surprises.

5. How Will You Measure Success Beyond Sales and ROAS?

Sales growth looks good in a presentation. It is not enough to show that the business is better off. A brand can increase revenue by offering deeper discounts, bidding more aggressively or selling low-margin products. When the extra costs are added, the result may be disappointing.

Ask for the metrics the agency will use and why. For advertising, ACOS and ROAS help assess campaign efficiency, while TACOS puts ad spend in the context of total Amazon sales. Neither measure is the same as profit. Where data allows, request product-level contribution margins after Amazon fees, product cost, advertising, returns and applicable fulfilment or storage costs.

The scorecard should reflect the selling model. Seller Central teams may track account health, stock availability, Featured Offer performance and conversion. Vendor Central teams may track purchase-order fulfilment, shortages, deductions and net receipts. Ask for a monthly summary explaining changes and the actions that follow, rather than a dashboard full of numbers without decisions.

A strong answer: The agency proposes a small set of jointly agreed commercial and operational KPIs and explains how they will be calculated. A warning sign: It guarantees a high ROAS without asking about margin or claims that increased impressions are proof of profitable growth.

6. How Do You Handle Problems, Escalations and Daily Account Work?

Growth work gets attention, but everyday operations protect the revenue you already have. Listings can be suppressed. Inventory can be stranded. A policy notice may require prompt action. An advertising campaign can continue spending on a product that is close to going out of stock. These issues often expose the gap between a persuasive agency and a dependable one.

Ask which checks happen daily, weekly and monthly. Find out who notices issues, who opens support cases, who contacts your team and how urgent matters are prioritised. Request examples of operational updates and a written service-level agreement if the scope includes account management. The agreement should set realistic response expectations and explain what falls outside normal support.

Also ask about failures. Has the agency ever had a major inventory, policy or catalogue issue? What did it learn and change? A detailed answer about a resolved problem can show more maturity than an unrealistic claim that nothing ever goes wrong.

A strong answer: You can see an incident process, named owners, escalation routes and clear updates during a problem. A warning sign: All issues wait for the next monthly call or no one can explain who handles Seller Central or Vendor Central cases.

7. How Will You Manage Our Advertising Budget and Approvals?

Advertising is one of the easiest places to spend more money without understanding the full effect. Ask who sets the budget, who can increase it, how campaigns are structured and what happens when stock, pricing or contribution margin changes. The agency should know when the best decision is to reduce spend rather than chase traffic.

Discuss the approach to branded and non-branded keywords, product targeting, new launches and search-term testing. Ask which decisions require your approval and whether the agency will explain large budget changes in advance. A plan should connect campaigns with product priorities. It should not promote a low-margin SKU simply because its ads appear efficient.

If the contract charges a percentage of advertising spend, ask how the agency avoids incentives to spend more than needed. You could agree maximum budgets, margin-based guardrails and regular reviews of incremental performance. Advertising can be a useful growth tool, but it cannot fix a poor product detail page, unreliable stock or a product priced outside the market.

A strong answer: The team connects spend to commercial priorities, sets approval thresholds and explains when it would pause or cut campaigns. A warning sign: The pitch focuses on spending more as the main growth plan, without a clear test for profitability.

8. Who Owns the Account, Data, Creative Assets and Campaign History?

This question protects your business if the relationship changes. Your company should keep control of the Amazon account, Brand Registry and financial information. The agency should normally work through appropriate user permissions, not make itself the sole owner of important assets or require you to share a primary password.

Ask who owns new product images, copy, A+ Content files, videos, design source files, campaign structures, keyword research and reports. The contract should say which materials you can retain or reuse after termination. If the agency uses proprietary software, clarify which reports or historical data you can export and whether your operations will depend on that tool.

Check security practices as well. Who can access Seller Central or advertising accounts? Are permissions removed when agency staff leave? How are files shared and stored? How will the partner handle confidential costs, supplier terms and customer data? You do not need to ask for its entire security policy, but you do need confidence that access is limited and controlled.

A strong answer: The contract protects brand ownership, defines intellectual property rights and includes permission management and an exit handover. A warning sign: The agency wants to create your seller account in its own name or will not explain what happens to campaigns and files if you leave.

9. What Does the First Ninety Days Look Like, and Who Is Responsible?

A ninety-day plan is not a guarantee that rankings or revenue will jump within three months. It is a way to see whether the agency knows how to begin. Ask for a phased plan that starts with access, data checks and urgent account risks, then moves into controlled improvements and growth tests.

The first month may focus on establishing reliable numbers and fixing blocked listings, weak content or wasted spend. The second month could include campaigns, creative updates and stock or pricing changes. The third should review results, test assumptions and agree the next priorities. The exact sequence depends on your situation, but tasks should have owners and completion criteria.

You also need to know what the agency expects from you. Someone inside the brand may need to approve claims, provide product images, share supply forecasts or accept pricing decisions. If those requests are not clear, the agency can later blame delays on information it never asked for properly.

A strong answer: A practical plan gives deliverables, dependencies, meeting cadence, decision owners and expected learning points. A warning sign: The agency offers a generic launch calendar but cannot explain what it will do with your account in the first two weeks.

10. What Happens If We Are Unhappy or Decide to Leave?

Every partnership should have a fair way to end. Ask for the contract length, notice period, renewal rules, payment obligations and any early termination terms. Check whether the agency can increase fees and how disputes over scope or performance are handled. Have someone qualified review legal terms if the agreement is significant for your business.

The operational handover is just as important as the legal notice. Ask for a list of items you will receive: active campaign details, current budgets, keyword and product-targeting work, outstanding support cases, listing files, brand assets, reporting templates, access records and open commercial actions. Agree when access will be removed and who owns unfinished tasks.

A sensible exit clause does not mean you plan to leave. It reduces dependence on one provider and keeps both sides focused on results. Confident agencies should be able to explain how clients retain control, even when they believe the relationship will last for years.

A strong answer: The agency provides clear notice terms and a documented handover process without holding your account hostage. A warning sign: The contract is easy to enter but vague about ending, or access and essential work files depend on continuing payments after termination.

A Simple Scorecard for Comparing Amazon Agencies

Use the same scorecard for each shortlist candidate. Give every category a score from one to five and make notes that point to evidence, rather than using your general impression of the meeting. Adjust the importance of each category to fit your account.

A candidate with an exciting sales forecast but weak ownership terms should not automatically win. Nor should the cheapest agency. Look for a team that can demonstrate how it makes decisions, communicates problems and protects the underlying business.

Red Flags That Deserve a Second Look

Be careful with guaranteed rankings, guaranteed revenue or claims of special access to Amazon's algorithm. Amazon performance depends on competition, pricing, consumer demand, stock, reviews, policy and factors no outside firm controls. A credible partner can explain its process and the risks; it cannot remove uncertainty.

Watch for agencies that insist every problem is solved by advertising. A weak listing, broken variation, poor price or recurring stock gap may need attention first. Also watch for a pitch that never mentions returns, fees, contribution margin or cash tied up in inventory. If the agency only measures traffic, you may end up paying for activity rather than better business results.

A final warning sign is poor communication before you sign. If a team avoids straightforward questions about fees, ownership or working staff while competing for your business, those conversations are unlikely to become easier later. Ask for the answers in writing and compare them with the contract.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before the First Agency Call

An agency can make a better proposal when you are clear about the task. Decide whether you need advertising management, account operations, a turnaround, Vendor Central commercial help, new-market entry or full support. Collect your approximate catalogue size, marketplaces, current sales, media budget, margin guardrails and major account problems.

Assign an internal decision maker. Even full-service agencies need timely answers on pricing, supply, compliance claims and launch priorities. Without that owner, work can stall and no one is clearly accountable. If you already have an ecommerce team, identify where an agency would fill gaps rather than duplicate work.

Finally, decide what success means for your business. It may be higher contribution profit, fewer stockouts, better catalogue health, a cleaner advertising structure or more reliable Vendor Central deductions management. Write that down before the pitch. It gives you a stronger basis for evaluating proposals and rejecting promises that sound attractive but solve the wrong problem.

How Shop Culture Approaches Amazon Partnerships

Shop Culture provides Amazon marketplace management for Seller Central and Vendor Central accounts, with related retail media and advertising, listing content and operations and forecasting support. Its published process starts with an account audit and a tailored scope rather than a single package for every brand.

That makes the same ten questions useful when speaking to Shop Culture or any other agency. Ask which specialists would work on your account, what will be reported, what the fee covers and how decisions will be handled. If you want to begin with the facts in your account, you can request a brand audit before deciding what support you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Amazon agencies should we speak to before choosing one?

Two to four well-matched agencies can provide a useful comparison, although the right number depends on the contract size and your procurement process. More calls are not always better. Use the same brief and scorecard so you can compare work, fees and ownership terms fairly.

Should we hire a specialist Amazon PPC agency or a full-service agency?

Hire for the real gap. If your catalogue, stock and account operations are strong, a PPC specialist may be enough. If advertising problems are tied to suppressed listings, poor inventory or weak product economics, a wider account-management service may be more appropriate. Avoid paying twice for overlapping responsibilities.

Should an Amazon agency guarantee sales growth?

No agency can responsibly guarantee sales results across all market conditions. It can commit to defined work, process standards, reporting and transparent testing. Be cautious of claims that leave out competition, stock, pricing and changes to Amazon policies.

Can an agency work with our existing internal Amazon team?

Yes. In many brands, an internal manager keeps ownership of the P&L and cross-functional approvals while an agency handles specialist execution. The arrangement works best when responsibility for budgets, listings, inventory and reporting is documented before work begins.

Is a long contract always a bad sign?

No. Some complex programmes need sustained work and a fair commitment can help with staffing. The concern is an inflexible contract with unclear deliverables, weak reporting or unreasonable exit terms. Evaluate the length alongside scope, review points and handover rights.

What should we send an agency before asking for a proposal?

Share a short brief covering your markets, product range, selling model, main issues and commercial goals. Provide controlled data access or selected reports when appropriate. Do not send passwords or commercially sensitive material without understanding how access and confidentiality will be managed.