Amazon Seller ID and Merchant Token: Are They The Same?

If you're just starting on Amazon, it can be daunting to familiarize yourself with the industry jargon. You might be wondering, what's the difference between an Amazon Seller ID and Merchant Token?

Spoiler alert: they're the same thing.

As a part of our series for Beginner Amazon Sellers, we're providing new Amazon businesses with the technical know-how and elemental ins-and-outs of what it takes to start selling.

Read on for more information about what a Seller ID is, why you might need to know it, and where to find it. As beginners, make sure to also take note and avoid these Amazon price mistakes.

What is an Amazon Seller ID

An Amazon Seller ID, also known as a Merchant Token or Merchant ID, is a sequence of letters and numbers that Amazon assigns you to identify your account. Every seller account gets a unique Seller ID when it is created, and this identifier remains the same for the lifetime of your account.

The mechanical purpose behind assigning you a Seller ID is to help Amazon's internal systems integrate report, sales, order, and payment data to a specific account. This system also enables a buyer to purchase your product and dispenses those funds into your account.

Your Seller ID is typically 13 to 15 characters long and consists of a mix of uppercase letters and numbers (for example, A1B2C3D4E5F6G7). It is different from your Amazon SKU, your ASIN, or your storefront URL — each of these serves a different purpose within Amazon's ecosystem.

Amazon Seller ID vs. Merchant Token vs. Merchant ID

One of the most confusing things for new sellers is that Amazon uses multiple names for the same identifier. Here is a quick breakdown of the terminology:

Amazon Seller ID — The most commonly used name. This is what Amazon displays in URLs and what most third-party tools reference.

Merchant Token — This is the name Amazon uses within the Account Info section of Seller Central. It refers to the exact same identifier as the Seller ID.

Merchant ID — Another name for the same identifier, sometimes used in Amazon's developer documentation and API references.

All three terms point to the same unique string of characters assigned to your account. There is no difference between them — it's simply a matter of which label Amazon uses in different parts of its platform.

Why You Might Need to Know Your Amazon Seller ID

There are several scenarios where you will need your Seller ID.

Third-Party Software Integration

If you're using third-party reporting software, repricing tools, inventory management systems, or developer apps, they will typically ask for your merchant token and authorization token. This information ensures that the software is pulling sales data from the correct account, similar to an account and routing number for banks.

Amazon API Access

Developers who build custom integrations with Amazon's Selling Partner API (SP-API) need the Merchant ID to authenticate and connect to a specific seller account. If you hire a developer or agency to build custom reporting or automation tools, they will request this identifier.

Brand Registry and IP Issues

If you need to report intellectual property violations, file brand registry complaints, or communicate with Amazon support about another seller, knowing their Seller ID (or your own) helps Amazon's support team identify the correct accounts involved.

Linking Accounts and Permissions

When granting access to employees, agencies like Lab 916, or virtual assistants, your Seller ID may be required to set up proper account permissions and user roles within Seller Central.

Competitor Research

Your Seller ID is publicly visible in your Amazon storefront URL. This means other sellers (and you can do the same) can identify competitors' Seller IDs from product listings. This is useful for tracking competitor activity and understanding the seller landscape in your category.

How to Find Your Amazon Seller ID

There are a few easy ways to determine your Amazon Seller ID. Whether or not you're using your personal computer with saved login info, you can find this information by logging into Seller Central or simply searching through product listings.

Method 1: From Your Seller Central Dashboard

1. Use your Amazon seller login to get into Amazon Seller Central

2. In your seller account dashboard, hover over the Settings dropdown in the top right-hand corner and select Account Info

3. From the Business Information section, select Merchant Token

4. The sequence of letters and numbers that appears on the next page is your Merchant Token. The Merchant Token is the same as your Amazon merchant ID or Amazon seller ID.

Method 2: From an Amazon Product Listing

1. Navigate to a live product page that has inventory selling.

2. Click on the seller's name and go to the public seller's feedback page. If the seller currently doesn't have the Buy Box, click the option to see other sellers or offers on the listing.

3. In your browser's URL, towards the end, you will see the phrase "&seller=" which will then proceed to the 13-15 character seller ID. It will be all the characters before the next "&" symbol.

Method 3: From Your Storefront URL

If you have an Amazon Storefront set up, your Seller ID is embedded in the storefront URL. The URL typically follows this format: amazon.com/shops/YOUR_SELLER_ID. You can also find another seller's ID using this same method by visiting their Amazon Storefront.

How to Find Another Seller's ID

Sometimes you need to find the Seller ID of a competitor or another seller on a listing. This is straightforward:

1. Go to the product listing page on Amazon

2. Click on the seller name link (next to "Sold by")

3. On the seller's profile page, look at the URL in your browser's address bar

4. The Seller ID appears after "seller=" in the URL

This information is publicly available and is commonly used for competitive analysis, reporting policy violations to Amazon, or verifying which sellers are authorized to sell specific branded products.

Keeping Your Seller ID Secure

While your Seller ID itself is not a sensitive credential (it is publicly visible in URLs), the authorization tokens and API keys associated with your account are extremely sensitive. Never share your MWS Auth Token, SP-API credentials, or Seller Central login credentials with untrusted parties. These credentials provide access to your account data and should be treated with the same care as a banking password.

When working with third-party tools or agencies, always use Amazon's official user permission system to grant limited access rather than sharing your primary login credentials.

The Takeaway

We encourage you not to be discouraged if you feel like there's so much more to learn. You've got the Amazon optimization experts at Lab 916 on your side. Understanding what an Amazon Seller ID is, and what it can also be referred to as, means you're already on your way to becoming an expert seller. If you need help navigating Seller Central, connecting third-party tools, or optimizing your Amazon account, our team is here to help.