Is Amazon requesting an invoice from you? Is your account’s health compromised or are you trying to sell gated products?
Creating invoices from scratch to send to Amazon can be a hassle.
When running an Amazon business, any time you can save is valuable.
There are several different Amazon invoice generator available to help you, and I want to help you find the one that will work best for your specific needs.
This blog post will introduce you to some options, their features, and weigh the pros and cons between them. Let’s get started!
Why Would I Need to Create Amazon Invoices?
As a seller on Amazon, there may be some instances that the platform will request that you provide invoices to prove your case in a certain scenario.
Gated / Restricted Categories
Amazon has several gated/restricted categories, and those who wish to sell in niches under those categories need to get approval first.
Restricted Categories on Amazon include but are not limited to:
- Personal Safety and Household products
- Entertainment or Sports Collectibles, Collectible Coins
- Fine Art
- Jewelry
- Automotive & Powersports
- Music & DVD, Video
- Watches
These are just a few of the many restricted categories. Some of the categories seem like normal, everyday items, and it can be surprising to find out that they are restricted.
That’s why it is important to be aware of them before attempting to sell items on Amazon.
For a full list of restricted products and the process to get ungated, read Amazon Seller Central’s article here.
Without getting approval first, the listings will be removed and there could be further consequences such as limits to listing privileges, removing listing privileges altogether, or even worse, suspension or account deactivation.
Product Authentication
Another scenario is that Amazon may request for invoices to authenticate a seller’s products. This is usually due to an investigation about products suspected or reported as counterfeited, in which case the invoices are used as proof that the seller purchased authentic goods.
Aside from invoices, it’s also important to show Amazon other forms of proof that verify the authenticity of the products, like documents, authenticity labels, and similar.
Redacting Previous Invoice
Although the product supplier is the party that provides an invoice to the seller, sellers are to some extent allowed to redact information from invoices.
This is why creating an invoice on an online generator is an option before submitting it to Amazon. This way, Amazon won’t see that you merely covered or blurred up any information from the original invoice.
Top 5 Free Amazon Invoice Generator Tools
1. Invoice Generator
Claiming to be the original online invoice generator used by millions, they already provide a visually pleasing template to make invoice creation much faster.
The tool was created by Invoiced, an automated accounts receivable software solution. They also write accounting blogs!
Pros
- No need to sign up to create a quick invoice
- Very easy to understand where to fill in fields, and field names can be changed
- The website saves invoices as a draft if they were not completed
- The website records previously downloaded invoices (records will be erased if browser history is cleared)
- Users can put a logo on the invoice
- They allow users to generate an unlimited number of invoices
- Invoices can be exported as a CSV file and downloaded as a PDF
- Invoices can be sent directly to client through Paypal, Square, Venmo, or custom method (when user signs up for an account)
- Their website has a newsletter to give users tips when invoicing clients
Cons
- Cannot customize template with a different color or other formatting
- No option for payment requests through credit card on free version
With many pros and very few cons, Invoice-Generator.com is a great choice!
2. Shopify Invoice Generator
Shopify is a platform that many people trust to create their online store when they are new entrepreneurs.
You may be more interested in creating invoices through their generator than elsewhere, because you may have more trust in their servers to keep the information safe.
Their invoice template also allows you to include a logo and some overall formatting functionality.
Pros
- Shopify is very trusted in e-commerce, therefore you can trust that the information provided is secure
- Users can put a logo on the invoice
- They provide a F.A.Q at the bottom of their generator
- Many of the fields have a dropdown menu so you don’t have to type in the information yourself
- Users can download the invoice and/or the system can email it directly to the client
Cons
- Shopify asks users questions to create their own store when they download the invoice. The user can skip completing their store and the invoice will still be available for download through email, but this is still a bit of an inconvenience.
- Users cannot customize the name of the fields
- Users cannot see formatting of invoice until it is downloaded
- Users cannot directly send a digital invoice through online payment methods. Shopify only sends it by email. A user will have to download it and manually send it if they would like to send it through another method.
- Invoices cannot be tracked or saved in the generator
Be aware that when you enter your email address in the invoice generator and download the invoice, it automatically signs you up for Shopify’s marketing emails. Some users may like this, but others may find it a nuisance.
3. Zoho Invoice Generator
Zoho is a technology company that provides a variety of software solutions, including a suite of office tools. They can even be considered a competitor of Google!
Their free invoice generator is very straightforward to use and is another good option for those who are in a rush!
Pros
- Zoho is a trusted company, therefore you may feel safer inputting information from your transactions
- No need to sign in or sign up to use their invoice generator
- They provide a checklist to make sure you’ve completed inputting necessary information before sending or saving the invoice
- Can be sent through Zoho Mail, downloaded as a PDF, and/or Printed out physically
- They have apps for their Invoice Generator on the App Store, Google Play, and even Microsoft Apps
Cons
- Does not allow for direct payment requests through online payment systems
- To do more, like accept payments or customize the template, user needs to have Zoho’s Invoice software, which is a different product
- The free generator does not give users an option to include discounts (need to use Invoice software)
- The free generator does not give users an option to add additional fields to the invoice (although it allows more lines under Item Description)
- No record of previously generated invoices without signing up
As another trusted company in the World Wide Web, Zoho’s Invoice Generator is another great choice when you want something very simple to use!
4. Invoice At Once
As a very customizable invoice generator, users can have fun using Invoice At Once and getting experimental before sending out an invoice.
However, I suggest always choosing a professional look when sending invoices to Amazon.
Pros
- Logo can be uploaded onto the invoice
- No account needed to create an invoice
- You can choose a 3-color scheme for the invoice template, and use any colors you want
- Includes terms of payment instructions on the bottom so user won’t forget to insert it, but it is a customizable field.
- Option to insert Tax, Discount, Shipping, and Amount Paid fields
- It can be emailed directly to a client with a message and subject line
- Easy to clear template if it needs to be redone
Cons
- For some, the website may appear to look less professional
- The default template may not look very organized for some people
- No way to record previously generated invoices
- Cannot request direct online payments from clients
This choice is by a matter of personal preference, but I did want to give sellers an option to use something more creative than the rest!
5. Online Invoice Generator
If you don’t know where to get started on what you need to include in an invoice, this is a good option.
Online Invoice Generator provides easily visible options for templates based on what your needs are.
Pros
- You can view several template options for the basic invoice
- They provide template options for several countries, which is great because some countries may handle invoices differently from the US
- They provide templates by the industry, so you can use their website for more than providing invoices to Amazon
- They offer templates in other languages
- Logo can be uploaded onto the invoice and formatted in different parts of template
- Generic template already includes quantities so user can understand how total is calculated
- Can be previewed before printing and saving as a PDF
- It can be emailed directly to a client
- Can receive direct online payment through Paypal, Paymate, Authorize.Net, eWAY
- Currency, Taxes, and Discounts can be included by using the toolbar on top of generator
Cons
- Some advanced options are for paid accounts only
- Payment methods may be unfamiliar to most users
- Text appears quite small on the invoice, and font cannot be changed or enlarged on free version
If you sell on multiple marketplaces or sell from outside of the US, using this option is a good choice when you want to follow how other countries do their invoicing!
The Information Amazon Needs in Your Invoices
First and foremost, under any circumstance, you should never purposely fabricate important documents when submitting to Amazon. Although they allow sellers to redact some information, the information that is provided must not be falsified.
Otherwise, they will take appropriate action, which may include suspension of the seller’s account or even deactivation.
Cases like those are much more difficult for a seller to get their account reinstated, because falsified documents show that the seller had the clear intention to go against Amazon’s policies, Terms of Service, and overall values in doing business.
General Advice while Communicating with Amazon
In any sort of communication with Amazon, always make sure that you are using and providing the same information that is provided on Seller Central.
Amazon will always check this information against their own records. If there is no match between what Amazon has and what you are providing, it could make them suspicious of unauthorized seller account activity, which would lead to other problems.
Be careful when providing information, because there are cases of users accidentally providing the wrong email address to Amazon, and then their main seller account would be suspended because it has been detected that they previously used the incorrect email address for selling in the past.
Addressing Seller Performance
In the specific scenario in which Amazon requests an invoice because it is related to your seller performance and they would like to verify a processed order, they are looking for the following information:
- Your name and business name that is registered on Seller Central
- The same address registered on Seller Central
- The complete order information (product name, SKU, UPC code, ASIN, product variation(s), colors units sold, etc.)
- Fulfillment method (FBA or FBM)
- Fulfillment center handling customer order
- The name and address of the customer, additional contact information
Gated / Restricted Categories
In the specific scenario in which Amazon requests an invoice because it is related to getting approval to sell in a restricted category, they look for wholesale invoices with the following information:
- Your name and business name that is registered on Seller Central
- The same address registered on Seller Central
- The complete order information (product name, SKU, UPC code, ASIN, product variation(s), colors units sold, etc.)
- A date within 180 days
- At least 10 units of the restricted products being ordered
- Fulfillment method (FBA or FBM)
- Supplier information including name, contact person, phone number, business address, and website.
- Any other documentation that would be helpful in authenticating product as eligible for sale on Amazon based on their policies
They may ask for more information, so make sure you follow Amazon’s instructions or ask them what they need.
Addressing Product Authentication
In the specific scenario of suspected counterfeit products, when Amazon asks for an invoice, they are looking for specific information from you and your supplier.
Make sure that the invoice contains the following information:
- A date within 180 days
- At least 10 units of the product in question being ordered
- Your name and business name that is registered on Seller Central
- The same address registered on Seller Central
- The name and address of the manufacturer / distributor / supplier
- Detailed information of product(s) (name, SKU, UPC code, ASIN, product variation(s), colors, quantity purchased, etc.)
- Any additional documentation that proves your working relationship with your product supplier
The more information that you are willing to provide, the better, because it authenticates much further that you are the correct individual associated with your Amazon account, and that your invoice is not fabricated.
The information they are looking for may change, so it is always best to rely on what they are specifically asking for.
Avoid giving Amazon any reasons to doubt you!
Conclusion
If you’ve been selling on Amazon for a while, there’s a high chance that you’re looking to save time when generating invoices.
If you’re not careful, you may forget to include the necessary information or even mistakenly put incorrect information.
I hope the 5 free tools I’ve recommended make invoice generation easier than ever before.
Now, you can focus more energy on your business rather than trying to figure out how to generate an accurate invoice from scratch!
Do you have a preferred invoice generator from the choices above? Let me know in the comments!
Keep reading the Sourcing Monster blog to continuously learn about the tools I use for my business! Or, you can also read my complete Amazon FBA guide and enroll in my Amazon FBA course if you feel lost in building your Amazon FBA business.