Overview

When a new seller creates an Amazon Seller Central account, the registration flow pauses for a PIN verification step. This security check confirms that the phone number entered belongs to the applicant, and any delay at this stage pushes back the date a store can go live.

Key Points

• Two delivery options — Sellers can request the verification code either as an SMS text or through an automated voice call; for example, a U.S.‑based seller may choose a text to avoid waiting for a call.
• Call delivery is not instantaneous — If the voice‑call option is selected, the time it takes to receive the PIN can vary widely because Amazon’s system depends on network traffic and carrier load at the moment of the call.
• Enter the PIN by keypad or voice — During a voice call the system reads the six‑digit code and then asks the seller to either press the numbers on the phone’s touchtone keypad or speak each digit clearly; a seller in Germany reported successfully using the keypad after the voice prompt was garbled.
• Exact phone number format is mandatory — The number must include the correct country code (e.g., +44 for the United Kingdom), contain no extra leading zeros, and be free of typographical errors; a typo in the last digit caused a Canadian seller to receive “invalid PIN” errors three times.
• Internet connection can interfere with voice calls — Users on dial‑up or other connections that share the telephone line should disconnect the internet session before the call, otherwise the line remains busy and Amazon’s call cannot be completed.

How PIN Verification Works

1. Select delivery method — After completing the basic registration fields, Amazon displays a screen asking the seller to choose between “Text Message” or “Phone Call.” For instance, a seller in Brazil may tap “Phone Call” to avoid potential SMS delivery delays in the region.
2. System initiates contact — Amazon’s automated service dials the exact number entered, including the country code, and either sends an SMS containing a six‑digit code or places a voice call that audibly reads the same code. A seller in India who chose “Text Message” typically receives the code within 30 seconds.