First Steps
Your first 3 steps after completing the setup wizard. These are the exact actions SellerMagnet recommends to new users while your historical data is importing in the background.
Difficulty: 🟢 Beginner · Reading time: ~7 min
🎯 Overview
After you complete the Initial Setup Wizard and connect your Amazon account, SellerMagnet shows a "First Steps" screen while your historical data imports in the background. This page walks you through the 3 essential actions every new seller should take in their first session.
Data import runs in parallel. You don't have to wait for the import to finish before taking these steps. Your first numbers appear within 5-10 minutes, and the complete historical import typically takes up to a few hours depending on your account size.
What you'll see: A welcome banner "Connection Successful! Data Import in Progress." followed by 3 numbered step cards. Each card has a title, description, and a button to jump directly to the relevant page.
👣 The Three First Steps
📺 Step 1: Watch the "Getting Started" Video
A 2-minute overview of your new dashboard features.
Click the video thumbnail (shown with a ▶ play icon overlay) to open the video in a modal player. The video walks through:
The main dashboard layout
How to navigate between tools (Sidebar, top bar, connection selector)
Where to find your sales data, products, and reports
How to switch marketplaces and date ranges
Why watch it first: You'll save 30+ minutes of self-exploration. The video answers the most common questions new users have before they even ask them.
Player controls: Standard play/pause, volume, and fullscreen. Click anywhere outside the video or press Esc to close.
💰 Step 2: Enter Your Buy Prices (COGS)
Go to the Products page to bulk-upload or enter unit costs.
This is the single most important step for accurate profit tracking. Click the "Go to Products →" button on the First Steps page to jump directly to your product catalog in a new tab.
Once on the Products page, you have two options:
Manual entry
Click a product row, then click the Edit icon in the COGS column. Enter your purchase price per unit.
Small catalogs (< 50 products)
Bulk CSV upload
Click the Bulk Upload button → download the template CSV → fill in ASINs & cost prices → upload. SellerMagnet matches by ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)/SKU (Stock Keeping Unit).
Medium-to-large catalogs (50+ products)
Without COGS data, profit calculations are wrong. SellerMagnet computes profit as Revenue - Amazon Fees - Shipping - COGS. If COGS is missing, your margins will appear artificially high because only Amazon fees are being subtracted. Start with your top 20 best-selling products and expand from there.
Pro Tip: If you have variable cost prices (seasonal suppliers, bulk discounts), use Product Batches instead of a single COGS value. Batches let you track cost-per-unit across multiple purchase lots, so SellerMagnet picks the right cost for each order based on when it shipped.
📋 Step 3: Add Indirect Expenses (Optional but Recommended)
Software subscriptions, VA salaries, tools, and other recurring costs go on the Expenses page.
Click the "Go to Expenses →" button to jump to the Expenses page in a new tab.
Why it's important: Amazon fees + COGS cover your direct costs, but most sellers also have indirect operating costs that eat into real profit:
Software / SaaS
SellerMagnet subscription, accounting software
Monthly
Virtual Assistants
Customer service VAs, listing optimization, PPC management
Monthly / Hourly
Warehouse / Storage
Offsite storage, 3PL fees (if any), bubble wrap and packaging
Monthly
Services
Photographer, copywriter, graphic designer, translator
One-time / Project
Legal / Admin
Trademark registration, VAT filings, accountant, insurance
Annual / Quarterly
Marketing
Non-PPC advertising, influencer fees, coupons off-Amazon
Variable
Quick win: Add your SellerMagnet subscription and accountant/tax costs first. These are the most common recurring expenses and are easy to forget when calculating "real" profitability.
This step is optional: you can come back later. But if you skip it, your Net Profit KPI will be higher than reality.
⏭️ Skip to Dashboard
If you prefer to explore on your own, click "Skip to Dashboard →" in the top-right corner of the First Steps page. You can always come back to these steps by revisiting them from the Help Center in the sidebar.
Your profit data will be incorrect until you complete Step 2 (COGS). Even if you skip the First Steps page, make sure to enter product costs within your first day of using SellerMagnet, otherwise every profit figure you see will be too high.
⏱️ What's Happening in the Background
While you work through the First Steps, SellerMagnet is importing your Amazon data. Here's what to expect:
Phase 1
📦 Products & catalog metadata (titles, images, ASINs)
2-5 minutes
Phase 2
📋 Orders (oldest to newest, chronologically)
5-15 minutes (<1k orders) 20-40 minutes (10k+ orders)
Phase 3
🧾 Financial transactions, fees, settlements
5-10 minutes
Phase 4
🎯 PPC campaigns & keywords (if connected)
5-15 minutes
Live sync indicator: Look for the progress pill in the top-right corner showing "Syncing. XX% complete". It updates in real time. When the sync finishes, a green success banner appears at the top of the dashboard: "✓ Initial sync complete."
❓ FAQ
Quick answers to the most common First Steps questions.
Can I see my data before the import finishes?
Yes. Products and orders appear in real time as they're imported. You can click around the dashboard and see data filling in. Some KPIs may show "N/A" until the relevant import phase completes.
What happens if I close the browser during the import?
Nothing, the import runs on SellerMagnet's servers, not your browser. You can log out, close the tab, or come back tomorrow. When you return, your data will be ready (or still importing if it's a large account).
Why do I need COGS data so urgently?
Because profit calculations without COGS are wrong. SellerMagnet knows what Amazon paid you (revenue) and what Amazon charged you (fees), but it has no way to know what you paid for each product. Without that, "profit" is actually just "revenue minus Amazon fees", which massively overstates reality. Entering COGS is the single fastest way to get real profit numbers.
Do I have to add every expense?
No. Expenses (Step 3) are optional. But every recurring cost you skip means your Net Profit number is inflated by that amount. For the most accurate picture, add your top 5-10 recurring expenses first (software, accountant, VA, storage), then add one-time costs as they happen.
Where's the "Getting Started" video if I miss it?
The video is always available in the Help Center (sidebar → Help Center → Tutorials). You can also re-trigger the guided dashboard tour anytime by clicking Help Center → Replay Tour.
Can I come back to the First Steps page later?
The First Steps page only shows automatically right after your first setup. However, you can always revisit the same guidance from the Help Center → First Steps link. The key actions (COGS entry and expense tracking) are accessible anytime from their respective pages.
✅ Quick Checklist
Use this checklist to make sure you're ready to use SellerMagnet effectively:
Once all items are checked, you're fully set up and ready to make data-driven decisions about your Amazon business.
➡️ What's Next?
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