Skip to main content

How to create an Amazon developer account for my Vimeo OTT branded FireTV app

This feature requires an Enterprise plan on Vimeo OTT.

This article explains the process of creating an Amazon Developer Account, which will be used for building and managing OTT Branded Apps on Amazon Fire TV and Fire Tablet.

In this article:

Create your developer account 

If you already use an Amazon device or have purchased something from Amazon in the past, you most likely have an Amazon account ID. However, it is recommended to create a new account solely associated with your developer profile.

If you have an existing Fire application, we can use your existing developer account to manage your Vimeo OTT application. In this case, skip to Add Payment and Tax Information.

To create an Amazon Developer account:

    1. Go to the Amazon developer account portal.
    2. On this page, select the Create your Amazon Developer account option.
    3. Insert all necessary information requested. Then, select Create your Amazon Developer account.
      • ⚠️Note: The email address you register should be one that you and your team have access to. Amazon will be delivering information regarding your account and the Vimeo OTT application to this email address. Be sure to record your Amazon developer account login credentials.
    4. Access the inbox of the email address you have registered with and complete the OTP verification process Amazon sends.
    5. Once signed in, provide additional information to complete Amazon's developer registration profile, including your personal name, company name, and company address.
    6. Check that you Agree to the Amazon Developer Services Agreement. Then, select Submit.
    7. On the next screen, select Continue completing your profile. You should be brought to the Amazon developer account settings dashboard.
      • If not, go to your Settings from the navigation bar.

Add payment and tax information

This section contains configurations that only need to be completed if you intend to offer a paid in-application subscription product (SVOD) for your Vimeo OTT service. If you are offering a free-registration service (FVOD), you can skip down to Invite the Vimeo Team.

You will now need to complete the Payments and Benefits section of your Amazon developer account.

  1. More information on how Amazon addresses revenue payouts can be found here.On the Payment Information screen, select Yes for the question "Do you plan to monetize your digital content, such as charging for apps or games or selling in-app items or in-game items, or by receiving cash rewards for your skills?"
    • Selecting Yes shows additional fields for you to provide bank/financial institution information. This is where Amazon will send revenue earned through your service's in-application payments. 
  2. Once complete, you should see a message indicating that your information has been submitted to Amazon.
  3. Next, select Tax Identity from the top navigation bar.
  4. On this page, you will need to complete both the Royalty Tax Interview and Canada Tax Interview. Failure to complete these will cause application review submission issues for your Amazon Fire application(s).
    • You do not need to complete the Service Tax Interview.
    • ⚠️Note: If you run into any issues, please consult Amazon's guide to the Tax Identity Interview. Amazon's Developer Support team would be the best place to resolve any issues relating to interview form submissions or questions related to this process.
  5. Once the Royalty Tax Interview and Canada Tax Interview are complete, they should display the 🟢 Completed status. 

Invite the Vimeo team

Lastly, you will need to invite the Vimeo Team to your Amazon developer account. To do so:

  1. Navigate to the User Permissions section.
  2. Select Add New.
  3. In the field that appears under the Email Address column, enter "apps@vhx.tv"
  4. Under the Role column, select Administrator.
  5. Select Save.

Optional: Amazon Small Business Accelerator Program

The Amazon Appstore Small Business Accelerator Program offers an increased revenue share and AWS credits for developers earning less than 1 million USD in annual revenue. 

If you are eligible for the program, your revenue share increases to 80/20 for all revenue earned from the Amazon Appstore. Additionally, you can receive Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits equivalent to 10% of your app revenue on Amazon devices.

Read more about the program and how to enroll on Amazon's developer site.

Related articles