It’s safe to say most people are seeking secondary income these days as inflation increases prices. Finding supplementary pay comes with its own challenges. Somehow you must find the time to maintain your primary salary, research a side gig, and find the means to start. Luckily, selling on Amazon is a job that can be fairly hands-off. If you follow a few simple guidelines, it may be possible to replace that nine-to-five with a successful online selling career.
Educate Yourself
Something anyone should do before starting a new business venture is learn everything they can about the platform. With Amazon, there is definitely a lot to learn. Since this website is an e-commerce tool, it is important to look into your plan for the business, prices, and the different policies and rules of the marketplace.
One of the most exciting parts of starting an online business is mapping it all out. What products you sell, your marketing strategy (tips here), and setting your prices are all very big decisions. You don’t want to get distracted by all of the excitement, however. There are plenty of rules to learn as well.
Be sure to review all of the policies and procedures that go along with a seller’s account. Noting the details of these can help keep your account from the risk of being restricted. According to Hawke Media, there are four primary reasons someone would get their Amazon seller account suspended. These causes range from something as simple as poor performance to the sale of restricted items. Be sure to do your research on the front end to save yourself from potential headaches later.
Research Products
After learning the ins and outs of Amazon seller accounts, it’s time to pick the perfect product. Amazon is a place where you can find just about anything you can think of, so how do you possibly pick what you sell? When selecting the merchandise for your own store, it is important to consider these three things; supply and demand, your audience, and how you will meet that demand.
People tend to buy popular items. This creates demand. Think about the items that have been popular in recent years — fidget spinners had their time, now poppers are a new fad. Researching different products and seeing how saturated the market is will help you pick a product with a higher profit margin. Several tools exist to help you get this information including AMZscout and Sellzone.
There are many factors to consider when choosing demands to fill. Once you know what you are selling, it’s time to do more research and learn about pricing for that item. You’ll want to make sure you’re selling at a competitive rate, while also leaving enough room for profit.
Find a Good Supplier
It’s finally time. You’ve done the research, you know the product you are going to provide, and it’s time to open up shop. The only question remaining is, how will you stock your e-store? There are many means to getting and storing your merchandise; you just need to figure out which one is best for you.
Wholesale is a popular method of getting supplies. This is where you buy directly from the creator and resell it under your brand. This can be beneficial because you can get your product at a cheaper price, but you will also have a lot of inventory to try and store.
A similar method to wholesale is private labels. Under a personal brand, you can simply buy an existing product from an existing company, and sell it as your own brand. Using this technique could be especially beneficial if your suppliers will store your inventory and ship it out.
Amazon has a service called “Merch by Amazon.” This lets you simply upload your design to Amazon, and sell it. This is very hands-off, as you only have to come up with your design. However, this is probably not the way to open your store if you are not selling designed merchandise.
Takeaways
Other popular stocking methods can include buying from already existing stores and reselling at your own price and drop shipping. Drop shipping allows the third party to stock and sell your products for you. Every option is different, so look into these methods and determine the one that will give you the best outcome.
You’ve done the research, you’ve put in the work, and you’ve learned the ropes. Adding to or replacing your income feels like it is now in reach. Selling on Amazon can be a great tool for boosting your financial independence. However, you’ll need to keep these pointers in mind.
To run a quality online store that will last, you must really put in the work beforehand to research your product. Try to avoid that next fad item and find something that will be useful and dependable. Spend extra time getting to know Amazon’s rules and policies to ensure you won’t have any hiccups or get your store suspended. Finally, be sure to pick supplying options that give you the most bang for your buck and support your shipping abilities. Amazon is a great tool that can be used by anyone to elevate your lifestyle to the next level.
