What advice would you give yourself if you were starting out as an Amazon seller now?
So my friend keeps asking me what was involved in becoming an FBA seller on Amazon. For me it was a mixture of finding the right product and some good luck. However I realise now how many mistakes I made starting out.
He now is convinced this is the path he wants to take so I’m looking to steer him into the right direction without making the same mistakes.
What advice would you give yourself if you were looking to become an Amazon seller knowing what you know now?
Also what websites are good for advice (not just “get rich quick bro” sites)?
Interested to see what you all think are the most important things you have learned to do/avoid!
Thanks
19 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
The single most important thing to learn about, is the fee structure.
If you don’t understand that, you are guaranteed to lose money!
As to websites, then only place I would ever direct anyone is to the seller university.
Understanding Amazon and how it works is crucial to making a profit.
Once you understand that, you can then start to look at what your going to sell and research as you would for any other business.
Seller_DROodOAYHftnc
Also, choose your items carefully - due to restricted categories, those requiring approval, conforming to safety laws etc, where you source your stock from, etc.
Seller_wqciCXuQbNS4p
Don’t put all of your eggs in the Amazon basket.
Seller_XrX9BPqGnGQ2M
- Know and understand that Amazon is very expensive to sell on.
- Understand that Amazon simply do not care about their sellers.
- Be ready for scammers and ‘Karens’ whom Amazon will refund without question.
- Be thick skinned - it’s only money.
- Amazon is not the only place to sell.
GOOD LUCK*****
Seller_sFEUMUfeW5484
My advice would be to explore ALL other selling platforms prior to selling on Amazon, use Amazon as a last resort, it will effect yoru mental health in a huge way, so make sure you need the sales that much.
Seller_xDtaDZ1Iek9Fq
A new seller need experience in online retail, so if he is not already selling on other platforms for a while; he should start there first for at least a year or so. That will give some sort of idea of what is expected, the ebbs and flow as well as issues that might arise.
Having said that, Amazon give the biggest potential return but you have to work on it and keep up with all the new policies etc. You can only wing it to certain extend. Watching youtube videos are fine as a starting point to understand what questions you have to find answers for but the “bible” is what is in Amazon policy and not what everyone else is doing.
Read forum and go to Webnair to top up the knowledge. Ask questions on Forum AFTER you have done your homework and NOT general questions like “where can I find wholesalers” etc.
Seller_RiVN2dcWY6xy9
Use ebay, in fact use anywhere but Amazon
Seller_Q3RVcJZLyOqK9
Remind them they are not as clever as they believe themselves to be…
As Neil rightly says above : The only place I would ever direct anyone is to the Seller University
So, no matter how stupid Amazon policies are in their “expert” opinion, The only way they will ever succeed on here is by doing exactly as they are asked to do by Amazon, No if’s, buts no short cuts…
And if you are a regular reader of these pages, you will know there are many many “experts” who come on here thinking they know better than Amazon, and things should be done their way.
There are many patient contributors on here who repeatedly point out their errors and advise them to follow Amazon rules.
Without exception, like it or not, they soon learn to do it the Amazon way, or they don’t do it at all
Seller_MTcODSertSZgF
Print off all the advice in Amazons various terms and guidance documents relevant to the products you want to sell. Make yourself a large flask of coffee and a couple of marker pens and go out somewhere where you can read undisturbed for several hours and make notes on the actual papers you have printed off. (I drove to the sea and parked up for several hours) On return put your comments into a tailored action plan and get the foundations right before you list your first product. i.e. what do you need to provide to be authorised in your category, what restrictions are there on your product, what are the myriad of rules which will get your listing (or account) suspended and can you abide by this, and accurate costings to take into account the cost of packaging and shipping to a FBA warehouse, storage, various selling fees, returns, damaged stock, theft, advertising etc etc
Also look at the top 100 products in your intended category and see how they price and what is popular, are you adding value to the existing offering? If not then as an “also ran” you will find your margins squeezed at every turn.
It’s a time investment up front which will pay dividends as it will save hours sorting out problems later.
I wish your friend Good luck
Seller_nHzDQMp5N1zZt
Remind yourself that once Amazon suspends your account it could be the end of your business. I’ve seen people who’ve been selling for 10 or 14 years on this forum crying that Amazon won’t even accept invoices, their selling metrics are excellent and they have seven or nine employees to feed.
The moral of the story is that, working with a suppliers / wholesalers / manufacturers is NOT a surefire to sell on Amazon for eternity.
Sell on Ebay as well.
