How do I sell on Amazon FBA as a beginner?
Setting Up and Choosing Products
Sign up for a professional seller account (about $40/month) or individual account (per-item fees). You'll need a tax ID, bank account, and credit card. Then research products using tools like Keepa or Jungle Scout to find items with steady demand and low competition.
A common beginner strategy is retail or online arbitrage: buy discounted items from stores or websites and resell on Amazon. Look for items with a sales rank under 100,000 in a category and a price at least 3x your cost.
- Professional account: $39.99/month (as of 2024)
- Use product research tools
- Aim for sales rank < 100,000
- Target 3x markup after fees
Listing and Shipping to FBA
Create a listing by matching an existing product page or creating a new one. For FBA, you'll ship your items to an Amazon fulfillment center. You must label each item with an FNSKU and follow Amazon's packaging requirements.
Amazon charges fulfillment fees based on size and weight, plus monthly storage fees. You can use the FBA Revenue Calculator to estimate profits. Start with a small shipment to learn the process.
- Match existing listings when possible
- Label items with FNSKU
- Use FBA Revenue Calculator
- Start with a small test shipment
Common mistakes
- Skipping product research and buying items that won't sell.
- Not accounting for all FBA fees, which can turn a profit into a loss.
- Sending too much inventory before testing demand.