How to Find Products to Sell on Amazon
It is simple to find products for Amazon once you are familiar with your sourcing options as an Amazon seller. Most small businesses and startups think of wholesale products and order manufactured goods first. These are only two of six different ways to find Amazon products. Knowing how to identify profitable sales opportunities is equally important for your success in finding products to sell on Amazon. It all starts with product research, and Amazon has plenty of resources and tools to assist you in that. Below, we'll show how to find the best products to sell with Amazon's data. But first, let us get to know your top six product sourcing options. This will allow you to start an ecommerce company with a full understanding of the many ways that Amazon can help you find products.
Methods to find products to sell on Amazon While some Amazon sellers only use one method of sourcing, such as private labeling or retail arbitrage, many others combine several sourcing methods to grow their business. Don't let the fact that one method is better than another convince you to pick one. You can explore them all to find the one that best suits your online selling goals.
1. Use retail arbitrage to source Amazon products. Retail arbitrage is when you buy retail products at a deep discount and then reselling on Amazon. Although it sounds easy, making sure you do it correctly and profitably is not an easy task. When it comes to finding clearance and discounted items in local shops and matching them up with Amazon bestsellers, retail arbitrage sellers can be a real pro. Knowing what is selling on Amazon at any given time and for what price is the key to success. It is also important to understand the cost of selling this item on Amazon. Amazon seller fees are approximately 15% of the selling price. Shipping orders can also take a significant chunk out of your profits, if not carefully managed. There are tools that can help you find profitable bargains. Amazon pricing apps are the secret weapon of retail arbitrage sellers. These apps allow you to scan UPC codes from your smartphone and match them with current listings on Amazon. These apps provide a wealth of information that will help you price your products, including your average selling price, buyer demand, shipping and Fulfillment by Amazon costs and potential profit. This information will help you decide whether to buy a product or not based on current demand and profit potential. FBA fulfillment allows you to see the shipping and storage costs. FBA fulfillment has its costs, but if managed well it can be much cheaper and more time-consuming than handling fulfillment by yourself.
2. Sell handmade goods on Amazon. Are you an artisan or craftsperson selling handmade products? Are you interested in exploring this option for product sourcing? If "yes" to both questions, Amazon Handmade might be the right product category for your needs. The requirements to sell on Amazon's Handmade Section are more stringent than Etsy. Many Amazon Handmade sellers are Etsy sellers who want to increase their reach and tap into Amazon's large audience. You can list up to 40 products per month if you are approved by Handmade. If you sell more than 40 items per month, you will have to pay $39.95 Amazon Pro Seller account fees. You will still need to pay per-sale Amazon seller charges, which average around 15% of the selling price. You also need to factor in fulfillment and shipping costs. The products you create will determine how well you can craft and source the raw materials. Therefore, the tools required to source this option for sourcing may vary greatly.
FBA is available for Amazon Handmade sellers to store, pack, and ship stock. This is a great tool to help you focus on making high-quality handmade products.
3. Find wholesale products to sell on Amazon. Wholesale sourcing is simply reselling products made by other companies. This is a common way to find low-cost products to sell on Amazon, particularly for startups who want to explore the profit potential in different product categories. You can easily source products online from wholesale suppliers via wholesale marketplaces such as Thomasnet and Alibaba. To find wholesale vendors, you can visit buyers' markets and trade shows in your industry. A simple internet search can be a great way to get started with wholesale sourcing and set up an efficient ecommerce store. Search for the item name you want to sell, then add "wholesale". Wholesale suppliers allow you to purchase bulk goods, sometimes in "case packs", store your inventory and ship the products as soon as they are ordered. Either you can do product storage, packing and shipping yourself, or FBA to handle these fulfillment tasks. You need an inventory management and purchasing system to keep track of your inventory and ensure that you have enough products to fulfill orders. Many inventory management software integrates with Amazon seller accounts and FBA accounts.
4. Sell direct-source products on Amazon. The most profitable way to source products for Amazon is through direct sourcing. Direct sourcing allows you to purchase products directly from the manufacturer. Direct-sourcing stock products can be purchased at lower per-unit prices than wholesale. For unique and distinctive items that are different from the rest, you can order custom goods. Direct-source factories can be found using the same strategies as in the wholesaling section. Many wholesale suppliers have their own factories. If you are interested in a wholesaler's product and services, it is possible to work with the same vendor. To get a lower per-unit price, you can order more or work with them on your custom-made products. Direct sourcing is similar to wholesale product sourcing. You need to be careful about product costs, inventory levels and reorder quantities. You'll also need stock storage and order packing and shipping, which can be done by you or outsourced to FBA. FBA fulfillment can be costly so you will need to have a warehouse or fulfillment center to store your bulk inventory. FBA storage costs are quite high so direct-source sellers often send small quantities of stock to Amazon's warehouse network when they are needed.
Direct-source sellers need inventory management software that can integrate with their Amazon Seller and FBA accounts. This allows you to track stock and determine when it should be replenished so orders can ship on time.
5. Find private label products to sell on Amazon. Private labeling is a subset of direct-sourcing. It's a great way for you to find products that you can sell on Amazon under your brand. Private label suppliers make goods and then package, label, or tag them under your brand. Private label products can be found in almost any product category. These include personal care items, cosmetics, kitchen tools, pet supplies and gourmet foods. Finding private label products for Amazon is similar to searching wholesale or direct-source suppliers. Many manufacturers offer private label options on their stock products. You can also search online for private label vendors in a particular product category. Private label sourcing is very similar to purchasing from direct-source or wholesale suppliers. You must purchase in small quantities and then stock and ship the products to your customers. This can be done either through your Amazon fulfillment platform, FBA, or both. You also need to be able to track your inventory, product costs, and forecast your future reorders. You can use the same inventory tracking tools for direct-source and wholesale purchasing to organize private label product sales on Amazon.