Did you know that during the second quarter of 2019, Amazon generated sales of over $63.4 billion?
That’s right — and if you want a slice of the profits, setting up an Amazon business is the way to go.
You won’t need a huge amount of money, a large warehouse, or any business experience to get started.
Selling private label products makes it easy to start generating profits without coming up with an entirely new product and manufacturing it yourself. This is ideal if you’re starting without much cash.
Using tools like Fulfilled by Amazon means you won’t have to handle shipping or warehousing yourself, so you can start your business with minimal hassle.
Keep reading for seven tips on how to set up an Amazon business today.
The first step in setting up your Amazon business is simple — you’ll need to sign up for an Amazon seller account.
You’ll pay a small fee to set up your account, but you can expect to earn this back fairly quickly if everything goes to plan.
When you sign up, you’ll need to choose between selling as an individual or as a business. If you’re just starting out, it’s usually best to choose individual — you’ll pay a small fee for each item sold, rather than a standard monthly fee.
You can use your personal details to sign up, then make changes later if you decide to start a proper business.
Congratulations, you’ve got your Amazon seller account!
Next, you’ll need to decide what you’re going to sell. Rather than pulling an idea out of nowhere, take the time to research and find a product that’s in demand and not too competitive.
This could mean a slightly different version of something that’s already selling well, or a bundle of several items that go well together — like a sleep mask, sleep spray, and earplugs.
Try to choose products that are small, light and easy to ship to avoid headaches early on.
Using keyword research tools is a great way to get a headstart on product research and set yourself up for success.
Private label products are a great option for new Amazon sellers.
You’ll order from a supplier, but ask them to brand the products with your logo, business name, and other design details.
This way, you’re not designing a product from scratch, but you are selling a branded product that looks high quality.
Search sites that list products made by overseas suppliers and get in touch to order a sample. This is important as you’ll want to assess the quality of the product, as well as the communication and reliability of the supplier.
Once you’re happy, you can start ordering in larger amounts.
Now that you know what you’re selling, you can create your first product listing.
You’ll need to enter basic details like product name, manufacturer, size, and description.
You’ll also need to purchase a UPC barcode for your item. You can do this on an external site, then enter the number into Amazon.
Take your time writing a product description that really sells your item and answers any questions customers might have. Take a look at similar products to see what works well.
You’ll also need to upload several pictures of your product. The better the photo quality, the more likely people are to buy.
Using Fulfilled by Amazon makes your items eligible for Prime shipping, which makes them more appealing to customers.
With the number of Amazon Prime subscribers growing fast, now is a good time to get your products in front of them.
It’s simple to convert any product listing to Fulfilled by Amazon with just a few clicks, and you’ll then need to package your items and send them to your nearest Amazon warehouse.
Small items can be packaged together in one box, making the process nice and simple.
Once the product is received by Amazon, your listing will go live. Products will be shipped out as they’re sold without you having to do a thing.
Are you starting to see some sales and looking for ways to up your game?
Using Amazon Ads to increase your ranking and promote your products is a smart move.
You can create ads manually, but it pays to use a tool that will automatically adjust your bids and help you choose the right keywords. Without this kind of help, you could easily spend hours tweaking your ads each day.
It’s best to concentrate your ad spend on products that are already selling well — it might not pay off if you choose items that aren’t in high demand.
Advertising knowledge isn’t the only thing you need to start selling on Amazon. If you’re still learning the ropes and a PPC campaign is a few months out, make sure you have up-to-date knowledge on Amazon fees, different selling methods, and correctly calculating profit margins. Mastering each of these subjects is pivotal to running profitable campaigns later
Adding new keywords to your product title and listing is an easy way to increase your sales quickly.
While your product has stayed the same, the market may have changed and you might need new keywords to reflect the current trends.
For example, a product which was described as ‘cute’ or ‘pretty’ a few years ago might now be described as ‘aesthetic’.
Using automation and management software is a great way to automate the process of searching for and adding new keywords to your listings, keeping your products current year after year.
You don’t need any business experience to start making money on Amazon.
Simply start small, do your research, and be willing to tweak things until you find what works. Choose a reputable supplier, stick with easy-to-ship products at first, and concentrate on targeting the right keywords.
Learning how to set up an Amazon business will always involve a little trial and error, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Want to invest in software that helps automate your Amazon business? Check out our Amazon seller tools today.