Amazon easily holds the crown of being the leader of e-commerce marketplaces.
Monthly, almost 200 million people visit the Amazon website, which is easily the highest when compared with others.
Amazon is also a financial goldmine, generating hundreds of billions in monthly revenue.
The sweet thing about Amazon is that people like you can also get a piece of the sizeable, delicious pie 🥧.
But how can you get a part of the over $1 Billion daily revenue Amazon makes?
I will show you how to make money on Amazon in this piece.
Keep reading to find out more!
Can you make money on Amazon?
If you ask yourself this question, you are probably closer to making your first dollar than you imagine.
Making money online from any platform starts with a decision backed by actions.
Statista shows that a third-party seller does almost 60% of online marketplace sales.
You can make money on Amazon through different means, such as dropshipping, Amazon Affiliate, and a customer service agent.
Also, you can make decent money through selling audiobooks on Amazon Audible, Freelancing, and selling on Amazon Handmade.
Making money on Amazon isn’t only limited to selling.
Selling, however, ranks as the smartest way to make money from Amazon’s largesse.
AMZ presents two ways of selling: selling to customers and selling directly to Amazon.
Making money on Amazon by selling
You can partner with Amazon if you are a distributor or a large manufacturer.
A smart way to increase profits would be to sell to Amazon as a direct vendor.
The concept is that you have to sell your wholesale goods to Amazon.
Amazon will, in turn, sell its products to customers using its brand name.
Using such styles comes with benefits such as:
- You don’t have to worry about customer service, as AMZ handles all correspondence. Also, you won’t have to issue refunds and return, as Amazon will take care of this.
- Selling becomes easier because you will leverage Amazon’s outstanding reputation.
- You don’t need to worry about delivery, shipping, and fulfillment as AMZ take care of this.
But, selling your products is better if you can control factors such as pricing.
Also, if you want to increase your brand awareness, you shouldn’t be selling directly to Amazon.
This takes me to the next option to explore:
Directly selling to customers on Amazon
Another way to sell with Amazon is by dealing as a third-party seller.
Selling directly to people on Amazon isn’t difficult, and you can choose one of two options.
Firstly, you can open a professional seller account and an Individual seller account.
Individual seller accounts
Owners of individual Amazon seller accounts aren’t mandated to pay a monthly subscription fee.
The downside of this account is that the owners have limited access to specific tools.
You will also be unable to sell on restricted categories and have to pay $0.99 per sale.
Professional seller account
Professional seller accounts on Amazon require you to pay a monthly fee of $40, but the catch is that you won’t pay $0.99 for each product sold.
Also, professional sellers have access to third-party tools, APIs, and other Amazon features.
Eleven ways to make money on Amazon
Here are eleven tested and trusted ways you can make good money on Amazon:
1. Amazon Flex program for delivering goods – $18 to $25
With Amazon Flex, you can help deliver Amazon packages as an independent contractor.
To start with Amazon Flex, you must download the app and create an account, and you will then explore the delivery option which best works for you.
Earning Potential
Most Amazon Flex program delivery partners earn between $18 and $25 each hour.
The earnings depend largely on tips gotten, your location, and the time taken for deliveries.
Things to Consider
Before participating in this program, you must meet some driver requirements.
All independent contractors must be at least 21 years old, have a valid social security number, have a driver’s license, and pass necessary background checks.
Getting Started with Amazon Flex Program
First, you need to download and register through the app.
You can scan the QR code or visit: logistics.amazon.com/app/download-app
As soon as you meet all requirements of the Amazon flex program, you will be commissioned to start taking deliveries.
2. Sell your books on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing KDP
If you are a writer, I recommend you take advantage of Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
With this platform, you can publish and sell your books through Amazon.
With this system, you don’t need the help of a publisher, and you don’t have to spend a fortune.
Earning potential- $1,500 to $50,000
Some authors make up to $50,000 monthly from the KDP platform, but for someone just starting and putting in a lot of work, you could earn at least $1,500 monthly.
Things to consider
Another cool thing about KDP is that you don’t have to be a writer to make money from it.
You could hire the services of a writer to write you a book and purchase the rights to the book.
Next, you sell the book on Amazon as an e-book or printed version.
Getting started
To get started on KDP, you need to first register before writing a book, and then you will have to upload the book on Amazon KDP.
Ideally, it would help if you thought of a catchy topic that will quickly sell.
3. Join Amazon Affiliate Program
One easy way to make money on Amazon without selling anything is through the Amazon affiliate program.
The Amazon affiliate program is a big-time money-spinner.
You can make good money through the affiliate program if you already have an audience through a blog, website, or forum.
This program requires you to recommend Amazon products to your audience; you get a commission.
When the audience follows the link and buys a product, you will get up to 10% of the products bought.
Earning potential- $20,000 to $55,434 per year
Research shows that the yearly compensation earned by Amazon affiliate marketers is about $55,000, which can be less than $20,000 in some instances.
Things to consider
Your earnings depend on the number of referrals you get generated on Amazon.
This program works on a commission basis, implying that you get to make a percentage for every sale recorded.
Getting started
You will need to start a blog, Vlog, or any other active social media channel where you could share the links for Amazon products.
Upon sales, you are entitled to between 1% and 10% commission.
4. Amazon Influencer Program
The Amazon influencer program is a program that is quite different from the Amazon Associates program.
This program is particularly beneficial for people with strong social media following.
If approved as an influencer, you will get a URL to Amazon’s page to help you show off the products to your audience.
If your followers on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube buy products, you will get a commission. The key to succeeding here is to find out which products your audience may likely go for.
Earning potential – Between a few dollars to $1,500 monthly
Your earning potential depends on the number of viewers, followers, and readers who make qualifying purchases.
Things to consider
As an Amazon influencer, you are expected to share contents that advertise Amazon products for people to buy from the influencer’s store.
To apply to the program, you need to have a social media account and of course, a reasonable audience size.
Getting started
You need to sign up for the Amazon Influencer Program on their page.
They will analyze your Social Media profile based on followers and engagement metrics.
Using unique URLs, you will get paid for each product sold to your social media audiences.
You can also visit Amazon Influencer Education Hub where you’ll find valuable tips for influencer and also guides for the platform.
5. Amazon Dropshipping
If you like to sell things but wouldn’t want to spend your own money, the Amazon dropshipping program is probably your best choice.
This is unlike the FBA program by Amazon, where you need to deliver products to Amazon fulfillment centers as you don’t have to buy anything.
Earning potential- $1,000 to $50,000 per month
Your earning potential varies depending on several factors, but you can make between $1,000 and $50,000 if you take it seriously.
Things to consider
Dropshipping is such that the seller will display a supplier’s product, and if someone makes an order from the store, the supplier will get the product delivered, and you will get your cut.
When doing the dropshipping, you must indicate that the merchant will do the fulfillment, which makes you the seller responsible.
Getting started
Most important, you need to learn how to find a profitable product.
You will require a recognizable brand and sales of certain products in high demand, but with less competition.
Also, you need to deploy competitive pricing, excellent customer service, and quality products.
6. Become an Amazon Customer Service Rep
Amazon is a very large organization with several people working from different parts of the world.
Many of the workers on AMZ don’t work from an office, and some of these people work remotely.
There are positions such as customer service representative, especially for people who speak a second language.
You could also score a role as a cloud tech account manager, technical trainer, etc.
Earning potential- $4,865 monthly
The average salary on Amazon.com ranges between $29,663 yearly for their customer service reps and $94,026 for product support.
Things to consider
To become an Amazon customer service representative, you are expected to have a minimum of a high school diploma.
Training is given to new intakes, including activities such as shadowing experienced hands.
As a customer service rep on Amazon, you are expected to have communications skills, product knowledge, empathy, product knowledge, problem-solving and organizational skills.
Getting started
Once you fulfill the requirements, you can visit Amazon Job Portal.
Search for the position and the desired country or language.
Once you find the position that suites to you, you can apply direct on their portal where you have to register and provide your CV and other documents.
7. Sell Items on Amazon Handmade
Amazon Handmade was made to help users sell jewelry, clothes, home goods, soap, and anything you may have created yourself.
What AMZ does here is to give you a unique URL for selling your products, and you don’t have to pay the $40 monthly fee that normal professionals are charged on Amazon.
Earning potential – at least $1,000 monthly
Most Amazon Handmade artisans make at least $1,000 monthly in sales, but this can be even more.
Things to consider
Begin by identifying a reliable Handmade supplier and negotiate a reasonable price before placing an order.
Note that joining the platform is free, but during the registration, you will be required to open a professional selling plan which gives you the tools needed to grow your venture.
The selling plan goes for about $39.99 monthly.
Getting started
If you sell your goods on Amazon Handmade US, you are automatically eligible to have your products listed on all other Amazon Websites.
But if you are beginning, you will need to fill out some forms provided by Amazon to be able to start the process of becoming a certified Amazon Handmade seller.
You will create an Amazon Artisan profile and set up your product listings.
8. Freelancing through Amazon
It takes a lot of work to sell stuff on Amazon.
Due to this reason, sellers rely on others to help with certain operational aspects of their store.
You can work as a freelancer for sellers on Amazon, offering different skills.
Earning potential- $10 to $100 per hour
You can earn between $10 and $100 per hour as a freelancer working for Amazon sellers.
Things to consider
To become a freelancer on Amazon, you must be skilled in at least one niche.
For instance, if you are a Copywriter, you can offer this service to help sellers in product listings.
Also, you could be a photographer helping AMZ sellers capture clear images of their products.
Getting started
You can use platforms such as Upwork, Fiver and People Per Hour to sell your services to Amazon sellers.
Create an appealing profile and if you are using Upwork, start applying for the gigs.
Remember to mention your services, as the algorithm will suggest your profile based on the keywords you use there.
Check other profiles for inspiration.
9. Sell Audiobooks on Amazon Audible
Audible ranks as the world’s biggest audiobook supplier and boasts a library with over 200,000 titles.
This platform provides a broad selection of podcasts, audiobooks, and content for members.
Audiobooks currently have about 300 million active users, and Amazon is the leader in sales for Audiobooks.
Amazon accounted for over 40% of US sales for audibles in 2018.
Earning potential- $15 to $5,000 monthly
You are entitled to $15 for each new sign-up, and you will make commissions for every purchase made through your link.
You will earn money on Audible if you have at least $30 monthly in your account.
The earning potential ranges between $15 and $5,000, but you can only withdraw a minimum of $30.
Things to consider
You can make money on Audible through affiliate marketing, narrating the works of others, creating audiobooks, and selling Audible services and products.
Getting started
Begin by creating an account on the Audible website and downloading the required apps.
You can create your first audiobook and publish it, which entitles you to earnings for each item sold.
10. Sell Other Companies’ Products with Wholesaling
The Amazon sales platform has over 6 million third-party sellers globally, and of this number, about 26% of this number sell using the wholesale model.
Wholesale involves buying branded goods in bulk from other manufacturers, distributors, or suppliers to be resold to consumers.
Earning potential – $3,000 – $4,000 per month.
You can earn anything between $3,000 and $4,000 monthly. This figure could be more or less, depending on several factors.
Things to consider
If you have found the right brands, you should find out what they will require of you before you can open a wholesale account.
First, you must register a sole proprietorship or business and get a resale certificate from your state.
Then, apply for an Employer Identification Number before you begin your wholesale business.
Getting started
It would help if you began by creating a seller account and searching for a product that is in high demand.
Proceed to source for the product and have the product listed for sale on the existing Amazon listing of the brand and ensure to manage the business.
11. Sell Your Private Label Products
Selling Private label products on Amazon is a system that allows you to partner with third-party manufacturers to come up with your own branded products.
Private labeling is a unique way for brands and people with strong followership to make steady, passive income through product sales.
Earning potential- $500 to $5,000 monthly
Whenever you sell private label products, you should expect to make between $500 and $5,000 monthly, which can rise to thousands of dollars monthly.
Things to consider
It costs a minimum of $1,000 to begin a private labeling business, and the highest costs come from requesting samples and the business’s logistics aspects.
Getting started
Begin by searching for a niche market to sell products, and then reach out to the private label manufacturer before you order supply samples.
Then add the product to your store before you launch and market the store.
What to sell on Amazon to make money
Selling and making money on Amazon isn’t tricky, but you must know what to sell to make money.
Below, I have compiled a list of the top items that should help you get good sales in a quick time.
1. Apparel & Accessories
A Consumer Trends Report by Jungle Scout indicates that about 40% of American customers buy online clothes.
Data shows that as of 2021, the clothing category of Amazon is ungated, allowing people to sell on the site easily.
This advantage to experienced and new sellers helps Amazon gain more leverage in the clothing industry.
About 14% of Amazon sellers sell in the Jewelry, clothing, and shoe categories, making it the 11th most popular category on Amazon.
Data shows that about 87% of Amazon cloth sellers are pretty profitable, with a third of them saying they have made profit margins of up to 20%.
It, therefore, suffices to say that selling apparel and accessories on Amazon is one of the most profitable retail ventures on the platform.
2. Cosmetics
Cosmetics belong to the gate Amazon category, and it usually takes up to a month to have an account ungated to start selling cosmetics.
You have to fulfill specific requirements before you can get Amazon’s approval to sell.
First, you have to ensure that the product is well sealed using the manufacturer’s original packaging.
Also, confirm that the products are unused and new, and the product should display identifying codes on the product package by the distributor or manufacturer.
3. Skin Care
The key to making good sales on Amazon is checking blogs and trends to keep updated about skin care products.
Unlike skin care products in physical shops, you can’t provide free samples, makeovers and personalized experiences.
You should therefore invest in your photos and branding to stand out from the crowd.
Ideally, it would help if you told a story with your brand that effectively connects you to your target market.
You need to invest in smart packaging and customer experience, which should get them coming back for more.
Also, always adhere to the shipment packaging requirements of Amazon, especially as it affects packaging.
4. Electronics
Even though it may seem complicated, electronics sales are quite easy on Amazon.
All you need to do is set up a third-party seller account and give your tax information before you begin selling using listings from pre-existing products.
Focus on scaling sales by managing your reviews and using social media ads.
5. Hair Care
Hair care products rank as one of the most sought-after items on Amazon.
Most market sellers offer this item because there is a large market for them, and they are easy to sell. Items such as brushes and hairsprays are always in demand and come in different prices and quality ranges, making them easy to sell to different categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it easy to make money on Amazon?
Yes, it is easy if you find your niche, sell the right products and services and leverage proper optimization tips.
Can Amazon FBA make you rich?
Not really. Fulfillment by Amazon (Amazon FBA) is an excellent way to make money, but it isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme.
It requires your effort, time, and commitment to scale your Amazon FBA enterprise.
Q. Is selling on Amazon worth it?
Yes, selling on Amazon is worth it if you adhere to the rules and strategies outlined by Amazon.
You should also find the right product and services to sell and become an authority in a given niche.
Time to make money on Amazon!
Amazon keeps churning out innovations to help increase profits for people wondering how to make money on Amazon.
The platform presents opportunities for steady jobs, side hustles, and excellent careers.
You could explore options such as Amazon FBA, Kindle Publishing, dropshipping, Amazon Affiliate programs, etc.
Whatever your options may be, know that the opportunities on Amazon are limitless for you!
