Topic Wiki

    Selling On Amazon
    When signing up for an account there are two options. If you're just starting out, get the Individual Plan, you can upgrade the account whenever you want.

    Individual Selling PlanProfessional Selling Plan
    $0.99 fee for each item sold. If you sell 40+ items/month, you will need the Professional plan.  Flat fee of $39.99/month and more powerful and flexible tools to manage inventory, reports, feeds and access to web services.

    Amazon is an amazing platform that offers great opportunities for starting a business and making money. However when starting out, take it slow.
    There is much to learn and get used to. Before investing all your savings on a product you hope will quickly turn a profit take the time to familiarize yourself with the system.
    Perhaps start out with a smaller investment just to get your feet wet. Go through the basic guidelines offered by Amazon here.

    Below are tips, clarifications and insights from members of this forum. Feel free to pitch in or ask you questions.

    Some factors to consider before investing in a product to sell:

    1) Price: How much did the item cost you? Have you taken into account shipping costs (both to you and to the customer)? Will you have to pay taxes? Amazon keeps a percentage of every sale (including shipping fees). It’s 15% for most product categories besides a few like electronics that are 8%. You can see the full schedule of fees here. There are several online tools to help you price your products including an FBA Revenue Calculator here and an Amazon built iOS app. A quick way to figure out how much you’d need to charge just to break even after amazon fees is to take the total product cost and then multiply it by 1.1766 (for 15% fees) or 1.087 (for 8% fees).

    2) Velocity:  How fast will the item sell? It's nice to find a product for $10 that you can flip for $100.  But if you’ll only sell 1 a year, it won’t be a very good investment. The best way to determine the velocity of an item is to check the sales rank. Sales rank indicates the popularity of a product compared to other products in its category. The lower the ranking the more popular it is. The iOS app has sales rank baked in too. To get a proper feel for the turnaround time of an item, you'll need to dip your toes in slowly. Note: An item may have a great sales rank due to a recent sale, make sure to check price history on camelcamelcamel.com or keepa.com to get a better picture of the real price and rank of an item.

    3) Return Rate: Even after you sold a few laptops and tablets profitably, you'll have to take into account that a buyer may want to return the item. Certain items have higher rates of return, so make sure to take that into account when deciding whether it's profitable/worth your effort to sell the item.


    Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA):
    The seller sends the items to Amazon warehouse. Amazon takes care of fulfilling the order, and customer service related to the order.

    Pro's Of FBA
    Con's Of FBA
    • Easier to get in the Buy Box
    • You're able to offer Prime shipping
    • For anything above $300, Amazon only charges the standard referral fee. This actually makes FBA cheaper when you take the discounted shipping to Amazon into account.
    • If you have a large or heavy item, shipping the item to the customer can be expensive especially if it is going to a residential address. If you send that item to amazon FBA charges will be much lower than your shipping would have cost. (Including shipping it to FBA)

    • Returns (See this post for a more detailed explanation)
      • Returns are accepted without any restocking fee.
      • Items that are Damaged/missing parts are taken back.
      • Since Amazons is super lax on returns, your return rate will be significantly higher.
      • Refunds may harm your cash flow. When a buyer selects "Return" on his order history, often Amazon will immediately issue him a refund, and debit your account.
    • If the item is not a fast selling item, it will sit in their warehouse. Amazon charges a fee for every 30 Days an item remains their warehouse, it is usually a tiny fee, but it adds up.


    Q: How can I move inventory from one ASIN to another ASIN without having them returned on FBA listings?
    A:
    Before I Teach you guys the method you must keep 2 things in mind:
    1) This Method isn't guaranteed! As we all know how seller support is operating, Since this processes involves them its only about %95 accurate but its still a YMMV!
    2) This is kind of grey whether its in violation of Amazon's policy so i do not take responsibility if you get hit!
    Its a 4 step process make sure to follow them properly! Follow this link

    Q: If I have 3 items to send into FBA and they are splitting me to 3 different locations. Can I ship all 3 items to one location?
    A:
    Yes, you can choose "Inventory Placement Service" in FBA settings to send all your inventory to one nearby warehouse. Amazon charges an additional fee ($.30, CMIIW) per item.
    Note: That even once your inventory reaches Amazon, if Amazon is moving it to a different warehouse, the item will be "back-ordered"

    Q: I'm having a hard time finding a box for a large product, can I just ship with the box the way it came from the store?
    A:
    There might not be a clear cut answer for every scenario. But, some have sold many large printers through FBA, by just putting the shipping label directly on the box and not having an issue.

    Q: What is considered case pack when sending in items to Amazon FBA?
    A:
    Case pack is when all the items in the box are from the same ASIN.

    Q: I'm doing FBA shipping for the first time. and it says "prep required". What does that mean?
    A:
    Prep Required means there is some preparation for the products that will need to be done before it could be added the the Amazon inventory. Typically, it is either labeling the items, taping the boxes shut, or poly bagging. If you do not prepare the items yourself, Amazon can/will do it for a charge.
    Q: What is the buy box? How do I win the buy box?
    A:
    The Buy Box is the box on a product detail page where customers can begin the purchasing process by adding items to their shopping carts.
    To give customers the best possible shopping experience, Sellers must meet performance-based requirements to be eligible to compete for Buy Box placement. All Buy Box eligible offers are then further evaluated to determine the Buy Box winning offer. One "New" and one "Used" condition offer, as applicable, will receive Buy Box placement.

    Q: What is an A-Z claim?
    A:
    When you buy from third-party sellers on Amazon.com, the condition of the item and its timely delivery are guaranteed under the A-to-z Guarantee.
    Therefore, a buyer may open a claim if the above is not met to his expectations.

    Q: I have an item that is handmade how do I go about selling it on?
    A:
    Create your own listing and buy a UPC code.

    Q: Any advice on packaging and shipping?
    Check the Shipping Master Thread

    Q: Why are some items on Amazon missing the Amazon sales rank number?
    A:
    Go to add a product > sell yours  it should be in the top right corner. If it's not there usually it means no one bought yet.

    Q: How do you compare Ebay/paypal fees to Amazon fees?
    A:
    Depends on the category. For a lot of categories,Please Update Categories it may be cheaper, as with Amazon there is just one fee, but for eBay sales there also is a Paypal fee.

    Does the Amazon sales rank mean a lot when researching a product to sell?
    A:
    Yes





    Q: How do I get customers to leave feedback (I tried emails)? I sold multiple items
    recently and no feedback yet
    Please Update

    Q: I Got an email from a buyer where's my stuff? I have a Fedex/UPS delivery confirmation signature. How should I go about this?
    A:
    Firstly, tell the buyer that UPS/Fedex shows that it was signed for, and they should check if the item was delivered to a neighbor, from desk of building ect... Next open an investigation from your end with UPS/Fedex to have them do research and contact their driver of what may have happened to this item. It all depends on how co-operative the buyer is, on exactly how to precede. If they are trying to scam you, then there is not much as a seller you could do. They may open an A-Z claim (you would have to weigh your options if it is worth having a claim) Amazon may or may not grant it in your favor. I have never had this with Amazon. Such a claim is not typical.
    What is more common is if there was no signature, and tracking shows it was delivered, and the buyer is claiming they have not received it.
    For myself - Fedex has reimbursed me multiple times with such instances

    Scams
    Q: I posted an expensive item on Amazon. Somebody sent me a message, asking to clarify the condition of the item is (it was clearly stated in the description), along with a request to reply to his own email, and he'll pay through PayPal. Is there anything this buyer can so to screw me over, after I send him the item? Anything else I should know?

    A: SCAM SCAM SCAM. There is NO reason you should EVER do this. There is a reason why Amazon has this policy. This is how the scams works.
    The guy sends a FAKE email from an email account such as paypal1@realpaypal.com. In reality no money was sent to your account and its bogus. The scammers are hoping that you will think that you got the money and will send the item.
    You should report it to paypal each time. beware! always check your paypal account if the money came.
    Another reason not do this-you will get kicked off amazon for good,sometimes competitors set this up.[/list]



    Commonly used resources

    A List of lots of links to resources commonly used in Amazon selling
    http://www.asgtg.com/amazon-services/


    « Last edited by mgarfin on January 02, 2018, 09:07:51 PM »

    Author Topic: Selling on Amazon Master Thread  (Read 975411 times)

    Online mochjas

    • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
    • *********
    • Join Date: Oct 2015
    • Posts: 9699
    • Total likes: 1069
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 123
      • View Profile
    • Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium Elite, AA EX PLAT, Jetblue Mosaic, Qatar Gold, United Silver
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3760 on: October 08, 2018, 04:55:29 PM »
    You should take the best course available by Ben cummings, it teaches you how to sell on Amazon step by step, down to the last detail! with all his fantastic methods...

    Ben cummings Amazon course

    definitely worth every penny!
    Is it possible to split this?

    Offline Amcha yisroel

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Dec 2016
    • Posts: 353
    • Total likes: 13
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    • Location: Brooklyn
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3761 on: October 08, 2018, 04:56:51 PM »

    Offline Amcha yisroel

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Dec 2016
    • Posts: 353
    • Total likes: 13
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    • Location: Brooklyn
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3762 on: October 08, 2018, 04:58:55 PM »
    Is it possible to split this?

    he officially says he's checking IP's and will ban any suspicious accounts... but I guess at your own risk...

    Offline Bukboy

    • Dansdeals Gold Elite
    • ***
    • Join Date: Mar 2016
    • Posts: 241
    • Total likes: 17
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3763 on: October 08, 2018, 09:22:52 PM »
    Looking For someone to teach me the ins and outs of amazon someone who’s doing well willing to pay top top dollar for the right individual.
    Check out as well Jungle Scout's million dollar case study.
    IIRC its 22 sessions and i think Greg is doing a pretty decent job with breaking everything down.

    Offline mendyt

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
    • *****
    • Join Date: Feb 2014
    • Posts: 628
    • Total likes: 81
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3764 on: October 08, 2018, 10:13:25 PM »
    Check out as well Jungle Scout's million dollar case study.
    IIRC its 22 sessions and i think Greg is doing a pretty decent job with breaking everything down.
    They have a new season going on now

    Offline Amcha yisroel

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Dec 2016
    • Posts: 353
    • Total likes: 13
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    • Location: Brooklyn
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3765 on: October 08, 2018, 11:03:28 PM »
    Check out as well Jungle Scout's million dollar case study.
    IIRC its 22 sessions and I think Greg is doing a pretty decent job with breaking everything down.

    My personal opinion is that Ben Cummings course way better...!!!

    You'll only understand after you see it...
    « Last Edit: October 09, 2018, 12:13:57 AM by Amcha yisroel »

    Offline Sammyonetwo

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Sep 2017
    • Posts: 273
    • Total likes: 52
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3766 on: October 10, 2018, 09:31:44 PM »
    Thanks for all the info.   I was curious for someone to teach like the tips  tricks they learned from being in the business which courses don’t I do understand none will tell you his exact formula but was looking for a good head start

    And of course I’m ready to pay a lot more then Ben Cummings course

    And for someone who knows Ben Cummings charges 1k and jungle scout is free is it worth to pay the 1k? Thanks
    « Last Edit: October 10, 2018, 09:39:25 PM by Sammyonetwo »

    Online mochjas

    • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
    • *********
    • Join Date: Oct 2015
    • Posts: 9699
    • Total likes: 1069
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 123
      • View Profile
    • Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium Elite, AA EX PLAT, Jetblue Mosaic, Qatar Gold, United Silver
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3767 on: October 11, 2018, 07:23:11 AM »
    This question was answered above

    Offline Sammyonetwo

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Sep 2017
    • Posts: 273
    • Total likes: 52
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3768 on: October 11, 2018, 10:31:12 AM »
    Is it 1k better is the new question for someone who’s know amazon are you getting a 1k of more info then jingle scout

    Offline Bukboy

    • Dansdeals Gold Elite
    • ***
    • Join Date: Mar 2016
    • Posts: 241
    • Total likes: 17
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3769 on: October 11, 2018, 10:57:46 AM »
    Thanks for all the info.   I was curious for someone to teach like the tips  tricks they learned from being in the business which courses don’t I do understand none will tell you his exact formula but was looking for a good head start

    And of course I’m ready to pay a lot more then Ben Cummings course

    And for someone who knows Ben Cummings charges 1k and jungle scout is free is it worth to pay the 1k? Thanks
    I did not take Ben's course, even Greg's (Jungle Scouts) case study i only skimmed through, i do think he did a pretty decent job.
    As someone in this business for a couple of years specifically focusing now on PL, all i can tell you is, (obviously that's only my opinion) its about blood, sweat, and tears, and well lots of prayers. And of course without a good product you're not going anywhere.
    Most of the real good tricks and perks that was used on a daily basis back in the days, at this point is either not allowed or not so effective. Hard work and deep pockets is king now for being successful

    Offline Amcha yisroel

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Dec 2016
    • Posts: 353
    • Total likes: 13
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    • Location: Brooklyn
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3770 on: October 15, 2018, 03:52:34 PM »
    Is it 1k better is the new question for someone who’s know amazon are you getting a 1k of more info then jingle scout
    Thanks for all the info.   I was curious for someone to teach like the tips  tricks they learned from being in the business which courses don’t I do understand none will tell you his exact formula but was looking for a good head start

    And of course, I’m ready to pay a lot more than Ben Cummings course

    And for someone who knows Ben Cummings charges 1k and jungle scout is free is it worth to pay the 1k? Thanks

    1k is 100% refundable, no Questions asked for 30 days,

    You get to see about 3/4 of the course (it's a 6-week course and gets released 1 per week)

    I don't see why not give it a try- or at least take advantage of the free info until week 5... ;)

    Offline Z56

    • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
    • *******
    • Join Date: Dec 2014
    • Posts: 2420
    • Total likes: 100
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
      • View Profile
    • Location: NYC, TLV
    • Programs: SPG Gold, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, National EE, Hertz GP, Avis PP
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3771 on: October 15, 2018, 05:01:41 PM »
    1k is 100% refundable, no Questions asked for 30 days,

    You get to see about 3/4 of the course (it's a 6-week course and gets released 1 per week)

    I don't see why not give it a try- or at least take advantage of the free info until week 5... ;)

    Your so Jewish
    “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work

    Offline Sammyonetwo

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Sep 2017
    • Posts: 273
    • Total likes: 52
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3772 on: October 15, 2018, 08:19:46 PM »
    Your so Jewish

    Jews are smart there nothing illegal against what he suggesting

    Offline Ida

    • DansDeals Copper Elite
    • *
    • Join Date: Oct 2018
    • Posts: 1
    • Total likes: 0
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3773 on: October 16, 2018, 06:37:57 AM »
    I took Ben Cummings course and it is fantastic. Extremely clear and walks you through every step of private labeling. He supplies you with many resources and tried and true techniques that he uses himself. He also supplies you with a perfect method to choose a product with very high chances of success, his negotiation emails to get the best price possible from your supplier,  all shipping and packaging information you need to know,how to build a great listing and much more. He also gives you a great launch plan to get your product to rank right away.

    As amazon changes their rules and regulations, he will constantly update you as a part of the course.

    Besides for all the knowledge and resources he supplies you with, you will also walk away from this course with the confidence that you have all the tools and knowledge you need to succeed!

    Lots of luck!

    Online Yehuda57

    • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
    • ********
    • Join Date: Jan 2014
    • Posts: 4891
    • Total likes: 14679
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
      • View Profile
      • Squilled
    • Location: Brooklyn
    • Programs: Official Dansdeals salad correspondent
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3774 on: October 17, 2018, 09:39:07 PM »
    For beginners looking for a little insight about when to use variations and when not, perhaps this post will be helpful:
    Here is a little primer on variations on Amazon. Most of it might seem obvious or self understood, but perhaps someone will find it useful.

    Offline lifetimedeals

    • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
    • *******
    • Join Date: Nov 2012
    • Posts: 1672
    • Total likes: 15
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    • Location: NY
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3775 on: October 17, 2018, 10:48:58 PM »
    WOW! Ebay Sues Amazon: http://apne.ws/gHadgJH

    Offline RavChik

    • Dansdeals Gold Elite
    • ***
    • Join Date: Jul 2012
    • Posts: 197
    • Total likes: 5
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3776 on: October 18, 2018, 03:10:26 PM »
    WOW! Ebay Sues Amazon: http://apne.ws/gHadgJH

    Ebay treats its sellers very badly lately and I am not surprised they are easily moving to Amazon 

    Offline lifetimedeals

    • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
    • *******
    • Join Date: Nov 2012
    • Posts: 1672
    • Total likes: 15
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    • Location: NY
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3777 on: October 18, 2018, 03:22:32 PM »
    Ebay treats its sellers very badly lately and I am not surprised they are easily moving to Amazon
    In what way? Amazon isn't treating their sellers so nice either.

    Offline RavChik

    • Dansdeals Gold Elite
    • ***
    • Join Date: Jul 2012
    • Posts: 197
    • Total likes: 5
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
      • View Profile
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3778 on: October 18, 2018, 05:11:36 PM »
    In what way? Amazon isn't treating their sellers so nice either.

    Ebay changed its algorithm early this year;  that reduced sale to many Ebay sellers. I believe the new focus of Ebay is to promote Brand items. As a result of that you can see many internet articles from unhappy Ebay sellers. Their stock keep falling this year for the very same reason

    Offline Amcha yisroel

    • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
    • ****
    • Join Date: Dec 2016
    • Posts: 353
    • Total likes: 13
    • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
      • View Profile
    • Location: Brooklyn
    Re: Selling on Amazon Master Thread
    « Reply #3779 on: October 23, 2018, 05:41:47 PM »
    Any recommendations for product photography?