How to Sell on Amazon & Supercharge Your Online Store

eCommerce is booming -- but if you want to start your own online store, you might be undecided as to whether you should sell on Amazon, on your own platform, or elsewhere.

We asked the best Amazon experts what they think of Amazon in 2024. Is it a reliable platform? How to sell on Amazon (and build a profitable business out of this?)

Here's what we found out.

Why is Amazon a good place for sellers? 

There are more than 9.7 million sellers on Amazon. Around 1.9 million of these are actively selling on Amazon -- but the very fact that there are so many means Amazon makes a very promising place for sellers. And there are very good reasons for it:

Massive market base

Amazon provides sellers with access to a vast customer base, increasing the potential for higher sales volumes. The platform's extensive logistical network also ensures efficient delivery and customer satisfaction, making it an attractive option for sellers.

Logistics outsourcing

By outsourcing logistics to Amazon, sellers can leverage Amazon’s state-of-the-art fulfillment centers and shipping services, reducing the burden of inventory management and order fulfillment. This allows sellers to focus more on marketing and product development, ultimately driving business growth.

Good advertising options

Amazon provides a variety of effective advertising options, such as Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands, which help increase product visibility and drive sales. These advertising tools are designed to target relevant customer segments, ensuring that ads are shown to users who are most likely to be interested in the products.

The Amazon’s New Seller Guide

Amazon’s New Seller Guide offers comprehensive instructions and tips for new sellers to successfully navigate the platform. It covers essential topics from setting up an account to optimizing product listings, making it an invaluable resource for anyone starting their selling journey on Amazon.

The Amazon Brand Registry

The Amazon Brand Registry helps sellers protect their brand and intellectual property on the platform by providing access to powerful tools such as proactive brand protection and improved Amazon search capabilities. This ensures that sellers can maintain control over their brand’s reputation and reduce the impact of counterfeit products.

How to build an online store for your brand

If you're brand new with selling on Amazon, it may seem overwhelming to start building your own online store. But with the right tools and strategies, creating a successful online store for your brand can be simple and straightforward.

Getting started is easy:

Run market research

Start by conducting thorough market research to understand your target audience, identify trends, and analyze competitors. This information will help you make informed decisions about your product offerings and marketing strategies.

Create a Seller Account & choose a selling plan

Once you've completed your market research, create a Seller Account on Amazon and choose a selling plan that fits your business needs. This step will officially register you as a seller and give you access to the tools you need to start listing and selling your products.

Enroll your brand 

Enrolling your brand in Amazon's Brand Registry provides enhanced protection for your intellectual property and increased control over your product listings. This step can help safeguard your brand and improve customer trust and satisfaction.

List and price your products 

Listing and pricing your products correctly is crucial for attracting customers and driving sales. Make sure to optimize your product listings with high-quality images, accurate descriptions, and competitive pricing.

When you list your products, you will have to enter information regarding:

The product identifier 

The product identifier is a unique code, such as a UPC, EAN, or ISBN, that distinguishes your product in the marketplace and is required for creating a product listing on Amazon.

Stock keeping unit

The stock keeping unit (SKU) is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to each product, used for tracking inventory and managing product details on Amazon.

Price, product condition, available quantity

Accurate pricing, indicating the product condition, and specifying the available quantity are essential steps for ensuring your products are listed properly and attract potential customers.

Product name, category, brand, description, images 

Properly listing and pricing your products on Amazon involves providing accurate product identifiers, SKUs, prices, conditions, quantities, and detailed descriptions to attract and inform potential customers.

Keywords and search terms 

Using relevant keywords and search terms in your product listings is essential for improving visibility and attracting the right audience on Amazon.

Choose your fulfillment method 

Choose your fulfillment method by deciding whether to handle order fulfillment yourself or use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), which can help streamline the process and improve customer satisfaction. Each method has its advantages, so consider your business needs and resources to determine the best fit for your brand.

Promote your products & get reviews 

Promoting your products effectively on Amazon involves leveraging its advertising tools and encouraging customer reviews to boost visibility and credibility. Positive reviews and targeted ads can significantly enhance your product's standing in the marketplace and drive sales.

How to sell on Amazon 

There are two main ways to sell on Amazon (aside from setting up your Amazon Seller Account and listing products):

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

With Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), Amazon handles storage, packaging, and shipping of your products, providing customer service and returns management on your behalf. This allows you to leverage Amazon's vast logistical network and focus more on other aspects of your business.

Ship the products yourself

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) streamlines the selling process by taking care of storage, packaging, shipping, customer service, and returns management for your products. Alternatively, you can choose to ship the products yourself, which gives you more control over your inventory and shipping processes.

Selling strategies you can use on Amazon 

Developing effective selling strategies on Amazon is crucial for maximizing sales and growing your business. In a nutshell, there are four main selling strategies you can use on Amazon:

Retail arbitrage 

Retail arbitrage involves buying products at a lower price from retail stores and reselling them on Amazon for a profit. This strategy requires careful sourcing and pricing to ensure a positive return on investment.

White labeling 

White labeling allows sellers to purchase generic products from manufacturers and rebrand them with their own logo and packaging, creating a unique product without the need for extensive product development. This strategy can be an efficient way to build a brand and increase margins by differentiating the product in the marketplace.

Private labelling 

Private labeling involves working with a manufacturer to produce products that are specifically branded and labeled under your brand's name. This strategy allows you to create unique offerings and have greater control over your brand's identity, pricing, and quality standards.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where the seller does not keep products in stock but instead transfers customer orders and shipment details to the manufacturer or wholesaler, who then ships the products directly to the customers. This strategy eliminates the need for inventory management, allowing sellers to focus on marketing and customer service.

Can you really make money selling on Amazon?

The short answer is yes, you can make good money being an Amazon seller.

That being said, like anything else, it won't be easy. It's easier from many perspectives (because Amazon does a lot of the work for you), but it's still a business that needs to be managed and grown.

The key lies in being focused, down to Earth, following data, and continually improving your Amazon selling strategy.

Need help boosting your Amazon store's revenue? Contact Mayple and hire one of the vetted Amazon freelancers in less than three days.