10 Ways You Can Make Money on Amazon

Whether you’re searching for a side hustle or a full-time gig, here’s how to make money on Amazon.

As Amazon has grown, so has the opportunity for everyday folks like me and you to make money through the e-commerce mega-power.

Much of Amazon’s immense success comes from its ability to create and host marketplaces and charging for its platform and services. While millions and millions of people will pay Amazon for products this year, you can instead use Amazon to make money.

No matter your background, resources, or time commitment, Amazon has a money-making proposition for you. To prove that, check out this list for 10 ways how you can make money on Amazon.

1. Start Your Own Private Label Business

Through the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, selling on Amazon remains a tremendous opportunity for those looking for high-upside, sustainable income. You’ve probably purchased plenty of products on Amazon, but did you know you might be buying from an independent seller not much different than yourself? Independent third-party sellers sell over half of the products sold on Amazon.

Private label refers to sellers who manufacture a product to be sold under a retailer’s brand. Third-party sellers are independent sellers who own a product to be sold. Thanks to the seller-friendly Amazon FBA program, starting your own online business has never been easier.

Enrolling in FBA gives you access to Amazon’s seemingly endless warehouse storage space, two-day Amazon Prime shipping service, and customer service team. These features eliminate the most challenging barriers of starting an online business while simultaneously placing your product on a platform with hundreds of millions of built-in customers.

The process for kickstarting an Amazon business is more simple than you’d think!

  • Find a product to source and sell with help from a product research tool like Product Discovery. With access to sales data for product markets and customizable filters, you can efficiently perform data-driven research and dig deep to find a winning product.
  • Once you’ve broken down the numbers and decided upon a product that is right for you, find a manufacturer. Sites like Alibaba specialize in manufacturing products for independent sellers.
  • Sign up for FBA and ship your product to Amazon’s warehouse. Just complete your listing, and you’re ready to start generating sales. Your listing automatically is equipped with the Amazon Prime badge!

While selling on Amazon requires ongoing work in various business aspects, the startup is affordable and straightforward. With literally billions of dollars going to Amazon sellers, the prospect of selling on Amazon provides limitless potential for ongoing success.

2. Resell Goods Through Retail Arbitrage

Want to make money on Amazon without the cost or commitment of FBA? Retail arbitrage might be for you!

Retail arbitrage is the practice of buying an item from one marketplace and reselling it on another at a higher price. Recently, buying sports cards and collectibles at garage sales to resell online at a marked up price increased in popularity.

Because this often includes finding products on other websites (like eBay) or physically purchase products in stores, this option may not make sense for everyone. This makes scalability difficult but allows many to dip their toes into the water without diving in headfirst.

However, if you find a product you can reliably flip for a profit, it’s not much different than finding cash! Retail arbitrage is especially appealing for those who find joy in the hustle and grind.

3. Find A Wholesale Distributor and Sell Products from an Established Brand

Wouldn’t it be nice to skip building your own brand and sell products from name brands? If this sounds intriguing to you, wholesaling might be your route to success!

In a way, wholesale mixes of #1 and #2 on this list.

Wholesaling on Amazon typically involves buying products in bulk from an established company to resell for a profit. The process of finding an excellent wholesale product would be identical to private label until it’s time to purchase.

Once you’ve found a perfect product, you would go directly to the brand instead of sourcing from a manufacturer and slapping your logo on it. Instead, you’d purchase the inventory and ship it to Amazon’s warehouses under the brand name.

For example, Nike stopped shipping directly to Amazon in 2019, yet people still search for Nike gear. Hypothetically, you could research Nike’s wholesale policy and apply to become a wholesaler. If approved, you could sell a globally recognized brand that people are already looking to buy.

Of course, this is dependent upon their approval, your ability to gain the necessary certificates and documentation, and the negotiated prices that impact your profitability.

4. Start Dropshipping on Amazon

Similar to retail arbitrage, dropshipping features even less seller responsibility, although it often requires even more research and lower profit margins.

Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method in which the seller does not keep product in stock. Instead, the seller receives an order and passes it to a third-party supplier who ships and completes the order.

The appeal of dropshipping is apparent, you never touch or store the product, saving you a ton in manufacturing and inventory fees! However, the downside is equally prominent. Most of the money received will end up in the hands of the manufacturer, making it difficult to turn a profit.

For many dropshippers, it requires a high volume of sales for it to be worth the time and effort. Although it requires less

While there are plenty of pros and cons, dropshipping can be a winning method to making money on Amazon, or a way to give selling on Amazon without the long-term responsibility and fees of FBA.

5. Author Your Amazon Success Story with Kindle Direct Publishing

Amazon famously began as an online bookstore. Since then, it’s continued to look for ways to revolutionize bookstores.

Kindle Direct Publishing generates recurring income for authors.

In late 2007, Amazon launched the initial Kindle. While most of the emphasis centered around the way we read, Amazon also looked to revolutionize book publishing with the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform. KDP allows authors to publish their books directly to the Kindle Store independently.

Passionate writers no longer need to rely upon lengthy, expensive publishing companies for their words to reach the masses.

If you’re willing to give Amazon exclusivity to your e-book, you can earn even more money through KDP Select. Utilizing KDP Select makes your e-book “free” for anyone with Kindle Unlimited. Authors get paid per page read, which can be incredibly rewarding and makes it possible to earn money in perpetuity for your writing skills.

Now that I mention it, maybe this article would look better in an e-book…

6. Show Off Your Design Skills with Merch by Amazon

Merch by Amazon extends a golden opportunity to those with a passion for graphic design. And the best part? Selling on Merch by Amazon features zero upfront fees, making it completely risk-free!

To be a Merch designer, you must first submit an application stating your information and goals. Then, upload your artwork and click submit. Amazon takes care of the rest, placing your art on merchandise like shirts, phone cases, tote bags, and throw pillows. As orders come in for your artwork, you earn royalties for each item purchased with your design.

For designers selling goods, the issue of ordering the optimal amount of a product often presents problems. Make too many of an item, and your profits take a significant cut from excess inventory. Make too little and miss out on potential sales.

Merch by Amazon alleviates creators of any inventory concerns or other selling responsibilities, allowing designers to do what they do best.

7. Flex Your Marketing Muscle With Amazon Associates

Ask any seller on Amazon; visibility is the name of the game. With millions of product listings in the marketplace, sellers need to position their products for maximum visibility.

Enter Amazon Associates – an affiliate marketing program created to help influencers of all backgrounds monetize their audience.

Have you ever read something on the internet with a message like this?

Via GQ

Affiliate commissions are rapidly surging in popularity, from social media influencers to major publications to popular Facebook groups or other internet forums. And for a good reason.

Affiliate marketing commissions create continuous, recurring revenue. A written article, social media post, or video that drives continuously drives traffic can create a constant stream of passive income.

8. Monetize Your Large Following within the Amazon Influencer Platform

An extension of the Amazon Associates program, the Amazon Influencer Platform fits the specific needs of influencers.

How an Amazon Influencer storefront looks to viewers

To be accepted into the influencer program, Amazon requires a larger following than the Affiliates. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t state the magic number of followers for acceptance into the program.

But if you have a sizable following up to the program’s standards, it can be incredibly rewarding with little work!

However, being an Influencer gives you access not just to purchasable links but to an entire storefront. Add your storefront to your bio or high-visibility sections of your social media profile of choice and gain commissions as followers purchase from your curated list of favorites.

Just keep generating click-worthy content, build your following, and watch as your commissions pile up!

9. Be A Part of Amazon’s Revolutionary Fulfillment Process

In 2005, Amazon debuted Amazon Prime, its membership program boasting free two-day shipping, among other perks. As of January 2020, more than 150 million people are Prime members.

Fulfilling orders so quickly requires a massive team of workers.

To fulfill the massive amount of orders, Amazon needs plenty of laborers in its warehouses and delivery network.

Amazon employs more than a million people, many of whom work in logistics at one of the company’s many warehouses. In the wake of COVID-19, Amazon added over 150,000 employees to handle the booming workload.

In late 2018, Amazon announced it raised the minimum wage for U.S. employees to $15 an hour, more than double the country’s minimum wage. For full-time workers, that comes out to $31,200 before taxes!

Unlike most retail businesses that open and close daily, Amazon is open 24/7, allowing for flexible scheduling for warehouse workers and delivery drivers. Whether looking for full-time or part-time work during the day or night, there’s a shift for you at Amazon.

While most of the other jobs are a little more unconventional, being a part of Amazon’s logistics team provides a safe, traditional way to earn money for your time.

10. Craft A Worldwide Business with Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade allows artisans to scale their business internationally. Amazon boasts creators from over 80 countries through Amazon Handmade.

In eight categories (Jewelry, Home Décor, Kitchen & Dining, Beauty & Grooming, Handbags & Totes, Stationery & Party Supplies, Clothing & Accessories, and Toys & Games), craftspersons can easily take their local business global.

Amazon Handmade presents another option for artisans, in addition to platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Shopify stores, and Etsy shops. By adding Amazon Handmade to the mix, handcrafted items reach a larger audience than ever before. For business owners selling do-it-yourself crafts, maintaining a presence on these platforms can pay off exponentially.

Conclusion

As the leader in e-commerce, Amazon presents plenty of excellent ways for people of all walks of life to make money. Of course, there are more than 10 ways to make money Amazon, and likely, even more will spawn as Amazon continues its explosive growth.

Thanks to Amazon’s massive, far-reaching marketplace, anyone can get involved and find a way to make money on Amazon.

At Viral Launch, we’re constantly amazed at the diverse backgrounds and stories behind those utilizing Amazon in the pursuit of financial freedom. For instance, we’ve witnessed college students pay for school via dropshipping and grandparents starting an online business with hopes to pass it down for generations.

No matter who you are, Amazon offers a way for you to make money online!

Have any questions or experience making money on Amazon! Feel free to leave a comment and join the conversation!

Setting Up an LLC: A 3-Step Guide to Forming Your Own Business

If you’re looking to start selling on Amazon, setting up an LLC is a great place to start. Creating your own LLC will help you to establish your own private label brand. This is highly popular for people looking for a side hustle or larger opportunity to help make money from home.

What is an LLC?

LLC stands for Limited Liability Company. It is a legal entity that separates and protects your personal assets if your business is sued (fingers crossed that doesn’t happen!).

While the concept of forming your own company might seem daunting, creating your own LLC does not have to be scary or overwhelming.

Here are the 3 main steps to setting up an LLC:

  1. Pick a state
  2. Pick a name
  3. File the paperwork

Let’s dig in deeper so you’re ready to go!

1. Pick a State

Where should you form your LLC?

The first step in setting up an LLC is picking a state. There is such a thing as “hype states” however, so take caution here. Every state has its own set of rules and requirements regarding LLCs, so make sure you choose the right one for you. States like Delaware and Nevada are often hyped up as great places to form LLCs, but unless you are a resident of those states, they will only increase your costs and double your paperwork.

So which state is the best state to organize your LLC in?

The short answer: the state you live in is the best state!

The long answer: when deciding on which state to register your LLC in, there are two questions you should consider.

  • Where do you live?
  • Will your business have a physical presence outside of the primary location?

Keep in mind that LLC regulations vary per state. Make sure you double check your state’s laws, regulations, and fees before you start the process. You can find all that information at its Secretary of State’s Office or online with a quick Google search.

If you’re using a website to find that information, make sure the url ends in “.gov” or the state’s abbreviation. This ensures the information you will be receiving is accurate and up to date on your state’s LLC best practices, rules, and regulations.

Where do you live?

What is your physical address? Where does your mail get delivered to? Wherever it is, that is the state and location where you should form your LLC. Why?

Well, there are a lot of reasons, but the short answer is it saves on fees and paperwork.

What if you want to form it someplace else?

If you want to form an LLC that is outside of the state you live in, you most definitely can. What you would need to file for is a Foreign LLC. If you choose to go this route, make sure you have a full understanding of what it means to form a Foreign LLC. When you form an LLC in the state you live in, you are forming a Domestic LLC. If you form an LLC in a state you do not live in, you are forming a Domestic LLC and a Foreign LLC.

For example, if you live in Indiana but want to do business in Wisconsin, you would file for a Domestic LLC in Indiana. Once your Domestic LLC is filed and certified by the state of Indiana, you would then move forward with filing a Foreign LLC in Wisconsin.


While forming a Foreign LLC has its own benefits, it will have a higher price tag and require more paperwork.

Forming a Foreign LLC essentially means you have 2 LLCs, one in your home state (domestic) and one in a different state (foreign). This leads to you doubling what you would have to do if you were only establishing a Domestic LLC.

With a Foreign LLC, you would have:

  • 2 LLCs (Domestic and Foreign State)
  • 2 state filing fees
  • 2 annual report fees
  • 2 registered agents (one in each state)

As you can see, setting up a Domestic LLC in your home state is the most cost-effective way to go!

What if your LLC will have a business presence outside of the primary state? 

A business presence could be a storefront, office, or even a sales representative. If you have any of these outside of your primary state, filing for a Foreign LLC is a must! While it involves extra costs and paperwork, it is a small price to pay to make sure your LLC is legal in all states.

Other reasons for forming a Foreign LLC include:

  • Having a business bank account in another state
  • Selling in a state through an agent, distributor, or manufacturer
  • You transact or hold business in that state

What if it is all online?

As for a business that is 100% online, like many third-party Amazon sellers are, the answer is still a Domestic LLC. This is because the majority of online businesses are run from people’s homes. Even if you travel while working, you should register your LLC in the state you have the biggest connection to.

To determine which state that is, ask yourself the following:

  • Where is your primary address?
  • What state do you file taxes in?
  • What state are you a resident of?

The answer to those questions will lead you to the best state to file in. Once you have determined what state you will be filing in, the next step in setting up an LLC is finding a legal name!

2. Pick a Name

What should you name your LLC?

A good LLC name is valuable because it helps customers remember and distinguish you from other competitors.

When it comes down to it though, deciding on your LLC name is more than just picking something that sounds cool. Yes, you want something that is unique which your customer base will remember, but you want to make sure you do it right.

Is it legal?

The official name that appears on file with the state is your LLC’s legal name. This is a crucial asset to your LLC so make sure your name is legal.

  1. It cannot include state-prohibited words such as Bank, City, or Insurance.
  2. It must include Limited Liability Company or an acceptable abbreviation (LLC, L.L.C., Ltd. Liability Co.) at the end.
  3. The legal name cannot be the same as an LLC that already exists on file.

Each state has its own list of prohibited words. These are in place so your LLC will not get confused with official government agencies, offices, or businesses. There are also words that are restricted, pending state approval. These might include words such as Bank, Insurance, or Hospital. You can file to have approval to use those words, but it will cost a small fee and will lengthen how long it will take to fully register your LLC.

Is it available?

To find out if the name you want is available, you can do a name check. Your state’s LLC office will be able to tell you if your proposed name is available or not. Websites like LegalZoom also offer services including checking LLC name availability. If it is, great! You can move forward with filing. If not, it’s unfortunately back to the drawing board.

Source: LegalZoom

If your name is available but you are not quite ready to file, one thing you can do is reserve your LLC name. Most states will allow you to reserve an LLC name for a short period of time for a fee.

The final step to take in setting up an LLC might seem like the least fun, but will actually take you the least amount of time.

3. File the Paperwork

What paperwork is the right paperwork?

After deciding on your state and LLC name, next comes the paperwork. And let’s be real, paperwork is not fun. It can be time consuming and confusing. Thankfully, the paperwork for registering an LLC is actually very user friendly! On average, it will only take you a half hour to an hour to complete it.

What you will be filing is known as Articles of Organization and an LLC Operating Agreement.

Articles of Organization

Articles of Organization is a formal legal document that needs to be filed to establish a limited liability company at the state level.

Forming and filing this paperwork should take less than an hour. You can either do it yourself or consult an experienced attorney. Most states’ Secretary of State websites contain pre-printed forms for you to use so you can just fill in the blanks. Companies that specialize in helping people file for LLCs also offer free Article of Organization forms that are user friendly. So if you want to do it yourself, you are certainly able to. Plus you’d be saving on attorney fees!

Just do a quick online search to find the one that best fits your LLC. Wonder. Legal offers a great online template that allows you to select the state you want to form your LLC in and updates the template accordingly.

 

Source: Wonder.Legal

 

Having trouble finding Articles of Organization in your state? Try searching for a Certificate of Organization or Certificate of Formation. Same thing, just different names.

Here’s what information is included:

  • Name of the LLC
  • Address of the LLC (principal place of business)
  • Type of Legal Structure (i.e. a Limited Liability Company)
  • Purpose of the LLC’s business (use broad language to avoid limiting future prospects)
  • Name and address of the registered agent
  • Name(s) of manager(s) and members of the LLC (if known at the time of filing)
  • Effective Date
  • Duration

Registered Agent

Every business that is registered with a state as a legal entity must have a registered agent. Also called a statutory agent or agent of process, a registered agent is the person who will accept federal and state legal documents and service of process.

Be careful about companies telling you to hire them as your registered agent. Some trick people into thinking they need an experienced company, but that just results in more money out of your pocket.

Anyone can be a registered agent! You, a friend, a family member, etc. As long as they have a business address in the state your LLC is located and are available during business hours, they can be your registered agent.

Once all of that information is gathered, all that’s left to do is sign and file. When filing, you also need to take into account the cost of filing fees.

Filing Fees

Make sure you check filing fees in your state. Articles of Organization can be filed with your state’s Secretary of State office or a similar state agency that can handle business registration. All states require payment of a corresponding filing fee. The amount varies depending upon the state of organization. While most states have modest fees averaging $50, other states such as Tennessee charge $300.

LLC Operating Agreement

An LLC Operating Agreement is rarely required to be filed by state law, but it is essential that one is still created. LLC Operating Agreements set rules of ownership and operation of business. It allows you to structure the financial and working relationships in a way that best suits your business. This can be for a single-member LLC or a multi-member LLC.

The operating agreement helps guard your limited liability status and ensures your business is governed by your rules.

Here are the main things typically included in LLC Operating Agreements:

  • Percentage interests of member(s)
  • Rights and responsibilities of member(s)
  • Voting powers
  • How profits and losses will be allocated
  • How the LLC will be managed
  • Meeting and voting procedures
  • What to do if a member wants to sell their interest dies, or becomes disabled

Many companies have created templates for LLC Operating Agreements so you do not need to start from scratch. The Northwest Registered Agent offers an amazing free LLC Operating Agreement pdf and/or Word download.

Next Steps for Setting Up an LLC

You’ve completed the 3 main steps to setting up your own LLC. Congratulations! So what comes next?

Publish a Notice (if required by state)

Depending on your state, there may be an additional step. A few states require you to publish a notice in a local newspaper. It is a simple notice that states you are forming an LLC. It must be published several times over a period of weeks and an “affidavit of publication” is then submitted to your LLC filing office. If you are having trouble with that, your local newspaper should be able to help you out.

Licenses and Permits

After filing, be sure to secure all licenses and permits before you open your doors. Not all businesses are the same, so what you need will vary depending on the purpose of your LLC.

Here are the most common licenses and permits you may need:

  • Business license (tax registration certificate)
  • Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN, Employer ID Number, Federal Tax Number, etc.)
  • Seller’s permit
  • Zoning permit

Annual LLC Fees

In addition to the one-time filing fee to form your LLC, each state requires an annual fee. The annual fee is called the Annual Report in the majority of states but can also go by these names:

  • Annual Certificate
  • Annual List of Members
  • Annual Registration Fee
  • Biennial Report
  • Biennial Statement
  • Business Privilege Tax Return
  • Decennial Report
  • Franchise Tax Report
  • Periodic Report

The average annual fee in the United States is $100. There is no way around this. You must pay this fee to keep your LLC in compliance and in good standing regardless of income or LLC activity. If you do not pay it, your LLC will be dissolved.

Did you know that Viral Launch Started as an LLC?

Casey Gauss was a fresh college dropout and coding with socks on his hands to stay warm when he co-founded Viral Launch as an LLC in 2014. It is now 2018 and that LLC has transformed into a tech company that has over 50 employees. Driven by the desire to help other people launch their own online businesses, Viral Launch continues to grow as an 8-figure corporation.

If Casey was able to do it, why not you?

Viral Launch is Here for You

As always, Viral Launch is here to help you in your Amazon journey. For more tips on Amazon advertising and selling strategies, we encourage you to subscribe to our blog, check out our Youtube channel, and listen to our Follow the Data podcast.

How to Make Money from Home Selling on Amazon

Nowadays it’s exceedingly common to have a side hustle. You might drive for Uber or walk the neighborhood dogs with Wag. But what if you want to learn how to make money from home without ever leaving home? And what if you want to turn that side hustle into a full-time gig?

There are plenty of opportunities to make money online: becoming a blogger, taking surveys and freelancing are all viable options. But as online shopping continues to boom in popularity, why not take advantage of a huge customer base (310 million active customers and counting!) and start selling on Amazon?

How to Make Money Online: Become a Successful Amazon Seller

As one of the largest e-commerce sites in the world, Amazon is ripe with money-making opportunities for the average person, let alone an experienced entrepreneur.

A quick internet search will show you tons of success stories from past and present Amazon sellers as well as ample selling advice. Many make it seem all-too easy, but don’t be fooled and jump in blindly – you could be making a seriously expensive mistake. Running a business takes work, even if you’re the sole employee and currently setting up shop from your couch.

So before you get into the selling game, take the time to examine your opportunities. Decide what you want to sell and how you want to do so. Consider this post as Step 1 in your market research. Let’s get started and look at some of the excellent options available to you!

Sell Items from Around Your Own Home

When you’re deciding how to make money from home, have you considered what’s around your home? Turn your old clutter into cash! Stop hassling with garage sales and start selling online with Amazon instead. Many Amazon sellers find that selling their used goods, mainly books, CDs and movies, is a great way to make extra money from things they no longer want or need. 

This method is probably best completed through Amazon’s FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) program. You won’t have to worry about any of the logistics of sending products to customers. Instead, you’ll send the items you want to sell to one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers and they’ll handle everything from there. Sounds pretty good, right?

When you’re deciding which items to part with, here are some good guidelines to follow:

  • Steer clear of products that typically don’t have a high selling price. Any items that would sell for less than $4 won’t have a high enough margin to cover your costs.
  • Try to find items that will have a higher selling price, like any collector’s items or special edition books, old toys, antiques, etc.

This will require some research. Amazon is helpful in that once you get your account up and going and add items to your inventory, it’ll give you an estimate on potential revenue. From here, you’ll have a much better idea of the feasibility of selling these products.

Amazon Refurbished: Another Excellent Option

If you have the ability to sell used or refurbished items on a large scale, the Amazon Renewed program can also be a good way in how to make money from home. This venture is better suited for people who already have some Amazon experience as there is an application process. You also have to meet certain requirements in order to be admitted into the program.

Before your application is approved, you must be able to provide proof of sales volume and meet quality standards. Once you do so, you’re able to sell items as “Certified Refurbished.” One of the many benefits of this program is that you’ll face less competition since it’s so selective.

If you’ve already established a relationship with a manufacturer, you may be able to expand your product line to include open-box, refurbished items. And just like with sourcing any other product, you need to do your market research to find the right product, i.e. something with high demand and low competition.

Sell Branded Merchandise with Amazon Merch

If you have design experience, this one’s a no-brainer. But the great thing about Merch by Amazon is that you don’t have to be an established artist – aspiring designers can find success here, too.

With Merch by Amazon, sellers upload a design, select a product, style and color, and add a product description. Amazon will generate a listing for you, and your branded merchandise will soon become available to Amazon’s ginormous customer base.

Compared to other selling methods, Amazon Merch requires far less planning and attention. Once your design is submitted and approved, Amazon handles the production, shipping and customer service of the merchandise. Products are only printed after a sale, so you won’t have to manage inventory or worry about unsold items.

Source: Amazon

Other benefits of Merch by Amazon are:

  • All products are Prime eligible.
  • There’s no upfront costs: Amazon charges the customer when an item is sold and takes out production costs and fees from the sales price, leaving you with the remainder as a royalty payment.
  • Merch by Amazon is non-exclusive, meaning you retain the rights to your design so you can sell merchandise on other sites with the same design.
  • New items are being added as time goes on – it’s not just t-shirts anymore; as you progress in your merch business, you’ll be able to offer a larger number of designs and add designs to different types of products, like sweatshirts and PopSockets.

Regardless of the product, all designs submitted to the MBA program must adhere to Amazon’s Content Policy guidelines.

The downfall is, due to the immense interest in the program at this time, interested sellers must submit an application detailing their background and experience in order to be considered.

Shop Around with Retail Arbitrage

This method of selling is similar to what we just discussed but can be done on a much larger scale if you devote the proper time and energy. Instead of selling items that you already have at home, retail arbitrage involves buying marked down products at retail stores (or even on other online retailers) and then reselling them for full price on Amazon.

This is a relatively easy way to make some extra cash, and some people even turn this venture into pretty lucrative businesses. The catch is that you always have to be on the lookout for new items to sell.

How do You Find Products to Sell?

One way to obtain inventory is to check with retailers, both brick and mortar stores and online. Many retailers will mark down products when they have a surplus of stock and not enough shelf space to store them.

A number of different scanning apps are available to help you identify good deals and profitable products. After you scan the item’s barcode, the app will estimate your anticipated profit. You’ll get tons of useful info without having to make a single purchase!

One of the more popular scanning apps is the Amazon Seller App. This is offered for free to those who purchase a Professional Seller Account on Amazon. Many other apps require a monthly subscription for pretty hefty prices.

On a personal note, AJ, Viral Launch’s Manager of Customer Experience, recently started his own retail arbitrage venture. He’s currently making around $300 for just a couple hours’ worth of work! Check out the video below to see how he does it and hear more from Viral Launch CEO Casey Gauss. 

Start a Private Label Business

If you’re interested in selling long-term, the private label market is where you want to be. Unlike retail arbitrage, private label doesn’t depend on your ability to go out and continuously find products to sell. Instead, you source a product from a manufacturer, package it with a unique business logo, and send it to customers either by yourself or through FBA.

This isn’t to say that the private label business is a walk in the park. It does require a large initial investment and much more research. You’ll also need good communication skills and a thorough understanding of how Amazon works. But once you get the hang of it, a private label Amazon business can turn into a major money maker and full-time career.

We recommend using a product research tool to help you identify high-opportunity markets. Look for those with high demand but with low competition. And remember, we’ve got plenty more tips for sourcing a successful Amazon product!

Start Making Money!

While it will take some hard work, especially initially, making money from home is definitely possible. Just remember, success never comes without some commitment on your part. Think about your goals and which Amazon selling method aligns best with them. Then take these ideas on how to make money from home and start your business!

If you know you’re ready to take the plunge and start selling on Amazon, Viral Launch is here to help. Speak with one of our experienced Amazon coaches or sign up for our creative services to start your journey on the right foot. We’re here to help you succeed!

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