With more than 2.6 billion monthly website visitors and nearly $717 billion in net sales in 2025, Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace and a direct line to a global audience.
Given its market dominance, understanding how to sell on Amazon is crucial for businesses of all sizes.
For small businesses, it’s an opportunity to showcase your products to millions of ready-to-buy shoppers. For established brands, it’s a way to expand internationally and leverage Amazon’s unmatched customer trust.
Getting started is fairly straightforward. Once you create your Seller Central account, you’ll get Amazon’s suite of tools for listing products, managing orders, running ads, and tracking performance.
But before diving in, it’s important to understand how selling on Amazon works and what it takes to stand out in its highly competitive marketplace.
Is selling on Amazon right for you?
Amazon’s huge audience makes it an attractive sales channel for many small businesses.
“Amazon is a huge sales channel simply because that’s where so many people shop,” says Lindsay Windham, co-founder of Distil Union, in a Shopify Masters interview. “I think for us, we just realized, ’That’s where I’m getting my toilet paper, that’s where I’m getting a lot of stuff. Maybe we should sell on Amazon.’”
It’s worth considering if:
- You sell products in a popular consumer category (e.g., jewelry, books, electronics)
- You offer standardized products that don’t require customization
- Products are lightweight and easy to ship
- Profit margins are wide enough to account for Amazon’s selling fees
- You can compete on price and delivery speed, not your brand story
That said, there are tradeoffs to selling on Amazon, and it’s not the best choice for every entrepreneur.
Amazon may not be the right fit if you rely heavily on customer relationships, offer custom packaging, and have low margins. The marketplace takes a commission on every sale you make and imposes strict limits on what you can sell.
💡Tip: If selling on Amazon isn’t right for you, or you’d rather get the best of both worlds by selling on both channels, create your own Shopify website.
How to sell on Amazon for beginners
- Conduct market research
- Choose a selling strategy
- Understand the Featured Offer (Buy Box)
- Write a business plan
- Create your Amazon seller account
- List your first product
1. Conduct market research
Use market research and competitive analysis to help you decide what to sell on Amazon. Look for trending products with good profit margins in a space with relatively weak competition.
There are a few ways you can assess the current market landscape on Amazon and decide which products to prioritize:
Review Amazon bestseller lists
Amazon’s bestsellers page is a great place to find product ideas based on what’s selling well on the site right now.
Although it takes time for products to reach Amazon bestseller rank (it’s based on sales volume), you can still get a sense of what consumers are buying. Can you offer a version of a popular product that serves a specific niche or satisfies an unmet need?

Use keyword research tools
Jungle Scout is a popular Amazon keyword research tool that can narrow down your list of ideal products to sell. A product’s search volume helps you gauge consumer interest and make data-based decisions.
Use Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer
The Product Opportunity Explorer, available in Amazon Seller Central, groups products in a similar niche based on what customers view or purchase after searching the marketplace. Analyze demand by looking at search volume, customer behavior, pricing details, and customer reviews for each item.
Read Amazon reviews
When customers review products, they may unwittingly reveal market gaps. Evaluate Amazon product reviews to determine what customers like and dislike about specific brands and products. You may be able to find a consistent problem with competitors’ products that your product can solve.
Check for restrictions
After deciding which products you are going to sell, check Amazon’s list of product restrictions to make sure you comply.
Items like alcohol, fine art, surveillance equipment, and recycled electronics are among the disallowed products. Other items—like cosmetics, food and beverages, and children’s apparel—must go through a preapproval process before you can sell them.
💡Tip: Read the overview of categories on Amazon Seller Central before setting up your selling account.
2. Choose a selling strategy
Depending on the product you sell and the amount of capital at your disposal, you’ll likely choose one or more of the following ways to sell on Amazon:
- Retail arbitrage. If you buy something below market value and sell it at a higher price while profiting off the difference, that’s retail arbitrage. Amazon sellers can search for products on sale or clearance at retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Big Lots, then sell them on Amazon at a higher price.
- White labeling. Generic products with your brand name or logo added are known as white label products. You don’t need manufacturing or product design experience to sell white label products—your focus is on sourcing quality products and creating appealing branding.
- Private labeling. Private-label products are produced by a third-party manufacturer based on retailers’ specifications. Retailers then market and sell the products under their own brand. You can find private-label products through marketplaces such as Alibaba and Thomasnet.
- Dropshipping. When you dropship on Amazon, you never carry inventory. Instead, when someone purchases a product, the order goes to a third party. The third party then fulfills and ships the product. You can find dropshipping suppliers through apps like DropCommerce for North American suppliers, Syncee for global sourcing, or Shopify Collective to sell products from other Shopify brands. Many dropshipping apps offer free plans to help you get started.
💡For a comprehensive overview of dropshipping suppliers and strategies, read our complete guide to dropshipping.
3. Understand the Featured Offer (Buy Box)
The Amazon Featured Offer—previously known as the Buy Box—is the prominent purchase section on a product detail page—the spot on the right where customers can add items to their shopping cart or hit Buy Now.

When multiple sellers offer an identical product, Amazon combines them into a single product detail page. Amazon’s algorithm determines who gets the Featured Offer based on a mix of factors, including:
- Price (but not price alone). Competitive pricing is obviously important, but Amazon doesn’t always award the Featured Offer to the cheapest option. It prioritizes the best overall value.
- Fulfillment method. Sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Seller Fulfilled Prime typically have an edge, as these fast, reliable delivery models align with Amazon’s promise to its customers.
- Performance metrics. Low defect rates, on-time shipping, and responsive customer service all work in your favor.
- Inventory consistency. You’ll struggle to win the Featured Offer if your stock is unreliable or frequently runs out.
4. Write a business plan
Draft a strategic business plan that details the elements crucial to business success. Action items can include:
- List products to sell
- Determine product pricing
- Define marketing plan
- Identify ecommerce business model
- Create inventory management plan
5. Create your Amazon seller account
To create an Amazon seller account, you must first decide which of the two selling plans you need: individual or professional. Ultimately, your decision comes down to your projected sales volume.
- Individual selling plan. If you sell fewer than 40 products per month, this plan may be a good fit. The pay-as-you-go plan provides access to basic listing and order management tools. Individual sellers pay a 99¢ seller’s fee every time they sell an item.
- Professional selling plan. As sales increase, the individual plan becomes more expensive than the professional plan, so you may as well upgrade. This $39.99 monthly subscription service offers a suite of seller tools and benefits, including global selling programs, advanced business reports, and eligibility for Amazon’s Featured Offer position.

Once you’ve selected a plan, it’s time to set up your new Amazon seller account. Collect the following information and enter it on the Seller Central signup page:
- Business email address
- Bank account number and bank routing number
- Active credit card
- Government-issued national ID
- Tax information
- Phone number

Once your Amazon seller account is approved, you’re ready to list products and start selling.
6. List your first product
There are two ways to list a product on Amazon, one for existing products already selling on the platform and one for new items.
How to list products that are already on Amazon:
Follow these steps for products that have an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN). Amazon will combine your listing with the product detail page for all other sellers offering this product.
Say you’re selling travel mugs you bought at wholesale prices and there’s already a listing on Amazon for that exact product:
- Copy the ASIN from the “product details” section of the existing listing.
- Navigate to Seller Central, click Catalog, and select Add Products. This brings up a search bar where you can paste the ASIN. Doing so will bring up the product listing. Use the dropdown to describe the condition of your item (e.g., New, Used - Like New, Used - Very Good, etc.).
- Click “Sell this product,” set your price, select your fulfillment options (FBM or FBA), and follow the subsequent prompts. You can enter a SKU for your item, then click the “Save and finish” button. You can view your listing in the “Manage inventory” page of your Seller Central account.
How to list novel products on Amazon:
Here’s the process for listing a product that has never been sold on Amazon, like your own product line of leather platform clogs:
- From the Seller Central dashboard, click “Add a product” followed by “I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon.”
- Select your product category from the list, then enter all relevant product information (e.g., title, price, details, photos, fulfillment options).
- Next, click “Save and finish” to submit your product for approval. Once it’s approved, Amazon will assign it an ASIN and list it for sale. You can access the listing via your “Manage inventory” page.
Once your product detail page is live, shoppers can discover your product by searching on Amazon. If your product is appealing and your marketing strategies are effective, orders will soon start coming in.
Amazon FBA vs. FBM: Which fulfillment method to choose
As a seller, you have two fulfillment options when selling on Amazon: Fulfilled by Merchant and Fulfillment by Amazon.
What is Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)?
With the Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) model, you handle order fulfillment directly, managing shipping, returns, and customer service. This is a good option for made-to-order products or those requiring a longer processing lead time.
In-house order fulfillment means lower fees and more control over your processes. Plus, because you’re managing fulfillment yourself, it’s easier to streamline operations across multiple platforms (Amazon, Shopify, Etsy, etc.) without being locked into Amazon’s warehouses.
But there are some drawbacks—such as being responsible for everything, including inventory management, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns. Plus, Amazon shoppers are used to near-instant shipping. If you can’t offer Prime-like speed, you can lose out to FBA sellers.
What is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)?
With FBA, you send inventory to an Amazon Fulfillment Center (Amazon warehouse), where Amazon workers manage shipping and customer returns.
You control inventory levels and pay storage fees on the product, as well as a fulfillment fee for each unit sold. Keep in mind that you still own the inventory until the customer receives it.
With this model, Amazon processes customer payments and, in turn, pays you. You get access to Amazon’s customer service team, which handles questions, returns, and refunds.
With FBA fulfillment, you have a higher chance of winning the Feature Offer. Plus, shoppers know that an FBA purchase comes with Amazon’s customer service standards, which can reduce friction and boost sales. You can also handle high order volumes without needing to build a logistics or support team.
“If you want to be serious about Amazon, ship it to their warehouse and let them ship it Prime,” says Distil Union co-founder Nate Justiss, in a Shopify Masters interview.
That said, FBA fees can add up—and you sacrifice control. While Amazon handles returns, it won’t always work in your favor. Amazon’s customer-first policies can sometimes lead to high return rates or claims of lost inventory.
FBA vs. FBM comparison
If you’re still on the fence, here’s a comparison of the two Amazon fulfillment options:
| Difference | Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) | Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) |
|---|---|---|
| Fulfillment responsibility | Amazon | You, the seller |
| Prime badge | Yes | No (unless you qualify for Seller-Fulfilled Prime) |
| Featured Offer (Buy Box) | Yes—Amazon favors FBA sellers thanks to their reliable, speedy delivery network. | FBM sellers may struggle to compete with FBA on delivery speed, which is a key factor in the Featured Offer algorithm. |
| Scalability | Handle higher order volumes without building out your own logistics or support team. | You’re responsible for everything, including inventory management, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns. |
| Fees | Monthly and long-term storage fees, as well as fulfillment costs, can eat into profits, especially if your products are bulky or move slowly. Other fees (e.g., referral and closing) will likely apply as well. | No Amazon inventory storage and fulfillment charges, but you will likely be subject to other fees (e.g., referral, closing). |
| Control | Amazon dictates packaging and branding in the delivery experience. | You choose your packaging, shipping partners, and dispatch speed. You can choose to scale across other sales channels with your own warehouse. |
| Inventory risk | If your products don’t sell, you’re still on the hook for storage fees. | Flexibility to sell inventory on other sales channels if products don’t perform well on Amazon. |
| Returns | Handled by Amazon | Handled internally |
Understanding Amazon Seller Central
Amazon Seller Central is the dashboard where you manage your listings, monitor sales, review performance metrics, and handle everything from advertising campaigns to customer messages.
At first glance, the interface can feel overwhelming with all of its tabs and reports. But once you get familiar with it, Seller Central becomes a valuable tool. It provides real-time insight into your sales performance, alerts you to issues before they escalate, and helps you make data-driven decisions on pricing, promotions, and inventory.
Here’s how to navigate the Amazon Seller Central dashboard:
Managing inventory and orders
Having a “healthy” inventory (basically, making sure you have enough product to meet demand) is an important part of selling on Amazon.
In Seller Central, you can:
- Add and update listings. Create new product pages or edit existing ones with updated descriptions, images, or pricing.
- Track stock levels. Monitor inventory in real time so you know when to restock (and avoid out-of-stock notices that can tank sales).
- Forecast demand. Use Amazon’s inventory reports to predict sales trends and plan replenishment cycles.
- Manage orders. See incoming orders, shipment statuses, and customer details in Seller Central, regardless of whether you’re fulfilling through FBA or FBM.
Account health and performance metrics
Amazon holds its sellers to high standards, and Seller Central is where you’ll see how well you’re meeting them.
The Account Health dashboard tracks key performance metrics like:
- Order defect rate. Measures issues such as negative feedback, A-to-Z Guarantee claims, and chargebacks.
- Late-shipment rate. The percentage of orders shipped after their promised date.
- Cancellation rate. Orders canceled by the seller before fulfillment.
Consistently strong metrics can help you win the Feature Offer and keep you in Amazon’s good books. If you slip too far below its thresholds, you might get penalized by having your listings suppressed or your account suspended.
How to create successful product listings on Amazon
- Write a targeted product title
- Upload clear product images
- Write thorough product descriptions
- Include product variants
- Optimize for Amazon’s search algorithm
The product detail page of your Amazon product listing is where sales happen. The information you put on this page helps customers decide whether your product meets their needs. Candle brand Neom—which also sells on a Shopify-powered site—has a stellar example of a product page.

1. Write a targeted product title
Your Amazon product title should capture shoppers’ attention and tell them they are in the right place. A good product title with targeted keywords can improve your click-through rate in search and boost your SEO ranking within Amazon’s platform.
Amazon product titles have a 200-character limit, but Amazon Seller Central recommends keeping titles under 80 characters. Concise product titles are easier to read on mobile devices, where longer titles are typically truncated due to the smaller screen size. Since more than 50% of Amazon traffic comes from mobile devices, it’s wise to optimize wherever you can.
Every word in your product title is searchable, so aim to include vital information. For example, Neom uses its brand name, product line (scented candles), style (three-wick), and features (scents of neroli, mimosa, and lemon).

2. Upload clear product images
Your main photo should clearly show the product. Additional photos can provide other angles of the product and, if relevant, lifestyle imagery.
You can also add video to give shoppers an in-depth look. Post high-quality images so shoppers can zoom in to see your product’s finer details.
Neom, for example, has a graphic to show the size of its candle in comparison to a hand:

3. Write thorough product descriptions
Product descriptions include your product’s specifications and benefits. Neom, for example, uses bullet points to highlight key information buyers look for in candles, such as ingredients, scent notes, and usage instructions.
💡Tip: Use Enhanced Branded Content to add engaging features like comparison charts, enhanced images, and high-res videos to your Amazon product listing.

4. Include product variants
Variations of your products let you easily display the same product in various sizes, colors, and styles. While each product version has its own ASIN and detail page, showing product variants lets customers quickly switch between options.
5. Optimize for Amazon’s search algorithm
Like Google, Amazon uses a search algorithm (called A9). It’s the system that decides which products show up (and in what order) when a shopper types a keyword into the search bar.
A9 has one clear goal: to connect shoppers with the products they’re most likely to buy. That means your job as a seller is to prove to Amazon that your listing is both relevant and trustworthy.
Here are the main factors that matter to Amazon SEO:
- Keywords and relevance. A9 closely examines titles, bullet points, and back-end keywords. Make sure you’re using terms your customers actually search for.
- Sales performance. Amazon uses past sales as indicators of buyer interest, which means bestselling products tend to rank higher in search results.
- Price and competitiveness. Competitive pricing increases the likelihood that you’ll rank well and win the Featured Offer.
- Fulfillment method. FBA or Prime-eligible products often get a visibility boost, since Amazon knows they meet customer expectations for speed and reliability.
- Customer experience signals. Reviews, ratings, and low return rates all tell A9 that your product delivers on its promise.
“Experiment away,” advises David Shoap, co-founder of Sarah’s Treats and Treasures, in a Shopify Masters episode. “Let ’em run for a month or two before you get discouraged or change anything because a lot of the time search engines power Amazon.”
“People can go over to Amazon and search directly, but a lot of the time, people are on Google, and they’re like, ‘Oh, look, Amazon’s got this for …’ But if you don’t give your listings enough time to get picked up by those search engines, then you can’t really get a real-life example of what’s going on.”
Cost of selling on Amazon
When you start selling on Amazon, there are some frequently charged fees you should be aware of, because they can impact your Amazon channel’s return on investment (ROI).
The following aren’t the only fees, just the common ones:
- Referral fees. Amazon charges a different commission for each category that sells on its platform. The average referral fee is 15%, but it can range from 8% to 45%. Some categories have a minimum per-unit referral fee or tiered referral fees that change depending on item cost.
- Closing fees. A $1.80 fee taken from each unit sold for products in media categories (e.g., books, DVDs, music, software, video games, and their accessories).
- FBA fees. If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, you’ll pay a fee that covers picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. The exact cost depends on your product’s category, size, and weight, but it starts at just a few dollars.
- Additional Amazon fees. Amazon also charges storage fees for inventory in its fulfillment centers, with higher fees for aged inventory stored for more than 181 days. You may also incur fees for unsold inventory that Amazon returns to you, discards, or liquidates.
💡For an in-depth look at all possible fees, read the selling on Amazon fees guide.
Tips for selling your products on Amazon
- Encourage product reviews
- Run sponsored product ads
- Take advantage of promotions
- Leverage Brand Registry benefits
- Drive external traffic
- Get your pricing right
Amazon gives ecommerce businesses a unique opportunity to sell to a wide audience and increase brand awareness in the process. Here are key tips for getting there:
1. Encourage product reviews
Amazon reviews can be the deciding factor when customers purchase from you—even when your product costs more than competitors’ offerings.
However, Amazon safeguards customer data. Its guidelines state that you can’t contact buyers for marketing or promotional purposes (which is another reason selling on Amazon is best done in parallel with running your own storefront).
There are creative workarounds for this reality:
- Create a packing slip with a QR code customers can scan to leave a review (for self-fulfilled orders).
- Incorporate review QR codes into product packaging design.
2. Run sponsored product ads
Amazon has a robust ad platform that lets you market your products to Amazon customers.
Amazon Sponsored Product is a PPC (pay-per-click) ad model that lets you promote your Amazon products. Desktop ad placements can appear above, alongside, or below search results for related search terms, as well as on product detail pages.

A few things to keep in mind when running Amazon PPC ads:
- Start with automatic targeting. This way, Amazon employs its powerful search algorithms to automatically discover and suggest an exhaustive list of potential keywords for you. You can begin by setting a flat default bid across all keywords, but your eventual goal is to collect data on how each keyword performs and then target the most effective ones.
- Evaluate your automatic targeting campaign. Do this once you have at least a few weeks’ worth of keyword performance data, so you can transition to a manual campaign, where you can focus on only the most relevant keywords. With a manual campaign, you can adjust bids by keyword.
- Continue iterating on your manual campaign for keywords and bids. Different bid amounts can yield different placements and results, so continue testing until you find a strategy that works well for you.
- Use insights to optimize product details pages. As you refine your PPC strategy, you’ll gain a better sense of which keywords are relevant to your product. You can add those keywords to your product detail pages to help you capture more organic traffic without having to pay for ads.
3. Take advantage of promotions
Leveraging Amazon promotions can help you generate sales and increase brand awareness.
A popular type of promotion on the Amazon platform is Lightning Deals. These deals are flash sales featured on Amazon Deals, one of the most visited pages on Amazon.
Lightning Deals span multiple categories, including health and personal care, home and kitchen, consumer electronics, fashion, grocery, and more.
As a seller, Amazon Lightning Deals can:
- Increase product discoverability, especially during holidays and big events, such as Prime Day
- Lead to more online reviews due to greater product reach and sales
- Drive conversions after the promotion ends; higher unit sales can improve rankings on search engine results pages
- Let new customers trial your products at a low cost and win their business for future purchases.

4. Leverage Brand Registry benefits
Brand Registry is a program designed to give brand owners more control and protection over their Amazon product listings. With it, you get a suite of data and advertising tools, as well as premium content options.
At its core, Brand Registry helps safeguard your brand. You’ll get stronger protection against counterfeit listings and unauthorized resellers, plus access to proactive monitoring tools that flag potential infringements.
Additional benefits include:
- Enhanced brand content. Add richer product descriptions, comparison charts, and lifestyle images to your listings.
- Brand analytics. Access customer search term data, market basket analysis, and repeat purchase metrics.
- Sponsored brands ads. Create headline ads that feature your logo and multiple products.
- Amazon stores. Build a custom, branded storefront on Amazon that feels more like your own website.
- Greater listing control. Ensure product details such as titles, images, and descriptions remain consistent and accurate.
“We put a lot of effort into controlling our brand on Amazon and making sure that we’re the only ones selling it,” says Nate Justiss, co-founder of Distil Union, in a Shopify Masters interview. “It protects our wholesalers, in that we’re able to keep our retail price where it should be to protect our wholesalers and everybody else that we sell.”
To apply for Brand Registry, you’ll need a brand name and logo attached to your product packaging. You’ll also need a trademark—either pending or registered—that’s issued by the office of the country where your Amazon storefront is registered.
5. Drive external traffic
Many brands reserve external marketing channels for their ecommerce stores. While there is value in using ads to direct traffic to your own site, those same tactics can also promote your Amazon listings.
If you collaborate with bloggers and influencers, you can expand your reach through programs such as Amazon Associates and Amazon Influencers, as well as external platforms like GRIN.
Additionally, you can create discount codes to share externally on your social media channels and encourage customers to buy from you on Amazon.
6. Get your pricing right
Determining the right pricing strategy for your products is especially important in Amazon’s marketplace, where you compete against other sellers.
Remember, if you’re selling a product also available from other sellers, the Feature Offer algorithm considers its total value when deciding which brand to highlight.
Here are some key considerations when pricing for Amazon products:
Amazon Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy
According to the Amazon Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy, you can’t set a price that “harms customer trust.” Avoid a potential account suspension by pricing your products fairly.
Amazon offers some examples of pricing practices that raise red flags, including:
- Adding excessive shipping fees
- Pricing a product significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon
- Selling bundles of multiple units for a higher price per unit than if sold individually
Automate pricing
Amazon’s Automate Pricing tool on Seller Central facilitates automatic repricing. Use it to establish pricing parameters and specify how to automatically adjust product prices to a competitive level.
Consider Subscribe & Save
If you sell a product that customers purchase frequently, consider deploying the Subscribe & Save feature. This is Amazon’s built-in subscription model, which places monthly orders for a customer in exchange for a small discount, offsetting the benefit of consistent revenue for your business.
💡Note: You’ll need an account in “good standing” and an assigned representative in the Brand Registry program to use Amazon Subscribe & Save.
How to sell on Amazon without inventory
Not every seller wants to deal with storing boxes, managing stock levels, or paying warehouse fees. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Amazon offers several programs that let you tap into its massive audience without ever holding physical inventory. Here’s how to do it.
Amazon Associates program
The Amazon Associates program is Amazon’s affiliate marketing platform. Instead of selling products directly, you earn a commission by promoting products listed on Amazon.
You simply recommend a product (through a blog, social media, email, or your YouTube channel), include your unique affiliate link, and earn a small percentage for every purchase.
It’s a low-barrier way to monetize an audience. Product commissions aren’t huge (they vary by category and usually range from 1% to 10%), but there’s also the option to earn a flat fee when your referrals register for a free trial or buy Amazon services, such as Audible, Amazon Prime, and Prime Video. Commissions add up quickly when you’re consistent and have a targeted, engaged audience.
💡Tip: Focus on creating content that solves problems or answers questions (“best wireless headphones under $100” or “how to set up a home office”) and naturally weave in product recommendations.

Kindle Direct Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) lets you self-publish ebooks and paperbacks that go straight onto the Amazon marketplace, where millions of readers can discover them.
There are no upfront costs, you control your rights, and you earn royalties (up to 70% for ebooks and 60% for physical books, depending on price and region). Beyond traditional books, many entrepreneurs use KDP to sell low- to medium-content products such as planners, logbooks, and coloring books.
💡Tip: Instead of aiming for a bestselling novel, think “meal planner for busy parents” or “workout tracker for beginners.” Pair that specific, useful idea with smart keyword research.
Merch on Demand
Merch on Demand (formerly Merch by Amazon) lets you sell custom designs on t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and other apparel without handling inventory. You upload your artwork, set a price, and Amazon handles printing, shipping, and customer service for incoming orders. You earn a royalty on each merch sale.
💡Tip: Focus on niche audiences and evergreen themes, like “funny nurse shirts” or “eco-friendly slogans,” rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Upload a portfolio of design variations, test what resonates, and keep refining your approach.
Dropshipping
The dropshipping business model lets you sell products without holding inventory. You’ll work with a dropshipping supplier who ships the product directly to your customer once they place an order on Amazon.
Amazon supports dropshipping but has a strict policy. You must make it clear that you’re the seller of record. Any time a customer sees packaging or receipts, your brand name should be visible—not the supplier’s.
💡Tip: Browse the Shopify App Store to find dropshipping platforms you can source products from.
Complement your Shopify store by selling on Amazon
At first glance, Amazon can seem like a challenger to your ecommerce business with its global marketplace and audience. However, when used as a resource, Amazon can help you generate online revenue. Under the right circumstances, learning how to sell on Amazon is worth it for Shopify store owners.
Your Shopify store is your home base, and Amazon’s global marketplace is your opportunity to reach massive new audiences. Strategic planning, experimentation, and hustle will get you a long way to successfully selling on Amazon.
Read more
- The Ultimate Guide To Dropshipping (2024)
- The Beginner's Guide to Selling on eBay- List, Manage, and Sell Your Products Through Shopify
- AliExpress Dropshipping- How to Dropship From AliExpress
- The 13 Best Dropshipping Suppliers in 2024
- How to Start a Dropshipping Business- A Complete Playbook for 2024
- How To Source Products To Sell Online
- The 9 Best Dropshipping Websites for Your Online Store
- How to Start an Online Boutique- A Complete Playbook
- How to Write a Perfect Business Plan in 9 Steps
- How to Set Up & Open a Pop-Up Shop
How to sell on Amazon FAQ
Is it free to sell something on Amazon?
Amazon charges a referral fee for each item sold. The rate varies by product category, ranging from 8% to 45%. Some categories also have a minimum referral fee.
How much does it cost to start selling on Amazon?
Setting up an Amazon Seller account is free if you sign up for the Individual selling plan. You will only pay as you sell. If you sign up for a Professional Seller account, you’ll pay $39.99 per month.
What is the difference between FBA and FBM?
The main difference between FBA and FBM is who’s responsible for fulfilling the customer’s order. FBA puts the responsibility on Amazon—you’ll ship products to an Amazon warehouse where its team will fulfill orders. With FBM, you’re responsible for the entire fulfillment process.
Can I sell on Amazon from my home?
Yes, like many ecommerce sellers, you can create a home-based, online business selling on Amazon.
What products sell best on Amazon?
- Toys and games
- Electronics
- Video games
- Books
- Clothing and shoes
- Jewelry





