24 Expert Tips for Selling on Amazon and Making Extra Cash


Have you ever considered selling on Amazon as a side hustle?

My first venture into side hustling was selling online through eBay. I made extra cash month in month out by selling both new and used items. I no longer sell on eBay due to their ever shifting rules however, I’ve been happily selling on Etsy for the last couple of years. (Amazon has only recently opened it’s doors in Australia.)

Using an online platform is a great way to get started with selling online. It gives you a chance to test the waters before making a larger commitment of time and money by opening your own eCommerce site.

For example, you get a chance to figure out:

  • If your product choice sells well
  • Whether or not you enjoy online retailing
  • And, the customer interaction that goes along with it.

There are a couple of different ways to set up a side hustle, or full-time business, on Amazon so in this post, I’ve hunted up the best articles I can find on basic selling of items, new and used, on Amazon. I hope you enjoy them and can use the valuable knowledge they contain.

Selling on Amazon – Getting Started

Here are 24 tips from Skip McGrath that’ll help you get your Amazon business started the right way.

  1. Register as a professional seller
  2. Sell with FBA
  3. Follow the rules
  4. Win the Buy Box to increase sales
  5. Answer Customer Communications quickly
  6. If you are merchant fulfilling ship all orders within 1 business day and always enter the tracking information
  7. Don’t trust UPC codes when listing items
  8. Describe products accurately
  9. Ask for Feedback
  10. Use Larger Images and Follow Amazon Image Guidelines
  11. Solicit Product Reviews
  12. Reduce Storage fees with Just in Time (JIT) Inventory Management
  13. Raise your Average Selling Price (ASP) to reduce your fees and increase profit margins
  14. Label your items and shipments correctly when sending to FBA
  15. Go the extra mile to remove negative feedback
  16. Pack your shipments to Amazon correctly to avoid damage, delays and penalty fees
  17. Manage Your Inventory proactively
  18. Use Amazon FBA to Fulfil Your Multi-Channel Orders
  19. Negotiate Exclusive Selling Arrangement with suppliers
  20. Learn How to Use the Amazon Keywords tool
  21. Amazon FBA Storage fees
  22. Be careful of specific material names in titles
  23. Watch what you name color
  24. Avoid Shipping overcharges

If you’re serious about starting an Amazon business, Kip’s in-depth article is a definite must read.

Real Life Selling Stories for Inspiration

The Selling Family

Back in 2008, an interruption in employment provided the opportunity to look for other ways of income. So The Selling Family dove into selling stuff online with a definiteness of purpose.

You can read more about their story on their about page, but it’s pretty obvious, it all worked out for them.

A few years after starting their online selling venture, they turned selling on Amazon into a six-figure business that now supports their family. While working part time!

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The Busy Budgeter

Starting in 2004 by selling online to downsize a massive collection of books, Rosemarie from The Busy Budgeter has sold all kinds of items on Amazon and made many thousands of dollars in the process.

Frugal Ginger

According to Frugal Ginger, selling online with Amazon isn’t for everyone (I agree) but you can make it into a successful side hustle if you put in the work.

Ashley shares what she’s learned after selling on Amazon for three years.

Mom Resource

In this article, Saira talks about how she managed to sell $45,000 worth of products on Amazon in just a few months as a pregnant stay at home mom. She talks about how she decided what to sell. As well as her biggest regrets and best tips.

His and Her Money

In this podcast interview on His and Her Money, Brad DeGraw AKA Amazon Sherpa talks about how he started his business on Amazon. A self-proclaimed Amazon nerd and eCommerce entrepreneur, he started with $100 and turned that into over $1,000,000 on Amazon.

Real Ways to Earn Money Online

In this article, you’ll see that there are other ways to make money through Amazons platform beyond selling. That because there’s a lot more to Amazon than just shopping.

If you’re interested in seeing what else you can do on Amazon this article is a great place to start. It’ll also provide great tips for selling online via Amazon’s various offerings.

Single Mom’s Income

This article for Single Mom’s Income also discusses additional ways to make money through Amazon that go beyond selling online.

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Other Excellent Resources

Articles on Online Selling:

UpFuel - How I Went From $0 Sales TO $2,981.10 in 30 Days Selling My Product on Amazon.com

Entrenpreneur - Guide to Starting a Fulfillment by Amazon Business

eCommerce Fuel - How to Start Selling on Amazon with Matt Clark

Books:

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