Finding items to sell on Amazon is simple when you know the options for sourcing to become an eCommerce seller. Made-to-order and wholesale items are the most popular options for entrepreneurs and small companies to think of initially.
These are however just two of the six ways to find items that can be sold on Amazon.
Also crucial to your success in identifying products that you can market on Amazon is the ability to identify lucrative sales opportunities on the platform. It starts with researching the product and, fortunately, Amazon provides plenty of tools and resources that can assist you to do this.
I’ll help you discover the best products to sell on Amazon. But first, we’ll go over the six most popular product-sourcing choices.
So, you can begin the process of creating your eCommerce business knowing the full extent of the various ways to find items that you can sell through Amazon.
Certain Amazon sellers only use one method of sourcing, for example, private labeling or retail arbitrage However, many are successful by combining multiple profitable methods of sourcing. As you go through every method, don’t think that you must choose only one.
Take a look at them all to find which one best meets your goals for selling online whether it’s the selling process on Amazon or creating an empire across multiple channels.
1. Utilize retail arbitrage
In the process of retail arbitrage, you buy discounted retail items and then sell the items through Amazon.
It’s easy to say, however, that doing it correctly meaning profitably requires some effort. Wholesale arbitrage buyers are professionals in the field of hunting for bargains and discounts in local shops and matching them up with the most popular selling sellers from Amazon.
The key is knowing the items that are selling best on Amazon on any given day and at what price. It is also important to be aware of the costs associated with selling your product on Amazon.
Amazon seller fees can be as high as 15% of the selling cost, and shipping charges could take a significant chunk off your earnings If you’re not cautious.
2. Create custom print-on-demand products
Print-on-demand (POD) items are drop-ship items that are customized when a buyer makes an order. POD suppliers take care of everything for you, from finding and storing the entire inventory of products as well as printing them when they’re purchased.
The only thing POD sellers make stunning designs, funny words, or distinctive designs and then market them through Amazon-approved POS sellers.
The second is having an Account with an approved POD vendor.
3. Sell hand-crafted items on Amazon.
Are you a maker or an artisan selling items that you create by hand? Are you interested in exploring this as a potential product source?
If you have answered “yes” to either question Amazon Handmade is likely the product category for you.
You must apply to sell your products through Amazon’s Handmade section and the rules are stricter as Etsy in many instances.
A lot of Amazon Handmade sellers are Etsy sellers seeking to expand their reach by tapping into Amazon’s huge customer base.
4. Find wholesale items to offer on Amazon.
Reselling goods produced by other businesses falls under the wholesale sourcing model.
It’s easy to get products from wholesale suppliers on wholesale marketplaces such as Alibaba, Thomasnet, and other sites. It is also possible to attend market fairs and buyers’ markets within your field to discover the various wholesale vendors.
An internet search is a simple method to begin your wholesale sourcing efforts and create an efficient online business. Begin by searching for the item’s name you’d like to offer and then adding “wholesale.”
You can handle the storage of products packaging, ordering, and shipping by yourself, or employ Amazon FBA to handle these fulfillment tasks.
5. Sell direct-source items on Amazon.
Direct sourcing may be the most efficient way to find products to sell on Amazon. Direct sourcing lets you buy products straight from the manufacturers.
Direct-source stocks, that is, items manufactured by the factory with lower costs per unit than wholesale costs. It is also possible to have special items created to order to create unique, distinctive items that stand out from other brands.
Direct-source factories can be found that employ the same methods as in the wholesaling section. Many wholesalers operate their factories.
In most cases, you can use the same vendor if enjoy a wholesaler’s line of products and services. It is simply a matter of ordering greater quantities for cheaper per unit costs or collaborating with them to design your custom-made products.
However, just like wholesale product procurement, direct sourcing needs an attentive eye on your costs for your product as well as inventory levels and reorder amounts.
In addition, you’ll have storage space for stock, and packaging and shipping that you can either do by yourself or outsource to FBA.
6. Find products that are private labeled
A variation of direct sourcing is private labeling. it’s an excellent option to locate products that you can be sold through Amazon under your brand. Private label manufacturers make products and then label, tag, or package them with your name.
There are private products under the brand name in nearly every category of the product including personal care items and cosmetics kitchen equipment pet products food items, gourmet, and more.
The method of locating private label items to sell on Amazon is the same as getting direct and wholesale suppliers. A lot of manufacturers have the option of private labeling their products.
You can also find private label suppliers in a particular product category by conducting a quick search online.