4 posts tagged with "Amazon Affiliates"

Amazon became the first online retailer to reach $25 billion in annual sales back in 2016. Since then Amazon's numbers and notoriety has only grown. With over 60 million Prime subscribers and counting, there's never been a better time to get in on the action.

If you're interested in becoming an Amazon seller, there are plenty of opportunities waiting for you. You may find yourself wondering how to get started in such a large, well-known market.

We've got you covered. Here are 20 ideas on how to make money on Amazon in 2023.

Why Should I Start Making Money on Amazon?​

There are a number of reasons why someone may want to start making more money online. Finding work on Amazon is a smart way to make supplemental income. Whether you're looking to pay off debts, pay for student loans, build a savings account, start paying for retirement, or simply stop living paycheck to paycheck, it's a great place to start.

Many Americans have to deal with rising inflation costs and are trying to get by. By finding an alternative income stream, you can protect yourself from any unexpected events by having more than one way to earn money.

1. Utilize Affiliate Marketing to Generate Passive Income​

If you run a blog, work as an influencer, or have a strong internet presence, Amazon Affiliate Marketing is an excellent way to earn additional income. Amazon's Affiliate program provides users with affiliate links to recommend their products to others.

It costs nothing to share these links, but you will need to sign up for an affiliate account. When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission for recommending the product. Commissions range from between 4% and 10% of the purchase price.

Getting started with affiliate marketing is simple and doesn't take a lot of time to maintain, and there's lots of high quality free training out there to help you on your journey. If you don't have a large online following, however, it may not be as lucrative for you.

2. Increase Earnings through Cash-Back Offers​

Amazon offers special benefits to Prime Members with an Amazon Credit Card. This benefit allows cardholders to receive 10% or more cashback when they shop from select product categories. Some items even qualify for 25% cashback. To find out what qualifies, you must go to the Amazon Promotions page for a list of qualifying products.

If you aren't an Amazon cardholder, Amazon still offers a few ways to receive extra money in your account. Lightning deals and coupons run often to save you money on items you're interested in. Additionally, if you opt to have a single shipping day for orders with multiple items, Amazon will provide you with a digital credit to use on things like Amazon Music, audiobooks, and Kindle.

3. Sell Handmade Goods on Amazon Handmade​

Are you skilled at crafting handmade goods? With an Amazon selling account, you can apply to join Amazon Handmade to start selling your handcrafted items to customers.

Once you've filled out an application, it goes through an audit process so Amazon can confirm that your items are truly handmade. When you're approved, your product will gain exposure with the Amazon platform, however, it will involve more time and effort than other methods because you will need to keep up with the production of orders.

Amazon Handmade is a great way to get your product out there and generate additional income. Amazon receives a 15% referral fee for any orders.

Check out some of the best-selling handmade items for inspiration.

4. Develop a Private Label​

A private label is when a product is manufactured and packaged under the name of a brand rather than the name of the manufacturer. To get started with your own private label, you need to decide what items you would like to sell and find a manufacturer that provides a quality item that lives up to your brand name.

Once you've lined up a product, you can then put your branding on it and list it for sale on Amazon. To stay competitive, research similar items to determine a reasonable price point and ensure that the market isn't already oversaturated with similar items.

If you'd like to protect your product from counterfeit sellers, Amazon offers a brand registry option for your private label.

Manufacturers and Private Labels​

If you'd like to make money by manufacturing items, Amazon Accelerator is a program that helps you become a private label supplier. This is usually a great option for established brands but may be more challenging for those starting out.

Manufacturers involved in this program give up some control of their business to Amazon in exchange for tools to help them grow their business more quickly. You gain more exposure without the headache of logistics, but can only sell the product on Amazon and must be willing to part with control over brand operations.

5. Become a Wholesale Seller​

Wholesale selling is when you purchase products in bulk at a discounted, or wholesale, price. Then, you sell the product to your customers for a profit.

Because Amazon is such a prominent company, they often have excellent flexibility when it comes to wholesale pricing, allowing sellers to receive the best deals for their products.

To get started, you'll need to do the following:

• Determine what products you'd like to sell
• Create an Amazon seller account
• Obtain a business license and sales tax permit
• Find a warehouse or storage space for your product or enroll in Amazon FBA program

When buying wholesale, something to keep in mind is that you'll need to order in bulk to receive the discounted pricing and will need somewhere to store your product. Another choice is to enroll in the Fulfillment by Amazon Business (FBA) program. This allows your products to be stored and shipped from an Amazon distribution center.

Keep in mind that this option can be competitive. To receive a passive income, your items will need to be priced as low as possible. You want them to compete with other items on Amazon while generating enough margin to turn a profit.

6. Design Customized Merch​

If you have skills in the areas of Graphic Design, Typography, and Illustration, Merch by Amazon might be the perfect money-making opportunity for you. With Merch by Amazon, you upload your designs to products of your choice to sell on the platform.

Product options range from T-shirts, prints, bags, hoodies, stationery, and coffee mugs. For those getting started who already have a portfolio of designs, it is a minimal-effort opportunity.

All you'll need to do is sign up with your existing Amazon account, upload your artwork, choose the product details, and add a description. From there, Amazon handles the production, shipping, and customer service without any initial cost. Every time your designs sell, you will earn royalties.

7. Publish Your Writing With Amazon Direct Publishing​

Amazon Direct Publishing allows you to publish your own books on Amazon. You can publish your writing in both ebooks and print copies to earn royalties from Amazon.

This venture has varying degrees of success that depends on your quality as a writer. When you publish on Kindle, your book appears in the Kindle store within 48 hours and you receive up to 70% royalties from your sales.

Publishing is a successful option if you already have books published and want to add them to the Amazon platform. If not, you do have to put in more legwork without a traditional publisher by providing your own marketing to help sell your work.

8. Work With Amazon​

The online hustle isn't for everyone and you may be seeking a more traditional way to make money with Amazon. Amazon boasts of having employed more people than any other company in the last decade and employs over one million full and part-time workers in the United States alone.

In-Person Opportunities​

Many in-person job opportunities for Amazon are at their warehouse and distribution centers. In 2022, the company began offering a $ 19-an-hour minimum wage for their frontline workers, giving full-time employees the opportunity to earn up to $40,000 annually.

Work-From-Home Opportunities​

If you prefer not to be tied to a commute or have dreams of a remote job with the freedom to travel more, you have options. Amazon has several remote work opportunities that allow you to earn a stable income from the comfort of your home.

Amazon offers remote jobs ranging from data entry to customer service representatives. Many of these job offerings start at $16 an hour for entry-level positions, but earning levels vary depending on your skill level. They also have part-time opportunities if that's more suitable for your schedule.

To find available Amazon representative jobs, you can do a quick search online or go straight to Amazon's job page.

9. Become an Amazon Influencer​

Becoming an Amazon Influencer is similar to the Amazon affiliate program. Amazon Influencers are individuals who share Amazon products on social media pages, rather than blogs or other websites.

If you have influencer status on social media with a large following, this program is ideal for you. First, Amazon must approve you as an influencer before providing you with a unique link to share on your social media platforms.

When someone purchases the product, you earn a commission. It is your job to know which products your audience is interested in to keep a steady alternative income stream. As long as you are active on your social media pages, this can be a lucrative way to earn extra cash.

10. Leverage Your Fulfillment by Amazon Business to Maximize Profits​

As an Amazon seller, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is an excellent way to streamline the selling process. With FBA, you distribute your products to an Amazon fulfillment center and then Amazon handles the rest.

Once your product is in hand, Amazon uses its successful infrastructure to package and ship your product out to customers. They even handle all the returns and customer services, allowing you to focus on your products without all of the extra leg work, creating a more satisfying experience for customers.

This program eliminates the need to handle logistics, invest in a warehouse storage space, or spend a large portion of your income on shipping services. To get started, you must sign up for a Professional Seller's Account, which will cost $39.99 per month.

To find success in this program, a seller does need to have a strong baseline. It's important to find a niche, research their product market, scope out the competition, and develop a system to manage their inventory and business.

11. Resell Products From Online Sources​

Online arbitrage is the process of buying products at a low cost with the intention of selling them for a higher price online in order to turn a profit. Amazon is one of the best platforms for selling these items online.

This method of selling involves minimal investment, but it does take some time to search for the right deals on items you'd like to resell. You can seek out these deals at major brick-and-mortar retail chains such as Walmart, Kohl's, Dollar General, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc. If you don't want to spend the additional time shopping in person, online sites such as eBay, are another option to find discounted items.

Be mindful when choosing which items to purchase and resell. Some items have a higher market value than others. The top categories for reselling products are:

• Home and kitchen items
• Cell phones and accessories
• Electronics
• Arts and craft supplies
• Gourmet grocery items
• Appliances

Some items are also restricted and don't allow you to list them as "new" if they were purchased elsewhere. There may be limitations on where items are allowed to be retailed as well, so be sure to check whether the brand has a limited list of authorized retailers.

12. Trade in Your Used Items​

While this option will not earn you extra cash in your bank account, it will get you cash in the form of an Amazon gift card to use on your next online shopping spree. Amazon's trade-in program allows customers to trade in eligible items in exchange for an Amazon gift card or promotional credit on specific items.

Thousands of items are eligible, including electronics, cell phones, video games, and Amazon devices. To find a list of all eligible items, visit the Amazon Trade-In store.

Items may be excepted in a variety of conditions, from non-working or good condition. To trade in your used items you must follow these steps:

Submit a Trade-In and Describe Your Items​

Visit Amazon's Trade-In program page to get started. From there, you will select your item and answer a few questions about its current condition. You'll receive a confirmation email on any items that are accepted with shipping instructions.

Prepare Your Item​

If you're trading in an electronic device or cell phone, you shouldn't ship it as-is. Cell phones should be unlocked and reset to factory settings. Electronic devices should also be reset and cleared of any personal information.

Ship​

Once you've received your prepaid shipping label from Amazon, you have 45 days to ship your trade-in item. Amazon covers the cost of shipping.

You can track the status of your trade-in on your Amazon trade-in account.

Items Declined by Amazon​

If your item is not accepted by Amazon, they will recycle it for you at no additional cost. You can request a shipping label to recycle the items. If you don't want the hassle of shipping the item to Amazon, look for a local electronics recycling center near you.

13. Become an Amazon Flex Delivery Driver​

If you're looking for a stable, yet flexible, income stream and are at least 21 years old, becoming an Amazon Flex Delivery driver is the job opportunity for you. Amazon Flex Delivery Drivers are independent contractors who use their own vehicles to deliver Amazon packages to customers.

Flex drivers make their own schedules by reserving blocks of time they would like to work. They can schedule their time well in advance or pick up shifts on the same day. Typical working blocks are from 2-4 hours or 3-6 hours at a time.

To work as a driver, you'll need a reliable vehicle, a driver's license, car insurance, and a smartphone.

14. Try Your Hand at Gig Work With Amazon Mechanical Turk​

If sales aren't your thing and you don't have a strong online following, gig work may be a good route for you. While gig work will not make you rich, it is a smart way to earn supplemental income without investing a lot of your time.

Amazon Mechanical Turk is a crowdsourcing marketplace where work is outsourced to gig workers. The program allows you to work remotely and has a variety of tasks available that you can complete for cash. Some of these tasks include answering surveys, creating subtitles, transcription services, moderating content, and data entry.

If you pick up consistent work, it's possible to make up to $15 an hour doing gig work.

15. Got a Great Voice? Give Voiceover Acting a Try​

Audiobooks are a big business, and Amazon is always looking for narrators to read their audiobooks. If you've got a great voice or a knack for impressions, this could be an exciting way for you to earn cash.

Amazon hires voiceover actors through ACX. You will have to go through an audition process to get the job, but if you have interest and talent, it's an avenue worth pursuing. If you make it through the audition process, you will continue earning royalties on your work as people purchase the audiobook.

16. Work as a Skill Developer for Amazon Alexa​

If you have a background in app development and IT, you find a side hustle as a skills developer for Amazon Alexa. Amazon looks for individuals who can develop special Alexa voice apps, called "skills".

Alexa Skills apps are an interactive voice interface allowing Alexa to interact with a user by performing tasks and providing information. As a skills developer with Amazon, you set your own price and earn up to 70% of the sales when users buy your app.

Another way to earn income through this avenue is with Amazon's Rewards program for developers. With this program, Amazon chooses select skills each month based on popularity and customer engagement. These developers earn rewards and cash for being one of the selected.

17. Stream on Twitch​

Twitch is an American live-streaming service owned by Amazon. Content creators on Twitch often play video games, esports, and music on their platforms while talking to live viewers.

Content creators on Twitch earn money through subscribers to their channels, ads, donations, and branded merchandise. Amazon also offers a unique affiliate program for Twitch users to mention or share affiliate links for extra money.

It can be challenging to find your niche and build up a following of subscribers, so bear in mind that this is not a get-rich-quick method and will require some planning and time to grow.

18. Write Reviews for Amazon Vine​

This option is invitation-only by Amazon. When invited to join the Amazon Vine Review program, you are offered free products in exchange for reviews. You don't receive compensation, but it is a great way to earn some free products.

To be considered as an Amazon Vine Reviewer, start writing reviews! Amazon customers who regularly share reviews are selected at random to participate in this program. The more descriptive and helpful reviews your write, the greater the likelihood that you will be selected.

While there isn't an option to apply, it's a great opportunity to be mindful of as you get started in your Amazon venture. Who doesn't like the opportunity for some free products?

19. Create an Online Course to Help Other Amazon Sellers​

One of the most lucrative ways to earn money online is by providing something of value to others. In our current digital age, creating an online course is one of the best ways to share your knowledge with others while earning a steady income stream.

If you have experienced success as an Amazon seller, why not share your success with others? Think back to your setbacks when you first started out and how new Amazon sellers can avoid them. Sharing these experiences provide value to others, something that is key to a successful online course.

How to Develop Your Course​

To start developing your course, you must first identify your target audience. The demographicsfor Amazon sellers consist primarily of men at 64%. The age range of 25 to 44 makes up 58% of sellers.

This is important to keep in mind as you create and market your course as these are the individuals you'll want to draw in to purchase your product. When developing the course materials, it should be clear and engaging with a variety of learning outcomes and benefits. For added value, consider including various exercises to put the learning materials to practice.

Include interesting visuals, real-life examples, and tools to help people get started. Be sure to market your online course and find a platform to host it. You can even publish it in the form of an eBook on Amazon publishing for another income stream.

20. Offer Up Your Services​

Aside from offering gig work through flex delivery and Amazon Mechanical Turk, Amazon has started working to connect people with other service offerings through Amazon Home Services. Amazon Home Services gives customers the opportunity to buy and schedule services directly on their platform.

All they have to do is add the service to their cart and schedule a time. They are covered by Amazon's happiness guarantee so customers feel comfortable scheduling with them.

Popular services sold on Amazon include:

• Furniture assembly
• Plumbing
• Music lessons
• Lawn care
• Dog walking
• Product and appliance assembly

If you want your services to be offered on Amazon's platform, you must fill out an application. Once approved, you must set up your Amazon Home Service Account, build your service packages, and start selling.

Because you get to create your own packages, you don't have to sacrifice your usual rates to sell your services on Amazon. Amazon only receives a 10 to 20 percent platform fee and a 5 percent transaction fee.

Tips to Get Started​

To start making money on Amazon, don't try to do too much at once. Choose something from this list that you feel makes the most sense to you and dive in! By choosing one option to focus on, you can dedicate your time to success rather than trying to juggle several opportunities at once.

Find Your Niche​

Choose a niche for yourself and stick with it. While it may seem enticing to throw everything in your basket and see what sticks, it can limit your success. Having a niche allows you to dedicate your time to excel in your area and prevents the consumers from feeling overwhelmed.

Learn more on how to find your niche when learning to earn money online.

Be Realistic​

You are not going to get rich right away by earning money on Amazon. It takes some time to find your footing and it may be at least a year before you start seeing significant results. 63% of Amazon sellers become profitable in their first year.

The key is to stick with it and stay consistent. With perseverance, you will begin seeing results.

Optimize Descriptions​

Whether you're an Amazon seller, affiliate marketer, or selling your services, optimizing your description and profile is crucial. Optimization increases traffic to your listings. Use popular keywords, search words, and be detailed when setting up your information.

Using the right words will give you a higher ranking in searches and place your products above competitors. If you aren't sure where to get started with writing better descriptions, research search engine optimization (SEO), and popular listings of similar products.

Spread the Word​

As you start out in your venture, don't be afraid to spread the word to friends and family. People you know can help build a local customer base and act as free marketing for your business.

Do Your Research​

Never stop learning. Earning money online is ever-evolving and there are always new things to learn to help you succeed. Platforms constantly change the algorithms that decide who sees your content or products. By staying up to date on this information, you set yourself up for greater success.

Be Adaptable​

Because the online world is always evolving, you must be adaptable. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to try something new to see what works. If you don't find success with one money-making method on this list, don't be afraid to try something else. Remember to give it some time before dropping it as a feasible money-making opportunity. It takes at least a year to find your footing.

Don't Stop Saving​

Even as you start earning extra cash with Amazon, don't spend it all in one place. While it's exciting to have some extra money in your pocket, finding a way to achieve financial freedom is the best thing you can do for long-term success.

Use this new increase in income as an opportunity to boost your savings. Pay off your debts and focus on having more disposable income.

Final Thoughts​

There are so many ways to make money on Amazon that you're bound to find something that works for you. Amazon is a billion-dollar company with a long-standing reputation to set you up for success.

Amazon is the world's largest marketplace, with a staggering 45 percent of the US e-commerce market. Amazon made nearly $470 billion in sales in 2021 and sells more than $17 million in products every hour worldwide. Fortunately, there are many ways that people can participate in this success and take advantage of opportunities to earn money on the Amazon platform.

Two of the most common ways to earn money on Amazon are as Amazon Affiliates or Amazon Sellers. In both cases, people can work on their own businesses from home, making money from the power of the Amazon marketplace. But the ways these programs work are very different and have different benefits and drawbacks. Let's look closer at Amazon Affiliates vs. Amazon Sellers.

What is an Amazon Affiliate?​

An Amazon Affiliate is a person who has an online presence (usually a website or blog, but it may also be a social media account or streaming channel) and uses their platform to direct their visitors to Amazon to buy products. When they direct traffic toward Amazon, and these visitors make purchases, the affiliate earns a commission.

For an affiliate to earn money on Amazon, their directed traffic must use their specific link, which tracks the referring affiliate and ensures that commissions are credited to them. Visitors must place items in their cart within 24 hours of clicking the affiliate link and complete the purchase before the shopping cart expires (usually 90 days). An affiliate must have a large audience to earn significant money on Amazon. It helps sell high-commission products like luxury goods, games, electronics, beauty, and fragrances.

There are currently over 900,000 Amazon affiliates participating in the program, and it's a great way to monetize a blog or online presence.

What is an Amazon Seller?​

An Amazon Seller is a person with a product who chooses to sell their product using the Amazon marketplace. Sellers create product listings on Amazon and can market those products directly to Amazon visitors on Amazon, or use their own website to feature their products and use Amazon as their e-commerce platform.

The most common way to sell products on Amazon is with the Amazon Fulfillment by Amazon program, which allows sellers to store their products in Amazon facilities. It uses Amazon staff to ship products, manage to track, and oversee returns. This program will enable people to sell on the Amazon platform without developing their own logistics and supply chain and allows sellers to take advantage of features like Amazon Prime.

About 9.5 million sellers are on the Amazon platform globally, and 73% participate in the FBA program.

Benefits of Being an Amazon Affiliate​

There are several significant benefits of being an Amazon Affiliate. Here are the most important advantages:

Amazon is Trusted and Reliable​

As an affiliate, it is easy to do business with a platform like Amazon, which can be relied upon to pay your commissions promptly and correctly. For your site visitors, it is easy to direct e-commerce traffic to Amazon since it is a trusted platform, and many will frequently shop there.

Amazon Offers High Commissions​

Unlike other online affiliate platforms, Amazon offers some of the highest commission rates, especially on specific products.

Amazon Carries a Vast Range of Products​

Amazon carries nearly every product imaginable, so you can create the content that best works for you and your audience and still find relevant products to earn commission on. Amazon affiliates make money on the entire shopping cart created through their window, so if they send someone to Amazon for lipstick and they buy a pair of shoes or a blender in the same transaction, the affiliate earns money on all those products.

An Affiliate Has Independence and Flexibility​

An Amazon affiliate can earn money from Amazon but often participate in monetization programs from other online businesses and platforms. If they stopped working with Amazon, they could start working with a different marketplace. They earn commission on all the products in the cart, so they don't have to stay in a specific niche and can evolve their content over time. For a smart influencer, Amazon is just one piece of a broader monetization strategy, and they remain independent and open to new opportunities.

Benefits of Being an Amazon Seller​

If you have a product, there are many reasons to choose the Amazon marketplace. Here are the most significant benefits:

Access to a Trusted Marketplace​

New sellers and products often struggle to build trust and credibility with buyers for years. Because the Amazon platform is so well-known, it is much easier to establish a new business and take advantage of Amazon's dominance in search, enormous traffic, and trusted reliability.

Access to Amazon Prime and Other Programs​

Nearly 150 million Americans have Amazon Prime, and many people will not purchase a product if they have to pay for shipping. Amazon sellers, especially those who choose Amazon FBA, can offer their products to customers who prefer Amazon Prime, use Amazon Lockers, buy products from Alexa, and more. As the Amazon ecosystem expands, it provides various services that most private sellers could not offer independently.

Access to Education and Support​

Finding success in an online business can be a considerable challenge. Amazon supports its sellers with vast resources and services to help start and run an e-commerce business. In addition, Amazon is so popular a marketplace that third parties have also created tools, tutorials, and expert services to help you grow as an Amazon seller.

Sell Without Hassle​

While Amazon FBA isn't the right choice for every seller, it does make storing, packing, shipping, and delivery of products incredibly simple and efficient. Without it, sellers would need to figure out how to store, package, and ship their inventory, which can be complicated and expensive.

Conclusion​

Thanks to the popularity and success of Amazon, there are many different ways to make money on the platform. Joining the Amazon Associates program and becoming an affiliate, developing your own product line, and becoming an Amazon FBA seller are the simplest and most popular ways to make money with your Amazon business.

It's no secret that Amazon is one of the world's most successful and profitable companies, with nearly 75% of online shoppers relying on it for their shopping needs. But do you ever wonder how Amazon sellers make money?

Whether you're an experienced seller or just getting started, understanding how Amazon sellers make money can help you maximize your profits and stay competitive.

Types of Amazon Sellers​

There are three primary types of Amazon sellers: individual, professional, and business-to-business.

Any person can sign up to be an individual seller on Amazon. With this status, you can sell products on a case-by-case basis. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is not available to individual sellers. There is also a $0.99 per item plus other selling fees.

Professional sellers pay a monthly subscription fee of $39.99 and don't have to pay the $0.99 per item fee. This status is best for those who plan on selling more than 40 items per month, as it will likely save you money in the long run. Fulfillment by Amazon is available to professional sellers.

Businesses of all sizes can subscribe to Amazon Business Seller (B2B) plans at $39.99 monthly plus other selling fees. They sell their products exclusively to other businesses. As a business seller, you can access features that help streamline selling to businesses, such as bulk listing and purchasing tools, pay-by-invoice, and volume pricing plans. Fulfillment by Amazon is available to business sellers enrolled in a paid subscription plan.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN)​

There are two key distribution methods to make money selling on Amazon: through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or by utilizing Amazon's Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN). FBA is the more popular of the two, as it offers more benefits to sellers.

With FBA, sellers ship their products to an Amazon fulfillment center, and Amazon handles the rest – including storage, customer service, and shipping. This hands-off approach appeals to many sellers, as it frees up their time to focus on other aspects of their business. And because customers trust Amazon implicitly, they're more likely to buy products fulfilled by Amazon.

Another advantage of FBA is that it makes sellers eligible for Prime shipping. Buyers get their products faster and are more likely to be satisfied with the purchase. More customer satisfaction means increased sales and more positive feedback for sellers.

The main downside of FBA is the cost – both in terms of the fees charged by Amazon and the cost of shipping products to Amazon's fulfillment centers.

With MFN, merchants list their items on Amazon but handle all other aspects of selling themselves, such as storage, packing, shipping, and returns. This way, merchants have more flexibility with how they want to handle these processes. Sellers who want more control of the entire process may prefer MFN over FBA, despite its drawbacks and potentially lower customer engagement.

Business Methods for Selling on Amazon​

We've looked at the types of sellers who list their merchandise on Amazon and Amazon's methods of selling and delivering said inventory. Next, we will overview some business models and services that can answer how Amazon sellers make money.

Merchants can create and sell their products or resell them in different ways. Retail arbitrage or Amazon arbitrage is reselling products from brick-and-mortar retailers on Amazon at a higher price. You can also resell products from various manufacturers under your label by either white or private labeling. Some Amazon sellers make money through drop-shipping. In this case, they do not physically have the products in stock. Instead, they source directly from the manufacturer or supplier.

Amazon Handmade​

Handmade products are those that the artisan merchant entirely handcrafts personally. These products can range from jewelry to furniture to clothing. Amazon Handmade is a section of the Amazon website dedicated to selling these crafts.

When selling on Amazon Handmade, there are no listing fees. Sellers pay a referral fee and a variable closing fee when their product sells. The referral fee is a percentage of the total sale price, and the item's category determines the closing fee.

To be eligible to sell on Amazon Handmade, you must apply and have your products approved by Amazon. Once your products are approved, you can start listing them for sale on the site.

Kindle Direct Publishing​

If you want to self-publish your book, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) may interest you. With KDP, you can publish your book electronically on Amazon's Kindle platform. You'll retain control of your book's rights and pricing and get 70% of the royalties earned on each sale. KDP is an excellent option if you're looking for a hands-off approach to publishing your book.

**Private Label Products

Private-label selling is when a seller sells products another company manufactures. The seller sells these items under their brand name rather than the manufacturer. The product must sell exclusively through one retailer to be considered private-label selling rather than white-label selling. It shouldn't be a generic product (such as ibuprofen) that multiple retailers can sell simultaneously.

Private-label products usually cost less than branded products. They can help save money while still getting quality products. There are many different types of private-label products on Amazon, so sellers can find products that fit their niche and target market.

White Label Selling​

Many Amazon sellers make money by white-labeling products. White labeling is when a seller takes a generic, no-brand item and puts their branding on it. The seller can add their label, packaging, design, or combination.

White-label selling can be a beginner-friendly way to start on Amazon without investing in product development and manufacturing. It can be a way to diversify your product offerings and reach a broader range of customers.

White-label and private-label selling appear relatively similar. Many aspiring sellers may find themselves confusing the two. The keywords to remember when distinguishing the two are "exclusive" and "generic."

Dropshipping​

Dropshipping is a business model in which e-commerce entrepreneurs sell products without carrying any inventory. When a store owner receives an order from a customer, they contact the supplier. The supplier will then ship the products directly to the customer's doorstep.

There are several reasons why retailers would choose drop shipping.

• Start an online business with little upfront investment
• Test different products and suppliers to see what works
• Low overhead costs
• No need to hire staff to pick, pack, and ship orders
• This business model is not without its issues.
• Seller has no control over the production or shipping process
• Cannot guarantee the quality of the product or service
• Responsible for customer service
• May have a low-profit margin

Some have expressed ethical concerns about dropshipping. The reason is low involvement from the merchant and the model's simplicity appealing to dishonest merchants who care more about raw profit than the customer or merchandise.

Conclusion​

These points should give you good insight if you've ever wondered how Amazon sellers make money. With these fulfillment options and retail methods, you may find a business strategy that works for you and your creative and financial expectations.

You've probably seen this title too many times already. Blog posts that list out a bunch of ways to make money blogging. Then you get overwhelmed by the choices and give up.

We're going to shake things up in this post, instead of listing out all the methods you've already seen, we're going to focus on one of the most pervasive ones: Amazon affiliate marketing.

Give me my passive income now!​

Well, that's the problem. See, before we even talk about making money blogging (Amazon Associates or otherwise), we need to start with the blog post itself.

The very first step to making money while blogging is to not only write great content, but to write the absolute best content you've ever written.

You need to know your audience, what blog topics resonate well with them and most importantly, you need to know what you're talking about (which if that's indeed the case, then the other two should sort themselves out).

In other words, you need to build a successful blog with loyal readers in its own right before you start thinking about how it can make you money.

As a blogger, you should deeply understand your audience’s challenges so that you can offer the most in-demand solution.

Start by looking at niches where you’re a member of the target audience yourself. This way, your domain expertise shines through faster.

Writing amazing content will not only get your readers to beg for more, but more importantly the Eye of Sauron of the internet that is Google search (as well as all the other search engines) will take notice, push your content up the search rankings and land you more traffic on your blog.

Now don't let me lead you on, it's not quite that simple. You need to master Search Engine Optimization (SEO), keyword research, how to find a profitable niche, and so much more. But we go into more detail about it in our training, where we take you along the journey of building your own Amazon affiliates blog step by step.

This baby fits so much traffic from Google search​

"Winner winner chicken dinner! Look at all this traffic coming to my new blog!" is what you'll be saying once you've written enough quality content that rivals some of the most successful bloggers out there, and done all the other things we advise you to do in our training.

"Can I start making some money now, pretty please?" At which point I would say *"Fine. But whatever you do, NEVER let it get in the way of creating the quality blog content that you've now become known for."*

We all know that the internet can smell bullshit from a mile away, so in order to not get shit on by the very audience that made you, you need to cherish the trust that they've placed in you like you would cherish your first born.

In practical terms, this means adding an Amazon affiliate link only where it makes sense. That means no links to coffee machines when you're talking about the latest beauty trends, no links to drink bottles when you're talking about online courses, and certainly no links to dog food when you're talking about cats.

Now, let's talk business: How do I make money blogging?​

Now that we're clear on what you need to do before you can even start thinking about how to make some money while blogging, let's actually start talking about the money making bit.

If you're somehow not already familiar with the Eye of Sauron of eCommerce Amazon (where my Lord of the Rings tragics at?), well aside from running one of the largest eCommerce platforms in the world, they also run just about the largest affiliate marketing program in the world as well.

"Wait, what is affiliate marketing", you're probably asking. Well, It's when you make reference to a product or service that you recommended in your blog post.

After reading it (and trusting you enough to make this purchasing decision) your readers have then gone and purchased that product.

As a thank you for your blogging efforts, the makers of the product/service reward you with a portion of the profits of that sale, known as a commission.

Ok, so how does Amazon help me make money?​

Now in our case, Amazon rewards you directly for referring your readers to purchase products on their site.

It works so incredibly well because Amazon couldn't possibly become an expert on every niche that exists and explain to each audience why they should buy each product that might be relevant to them, in the same way that they can't sell just about every product in the world (which is why Amazon allows third party sellers to sell through their platform).

Instead, they outsource that responsibility to anyone that happens to be an expert in a niche that requires products that can be purchased on Amazon, like you and me.

It's a win-win, Amazon gets more interest from people that actually put their hands in their pockets and buy things, and you get rewarded helping those same people finding a real solution to the problem that they're trying to solve.

Not to mention, it's a far more authentic experience for your user as they're being recommended products that are actually relevant to them, rather than being shown random ads via Google AdSense that, most of the time, are completely irrelevant.

Instead, that visual space on your site that would've been use as ad space can now be filled up with your content, which your audience absolutely prefers.

This then leaves you with a nice little profitable blog that will make you money for years to come!

How long does it take to build a blog that earns money?​

As we outline in our training, before you can sign up for an Amazon Affiliate program account you must have your own blog that has at least ten blog posts already on it. So you'll need to factor in how long it's going to take for you to do this.

Depending on how much time you can devote to it, it can take you a couple of months, especially if you take the time to make them great blog posts.

Wait a minute, did you say a couple of months? That's a serious time commitment.​

Yes, it absolutely is.

Now I'll be the first to remind you that there are no shortcuts to success, but I will let you in on a little turbocharger to success which is to get someone else to write your blog posts for you.

There are plenty of talented writers on Fiverr who will happily write you blog posts for a modest fee, and this is a great way to avoid all time and effort you would otherwise devote to writing from scratch.

This isn't a complete get out of jail free card though. You will need to spend time editing the posts and otherwise cleaning them up ready to be posted, but again if you really want to you can again enlist talented editors on Fiverr to do this for you for a modest price.

If I'm honest though, the more editing you can do yourself, the better because then you can build up your own digital marketing skills and not be entirely reliant on others.

Ok. So what else should I take into account?​

Once you have your blog full of content, you can then go ahead and create your Amazon Affiliates account. The process is relatively straightforward, and can be done in under half an hour.

After you submit your application, it can take between one to three days for Amazon to review and approve your account. Once it's approved, you will be able to start creating links to products which you can embed into your posts, which is precisely the point you can say that you make money online!

At this point of course, you're not going to have that much search engine traffic coming to your site, and as such, you're not going to have that much affiliate income coming in. But as you continue to write amazing content and follow the advice in our course, you will grow the amount of traffic coming to your site, and as such grow the amount of money coming in!

How can I keep the blog post ideas coming?​

It's worth noting that once you build up enough of an audience, you will be approached by brands looking for you to write sponsored posts (where they will pay you for a post on your site).

You'll also have writers reaching out to you about writing guest posts on your blog, or even wanting you to write a guest post on their blog.

The bottom line with these is to ask yourself, does my audience benefit from me accepting these proposals? Will it genuinely solve the problems that they're trying to get answers to? If they clearly do, then it's definitely worth taking the opportunity.

Now again, you can farm these out to your buddies on Fiverr if you want or write them yourself, but just know that you'll have no shortage of ideas on what to write next.

Sounds great. What's my first step to building a blog that makes money?​

You're in luck! As we've already mentioned, we've actually put together an entire course on how to build a blog that makes money. We take you through all the steps right from the beginning, so there's no prior experience required.

We show you how to use all the tools, what strategies work (and what doesn't), and we provide a curated list of supplementary resources that will help you develop the critical skills you need to master so you can share in the success of thousands of others who build blogs that make sweet affiliate money. You can access the course here.