Amazon is a great place to earn extra income. Over the years, the online marketplace has become a billion-dollar industry. It has paved the way for many hardworking people who couldn’t find employment. Several pieces of research state that almost 40% of users worldwide purchase and sell goods repeatedly online, and that number is destined to grow.
With that being said, Amazon, through its Fulfillment By Amazon program, has enabled third-party sellers to join the e-commerce explosion and make the best of their time and effort. Therefore, if you plan on becoming one, have a look at this guide to kickstart your online career.
What Is Amazon FBA and Why Should You Be Using It?
Customers purchasing goods online expect fast shipping and the reason behind it is Amazon. Amazon is the pioneer of safe, fast, and efficient delivery. Those who are signed up with Amazon Prime Program receive free and guaranteed one or two-day delivery for products that are Prime eligible.
The good news is that you can offer and sell the same way as a third-party seller. The Amazon FBA program is not complicated. You simply ship your items to an Amazon warehouse and the company takes care of the rest. In other words, if you were to send Amazon a box with 30 items, they will pack and ship the products separately as they are sold. This has provoked and triggered many sellers to join the business, which is simply done from home.
How to Sell on Amazon Using FBA?
Creating an Amazon Seller Account
First, you need to create an Amazon account if you do not already have one. Then, you are going to register your account as a seller account. Ensure that you read the “Before You Register” section so that you are aware of all the rules and policies. Plus, you can also read about Professional and Individual seller accounts.
You can opt for a Professional account if you intend to sell more than 40 items per month. However, if the items are less, go for the individual seller account. Once you have selected the account, you will need to provide details including Business Name and Address, Agree to Seller Agreement and Mobile or Telephone number, etc.
As a seller, you need to provide your name and address along with a “Display name”. Since the name will appear publicly, you need to choose wisely. Additionally, this name will also be displayed next to the items you are selling. Next, verify your identity using through a text message or telephone call. Finally, provide your bank and credit card information. And you are done with creating the account.
Listing Your Items on Amazon
The next step involves listing your items on Amazon to sell. However, before that, you need to decide what items you wish to sell. Believe it or not, some people start by selling excess and useless items lying around in their house. Once you find the items, visit the inventory section and add products. Amazon will ask you to search your product which can either be done through barcode or simply mentioning the name. Make sure that each product you sell has a unique Amazon ASIN. Otherwise, you will be penalized heavily.
Next, Amazon will ask several questions related to the product such as the price you want to sell it for, condition, and shipping option. Always provide realistic prices and information especially when it comes to mentioning the condition of the product. Amazon does not like sellers ripping its users.
Converting Your Items to Fulfillment by Amazon
You might wonder why you need to convert your items to Fulfillment by Amazon when you had just selected them to be fulfilled by Amazon? The thing is that using Amazon FBA for every product you sell is not necessary. At the same time, you cannot ship some items through Amazon FBA. Thus, you need to visit your account settings and manually select the items you wish to fulfill using Amazon FBA.
Creating an Amazon FBA Shipping Plan
If you have selected “Convert & Send Inventory” or added a second item, Amazon will prompt you to create a shipping plan. To create a shipping plan, you will provide your Ship from address along with packing type. Generally, businesses have two methods for shipping their products, i.e., air and cargo. Depending on the size and need of the package, the businesses need to select the best option among them. To learn more about the shipment, Visit URL given.
You are offered two types of packing, individual products, and case-packed products. If you are using an individual seller account, you will most likely select the individual products option. Plus, you can select the case-packed products only if you have a box with all the same items inside. Once you are done creating the shipping plan, you will be asked to include the items to sell.
Shipping Your Products to Amazon for FBA
Now that you are done creating the shipping plan and adding the items, you need to ship your products to Amazon for FBA. Visit the inventory section and select “Manage FBA Shipments”. Click “Continue with shipping plan”. Then, select the number of each item you wish to send and choose whether you or Amazon label the product.
Once you are done providing relevant information and approving your shipment, you can choose Amazon for shipping. Simply weigh the products on a scale, print out the labels and stick them on the package. Finally, drop the package at the nearest local carrier, and you are done.
Once Amazon receives your products, your items will be available for purchase. You simply now have to wait until your items are sold. If you are selling items that are in demand, you will not have to wait long until they are sold out.
Final Word
Amazon FBA can be difficult, especially for beginners who find it hard to sell products upon listing as a seller. But there is no need to panic. Simply keep an eye out for products that are popular and keep refining the offerings with time. Gradually you will develop a good grip of what your customers want, which will take your online business to the next level.