Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) has enabled thousands of entrepreneurs to grow successful ecommerce businesses. With FBA handling fulfillment and delivery, you’re free to focus on sourcing products and driving sales.
If you want to tap into Amazon’s built-in customer base, here is a guide to becoming an FBA seller from scratch.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Sign Up for an Amazon Seller Central Account
The first step is registering for an Amazon seller account, which allows you to list products:
- Visit Amazon Services website and click “Start Selling Online”
- Select between Professional and Individual selling plans
- Enter your account info and credit card for verification
- Agree to Amazon’s terms, contracts, and program policies
It typically takes Amazon 1-2 days to fully activate your account after signing up.
Step 2: Find a Profitable Product Niche
Conduct thorough product research to identify your first items to sell on FBA:
- Use tools like Jungle Scout to assess market demand
- Validate sales potential through Google Trends and Amazon category data
- Check review sites to evaluate current product offerings
- Order samples to test quality if possible
- Estimate profit potential accounting for Amazon fees
Avoid oversaturated markets without growth potential.
Step 3: Source Reliable Inventory
Determine how you will source inventory for your chosen products:
- Find manufacturers or distributors already supplying those items
- Order small test batches from dropshipping suppliers
- Purchase larger quantities from domestic or overseas wholesalers
- Consider private labeling products already selling well
Ensure you have steady access to inventory before fully committing.
Step 4: Create High-Converting Listings
Optimize your Amazon product listings to convert browsers into buyers:
- Write compelling titles, descriptions, and bullet points
- Take professional quality product photos on white backgrounds
- Select the most specific browse categories and keywords
- Set competitive pricing while retaining healthy profit margins
- Enable FBA fulfillment to qualify for Prime
Step 5: Ship Inventory to Amazon
Prep products to FBA requirements then ship boxes to Amazon fulfillment centers:
- Apply FNSKU labels on each unit
- Bag or polybag items if needed
- Create shipment orders in your Seller Central account
- Pack boxes securely and attach FBA shipping labels
- Send inventory to the warehouse address specified
Amazon stores and fulfills orders once your FBA inventory arrives.
Step 6: Drive External Traffic to Listings
Don’t rely solely on organic Amazon traffic. Actively promote your listings off of Amazon as well:
- Run Amazon PPC and offsite advertising campaigns
- Promote to your email list and social media followers
- Pursue influencer and affiliate partnerships
- Build website content and backlinks to boost SEO
Marketing outside of Amazon brings additional sales and reviews.
By following these steps, you can successfully launch your ecommerce business on Amazon FBA. Remember to start small and scale carefully.
FAQs About Becoming an FBA Seller
How much does it cost to start selling on FBA?
Plan for around $1000-$5000 to cover initial inventory, tools, marketing, and other startup costs.
What tools do I need to run an FBA business?
Useful tools include Jungle Scout, Teikametrics, FeedbackWhiz, and Zapier. Start with the essentials.
How long does it take to become profitable on FBA?
Many sellers achieve profitability within 6-12 months. But optimizing processes takes 1-2 years.
Should I start as a sole proprietor or registered company?
You can test as a sole proprietor, then form an LLC once profitable for liability protection.
What is the minimum I must sell per month on FBA?
No sales minimums, but aim for at least 25-50 sales monthly for momentum. FBA fees incentivize higher volumes.
Selling on Amazon FBA provides huge opportunities today. Use this guide to launch your ecommerce brand correctly.
