Amazon is the online place that most people associate with as the place to go shopping online. Amazon actually started as a place to sell your used books, but it is now one of the largest retailers in the world. But, they aren’t just the place to go for a bargain when shopping; Amazon is also a great place to go when you are searching for ways to make money. In fact, there is something for almost everyone that is looking to make extra money or even those that are looking for a way to make a decent “full-time” wage. From selling products to publishing eBooks, here are ten ways to make money on Amazon.
How To Make Money on Amazon in 2021?
Well, 2020 is behind us (thank God) and this year’s New Years Resolutions have never been bigger.
Do you remember yours?
Well, if one of them was to make money on Amazon we’re going to give you 10 ways you can actually do that!
Starting with:
1. Sell Your Handmade Items
Amazon is well-known for their pre-made products, but along with selling everything premade, from batteries to televisions, they have added a new way to make money known as Amazon Handmade.
This Amazon marketplace is direct completion with eBay and Etsy, so if you make and sell handmade items, Amazon is the ideal place to present your items to a worldwide audience. The rules to apply are somewhat strict and there are different categories, including items that are made entirely by hand, hand-assembled items, hand-altered, and items that are handmade by one of your employees or you.
Amazon Handmade is open to Artisans who make the following items:
- Baby products
- Clothing
- Artwork
- Accessories
- Personal care and beauty products
- Jewelry and watches
- Home products
- Dining and kitchen products
- Pet supplies
- Party supplies and stationery
- Sporting goods
- Toys and games
- Shoes and handbags
To sell your handmade items on Amazon Handmade, you will need to fill out an application. The application requires some personal information and what it is that you make.
After completing the application, you will go through a screening process, which is to determine if your goods are right for the Amazon Handmade platform.
Once approved, you will create your artesian profile that includes a unique URL (make sure to check out how to get approved in Amazon restricted categories!). Your profile will allow you to list all of your goods and you can set your own prices and you control the messaging and branding on the sales page.
You can also fulfill the orders yourself or you can utilize Amazon’s FBA program.
2. Professional Home Services
If you want to earn extra money, but aren’t interested in selling products, books, or handmade items, there’s good news.
You can still earn money on Amazon by doing things you enjoy doing. Amazon now offers home services, so if you are experienced in one or more types of home services, such as fixing a leaky faucet or organizing closets, Amazon’s Home Services allows you to connect with local people in your area that need your services.
Some of the most common service options available include:
- Plumbing
- Handyperson
- House cleaning
- Organization
- Product assembly
- Product installation
- Home theater services
- And more
To get started on Amazon Home Services you’ll need to fill out an application. Once your application is approved, you will receive an activation code that allows you to create an account.
After creating an account you can download the Amazon Home Services app and choose the local jobs that are best suited for your schedule and skill set.
In order to sell your Home Services on Amazon, you are required to have general liability insurance with a limit of $1,000,000 US dollars per occurrence.
If you sell trade services, such as general contracting or plumbing, you will be required to provide your license information and Amazon will do a background check.
You aren’t required to pay a subscription, advertisement, or startup fee, but you will be responsible for a revenue share for all jobs you complete. The amount you have to pay is dependent on the service you provide and the price you charged and received.
If you are matched with a customer for your services, Amazon will take a 15-20% cut of each transaction.
3. Sell Your Designs
If you are artistic and good at design, Merch by Amazon is the ideal program for you to make some extra money. The process of designing for Merch is fairly simple; you create a design for a shirt, upload it to the site and if your shirt sells, Amazon will print the shirt and send it to the customer.
The Merch by Amazon platform works on a print-on-demand system, which means you don’t have to worry about buying large amounts of inventory because the shirt is only created when someone orders it.
There are a few different things that you can make designs for, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, hoodies, and pop sockets.
It is important to note that this is a popular program and acceptance is by invitation only, so you do need to submit an application and it may be a while before you are accepted.
To be accepted into the program, you will need to fill out an application, describe your experience and background, and then wait for approval. Once approved, you can upload your designs, select the type of product you want the design on, and write a description of the item.
Amazon Merch will then create a product page for you on Amazon and each time your product sells, Amazon will create, and ship the item for you.
4. Sell a Product
One of the best things about Amazon is that they make it super easy to sell almost anything. Using Amazon and the tools available for sellers means you don’t need to create a website and there are people around the world that can see your products.
In order to sell on Amazon, you’ll need to register for a selling account, which requires you to provide some information, such as your business name, billing address, phone number, credit card, and tax ID.
You can opt to have Amazon ship your products for you or you can take care of the shipping process yourself. Payments are made to you by way of direct deposit on a regular basis.
There are different plans to choose from when selling; the professional plan, which is less than $40 per month, or the individual plan which requires you to pay .99 cents per sold item.
Both plans charge additional selling fees when your items sell. If you don’t plan on selling more than a few items, the individual plan is ideal.
Amazon’s FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) means that as a seller you would ship your products to Amazon’s warehouse and they will do the shipping for you. This program has its pros and cons, but if you are selling in a high volume, shipping by way of FBA is the best option. FBA means you do not have to worry about storing your inventory, because it is kept at the warehouse until sold.
Whichever plan you choose, it’s important to do your research before you begin to sell any product, otherwise, there is a risk of losing money. For instance, if you order a large amount of inventory from another country, the shipping costs may be included in the retail price, which means the product may end up being too expensive to sell when compared to your competitor’s prices, so you may end up taking a loss.
It’s important to keep in mind that the competition may be significant, depending on the product you are selling, but if you do your homework, the opportunities are there and you can make money on Amazon by selling products.
5. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
If you are a writer but don’t want to deal with or aren’t having any luck with a major publisher, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing means you can simply publish your own ebooks on the Amazon platform and earn an income.
Although fiction writers tend to make more, you can write and publish either fiction or non-fiction and when you focus on a popular niche and use the appropriate keywords, you can quickly and easily show up in the searches.
The overall cost to write your book is minimal. You will need to pay for the cover design and if you prefer to hire an editor and someone to format it, but these costs are typically fairly low, so this is an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy writing.
Publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is a free way to get your books in front of millions of readers and it will only take about 48 hours for the exposure to happen. When publishing on KDP, the royalties vary and you can keep the rights to your work. You set your own prices and you can change the books as frequently as you want.
6. Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
Mechanical Turk is a program that allows businesses to virtually hire people for quick, simple tasks. The tasks vary and may include transcription, data entry, image recognition, and categorizing just to name a few.
These tasks typically don’t pay much, but if you want a quick, easy way to make money on Amazon in your free time, there is an opportunity to do so. The tasks do not require special skills, so almost anyone can do them.
There are typically thousands of tasks available each day and you can search through them to find the ones that interest you. As soon as the client approves your work, you’ll get paid. You can transfer the money you earn to your bank account or put it on an Amazon gift card.
7. Amazon Flex Deliveries
If you prefer to make money on Amazon by working outside of your home, have a smartphone, a reliable vehicle, and are at least 21 years of age, you can make money delivering for Amazon. You’ll also be required to have insurance and a valid driver’s license.
There are four different ways you can deliver for Amazon Flex:
- Prime Now and Amazon Fresh, which means you will deliver household items and/or groceries to customers.
- Store orders, which is similar to Instacart. You will drive to local stores, pick the orders up and then deliver them to the customer.
- Amazon.com is what you would traditionally associate with delivery jobs in that you pick up packages directly from Amazon, and then deliver the package to customers.
- Instant offers are last-minute restaurant delivery services that allow drivers to pick up takeout orders and deliver them to customers. It’s called instant offers because it is an add-on to other deliveries, which means you cannot schedule the pickups or deliveries in advance.
The amount you earn varies, but the averages are $18-$25 per hour plus tips. You can set your own hours and do the deliveries in blocks of time.
Keep in mind that you will be using your own vehicle, so there will be extra wear and tear on the vehicle; however, it’s still a great way to get out of the house and make a little extra money. If you are considering Amazon Flex, you will need to download the app and answer a few questions in order to find out if there are hiring in your area.
8. Resell Items
It’s a common misconception for many people that in order for them to sell products and make money on Amazon; they need to know how to buy and stock inventory from manufacturers and/or wholesalers.
Just the thought can be overwhelming and will prevent some people from ever taking a chance on this type of business.
The truth is you can actually resell items that you buy from other marketplaces, both online and offline. For instance, you can buy products from Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace for low prices and resell the items for profit on Amazon.
This process is known as retail arbitrage, which simply means to buy low and sell high. Once they found a lucrative niche there are many sellers that have made a great living through retail arbitrage.
One of the reasons that selling products through retail arbitrage is so lucrative is because sellers can avoid much of their shipping costs by driving directly to the location to pick up the lower-cost products that they will sell.
However, keep in mind that if you choose to sell products through retail arbitrage, you will need to spend time searching online marketplaces, local thrift shops, and local department stores, such as Walmart to find the best deals on what you want to sell.
If you buy from online marketplaces, you will need to arrange to meet the seller, so be sure to have safety measures in place.
The easiest way to find cheap items from department stores, such as Walmart, is to download the app, scan the items being considered and see how much they are selling for on Amazon.
This process will save you time and money because you’ll know ahead of time if a product will allow you to make money on Amazon. If you do your homework and choose products that will sell on Amazon, this is an excellent way to become a seller on Amazon.
9. Trade-In Program
The Amazon Trade-in Program is a different process than selling new products on Amazon. It is a way to declutter your home, get rid of unwanted, unused items, and get an Amazon gift card in exchange for your “clutter”.
The process is fairly simple, but it may take a little while before you see a return on your work. With the Amazon Trade-In program, you send your used items to Amazon, they will be appraised and you will receive an email to let you know what was accepted or rejected.
The shipping is free when you use the prepaid label provided by Amazon and if they don’t accept your item, it is returned to you free of charge.
Although you aren’t actually earning cash, it’s still a way to make money on Amazon. There is a vast array of items that can be traded in, but you’ll need to check the Trade-In store to make sure the items you want to sell are listed.
The list does change frequently, so don’t get discouraged if the item isn’t listed, because it may be added later. Some of the most common items that can be sold to Amazon Trade-In include:
- Used books
- DVDs
- Cell phones
- Tablets
- Kindle devices
- Small electronics
- Video games
10. Work From Home
You can make money on Amazon without selling products, writing books, or doing small tasks and one of the best parts is that you can have a job that is home-based by working as an Amazon’s Work-From-Home Customer Service Associate.
Depending on the position you are applying for, you may be able to work part-time, full-time, or seasonally and if you start out in a seasonal position there is potential for it changing to a full or part-time position. The full and part-time positions are generally only available in certain areas, so make sure you carefully review the requirements before applying.
The pay varies depending on the position, but the average wage is about $20 an hour for positions such as customer service representative or Alexa support associate.
Some of the jobs require experience and higher education, but there are many entry-level positions that are open to anyone. The most important thing to do before applying for any position is to review the requirements carefully to be fully aware of what you’ll need before applying. For instance, some positions may require you to be bilingual, have a college degree and experience in the position you are applying for.
There are numerous ways to make money on Amazon, but it is essential that you do your homework for any of the things you are considering. Whether you are considering selling new or used products, make sure you research all aspects of the product, including the delivery process, the initial cost for the product, what the product selling price averages are on Amazon, and whether you will store your inventory or send the products to the warehouse for storage.
Although there are common products that have hundreds of listings for sale on Amazon, if you can find these products at a price that will allow you to sell lower than the average price, it can be lucrative. Keep in mind that unusual items may be a hit or miss when trying to sell on Amazon.
If you are considering publishing a book on Amazon’s platform, research the category for the type of book you intend to write, read the customer reviews to learn more information about what customers expect from the books they read, and keep in mind that some books may have tremendous sales in the beginning and then have significant drops in sales as other books in the same category become available.
If you are considering doing the tasks on MTurk, keep in mind that these are low-paying, but they also don’t demand excessive attention, so you can do them while watching television or on your lunch break. There is potential to make decent money doing these tasks, you just have to take your time and only choose the tasks that you are interested in and that you will complete. Regardless of which of the things you choose to do, the one thing you can count on is that with research and patience, you can make money on Amazon.