Get helpful tips on launching your store.
How to sell online
- Choose products to sell
- Source products
- Understand regulations
- Check selling costs
- Create high-quality listings
- Set your pricing strategy
- Create your online store
- Determine payment methods
- Manage inventory and shipping
- Package items with care
- Focus on delighting customers
- Promote your products
- Monitor store performance
- Identify new opportunities
14 tips for selling online successfully
Start selling or grow your business with these tips:
1.
Choose products to sell
Finding the best products to sell online starts with research. Check the Amazon Best Sellers list to discover popular products that customers are actively purchasing. Consider these factors:
- Price: You can research competitor prices in the Amazon store or through the Amazon Seller app, where you can use comparison points like match low price and Featured Offer price.
- Reviews: Learn what customers like and don’t like. Find ways to improve your products.
- Seasons: Plan for products that sell better at certain times. Adjust inventory for seasonal changes.
- Size and weight: Consider shipping costs for large items. Plan packaging for fragile products.
- Customers: Choose between niche or broad audiences. Find product ideas in our ecommerce guide, or get inspiration from our list of business ideas.
Did you know?
You can find product ideas through Product Opportunity Explorer
Use Product Opportunity Explorer to identify seasonal trends, unmet customer demand, and untapped niches.
2.
Source products
You can make products yourself or work with suppliers.
If you buy products from wholesalers, you might need space to store them. But with sourcing methods like dropshipping or print-on-demand, you won’t need to keep any inventory yourself.
Look for suppliers who offer:
If you buy products from wholesalers, you might need space to store them. But with sourcing methods like dropshipping or print-on-demand, you won’t need to keep any inventory yourself.
Look for suppliers who offer:
- Good quality products
- Fair prices
- Quick delivery
- Easy returns
- Bulk discounts
3.
Understand legal and regulatory considerations
Selling online requires following various laws and regulations. To protect your business:
- Verify product safety compliance: Ensure your products meet all safety standards.
- Complete tax requirements: File proper tax forms and understand your sales tax obligations.
- Check restricted products: Check if there are any restrictions on the sale of your products.
- Comply with international requirements: Follow customs and import regulations.
4.
Check listing and selling costs
Different online selling channels have different costs, so it can be helpful to compare costs before you decide where to sell.
With most services, you’ll likely pay:
With most services, you’ll likely pay:
- To list products
- When products sell
- To process payments
For example, Amazon offers two selling plans:
- Individual: $0.99 per sale—ideal if you sell less than 40 units monthly
- Professional: $39.99 per month, no matter how many products you sell—ideal if you sell more than 40 units monthly
Some additional fees and costs might include:
- Referral fees: A percentage of each sale, depending on the category. For example, baby products might incur a fee of 8% if the total sale price is $10 or less.
- Fulfillment costs: If using services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), fulfillment costs are based on size and weight. You can use our Revenue Calculator to compare estimates for FBA and your own fulfillment method.
- Inventory fees: These can vary by factors like product volume, size, weight, and how long products are stored.
Go mobile
Use the free Amazon Seller mobile app
The Amazon Seller mobile app is packed with features to help you manage and grow your ecommerce business wherever you are. It gives you the freedom to take care of business details right from your phone or tablet.
5.
Create high-quality listings
Good product listings can help you sell more. Here’s what you can do to create high-quality listings:
- Make your titles clear and interesting.
- Take great photos that show your product clearly from different angles.
- Write clear descriptions that explain why customers should buy your product.
- Use the right words that shoppers search for to help your products appear when customers are looking. This is called search engine optimization (SEO).
6.
Set your pricing strategy
A good pricing plan changes with the seasons and market conditions. Watch what your competitors charge. Try offering special deals and coupons to attract new customers or sell extra inventory faster. New products without reviews can often sell better with lower starter prices to encourage first purchases.
Amazon sellers can use a free Automate Pricing tool to adjust prices automatically and save time.
Amazon sellers can use a free Automate Pricing tool to adjust prices automatically and save time.
7.
Create your online store
You can sell products online through multiple channels, including the Amazon store, your own website, or social media. Many sellers use a mix of these options to reach more customers.
Build your own website or use Amazon Stores builder to create your shop. When you sell with Amazon, you get tools for payments and a dashboard to track sales.
Build your own website or use Amazon Stores builder to create your shop. When you sell with Amazon, you get tools for payments and a dashboard to track sales.
8.
Determine payment methods
Enhance the purchasing journey by offering various payment methods and security for customers. Consider these factors:
- Customer preferences: Think about what types of payment your audience may prefer, like PayPal, credit card, or digital wallets, just to name a few.
- Security and fraud prevention: Protect payments with secure authentication, encryption, and fraud detection.
- Trust badges and SSL certificates: Add security badges to show customers their data is safe and help increase sales.
Use Amazon payment methods on your own website:
- Amazon Pay lets customers check out using their Amazon account information. Get paid within 24 hours with Express Payout.
- Buy with Prime adds Prime delivery to your website. You only pay when you make a sale, based on order size and value.
9.
Manage inventory and shipping
Choose how you’ll ship products to customers. If you sell with Amazon, you can ship items yourself or let Amazon handle shipping for you. Consider the costs and delivery times for each option.
How shipping works on Amazon
You have two ways to deliver products to customers:
- Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon stores and ships products for you.
- Fulfilled by Merchant: You ship products directly using Amazon tools.
Supply Chain by Amazon
Use Supply Chain by Amazon to move products from manufacturers to customers worldwide. Supply Chain by Amazon can help keep products in stock, ship faster, and lower your costs through FBA and Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF).
Multi-Channel Fulfillment
Use Multi-Channel Fulfillment to ship orders from your other online stores and Buy with Prime sales. Send your inventory to Amazon, and we’ll pack and ship your products while offering Prime delivery speeds. If you’re an existing Amazon seller using FBA for sales on Amazon.com, you can use your FBA inventory for your MCF sales channels, including your own site.
Calculate shipping costs
Compare shipping costs before choosing how to deliver products. Larger and heavier products cost more to ship. Pick the best method for each product. You can also use our Revenue Calculator to compare estimates for FBA and your own fulfillment method.
Pro tip
Mix and match your fulfillment options
If you sell in Amazon stores, you can use FBA for some or all of your products. The right combination depends on the products and your business goals. For example, you can take advantage of FBA Export or Remote Fulfillment to make international shipping easier.
10.
Package items with care
Pack products carefully to avoid damage. Or let Amazon handle packing and shipping through FBA.
When you pack products:
When you pack products:
- Use boxes that fit your products.
- Add padding to protect products.
- Include shipping labels.
- Add packing slips.
- Seal boxes securely.
These steps can help ensure customers receive orders in perfect condition and increase your chances of getting positive reviews.
Pro tip
Add a personal touch
A thoughtful gesture like a small sticker or handwritten note can go a long way toward earning repeat business.
11.
Focus on delighting customers
Put customers first. This is key to online selling success. Take time to understand who your customers are and what they need. You can focus on selling to specific groups who love certain products, or you can aim to reach many types of buyers. Pay attention to customer feedback about products like yours, as this will help you improve what you offer.
Manage customer reviews
Reviews help build trust, help customers decide to buy, and give you feedback to improve. To build trust:
- Respond to reviews promptly, answering customer questions within a day.
- If you sell in the Amazon store, follow Amazon rules for getting reviews.
- For Amazon sales, use Customer Review Insights to track feedback.
Reward repeat customers
Customers who shop with you again and again are valuable for your business. When you notice someone has ordered from you multiple times, show them you appreciate their loyalty. This can help build stronger relationships and encourages more sales in the future.
Keep customers coming back by:
Keep customers coming back by:
- Adding thank you notes: A simple handwritten note saying “Thank you for your order!” can make customers feel special and remembered.
- Offering discounts: Create special offers just for repeat customers, like “10% off your next purchase” or “Free shipping on orders over $25.”
- Including small gifts: Surprise repeat customers with a small free product related to their purchase. Even something small shows you value their business.
These small gestures don’t cost much but can turn occasional buyers into loyal fans who recommend your store to others.
Check out this ecommerce business guide for more guidelines on how to start and grow your business.
Check out this ecommerce business guide for more guidelines on how to start and grow your business.
12.
Promote your products
Attract more customers and increase sales with these strategies:
Build your brand
Build a brand that customers will remember. Make your products unique. Considering enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry to help protect your brand and grow your business.
Offer discounts
Attract more customers with coupons and deals. Amazon sellers can use Coupons to offer percentage or fixed discounts. They can also create Lightning Deals for time-limited offers and Best Deals for higher-priced products.
Get customer reviews
What if you don’t have any reviews yet? In this case, Amazon sellers can use Amazon Vine to get quality reviews for their products.
Advertise
Reach more customers with ads. Amazon sellers can use Amazon Ads tools like Sponsored Display to advertise in and beyond the Amazon store. Pay only when customers click the ad.
Optimize your listings
Make your products easier to find online by using words that customers search for in product titles and descriptions. This practice, called search engine optimization (SEO), can help your products appear when shoppers look for products like yours.
3D models and augmented reality
Show your products online in ways that help customers make better purchasing decisions. With 3D models and augmented reality, shoppers can see exactly what they’re getting, which can lead to delighted customers and fewer returns.
Help customers see your products better with these Amazon tools:
Help customers see your products better with these Amazon tools:
- View in 3D: Let them see a product from all sides, just like they would in a physical store.
- View in Your Room: Give them the opportunity to see how furniture or decor would look in their space.
- Virtual Try-On: Let customers see themselves in shoes and eyewear in real time.
These tools help turn shoppers who are “just looking” into customers who are ready to buy because they can better visualize owning your products.
13.
Monitor store performance
Track how well your store performs with these tools and strategies:
Analytics reports
Eligible brands can use Amazon Brand Analytics to see what customers search for and buy. This can help them make smarter decisions about which products to sell and how to market them. It’s available to brands enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry.
Product reviews
Reviews are vital for your business, so it’s worth repeating: Read what customers say about your products. Use their feedback to improve and create new products.
Inventory management and performance
Keep track of what you have in stock. Amazon FBA sellers can use the Inventory Performance Index (IPI) to track their inventory health. This score shows how well you manage your inventory, like a report card for your stock levels. A high IPI score can help you sell more and pay less for storage. Improve your score by restocking products that sell quickly, not keeping too much or too little inventory, and fixing any problems with your product listings.
He invented a tool for DIY shaves and haircuts
“Shout out to Amazon for freeing me financially.”
Josh Esnard
Founder, The Cut Buddy
14.
Identify new opportunities to grow your business
Explore new ways to grow your business with these tools and strategies:
Identify new products
Amazon seller can find new products to sell using Product Opportunity Explorer. It shows you what customers want to buy and where there’s room for new sellers.
Sell to businesses
Consider selling to business-to-business (B2B) customers through a program like Amazon Business. Business customers often buy more and return less.
Explore global selling
Reach customers in other countries with programs like Amazon Global Selling. Amazon can help simplify international selling with tools that help you understand demand and connect with service providers.
Use online selling tools and services
Amazon sellers can use Amazon tools and connect with vetted service providers to help run their business better. Get help from Amazon and our approved service providers to grow your sales.
Use apps
Use apps to:
- Set prices automatically.
- Research products.
- Create tax forms.
- Build reports.
Amazon sellers can find many helpful apps in the Selling Partner Appstore.
Train with resources like Seller University
Learn how to sell better with free training from resources like Seller University. Watch videos and read guides made just for you.
Go mobile
Run your business from anywhere with tools like the Amazon Seller app. Create listings, track sales, and respond to customers from your mobile device.
Ready to get started?
Starting an online business can be a big step. But we’re here to help you succeed, one step at a time.
Helpful resources
Get help starting or growing your online business with these resources:
Ready to go from idea to first sale? Check out the New Seller Guide for a winning formula for your first 90 days with Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I start selling items online?
Choose a selling plan, then sign up for an Amazon selling account. List your products, set prices, and decide how you’ll ship orders. Start promoting your products to reach more customers. If you have a brand, enroll in Brand Registry. Learn more in our ecommerce guide.
Should I consider selling on multiple websites?
You can reach more customers by selling through different channels like your own website, the Amazon store, and social media. Use Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) to let Amazon ship orders from multiple sales channels using your FBA inventory.
Do I need to collect sales tax for selling online?
Amazon handles sales tax in states with marketplace tax laws. For more information, see Marketplace Tax Collection.
How do I determine shipping costs when selling online?
Use the Revenue Calculator to compare FBA costs with your own shipping:
- Search the Amazon catalog for a product, or define one using dimensions, weight, category, price, and shipping charges.
- Review and adjust inputs for Amazon Fulfillment and Your fulfillment to calculate—and recalculate—fees, costs, and revenue.
Is it profitable to sell on Amazon?
Selling on Amazon can be very profitable. Data from Amazon’s 2024 Small Business Empowerment Report shows that independent sellers in the US averaged more than $290,000 in annual sales in the Amazon store in 2024.
*A Professional selling account is $39.99/month + selling fees. Learn more
