As an eCommerce seller, finding products to sell on Amazon can be easy when you understand how sourcing works. There are various options available for an Amazon seller. Wholesale products and made-to-order goods are the go-to options for most startup companies, these are just two of several methods to find products for your Amazon business.

It all starts with product research which is beneficial to the success of your business. Knowing how to spot sales opportunities on Amazon is doable because of the tools and resources the platform provides its sellers.

To get you started with your own eCommerce business, here are six ways you can find products to sell on Amazon.

Outsourcing Products to Sell on Amazon

Some Amazon sellers use only one sourcing method, but many grow through a combination of several sourcing methods.

As you read through all these methods, you might find that sticking to just one would be easier, but varying the methods out might work too, so try to explore these methods as you see fit.

1. Retail Arbitrage
   In retail arbitrage, you purchase discounted retail products and resell them on Amazon. It may sound simple, but it takes a lot of skill to hunt for discounted and clearance deals in local stores and matching them with sellers on Amazon.

The key lies in knowing the trends and what products are making the most profit on Amazon, for how much.There are tools that can make spotting profitable items easier called Amazon Seller Scanner Apps. They give you information on products when you scan the barcode, and different scanner apps uncover different information. With the details provided, you can buy a product and know how much inventory to the stock based on the demands and potential for profit.
2. Print-on-Demand
   Print-on-Demand is basically dropshipping, which is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn’t keep the products it sells in stock. In dropshipping, you purchase the items from a third party that does the printing for you.POD can be a good way to build your own brand on Amazon, and if done right, can be quite cost-efficient. If you’re already a designer or an artist that wants to expand your merchandise, all you need is a good design to be printed in products such as mugs, shirts, etc, and an Amazon-approved POD seller.
3. Handmade Goods
   If you’re looking to sell your handmade and crafted products as an artisan, Amazon Handmade is the platform for you.
 
All you need to do is to submit an application to sell on Amazon’s Handmade section and pass the required details. Since the competition is still pretty low compared to Etsy, sellers who get accepted will benefit a lot from tapping into Amazon’s audience.
4. Wholesale
   The most common way to source items to sell on Amazon, reselling goods made by other companies falls under wholesale. Wholesale sourcing is cheap and works well for startups still discovering the profit potential of different product categories.Sourcing products from wholesale suppliers through marketplaces online such as Alibaba, AliExpress, Thomasnet, and IQS Directory. Trade shows and buyers’ markets within your industry are also good places to find products you can sell on Amazon.
5. Direct Source
   Direct sourcing your products means purchasing your goods directly from the manufacturer at a lower per-unit cost, even much lower than wholesale costs.Finding direct-source factories or manufacturers is just as easy as looking for wholesale sources, as most of them have a website online. Most wholesale suppliers actually operate their own factories. Just like wholesale product sourcing, make sure to be aware of your costs, inventory levels, and reorder quantities.

   

   Again, you can outsource FBA to do all the work for you. There are inventory management software that connect both FBA and Amazon Seller accounts that help track stocks.

6. Private Labels
   Under private labeling, you can sell products on Amazon under your own brand. Private label suppliers make their own products and goods, but label, tag, or package them under your brand.There’s a wide range of products private labels cater to, from kitchenware, personal care items, food, tools, cosmetics, and much more.

Doing a quick search on Google of a specific product category will provide private label products. Some manufacturers also offer a private label option on their goods. 

There are a lot of similarities in wholesale and direct sourcing, and private labels, but the best thing about private labels is selling under your own brand. You can use the same apps and tools for your fulfillment setup that you would use for the other sources.

Choosing the Right Products to Sell on Amazon

If you already have an idea of what you want to sell on Amazon, it’s best to choose a specific type of product or product category. Keep these things in mind when looking:

• Cost – How much does the product cost? Look for something that’s not too expensive but not too cheap that it becomes difficult to make a profit from it.
• Shipping – As an eCommerce seller, shipping will play a big part in your business, so the easier an item is to ship, the lower the costs will be for fulfillment.
• Competition – Finding the right balance when it comes to competition in the market makes it easier to thrive in the business. Look for a product or product category that consumers seek, but isn’t saturated with sellers yet.
• Customers – Figuring out your demographic, the kind of consumer you’re trying to appeal to can get you in a niche market with engaged customers.

There are a lot of ways to look for outsourcing methods and ways to research which products would give you the most profit on Amazon, and some methods don’t even require an upfront financial commitment.

Researching is the first step of the process and can be pivotal to your success in eCommerce, so besides truly getting to know what product you want to sell on Amazon, take note of what’s trending in the market. Research gives you an advantage in weighing the pros and cons of a product or the sourcing method.

If researching and familiarizing yourself with the different outsourcing methods in eCommerce, you can hire a virtual assistant that can help you with your operations as well. If you want to know more, Sidekicks is an on-demand virtual company and we’re eager to help visionaries and entrepreneurs like you. Click here for your free 30-minute consultation.