How much money do you need to start selling on Amazon?

It depends on your product and strategy, but plan for more than just inventory. Beyond your first order of units, budget for samples, shipping and duties, GS1 barcodes, photography, and especially advertising to launch. Many serious private-label launches start in the low-to-mid four figures at minimum, with more set aside for ads, because organic-only launches are difficult today.

What should I sell on Amazon as a beginner?

Lean toward products in a category you genuinely know, with healthy margins after all fees, minimal moving parts or electronics, manageable size, and no single dominant brand that shoppers insist on. Avoid hyper-competitive commodity niches where you'd be the 30th identical listing. Genuine category knowledge is a real edge now that the marketplace is crowded.

Do the old Amazon growth hacks still work?

No. Tactics that were popular a decade ago, like review groups, super-URLs, and giveaway blasts, have largely been shut down or actively penalized, and review manipulation can get your account suspended. The durable strategy now is fundamentals: a differentiated product, a listing that converts, competitive pricing, legitimate reviews, and disciplined advertising.

Why Are You Selling on Amazon? And What I Wish I Knew

Here is a post my brother originally wrote for the FBA Mastermind that I've kept and updated, because the core lessons have aged remarkably well. These are some of the lessons learned from growing a business on Amazon with FBA, with notes on what's changed.

Build the business around the lifestyle you want

Before starting, make sure your business fits the lifestyle you want. There is a big difference between the person making a modest income spending a few hours a week and the person spending 40 hours a week to make more. When you take this into account up front, a surprising number of decisions become simple. Take a step back and ask whether the next step matches where you are actually trying to go. This is even more true today, when running an Amazon business well can become a full-time operation involving advertising, inventory planning, and compliance.

Shop for suppliers, not just products

I am a huge believer in shopping for suppliers to source from, not just a single product. When you put all your capital into one product, you're betting everything on one roll. If it fails, you're done; if it succeeds, you have to start the whole research process over to grow. A good supplier who offers related items lets you spread capital across products, see what sells, and reshuffle into winners. When a supplier quotes a minimum order, ask what they're really asking you to spend — 500 units at $10 is a $5,000 commitment, and that framing changes the negotiation. This remains one of the most underrated strategies in the business.

Go with what you know

What market could you walk into today and be a legitimate, knowledgeable seller instantly? If you grew up around a sport, a trade, or a hobby, you probably know what makes good gear and can spot an under-served niche. My early successes weren't selling what everyone else sells — they were small niches in things I knew well. With far more sellers competing today, this edge of genuine category knowledge matters more, not less.

Relying on hacks is not a sustainable business model

The best way to have success on Amazon is to offer a good product at a good price, with a listing that converts. The easiest way to show up at the top of search is to consistently sell and satisfy customers. Focus on fundamentals rather than gimmicks that only work short term. The "growth hacks" that were popular a decade ago — review groups, super-URL tricks, giveaway blasts — have largely been shut down or penalized. Fundamentals are now the only durable strategy.

US suppliers are worth a look

If you have decent capital, you may be surprised how good a deal you can get with brand-name domestic suppliers and how willing they are to sell to you. You don't need Apple or Nike; you need legitimate businesses in their space where you can be a meaningful customer. With recent volatility in tariffs and overseas shipping costs, domestic and nearshore sourcing has become more attractive than it was when this was first written — worth modeling the landed cost both ways.

What I'd add for 2026

Model your true margin before you buy anything. Referral fees, FBA fulfillment fees, storage and aged-inventory surcharges, returns, and advertising all eat into the number. A product that looks great at the unit-cost level can be a loser after fees and ads.
Budget for advertising from day one. Organic-only launches are very hard now. Plan to run ads at a loss early to build velocity and rank.
Get Brand Registry early. It unlocks A+ Content, Stores, and brand protection, and it's foundational to building something defensible.

Need a hand with this?

If you'd rather have an experienced team handle this part of your Amazon business, explore our Amazon seller consulting services from Goat Consulting.

Amazon seller consulting →

There are a lot of reasons you may want to sell on Amazon. Always build the business so it reflects the lifestyle you want. Sell what you know, test the market yourself, sell good products at a good price, and respect the math on fees and ads — do that and you give yourself a real shot at success selling on Amazon.