How to Start Selling on Amazon: A Complete Beginner’s Guide (2025)

If you’re wondering how to start selling on Amazon, you’re in the right place. With millions of active buyers and billions in annual sales, Amazon is a goldmine for aspiring entrepreneurs. Whether you’re planning to earn a side income or build a full-fledged eCommerce business, selling on Amazon in 2025 is one of the smartest moves you can make.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to start selling on Amazon — from setting up your account to finding products, optimizing listings, and scaling your business.

Why Sell on Amazon in 2025?

Before diving into the actual process of how to start selling on Amazon, let’s understand why Amazon is such a powerful platform.

✅ Global Reach

Amazon serves over 300 million active customers across multiple countries. When you list your product on Amazon, it becomes visible to buyers worldwide.

✅ Trusted Brand

People trust Amazon. Listing your products on this platform means tapping into a customer base that is already comfortable buying online.

✅ Logistics Made Easy

Through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon stores your products, handles shipping, manages customer service, and even takes care of returns.

✅ Scalability

You can start small and scale fast. From selling 10 products a month to 10,000, Amazon can handle it — and help you grow.

Step 1: Understand Your Selling Options

To fully understand how to start selling on Amazon, you must first choose a business model that aligns with your goals and budget.

🔹 Private Label

Create your own branded products and sell them under your label. Requires upfront investment but offers high margins and brand control.

🔹 Wholesale

Buy products in bulk from established brands or authorized distributors and resell them on Amazon.

🔹 Retail Arbitrage

Buy discounted products from retail stores (like Walmart or Target) and resell them on Amazon for a profit.

🔹 Online Arbitrage

Like retail arbitrage but done online. Source products from eCommerce stores and flip them on Amazon.

🔹 Dropshipping

List products on Amazon and purchase them from suppliers only after a customer orders. However, Amazon’s dropshipping policy is strict — follow it carefully.

🔹 Handmade

If you’re an artisan or crafter, Amazon Handmade allows you to sell your custom-made items.

Choose the method that best suits your experience, budget, and interest.

Step 2: Create Your Amazon Seller Account

If you want to know how to start selling on Amazon, this is your official first step.

Go to: https://sell.amazon.com

You’ll need:

A valid email address
Government-issued ID
Credit card and bank account
Phone number
Tax information (SSN or EIN)

Choose Your Plan:

Individual Plan: $0.99 per item sold. Ideal for sellers testing the waters.
Professional Plan: $39.99/month. Recommended for serious sellers who plan to move volume.

Once signed up, you’ll get access to Seller Central, your control panel for running your Amazon business.

Step 3: Research and Choose a Profitable Product

When figuring out how to start selling on Amazon, choosing the right product is make-or-break.

What Makes a Good Product?

Sells for $20–$50
Lightweight (under 2 lbs)
Not seasonal (sells year-round)
Low competition but consistent demand
Not easily breakable or restricted

Use Tools Like:

Jungle Scout
Helium 10
AMZScout
Keepa (for price and sales history)

Research product categories and niches. Start with something simple and build experience before investing heavily.

Step 4: Source Your Product

Once you know what you want to sell, the next step in how to start selling on Amazon is finding a reliable supplier.

Sourcing Options:

Alibaba.com: Ideal for private label sourcing.
SaleHoo or Worldwide Brands: Good for wholesale.
Retail/Online Stores: For arbitrage.
Local Manufacturers: Great if you want to support local suppliers.

Tips for Working with Suppliers:

Order samples before bulk purchases
Ask about production time and shipping
Negotiate minimum order quantity (MOQ)
Use secure payment methods (like PayPal or escrow)

Step 5: Create a Compelling Amazon Product Listing

Your product won’t sell if it isn’t discoverable or appealing. A big part of how to start selling on Amazon is learning how to create high-converting listings.

Optimize These Elements:

Title: Use primary keywords (e.g., “Stainless Steel Water Bottle – BPA Free”)
Bullet Points: Highlight benefits and features clearly
Product Description: Persuasive and informative
Images: High-quality, lifestyle, infographics, and white background
Backend Keywords: Help with SEO but aren’t visible to customers

Use keyword research tools to find the best search terms customers are using to find products like yours.

Step 6: Choose FBA or FBM

When selling on Amazon, you can fulfill orders yourself (FBM — Fulfilled by Merchant) or let Amazon do it (FBA — Fulfilled by Amazon).

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA):

Amazon stores, packs, ships, and handles returns.
Products are eligible for Prime (more sales).
You pay storage and fulfillment fees.

Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM):

You store and ship the products yourself.
Lower fees but more manual work.

Pro Tip: Most beginners use FBA because it’s less hassle and customers prefer Prime-eligible items.

Step 7: Launch and Promote Your Product

Just listing your product is not enough. The next step in how to start selling on Amazon is driving initial traffic and sales.

Amazon PPC (Pay-Per-Click):

Use Sponsored Product ads to appear on top of search results.
Start with automatic targeting, then move to manual.

Other Launch Tactics:

Offer coupons or discounts
Share your listing on social media
Use influencers or content creators
Ask friends and family to buy and leave honest reviews (within Amazon’s rules)

Reviews and sales velocity in the early days will help your product rank higher and convert better.

Step 8: Track Performance and Optimize

Success isn’t just about starting — it’s about improving. You must constantly analyze and adjust your approach.

Use Amazon Seller Central Reports to Monitor:

Sales and orders
Conversion rates
PPC performance (ACoS, ROAS)
Inventory levels
Customer feedback

Optimization Tips:

Update images and descriptions based on feedback
Adjust prices according to competition
Test new keywords in titles and bullets
Improve packaging and product quality

The better your listing and fulfillment, the higher your chances of earning Amazon’s Buy Box (a huge sales booster).

Step 9: Handle Customer Service

Even if you’re using FBA, good customer service is key to maintaining your account health.

Answer questions promptly
Resolve complaints with empathy
Monitor product reviews and address concerns
Stay within Amazon’s policies to avoid account suspensions

Positive feedback not only improves your rankings but also builds brand trust.

Step 10: Scale and Grow

Now that you’ve learned how to start selling on Amazon and made your first sales, it’s time to grow.

Scaling Ideas:

Launch additional products in the same niche
Expand to international marketplaces (Canada, UK, Europe)
Create bundles or multipacks
Build a brand website and use Amazon as a distribution channel
Join Amazon Brand Registry for access to enhanced content and trademark protection

Once you understand the system, Amazon can become your full-time income — or even a sellable business asset.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even if you know how to start selling on Amazon, there are pitfalls that can hurt your success.

Choosing products with too much competition
Underpricing or overpricing items
Not reading Amazon’s terms of service
Running out of stock (hurts rankings)
Ignoring customer feedback and reviews

Learn from others’ mistakes and take each step carefully.

Final Thoughts: How to Start Selling on Amazon in 2025

Starting an Amazon business might feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into steps makes it manageable — and profitable.

Here’s a Quick Recap of How to Start Selling on Amazon:

Choose your selling model (private label, wholesale, etc.)
Create your Amazon Seller account
Research and pick a profitable product
Source your inventory smartly
Create an optimized product listing
Choose between FBA or FBM
Launch with PPC and promotions
Monitor and optimize
Deliver great customer service
Scale your business

Success doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right approach, Amazon can be your ticket to financial freedom.