Education · 1 of 5

The path

No degree or licence. Most people start small with arbitrage or one product.

1. 1

   Learn how Amazon fees work

   1 month

   Amazon's free Seller University and its fee calculator. Know your profit per unit before anything else.

2. 2

   Pick a model

   1 month

   Arbitrage, wholesale from brands, or your own private label product. Each has a different cost and risk.

3. 3

   Research and source

   2 to 4 months

   Find products with steady demand and room for a profit. Order samples. For your own brand, plan 2 to 4 months for a factory order.

4. 4

   Launch and run ads

   3 to 6 months

   Ship stock to Amazon, set up sponsored ads and watch your numbers daily.

5. 5

   Reorder, add products or stop

   1 to 4 years

   58% of surveyed sellers turned a profit within their first year. Growth usually means more products, not one hit.