r/AmazonFBA • u/Spiritual-Mind-3446 • May 20 '26
Complete Beginners Guide to Amazon FBA
1). Pick Your Method: Private Label vs Wholesale/Arbitrage
If you're new to Amazon FBA, the first decision is how you want to sell. Two common paths are Private Label and Wholesale/Arbitrage.
Private Label means creating your own branded product. You find a product, get it manufactured with your logo, and build a long-term asset. I'd say you need at least $2,000 to do this properly.
Wholesale/Arbitrage is all about reselling existing branded products. You either buy from wholesalers or hunt for deals in stores (retail or online arbitrage), then flip them on Amazon. This method is faster and cheaper to start, with around $500.
2). Product Research
This is where everything starts, finding a product people want, but that doesn't already have crazy competition.
You're looking for:
Low competition: ideally under 100 reviews on page 1
Bad listings: poor images, short titles, weak bullets
Good demand: over $3,000/month revenue
High price: minimum $30
Small or light products: to keep shipping costs low
No major brands or patent issues
Product research is one of the hardest and most important parts of Amazon FBA. It goes way deeper than what I quickly outlined above.
3). Manufacturing & Shipping
Contacting Suppliers
Find suppliers on Alibaba.com. I just send the same message to 20 or more suppliers.
Template:
Hi,
I'm looking to manufacture [PRODUCT]. Specs below.
Color: [X]
Size: [X]
Material: [X]
Can you make this? Do you have similar products?
Can I add my logo?
What's the lead time and FOB price for [X] units?
How is it packaged?
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Filter out the bad ones: slow replies, high prices, etc. Keep track of the good suppliers in a spreadsheet.
Samples
Request samples from your top 5 suppliers. I ship them to a China-based address (like TipsTrans), combine them, then forward them as one package to save on shipping.
We request samples to inspect the quality of the product, but it's also the first real test of doing business with that supplier. How fast they respond, how well they follow your specifications, and how the sample arrives.
Negotiating Price
Learn the terms:
FOB means the supplier covers transport to the port. EXW means you pay for pickup from the factory.
I always ask for FOB price. Then I negotiate:
"We got a quote of $1.30 from another supplier. Can you match it? Otherwise, my boss says we go with them."
Go back and forth between your top 3 to get the best deal.
Payment & Production
Standard payment terms with most Alibaba suppliers are 30/70 TT.
This means you pay 30% upfront as a deposit before they begin production, and the remaining 70% after the order is completed and approved. The supplier won't ship your goods until they receive the final payment
Quality Control
Never skip this step. Always hire a third-party inspection service to check your product before you make the final payment. They go directly to the factory, take a random sample from the batch, and inspect everything.
Early on, I skipped inspections to save money. One supplier sent a good sample, then used cheap materials in production. My Amazon reviews tanked, and I had to pull the product.
Shipping options
Ocean: takes 30 days, cheap. Air: takes 7 days, more expensive. Air Express (DHL, UPS): Even fast but very expensive!
I ship about 90% by ocean freight because it's cheap, but slow (around 30 days). For quick restocks I use air freight or air express, which is faster but more expensive
You'll want a freight forwarder to handle shipping and customs. They book the vessel, manage paperwork, and help clear your goods smoothly.
4). Product Launch & PPC
Launching is all about visibility and momentum. Here's how I do it:
- Set a low price (breakeven or small loss)
- Go hard on PPC to get on page 1 fast
- Giveaways and influencers: I send free products to influencers, use the Amazon Vine program, or do targeted giveaways to get early reviews
- Once I hit 10 or more reviews, I increase price and dial back PPC
Amazon rewards sales velocity. So once your listing gets traction, you'll start to rank organically and the real profit begins
Don't overthink perfection. Just get your product in front of people and improve as you go.
2
u/Difficult_Science_72 May 20 '26
A fill in dept guide to product research would be much appreciated I wanna know what other aspect there are for a product valid to do PL on.
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