Amazon is a huge marketplace and has enabled individuals to earn millions through its business. If you intend to become a seller on Amazon then the first question that comes to your mind is
WHAT TO SELL?
Also
WHERE TO SOURCE THE PRODUCTS FROM FOR SELLING ON AMAZON?
Both questions might seem simple from their appearance but they both are the pillars of successful e-commerce business on Amazon.
Before starting your e-commerce business as a seller on Amazon you must decide which product you want to sell and where to get it from. In this blog, we make sure that the readers get a complete guide on what type of products to sell on Amazon and where to source them from.
The simple definition of product sourcing for Amazon is acquiring products to sell on Amazon from a manufacturer at a price that helps you make a profit when you resell the products to your customers. However the pre-requisite of product sourcing is deciding what to sell.
Product selection has very strict yet straightforward criteria.
You should make sure to sell durable products, lightweight, and have less shipping time and cost. As an Amazon seller, you should make sure that the product you have selected is in demand by the customers, has the potential to generate profits, and has great reviews already.
It is advised to select a product that can generate 25-35 percent profit, has more than 30 reviews, and has a search volume of more than 100,000.
Product selection can be made both manually by searching the search volume on Amazon and also through product research tools. There are many paid product selection tools available that can help in the selection of profitable products. Some of these tools are Jungle scout, Helium 10, Amazooka, etc.
Now comes the important part of which product sourcing methods to use for Amazon. Before choosing the appropriate product sourcing method for Amazon it should be made sure that the products are acquired through accredited and reliable sellers or manufacturers. Those manufacturers or sellers should have a good reputation in the market. Based on our research about product sourcing for Amazon we have discovered the following five methods for product sourcing:
● Wholesale suppliers
● Buying Private label products from manufacturers
● Online Arbitrage and reselling
● Dropshipping and
● Product sourcing companies
Product sourcing for Amazon through wholesalers is a strategically good option if you have a lot of capital. Wholesalers usually purchase products in bulk through authorized brand owners and then sell them. Purchasing products from wholesalers is only possible if you are a registered brand or company on Amazon because otherwise, they don’t sell.
Looking for reliable wholesalers for a product is also challenging. You can look for wholesalers through online directories or meet them through trade shows.
A major advantage of this product sourcing method is that it offers a reduced per unit cost. However, this product sourcing method has some restrictions as well. Such as the wholesalers have a minimum order unit. So when purchased in bulk the overall price can be increased. However, a major advantage is that you can deliver the product directly from wholesalers to customers.
This product sourcing method does not allow to do product customization as well. However wholesalers have huge product catalogs to offer with increased profit margins.
Private labeling is buying a product from a supplier/wholesaler or manufacturer and then selling it under your name and brand. Sometimes the resellers might make changes to the product as well. This products sourcing method is a good option who want to establish their private brands on Amazon as privately;y owned entities, It is not mandatory to sell only products, sometimes intangible products such as services can also be sold under a private label.
Amazon Essentials and Target both are perfect examples of private label brands. If you want to use the private label as a product sourcing method then you should search for products that have fewer reviews. Also you should select products that you can improve by adding more features.
Online arbitrage and reselling is a very desirable method for Amazon sellers who want to sell on Amazon but do not want to deal with suppliers and wholesalers. If you are interested in using this product sourcing method then you can find many retail manufacturers who are selling products in bulk and at great discounts.
The trick is to find such products at discounted prices and in bulk which are also in demand on Amazon.
Not only physically but you can also find such products online. Goodwill and Gone tomorrow are two online platforms where you can not only list your slightly used products but also exchange them with other listed products.
This is a very interesting product sourcing method. Certain products which are not in demand somewhere or have gone out of season are sold in clearance and then bought by Amazon sellers.
Dropshipping is a good product sourcing method if you don't have a warehouse facility to store your inventory. Finding a reliable manufacturer or supplier is critical to the success of your business. In case you don’t find a trustworthy manufacturer or dropshipping supplier then because of poor quality products, late delivery, and poor customer feedback your brand's image can be sabotaged. Also, you have no control over the supply chain.
Another great option is to outsource the product sourcing department to third-party companies. Product sourcing companies who have been in business have all the required experience for product sourcing. They take complete control of the supply chain and source the best quality products.
Tesen fulfillment and dropshipping is a top-notch product sourcing company for amazon sellers. It has been providing amazon product sourcing facilities for years. It caters to all stakeholders such as Amazon FBA sellers, E-commerce sellers, Amazon dropshippers, and trade importers. Tesen offers standard economy shipping options, inventory storage options, and bulk purchase options to ease up the product sourcing process.
Selection of a product that sells and then deciding on the perfect strategy for product sourcing is a time-consuming process. Extensive knowledge through detailed research combined with some experience is the key to a successful business on Amazon. Every product sourcing method has it's own pros and cons but selecting the one that is strategically fit is the real challenge.
Source Your Products and Start Dropshipping