Every day, thousands of sellers reach out to our Sequence Commerce campaign experts with questions about starting, growing, and scaling their Amazon businesses.
Whether you’re new to eCommerce or managing a 7-figure brand, we’ve compiled the top 10 questions sellers ask us, along with genuine and actionable responses from our team of experts.
How do I begin selling on Amazon?
Though initially overwhelming, starting on Amazon doesn’t have to be complicated.
First, you need to open an Amazon Seller Central account and decide on either an Individual or Professional selling model.
If you’re testing the waters with a small number of products, an Individual account might be more appropriate.
But a Professional account is the wiser option if you plan to sell regularly.
You can start listing your products right away after your account is configured.
For example, if you’re looking to sell used books on Amazon, you’ll want to focus on creating engaging descriptions, including premium photos, and determining a reasonable pricing strategy for your niche.
You’ll need to choose between Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), where you handle logistics yourself, or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where Amazon manages storage, shipping, and customer service.
Before diving into Amazon selling strategies, many entrepreneurs wonder which marketplace is more profitable.
Understanding the cost differences can help you make the right platform choice.
It’s equally important to understand the common Amazon account suspension reasons so your account remains active from day one.
What is the difference between an Individual and a Professional Seller Account?
There are 2 seller account options from Amazon, your sales volume and objectives will determine which one best fits you.
Those who sell fewer than 40 products a month are supposed to follow the Individual plan.
Although Amazon charges a $0.99 fee for each sale, it doesn’t have a monthly payment.
This can be the greatest choice if you’re simply testing Amazon selling.
On the contrary, regardless of how much you sell, the Professional plan runs $39.99 a month.
Along with other advantages, including access to Amazon advertising, mass listing features, and sophisticated reporting tools, this strategy offers more benefits.
If you truly want to grow your company, the Professional plan is the best approach.
If you sell 50 products in a month as an Individual seller, you would spend $49.50 in fees, which is already more than the cost of the Professional plan.
Most merchants update as they begin to show steady sales.
Does starting an Amazon sales call require a business license?
Typically not. Once you begin making money as an entrepreneur, online or in person, there’s no documentation required to get the government to designate a private company.
If you wish for more seller protection, though, you might decide to create an LLC or another company form, these structures and licenses are not required for direct Amazon sales.
How much should I spend to start selling on Amazon?
Many new sellers don’t realize how much they’ll actually pay because Amazon’s fee system isn’t always clear.
First, there’s the selling plan charge: either $39.99 per month for professionals or $0.99 per sale for individuals.
Referral fees follow, which vary depending on category and typically range from 8% to 15% per sale.
Amazon likewise charges fulfillment and storage costs if you use FBA.
These rely on item weight, size, and the length of time products spend in Amazon’s warehouse.
For instance, if you sell phone cases, your fulfillment cost could be about $3 per unit, whereas for bigger items like coffee makers, you could be spending $10 or more per item.
You really should figure out your entire expenses ahead of time.
You’re left with $20.50 before considering product prices and advertising charges if you offer a product for $30 and Amazon takes 15% in referral fees (that’s $4.50), plus an FBA fee of $5.
Knowing this data will help distinguish profit from loss.
What are some of the best-selling products on Amazon?
While trends shift, here are product types that consistently perform well:
Eco-friendly products like bamboo toothbrushes, reusable food storage bags, and solar-powered gadgets.
Unique problem-solving gadgets such as laptop stands, blue-light glasses, and ergonomic seat cushions.
Pet accessories, including chew toys, grooming kits, and travel water bottles.
DIY and home improvement items like peel-and-stick wallpaper, smart LED lighting, and organizational tools.
Fitness and wellness gear such as resistance bands, posture correctors, and recovery tools.
Personalized and niche products like custom mugs, engraved jewelry, and unique gifts.
Is there a way to archive product listings?
Amazon doesn’t have an official archive button, but you can close a listing if you want to pause sales while keeping the data intact.
If you no longer plan to sell the product, you can delete it, but keep in mind that this erases all historical data.
How do I enhance my Amazon account health score?
Ship on time to keep your account in good standing, avoid order flaws, and quickly address consumer complaints. Check your Account Health Dashboard periodically to monitor critical Amazon seller performance metrics, stay consistent with Amazon’s standards, and keep your inventory stocked to avoid difficulties.
How does Amazon handle customer returns and refunds for sellers?
If you’re using FBA, Amazon takes care of returns and refunds automatically.
For FBM, you’ll need to handle returns yourself, following Amazon’s guidelines.
Amazon generally favors the customer, and in some cases issues Amazon returnless refunds unless sellers can prove the return is invalid.
How can I manage inventory properly to avoid stockouts or unnecessary storage fees?
Balance is a key. Use sales data to forecast demand, reorder in time, and avoid overstocking because FBA storage fees can add up fast.
Amazon’s Inventory Performance Index (IPI) can help you optimize stock levels and keep fees low.
I lost my Buy Box. What do I do?
Losing the Buy Box means fewer sales, so check these factors:
Pricing matters, stay competitive without destroying your profit.
Fulfillment is important too, because usually, FBA wins the Buy Box over FBM.
Stock levels also play a role, so if you’re running low, that could be why.
Seller metrics are critical, so keep ratings, shipping times, and order defect rates in check.
Take the help of Amazon Brand Analytics to fetch this data and more.
How much should I budget for Amazon advertising?
Start small, around $10 to $50 per day, and adjust based on results.
Track ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales) using an Amazon ACoS calculator to make sure your campaigns stay profitable.
If your product has a high margin, you can afford to spend more on ads to scale faster.
How do I choose the right keywords for my Amazon PPC campaigns?
Use Amazon’s Auto Campaigns to find keywords that convert, then shift the best ones into manual campaigns.
Tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout can also aid in this process.
Mix broad, phrase, and exact match to cover all search variations.
What’s the best Amazon ad type to start with?
For novices, Sponsored Products are the best since they appeal to consumers already looking for goods like yours.
Try Sponsored Brands for brand awareness once you’re generating sales, and Sponsored Display for retargeting customers who viewed your products.
What are negative keywords, and how might they enable me to cut ad costs?
Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches, which saves you money.
For example, if you offer expensive bags, adding “lowest pricing” as a negative term eliminates wasted clicks from bargain searchers.
What should I do if another seller is using my product listing images without permission?
Report them through the appropriate channels.
Use Amazon’s Report Infringement Form under Intellectual Property Complaints.
If you’re part of Amazon Brand Registry, you’ll have even more power to protect your content.
Sending a cease-and-desist note to the seller can also help resolve the situation.
What Amazon SEO strategies work best in 2026?
Focus on optimized titles and bullets by using main keywords naturally.
Don’t waste backend keywords space, add synonyms and variations there.
Click-through rate boosters matter too, so high-quality images and strong pricing are essential.
Reviews and ratings are crucial because more positive reviews equal greater conversions and rankings.
What is Amazon DSP advertising, and should my business use it?
Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform) is for advanced sellers with bigger ad budgets.
It’s great for retargeting shoppers both on and off Amazon.
If you’re fresh to Amazon advertising, stick to Sponsored Ads first because DSP makes sense when you’re scaling to higher revenue levels.
My ACoS is 45%, and I’m barely breaking even. Is that normal?
45% ACoS means you’re spending $45 on ads for every $100 in sales.
For new products during the first 60 days, 40% to 60% ACoS is normal as you’re building reviews and ranking.
For established products, aim for 20% to 35% ACoS.
Quick fixes include checking your Search Term Report and pausing keywords with an ACoS of over 60%.
Add negative keywords for irrelevant searches.
Lower bids by 20% on high-ACoS keywords.
Improve your main image to boost click-through rates and conversion.
How do I get my first reviews without breaking Amazon’s rules?
Getting reviews legally is crucial. Here are the approved methods:
Amazon Vine Program requires Brand Registry, where Amazon selects reviewers to receive free products. If you want help managing enrollment and the review process, our Amazon Vine management program can handle it for you.
Cost is $200 per ASIN for up to 30 units. Reviews appear in 2 to 4 weeks with a Vine Voice badge.
Insert cards are another method. Include a card in packaging thanking customers and asking for honest feedback.
Never offer incentives for positive reviews because that violates Amazon’s Terms of Service.
Use the Request a Review button, Amazon’s built-in feature in Seller Central, 5 to 30 days after delivery.
Amazon Early Reviewer Program, if available in your region, costs $60 per ASIN and incentivizes recent buyers to leave reviews, though Amazon is phasing this out in some areas.
What’s the difference between FBA and FBM? Which should I choose?
FBA means Fulfillment by Amazon, where Amazon stores, packs, and ships your products.
You get the Prime badge, better Buy Box chances, and Amazon handles customer service and returns.
The downside includes higher fees and less control over packaging and branding.
FBM means Fulfillment by Merchant, where you handle storage, packing, shipping, and customer service. This offers lower fees and more control.
The downside is that it’s harder to win Buy Box, there’s no Prime badge, and it requires significant time and resources.
Our recommendation is to start with FBA if you’re serious about scaling.
The Prime badge alone increases conversions by 30% to 50%.
Switch to FBM only if you have very large or heavy items where FBA fees would kill margins, or if you want complete control over the customer experience.
How do I rank on page 1 of Amazon search results?
Amazon’s algorithm ranks products based on relevance and performance.
Sales velocity accounts for about 50% of ranking power, measuring how many units you sell daily, with recent sales mattering more than historical ones.
Conversion rate accounts for about 30%, which is the percentage of visitors who buy. Improve this with better images, competitive pricing, strong reviews, and optimized copy.
Relevance accounts for about 20%, so keywords in the title, bullets, description, and backend search terms must match customer searches.
Your action plan should include optimizing your listing with keyword-rich titles and bullets.
Get 15+ reviews quickly through Vine or insert cards.
Drive external traffic from Facebook, Instagram ads, or influencers to boost sales velocity.
Use PPC to maintain visibility while building organic ranking.
How do I expand internationally on Amazon?
Amazon operates in over 20 countries.
The easiest expansion markets are Canada (English-speaking and similar to the US market), the UK (English language and high buying power), Germany (largest EU market), and Japan (high buying power and less competition than the US).
Use Amazon’s Build International Listings tool to sync inventory across marketplaces.
Hire translators on platforms like Upwork for $50 to $100 per listing for non-English markets.
Ship inventory via Amazon Global Logistics. Start with FBA in 1 international warehouse because it serves multiple countries in that region.
A real example shows US sales of $45,000 per month.
After adding Canada, they gained $8,000 per month more (18% of US sales).
Adding the UK brought $11,000 per month more (24% of US sales). Total became $64,000 per month with minimal extra work.
What metrics should I track daily as an Amazon seller?
Track sales and revenue, including daily sales, units sold, and average order value.
Monitor advertising performance such as ACoS, ROAS, total ad spend, impressions, clicks, and conversions.
Check the Buy Box percentage to see what percent of the time you own the Buy Box.
Watch inventory levels for days of inventory remaining to avoid stockouts.
Monitor account health metrics, including Order Defect Rate, Pre-Fulfillment Cancel Rate, and Late Shipment Rate.
Track organic ranking for your top 10 keywords to see position changes.
Use tools like Helium 10, Jungle Scout, or SellerBoard for automated tracking and alerts.
Should I use repricing software for my products?
If you’re in a competitive category with multiple sellers on the same listing, Amazon repricer tools can help you win the Buy Box without the operational burden of monitoring prices manually throughout the day.
Popular options include RepricerExpress, Aura, and Seller Snap.
Set minimum and maximum price boundaries to protect your margins.
Never race to the bottom, compete on value, not just price.
How long does it take to become profitable on Amazon?
Most sellers break even within 3 to 6 months if they launch correctly.
Month 1 is typically negative due to inventory costs, initial ad spend, and building reviews.
Months 2 to 3, you start seeing positive cash flow.
Months 4 to 6, you recoup your initial investment and start generating real profit.
Keys to faster profitability include choosing products with 40%+ margins.
Start with FBA for faster conversions and Prime eligibility.
Run lean PPC campaigns focused on exact match keywords that convert. Get 15+ reviews in the first 30 days to build social proof quickly.
What’s the biggest mistake new Amazon sellers make?
Running out of inventory during peak sales periods is the biggest mistake.
When you stockout, Amazon tanks your ranking, and it takes weeks to recover lost ground.
Always maintain 60+ days of inventory on hand. Set up automatic reorder alerts in Seller Central.
Consider air shipping for hot products to avoid stockouts, even though it costs more.
Other common mistakes include choosing products with margins under 30%, ignoring PPC completely and hoping for organic sales only, not enrolling in Brand Registry to protect your brand, and competing solely on price instead of differentiating on value.
How do I deal with negative reviews?
Negative reviews happen to every seller. The key is responding professionally and quickly.
If the review mentions a product defect, respond publicly acknowledging the issue and offering to make it right.
Then contact the customer privately through Amazon’s messaging system to resolve the problem.
If the review is about shipping delays or damaged packaging and you use FBA, politely note in your response that Amazon handles fulfillment.
Never argue with customers or get defensive in public responses.
For reviews that violate Amazon’s guidelines, such as reviews mentioning competitor products or reviews that are clearly for a different product, use the Report Abuse button.
Amazon will remove reviews that violate its community guidelines.
Focus on getting more positive reviews to dilute the impact of negative ones.
A few negative reviews among hundreds of positive ones actually increase trust because it shows authenticity.
What’s the difference between Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads?
Sponsored Products are keyword-targeted ads that promote individual product listings.
They appear in search results and on product detail pages.
Best for driving direct sales and works well for new sellers.
Sponsored Brands are banner ads that feature your logo, custom headline, and multiple products.
They appear at the top of search results.
Best for brand awareness and requires Brand Registry enrollment.
Sponsored Display are display ads that retarget shoppers who viewed your products or similar products.
They appear on and off Amazon.
Best for bringing back lost customers and require more advanced strategy.
Start with Sponsored Products to drive immediate sales.
Add Sponsored Brands once you have consistent sales and want to build brand recognition.
Add Sponsored Display when you’re ready to retarget and have sufficient traffic volume.
How do I handle seasonality in my Amazon business?
Seasonal products require careful planning around inventory and advertising spend.
For products that peak during holidays, start advertising 2 to 3 months before the season to build ranking and reviews.
Increase inventory orders 3 to 4 months before peak season to ensure you don’t stockout when demand surges.
Use Amazon’s inventory management tools to forecast demand based on previous years.
For off-season periods, reduce PPC spend but don’t turn it off completely because you’ll lose ranking.
Consider running promotions or bundling seasonal products with year-round items to maintain sales velocity.
Diversify your product portfolio with items that sell year-round to smooth out cash flow.
Having 3 to 5 products with different seasonal patterns helps maintain consistent revenue throughout the year.
Amazon Seller Success Stories
Selling on Amazon requires meeting customers where they shop. Brands that understand this can achieve remarkable growth.
Lumineux launched online sales in the Amazon store around 2015. Justin Maddahi, the founder, admits they launched on Amazon because they didn’t know any better at the time.
Once products gained traction in the Amazon store, they built a website to enhance visual and experiential brand elements.
Eventually, scaling up ad campaigns and linking them to Lumineux’s Amazon product pages became the core strategy.
Justin explains that they still have a few ad channels that link right to their website, but eighty-five to ninety percent of their marketing drives the buyer right to Amazon.
Honest Paws was founded in 2016 and makes premium pet products while striving to provide a world-class customer experience.
The Honest Paws team realized early on they’d benefit from broadening their focus beyond CBD-based pet products into general pet wellness.
As they expanded their product line to include non-CBD offerings, they began selling in the Amazon store.
Josh Awad, COO of Honest Paws, says they recognized how important it is to meet customers everywhere they are, and a lot of them are on Amazon.
This multichannel approach helped them scale significantly while maintaining their direct-to-consumer presence.
1. Luminex
Online sales for Lumineux was launched by Justin Maddahi in the Amazon store around 2015.
“Honestly, we launched on Amazon because we didn’t know any better,” Justin says.
Once the products started gaining traction in the Amazon store, they built a website to take the next step towards building their business. This enabled them to start enhancing the visual and experiential elements of their brand.
Eventually, scaling up ad campaigns and linking them to Lumineux’s Amazon product pages became a core priority.
“We still have a few ad channels that link right to our website, but 85% to 90% of our marketing drives the buyer right to Amazon,” Justin says.
2. Honest Paws
Founded in 2016, Honest Paws makes premium pet products, while striving to provide a world-class customer experience.
The team at Honest Paws realized early on that they’d benefit from broadening their focus beyond CBD-based pet products into general pet wellness. As they expanded their line of products to include non-CBD offerings, they began to sell in the Amazon store.
“We recognized how important it is to meet our customers everywhere they are and a lot of them are on Amazon,” COO of Honest Paws Josh Awad says.
Final Thoughts
While there may be difficulties initially in Learning How To Sell On Amazon, it can provide immense profitability if done correctly.
Success on Amazon is dependent upon: Optimization Of Your Listings, A Good Inventory Management System, and Effective Advertisement Campaign Management.
And Properly Protecting Your Brand While Adapting To The Constant Evolution Of Amazon’s Marketplace.
The most successful sellers on Amazon view their business as a “real” business, rather than a side job/hustle. They invest time and effort into researching their products and know that getting their products to show up on Amazon takes time (reviews and rankings will eventually come).
They also understand that advertising is essential, especially in order to get traction initially. In addition to spending on advertising, Successful Sellers Will Protect Their Brand By Registering At Brand Registry (which has legal implications) And Remaining Patient Throughout The Initial 90 Day Period Of Growth.
If you need assistance, contact Sequence Commerce for expert help; helping hundreds of clients grow their sales from no revenue to seven figures in Sales. Contact Sequence Commerce Now To Accelerate Your Growth On Amazon!
Jake Gilbert serves as the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Sequence Commerce, where he spearheads all lead generation initiatives and drives the agency’s growth strategy. With a keen analytical mindset, Jake transforms complex marketplace data into actionable insights that deliver measurable results for clients. His expertise spans conversion rate optimization, customer acquisition funnels, and performance marketing specifically tailored to Amazon and e-commerce ecosystems.
At Sequence Commerce, Jake has developed proprietary reporting frameworks that accurately track and attribute revenue across multiple marketing channels, allowing clients to optimize their ad spend with precision. His data-driven approach to revenue optimization has helped numerous brands scale their Amazon presence while maintaining profitable growth metrics. Jake regularly analyzes emerging marketplace trends and platform algorithm changes to refine client strategies and maintain competitive advantages in the increasingly complex e-commerce landscape.
Before joining Sequence Commerce, Jake built successful sales operations for SaaS companies targeting the e-commerce sector, giving him unique insights into both the technical and strategic aspects of online selling. He holds certifications in advanced analytics and digital marketing, and frequently shares his expertise through the Sequence Commerce blog and industry webinars.