Selling your goods on Amazon isn’t difficult – closing those sales, however, is quite challenging, especially for solo entrepreneurs. According to recent findings, small business sales account for 60% of total sales on Amazon, with marketplace merchants accounting for 55% in Q1 of 2021.
You don’t need to have a large international brand or a network of influencers available to sell on Amazon successfully. What you do need is literature, guidelines, and books on how to do it right. Here’s how to start selling on Amazon and scale your business successfully, with the best books on how to do so.
Why sell on Amazon in the First Place?
Selling on Amazon can be overwhelming for beginners, at least at first. It is such a vast marketplace with established sellers and niches that you simply can’t compete – but is that true? Whether you’re a reseller, small business owner, or sell your DIY products, Amazon has a nook for you.
According to statistical reports, Amazon owns 90%+ market share in five different product categories worldwide. The same stats show that 86% of sellers turned a profit on Amazon in 2020, with 92% continuing to use the platform for eCommerce. Amazon is in a constant state of growth and expansion, and more and more sellers worldwide are establishing their marketplaces on it. With that in mind, what are some of the most tangible reasons to use Amazon instead of a different global marketplace?
- Access to a global customer base
- Lower advertisement costs compared to running your e-store
- More frequent and more lucrative sales
- Access to complex customer interaction metrics
- Improved SEO of your brand and product names
Best Books on How to Sell on Amazon for Beginners
- Amazon Selling Blueprint by Scott Voelker
Let’s assume that you’re at the beginning of your Amazon FBA journey. Handling the complex jargon, abbreviations, and inside lingo can be jarring, especially if you don’t have experience in online selling yet. Worse yet, it’s easy to get discouraged when you see successful sellers and resellers on Amazon who seemingly have no competition.
The Amazon Selling Blueprint is the perfect starting point for any seller. It will teach you the basics of Amazon FBA, as well as how to use the platform’s sales features to your advantage. Students can use it to launch their online businesses via Amazon while thinking, “I’d like someone to write my research paper for me”, for example. That’s how easy this book is to pick up and apply practically to your Amazon store. Scott’s everyday language will help you kick-start your Amazon marketplace in 90 days or less, as advertised.
- Product Research 101 by Renae Clark
No matter which industry or niche you want to establish your name in, you will face fierce and unrelenting competition. This is where books like Product Research 101 come into play. Renae Clark managed to dilute the complexity of conducting market research and pricing your products accordingly down to a science.
This book will help you identify upcoming changes in your industry, find the right suppliers to work with, and test the market before launching products. You can also use this book to gauge when to drop prices, when to run sales campaigns, or when to invest in paid ads. It’s a very beginner-friendly publication, and it will surely help you launch your storefront more easily on Amazon.
- The Everything Store by Brad Stone
Sometimes, the best thing to do is learn directly from the source. Jeff Bezos didn’t build Amazon overnight, and his journey to becoming a billionaire is chronicled in The Everything Store. This book will teach you everything you need to know about Amazon as a company, its history, development hurdles, and major milestones.
It is an amazing publication for sellers who want to start on Amazon and expand to selling on their online stores late, like students. You can think, “I want someone to do my assignment for me”, and instead spend time developing your online entrepreneurship plan in your spare time. This is a great way to come out of college swinging and immediately have a business plan to lean on while building your career. This is what The Everything Store can do for you and then some.
- Online Arbitrage for Amazon FBA by Kris McCauley
Coming to grips with Amazon FBA can be tricky if you don’t know anyone who can help you in the first few months. But, you can pick up Online Arbitrage for Amazon FBA and make your onboarding experience simpler and more productive. Kris McCauley gives the readers a step-by-step guide on how to learn about Amazon FBA and use it to their advantage.
It will help you make Amazon sell your full-time job or a successful passive income that will augment your household income. This is a no-filler publication with actionable tips and guidelines. Meaning, you won’t have to spend hours going through hundreds of pages of dry theory before getting to practical sales tips. Online Arbitrage for Amazon FBA is suitable both for solo sellers and small businesses looking for ways to expand their Amazon presence.
Overcoming Amazon as a Beginner Seller (Conclusion)
Being a small fish in a big pond isn’t easy. It can be easier however if you learn from the right resources and build your marketplace properly from day one. Give these books a shot and see if you can apply their principles, how-to guides, and case studies to your marketplace.
Amazon is quite versatile with the tools it provides its sellers with, so don’t shy away from experimentation and creativity. Once you find your ideal tool stack and tip combination, stick to it, and the right buyers will flock to your listings organically.
Bio: Donald Fomby is a professional digital marketer, copywriter, and editor with extensive experience in business development, sales, and advertisement. He closely collaborates with professional dissertation writing services and aims to deliver the best possible papers, essays, and case studies to his clients. Donald is an avid reader and a passionate cooking aficionado in his spare time.
