7 Best Amazon Side Hustle Ideas

Amazon has been one of the world’s most successful companies for the past few years. So much so that while businesses were closing down at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the online shopping store was among the few that exhibited exponential growth. Even before this shocking global event, Amazon had been an innovator and trendsetter in the industry. If we’re being honest, the pandemic only cemented the company’s place as a leader in the e-commerce space.

As you would correctly assume, the Amazon cake is big enough for every interested party to get a slice. The company’s diversity where products are concerned, its global reach, and its extensive consumer base support this attribute. The mistake most people make, however, is to assume that with a side hustle, they don’t have to be as serious as they are with their primary income-earning job. Still, as credible evidence suggests, even passive income sources demand a focused entrepreneur’s intellect. They may not consume 100% of your time, but they certainly need a proper business plan to flourish.

The Potential of Amazon as a Side Hustle Platform

In this era of globalization and broad technological evolution, both the employed and unemployed are looking for more ways to make an extra coin with paid surveys. During their spare time, the conventionally employed are going the extra mile to seek different ways of increasing their income basket. For example, platforms like Pawns.app and many others make it possible to sell unused bandwidth and earn through direct referrals, thanks to their share-and-earn model.

Amazon is another excellent example for anyone looking to earn extra income, whether they have startup capital or just creative ideas. This popular e-commerce platform offers numerous side hustle opportunities worth looking into for entrepreneurs of all sizes and shapes. Amazon offers something for everyone, regardless of their expertise level. Many people worldwide have been able to subscribe to the different programs on the platform and engage in business.

The internet is filled with success stories of entrepreneurs who have utilized their ideas, skills, or profits from selling goods. Some people have even started working on the platform as a side hustle, but their success convinced them to work on it full-time. Mr. Cliff and his wife, Jessica Larrew, for example, created a thriving business on Amazon by starting small and gradually scaling up their operations. They started by selling items they found at yard sales and thrift stores, then moved on to sourcing products from wholesalers.

The sweetener in the deal when working on the Amazon platform, whether part-time or full-time, is that you’re not limited in the much you can earn. You only make proportionally to your creativity in showcasing or marketing your products or services. The more diverse and skilled you are the greater your potential earnings. The reach of consumers that Amazon platforms provide gives a massive opportunity for all avid entrepreneurs to make good money. As we said before, there’s enough of this pie for everyone to have their share.

Amazon as a Side Hustle in 2023: Top 7 Ideas to Implement?

Just like choosing the best career that suits you, working at Amazon requires you to assess and gauge the program that suits them best. Of course, when starting a business, it’s crucial to take into account various factors such as your skill set, available capital, sales and marketing experience, target market and market trends, as well as your current and future goals. An informed approach to all these aspects will prepare you as an entrepreneur. It will enlighten you on what you need at hand to start your venture, navigate the business, avoid unforeseen business challenges, and succeed on the platform.

Different entrepreneurs that have worked on the Amazon platform have been able to share some of the best and most accessible programs to venture into — both as a side hustle or full-time. They’ve also commented on the challenges they encountered at the inception and growth periods, as well as some of the means they used to weather them. This information, therefore, has given some insight to other interested individuals on how to gauge the best programs to maximize earnings based on interests, skillsets, or whatever they can afford to invest.

If you’re looking to get started as an Amazon entrepreneur but don’t know where to start, here are some of the best side hustle ideas: 

1. The Amazon Influencer Program

Just as its name suggests, the Amazon influencer program is a venture that targets people who have a sizeable, active, and engaging online following. This program is a branch of the Amazon Associate program that emerged during the era of content creation, providing opportunities for marketing brands and products. The Amazon influencer program is entirely free, and you only need to open an influencer account with the platform. Keep in mind that, to use your account, you must qualify for approval.

Account Approval and Usage

For approval, you must at least have an active website, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook presence with a good following and content relevant to the product or services you wish to market. Once the process is complete, you can upload a short review video of the products and services. The clips are then displayed on relevant product pages where, if an interested customer views them and proceeds to make a purchase, the influencer earns a commission.

With the rise in online celebrities and social media influencers, this program allows content creators to earn from their creative genius. you have to, nevertheless, identify a niche they would thrive in best through research, keep their followers engaged, and also learn the best way to present the product they wish to market.

Influencers and Buying Habits

As you very well know, different people’s buying habits are highly influenced by those they look up to — including celebrities and social media influencers. Many celebrities, such as Rihanna and CR7, create their own products for this reason. But regular people can also impact decision-making in the purchasing process.

In essence, an Amazon influencer needs to be engaging, accurate, and educational. Their product review videos should be concise and designed to grab the attention of potential customers quickly, ultimately leading to a sale.

Some notable successful Amazon influencers are: 

•  Nancy Basile: Who has been featured by huge TV networks like Warner Bros and Cartoon Network.
• Ashley Marquez: Who has worked with Otto Storage and Sphero.
• Jaz Banks: who has been able to work with huge brands like Walmart.  

2. Buy to Sell

Also referred to as retail arbitrage, this Amazon program is an opportunity budding entrepreneurs can legally exploit. It is hard to imagine that the same sell at different prices, maintaining the same quality and quantity, right? But guess what? This is precisely how this Amazon’s buy-to-sell program works.

The way this business operates is by having sellers search for products that are available locally at discounted prices compared to what is listed on Amazon. They then source for them, list them on the e-commerce platform at their original cost, and make a profit on the difference once a sale is complete. To get started in the buy-to-sell program, you only need to open a free seller’s account and then download the Amazon Sellers’ app, whether on iOS or Android. None of this costs, so there’s no need for an initial investment in this regard. 

Why You’ll Need the App

The app is essential as it helps a seller scan the listed Amazon prices. Armed with this information, they can decide which products to source locally. Of course, Amazon resale’s profit margin is the primary focus. The app also helps the seller check the ranking of the interested goods on the Amazon platform to determine whether they are worth becoming buy-to-sell products.

The most significant task in this business venture is the amount of time you have to invest in research to find those highly discounted products for resale. Of course, you must also have enough capital for your initial bulk purchase. We promise you are good to go once you’ve crossed these two hurdles. This is because, through its Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) program, the e-commerce giant offers to ship products to customers on your behalf.

Of course, this eases the pressure on you as the seller, thereby making the process smoother. According to estimates, the program has managed to entice over 2 million small and medium-sized sellers so far. It’s believed that of these individuals, 89% are currently profitable, with 55% making monthly sales of over $5,000.

FBA Success Stories

Some of the successful FBA stories include Lori Spallone, David Lopez, and Justin and Channing Dawson. Lori Spallone’s is an emotional story. With the family struggling with finances, she and her husband had to take turns on the time they would spend with their kids and each other. This was becoming harder by the day till Spallone decided to try the FBA program. Starting with one product, she managed to transform her store into a multi-product profit-making business.

In the Justin and Channing Dawson case, they were both overworked and underpaid but with dreams of turning their fortunes around. Back in 2015, Justin, while in college, worked as a part-timer, while Channing worked as a hairstylist. With their introduction to the platform by Robert Kiyosaki, the two were able to transform their business into a 4-million-dollar sales-per-year venture in just two years. Mind you, they started with a single product — a phone case.

As an immigrant from Cuba, David Lopez came from nothing. With just his car, the lad moved into the United States with big dreams. Despite his background, David has been able to grow a business on the Amazon platform, making consistent sales of over $1,000,000 every year. He was able to reap during the height of the COVID pandemic, where he could sell an excess of $100,000 every month.

3. Audiobooks

Audiobooks are another brilliant way for writers to add an extra income stream to their portfolio. Being the online and paperless era, authors with published works are continuously churning out audiobook versions. As multiple credible surveys have shown, a good number of people would like to read a book at least every now and then.

Most, however, do not have the zeal to go to a bookstore, buy a hard copy, then read it from start to finish. They also find it difficult to concentrate on soft copy versions, and that’s where audiobooks come in. They are perfect for this demographic, especially because you can listen to them on the go, either in transit, running errands, or working on household chores.

Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)

The beauty of Amazon audiobooks is that the writer can optimize the audiobook quality by choosing a more fitting narrator to produce the book based on the mode the writer wishes to project the content to their audience. This is made possible by the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) program. Here, an author gets to make an informed choice on the professional narrator they wish to work with.

Even better, the program offers free consultations with a host of narrators for a writer to choose the one best suited for their type of work. Once the two create a rapport and agree to work together, they’ll work out an agreeable payment percentage of royalties generated for the audiobook sales.

Near-Infinite Earnings

Interestingly, the ACX program also provides near-infinite earning avenues. Interested parties partner with writers who wish to create audiobooks from their published works and get paid either upfront or through royalties. The latter revenue stream guarantees indefinite earnings as the more people buy the audiobook, the more money both the writer and the narrator make over time.

To be a good narrator and create a good and lasting clientele to earn better, you need to observe a few important metrics, including: 

• Diction
• Quality equipment
• Suitable recording spaces
• Technical skills
• Narration Skills 

Some of the successful narrators include Vikas Adam, Scott Brick, Andi Arndt, Alam Cumming, and Jim Dale. These guys make upward of $400,000-500,000 annually from their work.

4. Amazon Flex Deliveries

Flex Deliveries is one easy side hustle you can engage in. The eligibility requirements are also relatively easy to meet. You just need to be over 21, have a valid United States driving license, and have a medium to large-sized four-door vehicle to apply and be in with a good chance. Amazon Flex delivery personnel are not Amazon employees but independent contractors who help deliver products customers order online. They earn their honest wage on an hourly basis, subject to the completed trips within the hour.

Due to the growth of online shopping and a shortage of delivery personnel, these opportunities are becoming more available, even to college students who might need to make an extra buck to put up with their expenses while in school. Earnings on this part-time job are also relatively fair, averaging $18 to $25 per hour, depending on how fast one makes their deliveries and the tips they get.

The advantage of this program, and an unforeseen positive, is that Flex delivery personnel can make fast deliveries and clear most of the backlog. In doing so, they can shorten the company’s delivery time on most orders, keeping customers satisfied and ready to keep shopping. Moreover, delivery people on the program are familiar with local delivery routes and residents. In consequence, they can arrange for appropriate delivery times more efficiently.

Putting the Flex in Flexibility

Just like most hourly paying gigs, the delivery guy can decide to maximize their earnings by working more hours as long as there are orders to deliver. Consequently, you can decide to work 10 hours making the deliveries daily, helping them earn a daily income of $180 on the lower side and $250 on the higher side.

The beauty of this side hustle is that you decide when to be paid. You simply have to choose a specific day of the week, sit back, relax, and wait to smile all the way to the bank on a weekly basis. You can also track your earnings from completed deliveries to ensure you get to hit your set target, and you also get to view your expected pay before the selected payday.

5. Online Arbitrage or Online Retail Flipping of Products

Retail flipping of products is a common practice in e-commerce. Unlike physical stores, where operations depend on location, online retailers can sell products from anywhere in the world. As a result, one store can sell a product cheaper than another store simply because it is located in a different country with lower prices.

The first question that comes to mind for most people is, “How is this possible?” The answer is simple. Online retailers have access to a global marketplace, which allows them to source products from all over the world. This gives them the power to negotiate lower prices with suppliers, which they can then pass on to consumers.

So, why is this a reality? There are a few reasons. First, online retailers have lower overhead costs than physical stores. They don’t need to rent or buy expensive retail space, and they don’t have to pay for employees to staff the store. This allows them to pass on savings to consumers. Second, online retailers can sell products in bulk. Consequently, they can buy products at a lower price per unit, which they can then pass on to consumers.

Finally, online retailers can use targeted marketing to reach a specific audience. This allows them to charge a higher price for products that are in high demand.

Advantageous Business Model

As an Amazon seller on this scheme, you are not limited to the number of online stores you can visit looking for the product you need. You can search as many online stores as possible and compare as many products as possible until you find the desired products. 

With there being thousands to hundreds of thousands of online stores, the range in diversity of products is in millions. This also saves time that could have been used on moving from one store to another looking for needed products, as this can be done from the comfort of your home using a phone or a computer.

Compared to other business methods like private label, online arbitrage is relatively cheaper to start and scale. This is because you can start with as little as one product and buy it to sell at no extra cost. Then, you can receive the difference as the profit. Scaling in this business depends almost entirely on the time you put into researching the discounted products, the capital you put into purchasing these products, as well as the marketing strategies you employ in selling your products.

This business also allows you to buy goods in large quantities whenever you find good deals and keep them in the inventory. This enables you to concentrate on marketing and maximize sales and profit for the goods already in inventory while at the same time researching for another category of products with better discounts. 

6. Amazon Home Services

For the longest time, contractors have primarily been working on a find-work-do basis. Consequently, some, if not most, usually have a good amount of free time. Amazon Home Services, therefore, provides an opportunity for these professionals to earn an extra buck and build their portfolio while at it. The Amazon platform gives verified contractors a chance to offer their services to a pool of over 86 million buyers. For these handymen, the program is a chance to showcase their skills, deliver, and build clientele through referrals and positive reviews.

The Amazon Home Services (AHS) platform provides and ensures, by a considerable margin, that Amazon buyers and customers get quality services. Amazon does this by ensuring they approve the right contractors to join the program. The application and approval processes are not free — they’ll set you back $100 if you’re an interested contractor. The program also has some punitive measures for those who deliver subpar work.

Cash Back Policy

AHS offers an attractive cashback guarantee of up to $2,500 to customers who are dissatisfied with the work done. This guarantee gives potential customers confidence that they are likely to hire a competent contractor and creates a pool of customers willing to pay a reasonable rate for quality services. As a result, verified contractors on AHS can optimize their earnings.

One of the shortcomings of online service delivery is the lack of trust that the services provided will be of high quality. However, AHS addresses this issue by providing a review system that helps signal the best contractors on the platform.

Young adults are more likely to use e-commerce than other age demographics. Consequently, that most young homeowners will be tapping into the pool of contractors providing their services online. This is good news for contractors, as it not only provides them with potential current business but it also helps them build networks and relationships that could be vital for future earnings.

Here are some of the benefits of the AHS cashback guarantee: 

• It gives potential customers confidence that they are likely to hire a competent contractor.
• It creates a pool of customers who are willing to pay a reasonable rate for quality services.
• It helps contractors optimize their earnings.
• It addresses the lack of trust that can be a shortcoming of online service delivery.
• It helps contractors build networks and relationships that could be vital for future earnings. 

7. Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is a program that allows artisans and craftspeople to earn some bucks from their talents. Just like Etsy, the Amazon program provides a platform for these individuals to showcase their art to the huge pool of global buyers on the platform.

Like some of the other programs we’ve already discussed, you’ll have to apply and seek approval before showcasing or selling your craft on Amazon Handmade. As you would expect, there’s certainly no shortage of handmade goods out there. There’s a lot of talent in the world! Some pieces you can expect to find on Amazon Handmade include pet supplies, games and toys, accessories, home products, sporting goods, clothing, and baby products.

Exploit the FBA Program

As an entrepreneurial advantage, the artisans in this program have autonomy on how they brand and price their products. They can decide to make the deliveries themselves or go through the FBA program. The FBA option makes the entire delivery process more accessible, and you can be sure that many sellers on Amazon Handmade are taking full advantage of it. As FBA takes care of deliveries, they can concentrate on churning out more products designed for their target market.

For all sales made, an entrepreneur on Handmade has to remit a 15% commission to the mother company. The percentage may be higher than the cut other platforms take, but Amazon beats them hands down by being a global leader in the e-commerce space.

To put it into context, consider this: Platform B takes only 5% of all sales, while Amazon Handmade takes 15%. You post your products on both platforms. Those on Handmade generate sales of $100,000, while Platform B generates $10,000. 85% of $100,000 is considerably higher than 95% of $10,000, correct? That’s the advantage Amazon offers. 

Ways to Stand Out Among Amazon Side Hustlers

There are various tried and tested ways to stand out among other sellers in the Amazon marketplace. These include: 

• The use of Fulfillment by Amazon   

Fulfillment by Amazon is one of the methods most sellers use to maximize their earnings on the e-commerce platform. As discussed, the FBA program allows entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Amazon warehouses and extensive delivery networks. It saves the seller from the headache of storing and transporting ordered goods. Under the FBA program, Amazon also handles client queries and oversees product returns and refunds.  

• Cost analysis and sales data tracking 

Every serious entrepreneur knows that to run a successful business, they have to regularly analyze how they price their goods concerning the marketplace average. Depending on your target market, prices higher than the market average will definitely be a disadvantage. Isn’t it better to sell three products at $3 each and make $15 than to sell two at $5 each and make only $10?

On the other hand, sales data tracking informs you as the seller on which products are performing better. With this information, you can always do your best to keep them in stock. You will also rack your brain on how best to market the slow-moving goods to avoid having dead stock as part of your inventory. And while these tips may sound geared towards the traditional business model, we promise they work just as well with e-commerce. 

• Product bundling 

Adding new items to your online store’s inventory will surely attract more business, don’t you agree? You, however, have to be smart about it and remain conscious of what you’re adding to the inventory list. The best way to go about it is to venture into product bundling to stand out from the crowd. Simply known as bundling, this is the process of selling goods that go together. For example, if you’re in the toothpaste business, the complementary product you should consider is a toothbrush.

You can offer complementary products as a package deal to increase sales. If you opt to still sell them individually, you have the advantage of prompting a buyer into purchasing an additional but convenient product they had not initially thought of. Either way, you get to smile all the way to the bank as a seller with this approach. 

• Scaling up your Amazon side hustle for more profits 

In truth, the dream of every entrepreneur is to scale up their business. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. As an intelligent entrepreneur, you should always be objective on the performance of your business and return on investment (ROI) at different stages of the growth curve. This way, you will be in the know about what works and what requires some changes to be in line with your set goals. Patience is also a crucial virtue for every entrepreneur. Once you implement the necessary changes, you should give the business time to adapt to the pick.

Scaling up a business to increase profit requires observing some strategies to ensure a smooth and minimal process. Some of the techniques that have been tried and seen to work are: 

1. Client retention  

Keeping existing clients is non-negotiable for an Amazon seller who wishes to scale up their venture. In addition to guaranteeing profit, return customers are the perfect product promotion tool. Existing clients advertise your products via word of mouth and, with the advent of social media, may even post your products online. Just imagine the reach your entire client base has!

2. Paid ads  

Free word-of-mouth advertising from your existing clientele is welcome, but no smart entrepreneur would rely on it entirely as their sole product promotion tool. That’s where paid ads come in, and best believe it; they are perfect for your Amazon marketplace business.

To ensure you make the most of paid advertisements, take the following steps: 

• Set clear objectives. having set goals, such as increased brand visibility or increasing sales, will help you assess whether the paid ads are working or not.
• Research the perfect ad platform for your specific needs. Choose the one that best suits your business.
• Create compelling, persuasive, and engaging ad content. Use targeted keywords to increase your visibility. 

With these three steps, you’ll be sure to see positive results within no time. Be sure to continuously monitor the conversion rates of your ads to know whether or not changes are necessary for optimization.

3. Multiple product launching  

Sure, a business running a single product may be successful. But don’t you think that a diversified inventory could do even better? Working with a small number of products is limiting because it curtails your reach. Needless to say, a limited inventory translates to a restricted consumer base. Additionally, if the demand for this limited number of products wanes, there goes your source of revenue. Moreover, a single-product business lacks the competitor advantage its multi-product counterparts have.

Why, then, wouldn’t you launch multiple products and stay ahead of the competition? You could make these launches a regular event to keep things interesting. Take full advantage of social media to drive traffic. If your consumers know that they expect a new product on your page every few weeks, don’t you think they’ll be regular visitors?

Wrapping It Up

Amazon as a global platform is a blessing to many who might need a side hustle to earn an extra buck. However, you need to gain the know-how on how to navigate the different options it offers to make and maximize earnings. The guide above will give you the necessary information you require to thrive in the Amazon world.

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