Selling on Amazon can be rewarding and lucrative, but it’s not easy.  One of the biggest challenges is competition.  For every product that you list on Amazon, there will likely be dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of similar products vying for consumers’ attention.

You cannot just pick a product, list it, and sit back while the profits roll in. There’s a science to selling on Amazon.  If you want to have a lucrative online business, it’s critical that you do your research for the following purposes:

Finding a product to sell

The biggest challenge for a prospective Amazon seller is determining the right merchandise to offer. There are millions of products sold on Amazon today, and you need to set yourself apart.  Do some niche market research to find out what unique products are selling well.

Sourcing the product

After finding your niche product, you’ll need to determine the best way to source it. If you can’t produce the product yourself, you will need a viable manufacturer to private label it for you.  Whether you pursue private label or sells as a third party, you must find a supplier that is affordable enough to leave you a profit and efficient enough to scale with you as your volume demands increase.

Marketing the product

After determining what to sell and where to source the product, your next step is to study how to market on Amazon effectively. Understand your target audience. Track your competitors’ marketing and pricing strategies. Establish a price range that will allow you to be competitive, but make sure that you will still be turning a profit.

Private labeling

There may be some distinct advantages of private labeling your product. If you plan to launch a private label, study options for developing and presenting your products.

Just as studying helped you get good grades in school days, it can also help you grow your online business.  Once you have done your foundational research and started your online business, continue to research selling strategies.  Your commitment to learning and improving will give you a competitive edge.