14 Best Ways to Make Money on Amazon

14 Best Ways to Make Money on Amazon

Amazon is one of the first places people look for the things they’d like to buy. This the go-to site for most shoppers because of the low prices and robust inventory. However, you can also use it to make some extra cash.

If you’re in desperate need of some extra money and are looking for a legit way to earn some, Amazon will help you with that. There are numerous opportunities from publishing you own eBooks to selling handcrafted products to package delivery. Amazon has a wide range of opportunities that can help you make some money.

Starting a side gig on Amazon is an easy and fast process. You just need to open an Amazon account, dedicate so of your time and commit to the trade of your choice.

14 Options for Making Money on Amazon

Amazon has a wide range of money-making opportunities that you can use for your talents and skill level.

1. Write and Publish audiobooks and eBooks

Thanks to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) by Amazon people are now able to write and publish their own audiobooks and eBooks on Amazon. This is a great and free opportunity for you to share your books with millions of people who like reading books withing 24 to 48 hours.

Being a KDP publisher means that you’ll be earning at least 70% of royalties and still own the rights to the books you publish. The first step is to sign up for KDP via you Amazon account, click on the KDP bookshelf, provide all the details needed concerning your book, then upload it.

You’ll receive your royalties from KDP at the end of every month, which is around 60 days from the last month when you previously received them. There are different payment methods you can choose from like check, direct deposit and wire transfer.

“Avoid writing random books because they can be difficult to sell to an audience. Focus on topics that readers will be excited about,” says Michelle Jackson, one of the authors earning money on Amazon by selling eBooks. “If you choose to write non-fictional content, make sure that it’s either inspiring, educative or entertaining. Also, don’t forget to optimize your book listing using relevant keywords. This will help you get the attention of the right audience.”

If you want more information about how you can be successful with this venture, read this guide about selling eBooks online meant for beginners.

2. Trade in Used Items

If you’re looking for a suitable alternative to Decluttr where you can some of unwanted or used items in your house, Amazon Trade-In is the place to go. The program awards people with Amazon gift cards for their used books, video games, electronics etc.

When you send the used items to Amazon, they are inspected for quality and then the company will send you an email notifying you whether the items were accepted or rejected. You won’t have to pay for shipping and Amazon will provide you with a prepaid shipping label. The best part is if they don’t accept your items, they’ll be returned to you for free.

Although Amazon accepts different items, you won’t be able to trade-in things that don’t appear on the list on their Trade-In store. If your item isn’t listed on the store’s list, keep checking whether or not it has been added there.

3. Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is the best place for crafty and creative people to sell the goods they created. The program unites artisans from more than eighty countries and are looking to sell some unique crafted items to other people.

The crafts are individually designed and produced by hand instead of on large scale. You’ll be able to make money from selling unique jewelry, accessories, artwork, stationery and beauty products.

Before you can join Amazon Handmade, you’ll be required to complete an application form where you’ll be asked for some personal information and detailed descriptions of the items you make. When you hand in the application form, it will be screened ensuring that all the products you create are suitable for the platform.

When the approval process is complete and you’re accepted, you can proceed to create your Artisan profile using a unique URL and list your products for free. Amazon will be taking a 15% commission fee every time you make a sale. If you’d like to have a higher success rate, include sponsored ads or let Amazon handle shipping on your behalf. This will give you more time to focus on creating better items.

4. Amazon Home Services

If you’re a professionally trained house cleaner, electrician or handyman, you can apply for jobs via Amazon Home Services where you’ll be connected with clients within your area.

Once you’re done with the application process and you have been approved, they’ll send you an activation code which you can use to create an account. From there, you can download the app and start choosing the jobs you can handle according to your schedule and skills.

The best part about Amazon Home Services is that the advertisements, subscription and startup are completely free. However, you’ll only be paid a percentage of the revenue you make from your jobs. The prices and types of jobs you’ll get are determined by how much you’re paying them. For example, if you’re offering house cleaning services and the client pays you $105.77, You’ll have to pay a percentage of that money to Amazon.

5. Amazon Merch

Amazon Merch is where people sell the items they designed as Amazon products, allowing them to be linked with millions of customers without having to make upfront investments. Once you submit your application form and have provided details about your experience and background, Amazon Merch will notify you on whether or not you’re qualified to sell items on their platform.

If you get approved, the next step is to post you artwork, choose your product’s color and type and give it a brief description. The company will then create a page for your products on Amazon on your behalf. Each time you make a sale, the service, shipping and production will be handled by Amazon.

Amazon Merch also saves you the trouble of printing designs on numerous coffee mugs and T-shirts. They provide you with the opportunity to come to contact with millions of buyers, saving you from having to deal with the stock which you might or might not sell.

For every product that you sell on Amazon Merch, you’ll earn some royalties depending on the item’s selling price. For instance, if you sell a T-shirt at $15.99, you’ll be awarded with $2.21.

6. Sell Items on Amazon

Amazon makes things easier for people who want to sell their products. Amazon doesn’t require their users to create an independent website, plus you’ll be able to display all your products to millions of Amazon buyers.

Before you can start making money on Amazon, you’ll first need to create a selling account, providing information including the name of your business, phone number and billing address, credit card details and tax ID.

Amazon has a Professional Plan where they charge a fee of $39.99 every month, and is the best option for people whoa are looking to sell a large number of items. If you only have a small number of items or don’t want to pay a fee every month, you can opt for the Personal Plan which cost $0.99 for each sold item. However, you’ll be charged an extra selling fee on all the sales you make.

“My wife and I opted for the Professional Plan because we wanted to be able to sell private labelled items within the prize range of $15 to $50.” said Marc Andre, one of VitalDollar’s bloggers. “If you’re looking to sell your products on Amazon, go for the other plan which will allow you to sell heavier, bigger and more costly items. This way, you won’t have a lot of competition and have higher chances of being successful.” Marc has been able to grow his income to at least $13,000 every month through selling products on Amazon.

7. Join Amazon Associates

By joining Amazon Associates, you’re becoming an affiliate marketer and you’ll earn a commission on all the items you sell via special referral links.

You can start by completing an application form and giving links for your social media accounts, website and mobile app accounts. If all the information is in accordance to the standards set for Amazon’s customer experience, you will get approved.

There are no charges for joining Amazon Associates, and there are millions of items for you to pick from and advertise to buyers. If you’re a blogger or you already have a large following on social media, this is the easiest means of making cash.

Your advertising fees will be determined by the type of products you promote while selling your products. For example, if you’re selling beauty products, you will make a 10% commission. Furniture items will earn you an 8% commission while digital video games and TVs will earn you a 2% commission.

The blogger of I Like to Dabble, Daniella Flores said, “I advertise craft products, journals, planners, books and many other things as Amazon affiliate on my website. My earnings range between $20 to $150 monthly and I ensure that the products I promote are useful to my audience in one way or another.”

8. Make Cash from The Amazon App Store

If you’re an app developer, you can sell whatever you created on Amazon App Store. You can find a wide variety of Android games and apps that are meant for Amazon Fire tablet, Fire TV as well as other mobile gadgets on the Amazon App Store. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to sell apps meant for iOS on Amazon.

Before you can start posting your apps on Amazon, you’ll be required to open an account on Amazon Developer (which is completely free). When you’re done with the registration process, you can begin publishing your apps for millions of users to access all over world. Once your app is tested and approved by Amazon, you’ll start earning money from it.

There are several resources provided by Amazon which you can use to market your app. You can also find articles and tutorials covering topics like how to incorporate screenshots and videos, writing the right descriptions and submitting promotional content.

Also available are free test tools, eBooks and pre-submission checklists. The topics you’ll find include subscriptions and purchases within the app, competitive mobile gaming and how to get more engagement from users. Moreover, if there are any technical issues with the app, Amazon will provide you with free tech support.

9. Earn Cash by Advertising on Amazon

There are three different methods you can use Amazon to advertise different items: sponsored brands, sponsored products and stores.

Sponsored products involve advertising independent products in Amazon. This will help boost sales and visibility by ensuring that the products appear on the product detail pages and search results. Sponsored brands ensures that you’re promoting your portfolio and brand of products. Also, if you have sponsored brands, your products will be placed in the search bar containing a custom headline, your own logo and at least 3 different products.

You can use stores as custom shopping venues where you can market your brand’s story and the product offering. Although the stores are free, sponsored brands and sponsored products use ads that are cost-per-click, meaning that you’ll only receive payment after customers click on your ads.

With a Seller Central account, you’ll be able to advertise your products on Amazon, select the items you’d like to promote and the kind of payment you’ll be expecting per click and the type of phrases you’d like to use so as to get traffic from the right customers.

10. Use Amazon as a Work from Home Gig

Although the Amazon head offices are located in Seattle, you can still work for the company from wherever you are. There are several work from home career opportunities available that you can do either as seasonal or part-time gigs. Note that the jobs are simply work from home gigs and not full-time jobs which are available at the local fulfillment centers at the Amazon HQ which you’ll need to perform onsite.

The Amazon Virtual Jobs available include Alexa support associates, account executives and service representatives. A couple of these jobs require people with higher education or enough experience, while there are those that are just entry-level opportunities which are open to everybody.

Full-time Amazon employees who work remotely are provided with benefits such as paid time off, health insurance, paid maternity and paternity leave and a 401 (k) inclusive of a company match.

On the other hand, there is Career Choice for employees who work remotely for Amazon. With Career Choice, you’ll receive 95% of the cost for your textbooks, tuition fees and other school necessities. This will enable you to concentrate on your studies in fields such as robotics engineering, paralegal, medical technician and professional solar panel installation.

11. Amazon Flex Deliveries

If you’re looking for a gig where you can earn some extra cash by driving around during your free time, consider joining Amazon Flex Deliveries. The job qualifications require applicants to be at least 21 years, have a valid insurance and driver’s license, own a functioning automobile, own a smartphone that can accommodate the Amazon Flex app. You’ll be able to earn money making deliveries using the following methods:

Amazon.com: Traditional delivery jobs require one to collect packages from the Amazon offices and deliver them directly to the clients.

Amazon Fresh and Prime Now: Here, you’ll be required to deliver household products or groceries to clients.

Store Orders: These jobs are similar to the ones provided by Instacart and other apps, you’ll be required to collect a customer’s order from local stores and deliver it to them.

Instant Offers: This is a restaurant delivery service for last minute orders where drivers are able to collect takeout orders on behalf of customers and deliver them wherever they are. It is an add-on opportunity for most delivery services, meaning that they can’t be scheduled before hand like most of the other food delivery services.

Each delivery job has their own time frame, and you’ll be able to choose the schedule you’re comfortable with and complete the deliveries withing specific period of time. Depending on the option you selected, you’ll earn between $18 to $25 hourly including tips.

Amazon Flex isn’t currently employing new workers but if you’d like to work with them, download the app so that you can be added on the waiting list.

12. Amazon Influencer Program

Amazon’s Influencer Program is the perfect app for social media influencers who are looking for an ideal way to promote their products and earn some extra money from this hustle.

Link one of your social media accounts with Amazon to be able to know whether you’re qualified. Although YouTube and Twitter require real-time approval, the approval process for Instagram and Facebook can take up to 5 days.

Once Amazon approves you to join the program, they’ll send you an exclusive vanity URL which you’ll use to set up your personal page. The URL can be used for promoting the products you’d like your audience to purchase. Also, the URL can be used in areas which hyperlinks cannot be included, such as in video content or Instagram captions.

This will make work easy for you when you want your followers to visit the same page where all your favorite products are available. Also, when your followers go to the page and purchase something from Amazon with your URL, you’ll receive payment just like if you were using the Amazon Associates Program.

13. Mechanical Turk

There is a crowdsourcing marketplace known as Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) used by businesses and individuals to outsource tasks virtually. MTurk functions just like TaskRabbit where people earn some cash during their free time by performing easy tasks.

The micro tasks vary from completing market research questions on different topics, removing content that is duplicated from business listings or assisting businesses to choose the ideal photos for their products.

MTurk has different tasks available on a daily basis, allowing you to choose what is suitable for you according to your skills and interests. Payment is done after the client approves the work you did and transfers the money if the form of an Amazon gift card or your bank account. If you do a spectacular job, the client can decide to give you a bonus payment.

Most tasks on MTurk will earn you less than $10, making it the most suitable way for you to make some extra cash on your lunch break or when commercials run during your favorite TV program.

14. Stream on Twitch

Twitch is a platform on Amazon for streaming video games, enabling players to stream live feeds while playing video games in real-time. Other people will be able to watch and comment on the livestream giving players tips they can use to succeed.

If you’re a fun of video game and like playing them, you can join Twitch and make some extra cash. You can create a channel on Twitch by creating a new account or logging in via your Facebook account. The process of your livestream will be determined by how well you play the games (for example using a gaming console or computer) and the quality of equipment you’re using.

The Twitch account can be monetized by collecting “bit donations” received from the audience. Twitch gives payments of $0.01 for each bit. The more “bit donations” received, the higher your chances for standing out on Twitch.

When you have enough “bit donations” and have gotten enough followers, you’ll earn cash from Twitch’s Cost Per Impression (CPM) model. You’ll also receive payment for every 1,000 ad views. You’ll also be able to make money on Twitch when you promote products on behalf of other companies via livestream.

Related: 20 Ways to Earn Cash by Playing Video Games

5 Tips for Earning Cash on Amazon

There are many money-making opportunities available on Amazon, but to qualify you need to be willing to work and motivated to succeed. There are various things one can do in order to maximize the amount of money they make.

1. Schedule your work time

If you’d like to make a lot of money on Amazon, be sure to schedule your work time properly so that you can succeed in your endeavor. If you already have full-time employment, you can do this in the evening or during the weekends. Go through your current schedule and come up with something that will allow you to fulfill your tasks in Amazon easily.

2. Ensure that your internet connection is reliable

If you have a reliable internet connection, you’ll be able to complete your work on Amazon without difficulty. So, if your internet connection is slow or spotty, look into changing your package or internet connection. If your internet connection is fast and reliable, you’ll be able to grow your business on Amazon or side hustle.

3. Track your expenses and income

You can easily track your expenses and income without the using a fancy software. You can begin by creating a simple spreadsheet on Google Sheets or Excel to help make your work easier. As your business continues growing, and your income increases, you can look for look for a tracking software app such as Tiler for your business.

4. Come up with a business plan

As you begin your venture on Amazon, make sure you make a business plan. Include information to do with your goals and how you’re planning to achieve them. If your goals change or the business grows, update the business plan to fit them.

5. Know your competition

If you’re planning on selling products on Amazon, do enough research and understand your competition. Compare product prices with your competitors and the kind of marketing tactics they apply. Go through both positive and negative reviews so that you have a general idea of the right products to sell on Amazon and the things customers like and dislike.

Related: 17 Similar Sites to Amazon for Selling and Buying Products

Try Out Different Methods and Find What Works Best

You may think that you’d like to earn money by selling products on Amazon. However, the different opportunities mentioned on the list might surprise you. Look at all the available options and evaluate the pros and cons of every one of them before you settle on a specific one.

Don’t forget that it takes time before one can start making money on Amazon. You won’t just start earning a six-figure salary overnight. However, if you’re patient, hardworking and committed, you’ll achieve your goals within a short time.

Leave a Reply