Definition
Amazon FBA has brought about a major revolution in the world of e-commerce. In this era, millions of people are selling their products all over the world through Amazon from the comfort of their homes and earning thousands of dollars. FBA stands for Fulfillment by Amazon, meaning you buy your product from any seller and send it to Amazon’s warehouse. However, to succeed in this model, it’s crucial to understand How to Source Cheap Products to Sell on Amazon FBA effectively, so you can maintain a good profit margin.
Whenever an order is placed for your product, Amazon itself ships your product to the pack store and the customer. In addition, if the customer has any problem or wants to return the product, Amazon takes care of that task itself, and the seller does not have to face any kind of problem or complications. But if you want to do a successful business on Amazon FBA, it is not based on one thing. Finding the right product and sourcing it at the right price.
If you are successful in sourcing cheap goods with good quality to sell on Amazon, your profit will automatically increase because you will see tough competition on Amazon and many professional sellers pay a lot of attention to the prices, quality and service of their products, that is why they are top sellers on Amazon.
This blog post will be very beneficial for those people who want to start their business on Amazon FBA with very little capital and they want to know how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, where they can get cheap and quality products, and on what terms they can be obtained. Because in case of not getting quality products, there will be a loss in the business, but your business will also close, that is why sourcing quality products is very important for you.
Basic Principles of Product Sourcing for Amazon FBA
If you really want to make your business successful on Amazon, then you need to understand these principles of products and sourcing because if you do sourcing without a strategy and without research, you may have to suffer losses and in case of not getting a good quality product, you may also have to face returns and complaints.
To choose a product, you have to find a product that is in high demand in the market and has less competition, that is, its demand is high in the market, but its sellers are few. That’s why learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA is crucial for building a profitable and sustainable business.
To find such a product, you will find many tools in the market, using which you will be able to easily find such a product, such as Jungle Scout, Helium 10, Amazon Best Seller, and Google Trends. These tools show you which product is in demand in the market and how many sellers are already selling this product, and if you choose this product, then you will be successful. How many chances are there
Profit calculation: In the FBA business, the correct estimate of profit is the backbone of a businessman. Before you sell a product, it is very important to know its full cost, which includes the sourcing price, that is, the price at which you buy the product from a factory or a wholesale market, then the shipping charges. For example, if you are sending the product from China, America, or Pakistan, the cost of sending it is called shipping charges.
After that, you also have to calculate Amazon’s fees, then you also have to include the labeling and packaging costs of the product. When you have an estimate of the full cost, you will now be able to determine whether you will actually make from this product or not. That’s why understanding how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA is essential so you can maximize your profit margins while keeping all expenses in check.
Choose a lightweight product
Shipping fees on Amazon depend on size and weight, so you should always try to choose a product that is lightweight and small in size and avoid products that are not breakable, such as glass or ceramic. If you keep these things in mind, not only will your shipping be cheaper, but the return rate will also be much lower. These factors are crucial when learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, as they directly impact your overall profitability.
Choose an evergreen product
You should source products that are sold in every part of the year, such as
- Kitchen gadgets
- Mobile accessories
- Home organization items
- Pet products
If you choose a seasonal product like Christmas lights or winter jackets that are sold only in certain months and are only in stock for the rest of the year, you may have to suffer losses. Avoid copyrighted products. Amazon’s system is very strict.
If you try to sell a product that is copied from a big, well-known brand or without its permission, Amazon can also suspend your account, so you should always choose a generic product because such a product is not legally owned by anyone. This is a key point to remember when learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, as avoiding legal risks and ensuring year round demand can significantly improve your chances of success.
Important sources for sourcing cheap products
Sourcing cheap and quality products on Amazon is the key to success. If you buy your product from a place where you get the product at a high price, then your profit margin will be gone. Fortunately, in today’s era, you can find many such platforms where you can get the product at a reasonable price. In this, you just have to find a verified seller who can provide you with cheap and quality products. If you are successful in finding a good seller, it will be a big step towards your success, especially if you understand how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA effectively.
Alibaba: Alibaba B2B is the world’s largest business website, where you will see thousands of Chinese manufacturers selling their products. On Alibaba, you can buy your products at cheap prices. On Alibaba, you will also see the MOQ minimum order requirement, but here you will see very reasonable prices. Apart from this, on Alibaba, you can Customization logo packaging, etc, Facilities are also available, and you can get your product manufactured as per your wish.
AliExpress: If you want to start your FBA business with less capital, then choosing AliExpress will be better for you. Here you can buy products in very small quantities without MOQ. The retail price is higher for you, but it is very beneficial for beginners. Apart from this, you get many shipping options on AliExpress, such as ePacket and DHL, etc. which provide very fast shipping.
1688.com: There are many websites in China that are available only in the Chinese language, but their prices are much lower than Alibaba, one of which is 1688. Here you get suppliers directly from factories and the prices are very local and Chinese market. To successfully navigate these platforms and learn how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, it would be better for you to take the help of a sourcing agent for translation and payment.
Local wholesale market: If you want to sell your products locally on Amazon like Made in India, Pakistan brand, then this can be a very good strategy. In places like Lahore, Karachi, Sialkot, Delhi Mumbai, you will get to see cheap prices and quality products, and you can also create your own brand and target new market niches.
What to consider when sourcing products
Just sourcing cheap products is not enough for your success; apart from this, you have to pay attention to several important factors so that you do not have to face any problems later.
MOQ: When you search for a market to buy your products, many sellers set a minimum order requirement for you. For those learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, It is better to choose a supplier with a low MOQ at the beginning. Alibaba and AliExpress suppliers also work on low MOQ. If you talk to them properly, they will listen to you.
It is mandatory to order samples. It can be harmful to order a product in bulk without seeing it. Whenever you choose a supplier or a product, you always have to order one or two samples first and check their quality, finishing, and packaging well. If possible, ask someone from China or a local supplier. You can also check the quality of the product by sending it to If you order the product in bulk without ordering a sample, then the product may not be up to your standards, which will make your customers angry, and you may also have to face returns.
Choice of Shipping Method: Air shipping is fast, but along with being fast, it is also expensive, while sea shipping is cheap but slow. If you want to learn how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA and have less time, then you will have to choose air shipping. If you are ordering a large quantity of goods and you have time, then sea shipping will be beneficial for you. Taking the services of agents or freight forwarders for Amazon FBA can also prove to be beneficial for you, but for this, you will have to research the market to see which company is giving you what benefits.
Barcoding, Labeling, and Packaging: Amazon asks you for a barcode for each product. Amazon says that you either put a label on your product yourself. Or ask the supplier to package according to the label. Failure to follow Amazon’s packaging guidelines may result in a fine or even rejection of the shipment, which could result in heavy losses for you.
How to send a product to Amazon FBA
Once you have selected your product and purchased it from the seller, and the sample is the next step in how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA is to send your product to the Amazon FBA warehouse. This step is considered the most important step because it determines that the product will appear correctly on Amazon and reach the customer on time, and you will also see fewer returns.
Create a shipment in Seller Central: First of all, you have to log in to your account in Amazon Seller Central, then you have to open your product listing and click on Send Replenish Inventory. In this step, you have to tell Amazon how many products, how many boxes and which warehouse you are sending to. You have to provide all this information to Amazon so that Amazon knows that your shipment is coming and they are ready to keep it in their warehouse.
Barcode Packaging Labeling: Amazon issues a specific barcode for FNSKU products that you have to affix to each unit of your product. When learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, you should know that You can have your products labeled in two ways: either you order the products from the seller and apply the labels yourself, or you can provide the supplier with Amazon’s label guide, and they can print the labels themselves and affix them to your products.
Shipping Options
Airship: If you want to get your items to their destination quickly, you will choose air shipping. This shipping is expensive, but it will be best for small quantities.
Sea Ship: This is cheap shipping, but it takes more time. This is beneficial when you are shipping orders within the country. Amazon also uses experienced cargo agents who are already familiar with Amazon’s requirements and can deliver your goods to Amazon’s warehouses with DAP or DDP income.
Customs Clearance: If you are shipping your items from India, Pakistan, or any other country to Amazon USA or the UK, it is very important for you to be aware of customs duties and import taxes. Consult with Amazon Prep Service for further information so that you do not face any legal issues.
Useful Tools and Websites
Amazon FBA is not just a business of buying and selling, but a business of data-driven decision-making. If you want to succeed in how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA, it is very important to use specific tools and websites in the market so that you can choose the right product and do market research, analyze the competition, and monitor the performance of your product.
Jungle Scout: This tool is considered a famous tool for product research trends, sales styles, commissions, and levels, and it estimates the monthly reviews and ratings of all products sold on Amazon, then provides good results to its users.
Helium 10: This is an all-in-one tool. It is considered an expert tool for product research, keyword research, listing optimization, and PPC management, and beginners can use its black box features in a particularly good way.
Keepa: A tool that displays the price history of a product, its sales rank history, and discount rate. I also show and help determine when and how to change the price of a product
CamelCamelCamel: This is a website used for tracking prices on Amazon. With its help, you can now see when the price of a product is the highest and when it is the lowest.
ImportYeti: With the help of this tool, you can easily find out from which supplier different Amazon sellers order their products. This is very useful for anyone learning how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA. In particular, it also obtains data from registered shipping records in the USA and can see the list of its suppliers.
Upwork: If you need an Amazon Expert Virtual Assistant Designer or Listing Optimizer, you can get the services of the best people with the help of this platform.
Conclusion
Doing business on Amazon FBA is not only possible, but if you understand how to source cheap products to sell on Amazon FBA with the right planning, strategy, and information, it can be a source of huge income in developing countries like Pakistan.
Summary
- Sourcing cheap goods but with quality
- Using the right marketing research and tools
- Following all the Amazon rules
- Preparing customer documentation and shipping labeling
- Don’t give up. Success on Amazon doesn’t happen overnight
Action Plan
- Create an account on Amazon
- Search for a profitable niche
- Order samples from suppliers
- Check quality
- Calculate costs and Amazon fees to check profitability
- Create shipments
- Optimize listings for SEO
- Run PPC ads
- Automate the system
Final advice: If you want to start small, keep learning and don’t lose patience; you can succeed in establishing a strong brand on Amazon. Many successful sellers began with the model to Buy from AliExpress Sell on Amazon, using limited resources but strong strategy and dedication. Even sitting at home without a big team here at the office, you cannot get success overnight at Amazon, so you have to work hard, be strategic and work continuously, and don’t give up the learning process. You have to always learn and correct your mistakes, this will be the source of your success.