How to choose products to sell on Amazon?

Considering starting your adventure on the Amazon platform
The absolute foundation is selecting the right product to sell. Which products should you choose to sell on Amazon to achieve success? Below, I outline a few points to pay attention to when making your selection.

High quality and originality of the product are key
First and foremost, as a person interested in selling, have selected a few product options. Effective sales on Amazon should be based on certain and proven products.

Any counterfeits or products that violate intellectual property rights are not an option! Do thorough research and ensure that your product does not violate Amazon's policies. Amazon — looking after customer safety — may ask you for certificates, purchase invoices, registration confirmations, product composition, etc.

The product you choose is your business card. On Amazon, the perceived value can be more important than “price sensitivity”: what the customer expects (high) vs. the actual value. Follow the principle of “underpromise – overdeliver”: promise reasonably, deliver more.

If you are involved in distribution (not a brand owner), focus on manufacturers from the premium segment.

Less or more – that is the question
Check if your product is already on Amazon (by EAN, brand name, and keywords).

• Not on Amazon? – the road to listing is open.

• Is the product already available? – you are not creating a new listing, just connecting to the existing one.

How many products to launch initially? Follow these guidelines:

• Do not focus solely on current “top sellers” — their sales in your channels may differ from Amazon's.

• More products = more data. Data does not lie — you will learn about popularity, seasonality, and potential of the category.

• If you are unsure about the quality, continuity of supply, or formal requirements of a given SKU — do not list it.

• If margin after Amazon costs < 10%, it is too little (unexpected costs can fluctuate ±10%).

  The ideal buffer after referral fee and FBA/logistics is ~50%.

Your initial offer should consist of proven, high-margin products. Not sure about a specific SKU? Do not take risks!

You must know what you are selling!
Knowledge of the product, category, and industry is essential. It dictates the quality of listings and the speed of resolving issues with Amazon.

Customers often verify the seller's knowledge even before purchase: they ask about specifications, warranty, applications, personalization, composition, instructions, delivery, etc. Prepare a Q&A compendium — operating on Amazon requires you to know your products.

From order to customer
Amazon places great importance on timeliness and quality of execution. What does this have to do with product selection? A lot.

When shipping, you need to be sure that the goods are appropriately secured and:

• its dimensions will not be too costly to deliver,

• the carrier accepts the contents,

• you meet packaging requirements.

The customer expects a shipment that is well-secured, safe, and on time — plan for this at the offer stage, not later. This is critical also for FBA or in case of possible cooperation in Vendor Central.

In summary
The key issues of product selection:

1. Original, proven product.

2. Research of selected items on Amazon.

3. Full knowledge of the product (no customer question will surprise you).

4. Ability to deliver goods efficiently, safely, on time, and within the budgeted costs.

If your offer meets the above conditions — you are ready to start in the world of Amazon.

This article is the tip of the iceberg on the subject of product selection. Do you have questions or want to share your insights? At Go2Market, we share knowledge and encourage you to do the same — add a question or entry below.

Happy Product Research,
Bartosz Kazimierczyk
Head of Technology