Sam Carter, Blogger for Profit Runner
Published: 20th November 2021
Starting an Amazon business can be a challenge. To overcome that challenge, you will need a few tips and tricks up your sleeve.
To help, we've compiled the ultimate list of free resources for Amazon sellers.
So whether you like watching YouTube videos in bed or listening to Podcasts whilst driving, we've curated a comprehensive guide to the best free resources for Amazon sellers.
First things first, you must familiarise yourself with the Amazon seller website. It contains a wealth of information and should always be your first port of call. Consider this the horse's mouth.
The Amazon platform moves and shifts so frequently that keeping your finger on the pulse here will ensure you stay on top of upcoming changes affecting your business. You'll also benefit from the multitude of resources Amazon provide to help sellers - after all, your success is their success.
To help you, here are the 5 most important resources from Amazon Seller Central to help build your Amazon business:
The Amazon Beginners Guide is the perfect starting place if you aren't familiar with selling on Amazon. The page neatly covers the essentials and includes a free e-book to download if you prefer to take your reading away.
The Amazon Beginners Guide will give you the ultimate crash course in all things Amazon and covers everything from listing products to VAT compliance.
Amazon Seller University provides a more in-depth look into topics covered in the Amazon Beginners Guide. The page contains information for individual sellers and brands and includes a handy FAQ section.
We particularly like the helpful videos which address everything from the payment process to sourcing products.
Visit Amazon Seller University
Once you've opened your Amazon Seller Central account, you should familiarise yourself with navigating the help section. Amazon is great at maintaining the help pages, ensuring you can problem-solve pretty much anything with just a little reading.
We rate the depth and variety of topics covered here. Nine times out of ten, you'll find what you're looking for, and the content is always reliable.
Occasionally, no matter how many help pages you trawl through, you might need some extra support. Amazon Seller Support is the team to turn to during these times.
They'll guide you through pretty much anything and troubleshoot the odd problem for you. You can chat, email or request a call back from this team - a godsend when you need extra help!
Pro tip: Try to be as specific as possible when communicating with Amazon Seller Support. Be prepared to share any error codes, product details, URLs or time and date stamps relating to your problem. You may also provide screenshots so your assistant can better understand the problem.
Learn more about Amazon Seller Support
Sometimes the best advice and support is given by those who have walked in your shoes. You will find an entire community of Amazon sellers on the Amazon forum. The forums are moderated by Amazon employees who occasionally step in to answer specific queries or address particular topics.
We really like the sense of community here. With plenty of discussions dedicated to helping new sellers and lots of interaction, you'll be sure to find something helpful here.
Visit the Amazon Seller Forums
During your Amazon journey, you will have questions which will send your cursor to the Google search bar faster than a speeding bullet.
Sometimes a quick search is enough to answer your query - you'll find countless threads on Reddit and Quora dedicated to answering all sorts of Amazon-related questions.
Occasionally you might wish to dive deeper into a particular topic or immerse yourself in another person's journey. Blogs are a fantastic way to do this, simply by opening a new browser tab!
Aside from the Profit Runner blog, you're already reading, here are 5 of the most helpful and reliable blogs for Amazon Sellers:
Founder Jessica Larew lost her job and family home in the 2008 financial crisis. Jessica became an Amazon seller and turned her misfortune around. She and her husband now work full-time as Amazon sellers, and their blog is bursting with honest, inspirational and practical advice for sellers.
We particularly like Jessica's blog posts on getting ungated. She provides helpful advice in an easy-to-read format, giving you clear and actionable steps to take away.
Ryan Grant, a former accountant turned full-time Amazon Seller, now manages The Online Selling Experiment. The website is chock full of information with a particular knack for explaining the financial principles that underpin Amazon businesses. Ryan has built an incredibly successful online business, which he continues to operate today.
We like Ryan's no-nonsense approach and his ability to share hard-won knowledge of scaling an Amazon business.
Visit The Online Selling Experiment blog
When Stephen Smotherman found himself separated and unemployed with four young children to care for, he desperately sought a way to generate income whilst working from home. He began the Full Time FBA blog to help other sellers also looking to build a business from home.
We rate Stephen's down-to-earth advice on what it takes to make Amazon a full-time gig. His blog is grounded and very well-researched.
James Percival has spent the last 15 years building a successful e-commerce team. From Amazon to eBay, James and his team have tried everything. James now focuses mainly on Amazon selling and decided to launch The Selling Guys to help others build successful e-commerce businesses.
We appreciate James's depth of knowledge and broad understanding of e-commerce. His reviews of products designed to help Amazon sellers are always carefully considered, and we particularly like his posts on how to claim reimbursements from Amazon.
Although Side Hustle Nation doesn't exclusively discuss selling on Amazon, the website includes an invaluable stream of content for Amazon sellers. The site is well worth a visit for any aspiring entrepreneur. Nick Loper has created a wealth of information for those looking to build additional income streams in pursuit of financial freedom.
We love how Nick explores seemingly endless side hustles with practitioners from wide-ranging backgrounds. Each blog post is incredibly detailed and provides genuine insight into multitudes of profit-making pursuits.
Visit the Side Hustle Nation blog
The podcast. Surely, one of the most ingenious hacks for time-poor people. Bite-sized discussions to help you learn whilst driving your car or doing the dishes! What's not to love?!
You can turn your morning commute or daily walk into an Amazon business masterclass. You'll find a host of different podcasts available on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
Here are 5 of our favourite and most insightful podcasts for Amazon sellers:
'The Real Truth About Selling Online' is the subtitle of this podcast - and for a good reason! Hosted by Kristin Ostrander, The Amazon Files takes an honest approach to the world of Amazon selling. Kristin built a whopping seven-figure business from her home, with specific expertise in creating wholesale bundles and helping new sellers get started.
We love Kristin's honest but encouraging style. She's funny, authentic and incredibly likeable. We particularly enjoy the episodes in which she invites Amazon experts to discuss specific topics such as trademarks.
Listen to The Amazon Files podcast
Two Sellers and a Microphone is hosted by Dustin Kane and Kris Gramlich. Dustin works for the software company Sellozo, and Kris is an Amazon Professional FBA Seller. Together they host multiple podcasts a week, inviting some of the top sellers on Amazon onto the show. Because the show is so prolific, you'll find some of the most up-to-date discussions on all things Amazon here.
We enjoy the depth of conversation on this show. Dustin and Kris aren't afraid to tackle complicated or thorny issues here, and they invite leading Amazon experts to help them do it.
Listen to the Two Sellers and a Microphone podcast
Hosted by e-commerce guru Jim Cockrum, this podcast is a must for all aspiring digital entrepreneurs. Since the late nineties, Jim has been coaching e-commerce sellers, helping them to launch their online businesses. Inevitably this guy knows a thing or two about Amazon and how to help sellers get started.
We love listening to the real-world stories of some of Jim's clients as they discuss their Amazon businesses on the show. The guests are diverse, the stories are inspiring, and Jim's insights are to the point and relatable.
Listen to the Silent Sales Machine podcast
Join Andy and Nate Slaman as they share insider secrets from their incredibly successful six and seven-figure Amazon private label businesses. Both Andy and Nate started their Amazon journey as retail and online arbitrage sellers, before becoming full-time brand builders and private label sellers. On this show, they talk candidly about their incredible Amazon growth and the challenges they face along the way.
We rate the breadth of their knowledge and expertise, and even though Andy and Nate have supercharged their businesses, they certainly haven't forgotten their roots. There are plenty of insights here for both newcomers and professionals alike.
Listen to The Amazon Seller Podcast
Are there any British podcasts out there? Yes, there are! And this one happens to be our favourite. Host Prabhat Shah, an e-commerce and Amazon business consultant provides practical advice for Amazon business owners. The show tends to cater more for private label sellers, but Prabhat also covers topics to help all sellers get the most out of their Amazon business.
We love Prabhat's straight-talking approach and the wealth of e-commerce knowledge he brings to the show. The experts Prabhat invites onto the podcast are thoughtfully chosen and cover an endless array of Amazon topics.
Listen to The Online Seller UK podcast
If you prefer to watch rather than read or listen, YouTube will provide you with no end of information for your Amazon business.
YouTube is most helpful if you're looking for a visual demonstration of a task. You'll find plenty of examples of how to pack and ship products correctly or complete specific tasks in Amazon Seller Central. Who knew pausing and rewinding a video could be so handy?!
Here are 5 of the top YouTube channels aimed at Amazon Sellers:
Whether you are just starting or making a mint, this is one YouTube channel to which you will want to subscribe. With 19 curated playlists covering every aspect of running an Amazon business, from listing products to selling account policies, you can watch and learn more about the Amazon selling platform in no time.
We like the sleek copy, clever animations, and level of detail in the how-to style videos, as they cover just about every topic you can think up. This channel is an official and essential resource for beginners and pros alike.
Watch Amazon Seller University on YouTube
If you've ever typed 'selling on Amazon' into the YouTube search bar, there's no doubt you will have seen Travis Marziani in your results. Travis left a corporate job to start an online dance clothing company with his mother. Sadly that business failed to take off, but Travis took the lessons he learned and launched his own e-commerce business, which has now achieved over $5 million in online sales.
We rate how well-produced his videos are; with an engaging, inspiring and direct presentation style, Travis guides his viewers through many different aspects of launching and running an Amazon business. Although Travis speaks mainly to American sellers, his tips and polished how-to guides are helpful for sellers everywhere.
Watch Travis Marziani on YouTube
Mike Rezendes - aka Reezy Resells - is nothing short of an arbitrage legend. Dropping out of high school at 16 years old and with a child on the way, Reezy turned to arbitrage to make ends meet. His story is truly inspirational, and his relatable style of presenting makes his videos accessible, authentic and genuinely motivational.
We love Reezy's channel; from his unflinchingly honest insights to helpful tips and tricks, Reezy has a real knack for supporting arbitrage sellers on their journey. The knowledge Reezy generously shares is the culmination of years of trial, error and hard-won experience. This channel is a must-see for all aspiring Amazon resellers.
Watch Reezy Resells on YouTube
In 2019, Thomas Parkinson founded the FastTrackFBA YouTube channel to accompany his Amazon Seller coaching business. Thomas is a seven-figure Amazon seller; with a passion for helping others scale and grow their own Amazon businesses. His channel is a goldmine for established Amazon sellers looking to scale their business whilst outsourcing manual processes.
We like how tailored the FastTrackFBA channel is; Thomas has created some genuinely helpful content for arbitrage sellers. His particular niche focuses on helping sellers utilise Virtual Assistants, and he dives into this subject with sensitivity and genuine insight.
This channel is a bit of a departure from the coaching style material we recommend, but it certainly won't disappoint. Jatz Naran's YouTube channel documents his journey and subsequent growth in the Amazon business world. Jatz emigrated to the United Kingdom from India at the age of 10. He talks candidly about his struggles and eventual success, which he achieved after deciding to start a business he loved.
Jatz creates fast-paced content whilst ensuring he doesn't compromise on detail. We love how Jatz gets straight to the point and delivers tips and tricks to help you on your Amazon journey. If you like entrepreneurial ideas and inspiration, this channel will delight you, as Jatz covers plenty of money-making ideas away from Amazon.
Now and then, you need a friend. Failing that, a large group of strangers to ask daft questions, celebrate or commiserate with will do. Either way, Facebook has got you covered.
There are groups for just about everything on Facebook, and selling on Amazon is no exception. Good groups tend to have stricter criteria for joining and a strong admin presence to prevent spam and other unscrupulous activity.
Here are 5 of the best Facebook Groups we have found dedicated to selling on Amazon:
The Ecommerce Group is a private Facebook group created by John Lawson. Although not strictly an Amazon sellers group, you will want to check this out if you're considering building a digital business. John is the charismatic keynote speaker and CEO of Colder ICE Media. He is now a successful business coach and multiple award-winning social commerce strategist, digital entrepreneur and e-commerce expert.
The Ecommerce Group is a passionate community of e-commerce and online business builders helping and encouraging each other. They discuss topics related to maximising profits for online businesses. Their focus includes Amazon, eBay, Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce. This private group started in 2011 and has over 8.5k members.
Visit the Ecommerce Entrepreneurs on Facebook
Luca Davenport created the Amazon FBA UK Sellers group to complement his Amazon Brand Academy coaching business. Luca is a six-figure Amazon seller and coaches private-label sellers to research, launch and advertise their products. Whilst Luca's coaching primarily supports private label sellers, the Facebook group has become a haven for all UK Amazon sellers.
The group's purpose is to support both new and existing Amazon sellers. You'll find plenty of discussion on everything from sourcing products to UK VAT exemption. The group started in 2019, has over 3k members and is well-monitored to ensure the community remains helpful and fun.
Visit Amazon FBA UK Sellers on Facebook
The Arbitrage Income group does what it says on the tin! It is the place to hang out if you need help with anything arbitrage-related. Vlad Čoki is the founder of the Arbitrage Income group. Vlad is also the Co-Founder of the e-commerce network Seller Union. In a previous life, Vlad worked in a wholesale warehouse when he decided to launch his own Amazon arbitrage business. Within a year and a half, he was able to quit his job and has now built an incredible 6 figure Amazon business.
The Arbitrage Income group describe themselves as "a friendly bunch of Amazon FBA sellers", which is more than accurate! This group is a genuinely supportive and respectful space dedicated to discussing anything-arbitrage. The group began in 2019, has over 46k members and includes appointed group experts to help answer your questions.
Visit Arbitrage Income on Facebook
Founded by Andy Arnott of Seller Round Table and Seller SEO, Amazon FBA Titans is a bustling community for all things Amazon. Andy is a bonafide Amazon entrepreneur and has created several software companies designed to help private label sellers. His knowledge and expertise are incredible, and his dedication to helping other Amazon sellers is evident.
This group is so helpful that no matter the subject or time of day, you'll find someone here willing and able to help. The group started in 2016 and includes over 80k members and several helpful guides for you to browse.
Visit Amazon FBA Titans on Facebook
This group was created for sellers - by sellers. The group is well-managed by James Greaney of InternetBizUni. James is a private-label Amazon seller who began building his Amazon business in 2013. James and his fellow admins have created a supportive space for sellers. Here, genuine peer advice is always available, and spam is strictly prohibited.
This group has some of the most seller-friendly rules to ensure the space remains seller-focused. The group was created in 2017, includes over 40k members and requires members to answer a series of questions to ensure their authenticity.
Visit Amazon FBA Sellers - No Gurus Allowed on Facebook
Whether you are just starting or an Amazon pro, software is an invaluable ally in your quest to grow your Amazon business. From finding the best deals to calculating your selling prices -software can provide data-driven insights to help you run a more profitable business.
But with so many software providers and tools available, how do you know where to start? With the free ones, of course!
Here is our roundup of 5 of the very best free software for Amazon sellers:
Keepa is the tool you will not want to live without - add the free Chrome extension to your browser, and you will see price history charts, competitor stock levels, and more when you browse the Amazon catalogue.
We love the level of detail provided by this free tool. The feature we fell in love with is the competitor stock level analysis. Turn on these settings, and view your competitors' stock levels. The perfect tool for spotting strategic arbitrage opportunities!
Discover more about Keepa software
Want to watch the price of a particular product on Amazon? Set your desired price, and CamelCamelCamel will email you to let you know when the product is in stock and available at the price you require.
This tool is perfect for sellers and buyers alike. We love using the alerts during busy times of the year when prices become more volatile. The price history charts are helpful for arbitrage sellers; they'll help you spot pricing trends to compete effectively with other sellers.
Download the CamelCamelCamel software
Want to find out your seller fees for a newly created bundle? Or calculate your storage costs for a large amount of FBA inventory? The Amazon FBA calculator is the place to go. You don't need a seller account to use this tool which calculates fees for existing and prospective products.
We like the careful fee calculation for FBA and FBM sellers alike. Whether bringing a new private label product to the market or supplying existing products, this calculator will help ensure your pricing remains accurate.
Visit the Amazon FBA Calculator
Spoiler alert: Amazon doesn't provide fully-fledged keyword research tools. So, if you want to launch Amazon adverts to drive traffic to your listings, or you're thinking of creating a listing for your private label product, then you've got to go off-piste to find detailed keyword data. Luckily the completely free Sonar tool by Perpetua can help get you started.
We like the option to search by keyword or ASIN and the easy-to-read results, giving you a steer on keyword search volume. The list of frequently used words related to your search term is helpful if you are brainstorming terminology to improve the SEO of your product listing or researching long-tail keywords for your next PPC campaign.
Alright, you caught us - we are unashamedly self-promoting, but if you're looking for an affordable arbitrage tool, Profit Runner can help.
Profit Runner will compare your purchase price with the current Amazon selling price, calculate your return on investment and analyse sales data in a jiffy. We built this software to help arbitrage sellers analyse arbitrage opportunities within a few clicks. You can try the software free of charge when you sign up for a free 14-day trial!