Don’t Sell on Amazon Until You Watch This Product Selection Guide!

Most failed Amazon sellers all make the same first mistake and that is picking the wrong product. Do not be one of them.

I have developed a seven-phase breakdown to help you find a unique product with low competition. It involves reviewing barriers to entry, finding a manufacturer, testing the quality against competitors and optimizing your launch.

It might sound complicated but finding a unique product is not actually the hardest part. I recently found a horse toy that functions like a tug-of-war rope for horses. Who the heck would have thought? Yet, sellers are making $10,000 a month with it even though the reviews are terrible and it is overpriced.

If you can find a unique item like this, you are already halfway there. However, Amazon Sellers make money on Amazon by following a strict validation process. Here is the exact guide we use at EHP Consulting Group.

Video Overview:

Phase 1: Find a Unique Product with Tools

Finding a unique product is key. You can use tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to uncover these opportunities. These are some of the easiest tools to use to find your own product niche.

Action Item: Write a list of at least 10 unique products you are interested in. Once you have that list, you need to analyze the competition.

Phase 2: Analyze the Competition

Take your list of 10 products and look at the competition in that niche. If there are too many competitors, you do not want to launch that product. This is why I generally advise against launching a multivitamin or a supplement.

Let’s go back to the horse tug-of-war toy. When I searched for it, I saw products for dogs but almost nothing specifically for horses. There were almost no direct competitors.

The Rule: If there are not many competitors, it is a good item to launch.

You also need to know your product. If you are selling a horse toy, I recommend you actually have a horse or know someone who does. You might launch your product and not know what you are doing otherwise.

Phase 3: Review Barriers to Entry

This is a step many people skip. You need to know if there are specific certificates required to sell your item.

Step 1: Log into your Amazon Seller Central account.

Step 2: Go to the Catalog menu and select “Add Products.”

Step 3: Look for the link that says “Compliance References.”

You can do a self-assessment here to see what your products need for compliance. For example, if you want to sell writing instruments with edible ink, you might find that it is prohibited. Amazon will tell you if you are allowed to sell it and what certifications you need to supply.

Always review the Amazon Restricted Products policy to ensure you do not invest in inventory you cannot sell.

Phase 4: Vet Your Manufacturer

Once you have narrowed down your product and checked compliance, it is time to find a manufacturer. You can use Alibaba or look for a supplier in the USA.

You want to talk to at least three different manufacturers to get three different prices. Use this checklist to vet them:

Response Time: Do they answer quickly? If they take more than 48 business hours, you might not want to work with them.
Communication: Is their grammar and English good?
History: How many years have they been in business?
Verification: Are they a verified supplier?
Attitude: Are they respectful and helpful?

You also need to discuss brand protection early. If you have a successful product, you need to be ready to Stop Fake Products on Amazon. Working with a reputable manufacturer reduces the risk of your factory selling your designs to others.

Phase 5: Double Check the Product Data

Once you find a manufacturer, you must validate the numbers one last time.

Competitor Count: Does it have more than 10 competitors?
Profit Margin: Does it have a 25% profit margin or higher?
Seasonality: Is it a seasonal product like Halloween costumes?
Longevity: Is this a long-term product?
Revenue: Are competitors making at least $5,000 a month?

If you need help selling on Amazon or analyzing these profit margins, our team can assist with a full market analysis.

Contact our Amazon Experts at EHP Consulting Group

Phase 6: Quality vs. Top Competitor

This is the most important phase. Do not skip this. You need to order a sample of your item and order the product of your top competitor.

Test them against each other. Pretend you are an inventor. Measure it, take photos and ask yourself what their product has that yours does not.

Packaging: Does their packaging look better?
Features: Does it come with extra accessories?
Differentiation: What can you do to stand out?

If you are going to sell the exact same product and list it for a higher price, you are not going to win. You need to have something that makes you stand out. High quality also protects you. If your product breaks, customers might claim it is inauthentic. You want to avoid any claims that force you to deal with Counterfeit removal on Amazon.

Phase 7: Optimization and Launching

You have your product and it is better than the competition. Now you need to launch. This requires a checklist including SEO, pricing, main images, video and A+ content.

Pro Tips for a Successful Launch

Launch Strategy: Launching three products simultaneously increases your chances of success. For example, I would launch a horse tug-of-war item, a DIY birdhouse and a pregnancy yoga ball. These are completely different categories. One might fail, but the yoga ball might do better than all of them combined.

Ad Budget: Your ad budget should be at least $750 to $1,500 per product. You can start low with $500 a month, but Amazon runs on ads. If you do not have an ad budget, it is likely not going to work.

If you are struggling with your campaigns, you might need an Amazon PPC Expert or Amazon advertising Expert to manage your spend efficiently.

Conclusion

Picking the right product is the foundation of your business. Do not rush the process. If you validate your product properly, check for barriers to entry and ensure your quality beats the competition, you will be well on your way to success.

If you need help increasing sales, launching a product or require a Florida Amazon Consultant to guide you, we are here to help.

What we can do for you:

Get a Free Audit: Visit our website and fill out your item details. We will analyze your top competitors and tell you exactly how to beat them.
Full Account Management: We help you find products, optimize listings, create designs and run your ads.
Brand Protection: We act as an Amazon Consultant to help Remove Fakes, Remove Amazon Fakes and handle Amazon Counterfeit issues so you can focus on growth.

We are going to be completely honest with you right from the start so you can succeed on Amazon.

Get your Free Listing Audit here

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