How to Start a Successful Amazon Side Hustle in the US

Are you looking to build an extra income stream without quitting your day job and giving up a stable paycheck? Whether you want to boost your earnings or monetise a hobby, Amazon offers an accessible platform to get started.

Amazon gives third-party sellers access to its vast customer base to sell a wide range of products. Independent sellers in the US averaged more than $250,000 in annual sales through the platform in 2023.¹

If you're ready to tap into that potential, this article explores the types of Amazon side hustle you can pursue and provides tips to help you start.

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Why Start a Side Hustle on Amazon?

Amazon's extensive global infrastructure simplifies everything from warehousing to delivery. For side hustlers and entrepreneurs, it removes the barriers to getting started in the traditional retail business. What makes selling on Amazon as a side hustle especially attractive? You can reach over 310 million active customer accounts worldwide without the need for a physical store.²

There are multiple earning models, from selling physical items to publishing digital goods and engaging in affiliate marketing. Amazon handles payment processing, shipping and customer service through programs like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). You can begin with as little as a few hundred dollars depending on which model you choose.

What Types of Amazon Side Hustles Are There?

Depending on your skills, time and available funds, there are several options for building a side hustle on Amazon. You can earn some extra cash or start a full-time ecommerce business.

Is Amazon FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) a Good Side Hustle?

Amazon FBA is a popular way to sell products without managing shipping or storage. You source products—whether through wholesale, dropshipping, or private label—and send them to Amazon's fulfillment centers. Amazon then stores your inventory, packs orders, ships them to customers, and even handles returns and customer service.

This setup is ideal for side hustle selling on Amazon because it removes the need to hold physical stock or deal with day-to-day logistics.

There are several benefits to selling through Amazon FBA as a side hustle:

• Scalability without managing logistics yourself.
• Saves time, ideal for a part-time business.
• FBA products are automatically eligible for free shipping to Amazon Prime members.
• Amazon can fulfill orders from other platforms (e.g. eBay, your own website, Shopify) using the same FBA inventory

However, you should be aware that an Amazon FBA side hustle can be an expensive side hustle as it requires significant upfront investment in inventory that may not sell and in FBA storage fees.

Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is a dedicated marketplace for artists to sell handcrafted goods such as jewelry, home décor, artwork, and personalized gifts. Products sold on Handmade must be made by you or a small group of employees. The marketplace gives makers access to Amazon's vast international customer base while offering a curated shopping experience for buyers who value uniqueness and craftsmanship.

This is an ideal side hustle for hobbyists or creative entrepreneurs who want to make money from their passion without setting up their own e-commerce site. The application process is more selective, but sellers benefit from lower competition and higher perceived product value.

Why choose Amazon Handmade:

• You only pay a referral fee when you make a sale.
• Customizable products command higher prices.
• Offers your brand authenticity and trust.
• Easy integration with FBA.

Merch by Amazon

Merch by Amazon is a print-on-demand platform that allows you to sell custom-designed apparel and accessories in an online store without any upfront costs or inventory management. Simply upload your design, choose the types of merchandise you want to sell (including T-shirts, hoodies, or tote bags), and set your price. Amazon handles the rest, from printing and shipping to customer service and returns. This model is ideal for graphic designers, artists, influencers, or anyone with creative ideas and an eye for trends to start a side hustle with Amazon.

Why choose Merch by Amazon:

• Earn royalties on each sale.
• Limited financial risk—no printing equipment or inventory to manage.
• Passive income potential.\n* Sales analytics help to refine what works.

Amazon Affiliate Program

You don't need to source or make products to earn money on Amazon—you can start a side hustle reviewing Amazon products. The Amazon affiliate program, called Amazon Associates, allows you to earn commissions by promoting Amazon products on your blog, website, podcast, YouTube channel, TikTok or other social media.

Once you create an account, you can access unique affiliate links for Amazon product listings that you can share to monetize traffic. When someone makes a purchase after clicking on your affiliate link, you earn a percentage of the sale as a commission, typically ranging from 1-10%, depending on the product category.

Unlike selling physical goods, an Amazon affiliate side hustle doesn't require you to manage inventory, fulfillment or customer service.

Benefits of the Amazon Associates side hustle:

• Free and easy to join without technical skills.\n* Earn commissions on the buyer's full cart value, not only the product you linked.
• Amazon's trusted reputation makes it more likely customers will buy from your links.
• Flexible integration, including links, banners, widgets, or product carousels to fit your content style.

How to Start an Amazon Side Hustle: First Steps

if you're wondering 'how do I start a side hustle on Amazon'? You'll need to do some thorough planning and research before you attempt to make sales. You'll need to examine product trends, competitor listings, and customer demand to identify the right niche. You also need to adapt to changing market trends to stay competitive.

Do Research and Planning for Your Amazon Side Hustle

Use tools like Amazon Best Sellers, Google Trends, and keyword tools to identify profitable niches where products are in demand but competition is low.

Look for:

• Everyday items with consistent demand.
• Lightweight products with high profit margins.
• Trends that align with your expertise or interests.

Set Up an Amazon Seller Account

To set up an account to become an Amazon Seller, start by choosing your seller plan (Individual or Professional), then follow these steps:

• Go to Amazon Seller Central and click on the "Sign up" button.
• Enter your business information and tax details.
• Select your business model and product categories.
• Verify your identity and set up your payment method.
• Use a service like Wise, which is part of Amazon's Payment Service Provider (PSP) Program, to receive international payments safely and in your preferred currency.

How to Source Products for Your Side Hustle and List Them on Amazon

Finding the right products to sell is critical to your success in starting an Amazon reselling side hustle. You need to identify items that are in demand and would be profitable to sell after Amazon's fees and shipping costs. When evaluating potential products, consider factors like customer reviews, size and weight (which affect FBA fees), seasonality, and the level of competition in the niche.

Research tools like Amazon's Best Sellers list or platforms like Helium 10 and Jungle Scout can help you pick products with real potential and solid margins.

Once you've sourced your products, create high-quality listings that stand out from the competition.

To optimize product listings on Amazon:

• Use high-resolution images from multiple angles, including images that show the product in use.
• Craft clear, keyword-rich titles that include essential details.
• Highlight key features in bullet points to make the listing easy to read quickly.\n* Write compelling product descriptions that focus on the product's benefits, not just specs.

A well-optimized listing can significantly improve your chances of making sales—even in competitive categories.

Create Marketing and Promotion for Your Amazon Side Hustle

Listing your product is only the first step. As you're competing with millions of sellers on the platform, it can be hard for customers to find you. Effective marketing and promotion are essential to drive sales. Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising allows you to bid on keywords and have your product appear in sponsored placements in search results and product pages.

Beyond Amazon's internal tools, try promoting your products on social media and in blog posts or working with influencers to drive external traffic to your Amazon store. Building an email list or community around your niche can also generate repeat business.

Challenges to Consider Before Starting an Side Hustle on Amazon

Starting a side hustle on Amazon offers huge potential to scale as little or as much as you want, but it's important to understand the challenges you might face along the way.

Competition from Other Sellers

Amazon is a crowded marketplace hosting millions of sellers, and competition is intense in many niches. Breaking into a crowded category without a unique product offering can make it difficult to stand out. New sellers need to differentiate themselves by providing better quality, improved features, unique branding, or exceptional customer service.

Amazon Fees and Costs

Amazon charges referral fees, FBA fees, and storage fees, which eat into your profits. While FBA is convenient, especially for side hustlers, it's essential to understand the fee structure and calculate your costs to ensure your products are profitable to sell after deducting all the expenses. Long-term storage fees can add up if you don't move inventory quickly, making it more important to choose products that sell and set up effective demand forecasting.

Inventory Management

Keeping the right amount of stock to align with sales demand is a constant balancing act. Holding too little inventory can lead to your product selling out, causing you to miss out on sales and lose ranking. Too much can rack up excess storage fees and tie up your money in stock. Seasonal shifts, supply chain delays, or sudden sales spikes can further complicate this process, especially for side hustlers who can't monitor inventory full time.

Compliance and Account Health

Amazon has strict seller policies, and violating them, even unintentionally, can result in your listings being suspended or your account being deactivated. Your product descriptions, images, and customer communication must follow Amazon's guidelines. Monitoring your account health metrics, responding to customer messages promptly, and staying current on Amazon policy updates are key.

How Much Can You Make With an Amazon Side Hustle?

40% of Amazon sellers make $1,000 to $25,000/month, and 30% of Amazon sellers report sales above $5,000/month.³ Sellers who can invest more startup capital may be able to scale faster.

Earnings from an Amazon side hustle can vary widely depending on your business model, the products you choose to sell, and how much time and effort you're willing to invest. Some beginners earn a few hundred dollars per month, while others grow their side hustle into a six-figure income stream over time.

Conclusion: Is Selling on Amazon a Good Side Hustle?

Starting an Amazon Seller side hustle can be a smart and flexible way to earn extra income. While competition and fees can be challenging, the infrastructure and reach of Amazon offer a unique opportunity—especially if you take time to research and plan.

You don't need to quit your job or invest thousands of dollars to begin. Whether you want to resell products, sell crafts, or earn affiliate commissions, if you're ready to explore a side hustle that has the potential to grow into something more, Amazon is one of the best places to start.

Benefits of Using Wise for Your Amazon Side Hustle

If you plan to sell to international customers in various currencies, a Wise Business account can help keep you from spending your Amazon side hustle income on fees. Wise participates in Amazon's Payment Service Provider Program, making it easy to convert your sales revenue into US dollars at the mid-market exchange rate with transparent pricing and standard transaction fees.

Wise lets you receive payments like a local with major currency account details and hold multiple currencies all in one place. You can also pay suppliers in their preferred currency. There is no monthly account fee, and you can connect to accounting software to save time on bookkeeping.

Some key benefits of Wise Business include:

Major local account details to receive international payments with ease No monthly account fees just a simple one-off fee for account details Receive payments from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or via Stripe. Free invoicing tool to generate and send invoices. Create invoices using the Wise invoice generator or invoice templates. Accounting integrations, including a QuickBooks Bill Pay connection. Bill payments will be synced, matched, and categorized in QuickBooks for simple reconciliation. Access to BatchTransfer. Fast payment of up to 1,000 people.

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	Editor & Business Expert:
	Panna is an expert in US business finance, covering topics from invoicing to international expansion. She creates guides and reviews to help businesses save time and make informed decisions. You can read more useful business articles on her author profile.

	Author:
	Nicole is a professional journalist with two decades of experience in writing and editing, she has also run her own freelance business for the past five years. Her expertise spans the financial and technology industries, including payment processing and small business banking.

Sources:
¹Amazon selling stats
²Amazon Statistics: Key Numbers and Fun Facts
³How Much Money Do Amazon Sellers Make? (2024 Update) - Jungle Scout
All sources checked August 13 2025.