How To Find Products To Sell On Amazon: Expert Tips For OA Newcomers
Key Takeaways
- Amazon online arbitrage (OA) sellers can identify fast-moving products by focusing on consumables, using price history tools, and understanding current fee structures, including low-inventory fees and inbound placement costs.
- Tools like Keepa, SellerAmp SAS, and Tactical Arbitrage provide the foundation for profitable product sourcing by analyzing price drops, competition levels, and profitability calculations.
- A structured 7-step workflow helps newcomers navigate brand restrictions, compliance requirements, and logistics management while building sustainable sourcing routines.
- Success requires understanding Amazon's stricter authenticity documentation requirements and maintaining invoices from authorized distributors dated within 365 days.
Online arbitrage, or OA, continues to offer lucrative opportunities for Amazon sellers in 2025, but the landscape has evolved. New sellers can still build profitable businesses by understanding the current fee structure, using the right tools, and following proven sourcing methods that account for Amazon's updated compliance requirements.
Approximately 62% of Online Arbitrage Sellers Report Making Nearly $5,000 Monthly
The numbers tell a compelling story about OA potential. Approximately 25% of Amazon sellers use OA as their primary business model, with around 62% of those involved reporting monthly earnings approaching $5,000. These figures demonstrate that despite increased competition and evolving Amazon policies, OA remains a viable path to substantial income.
However, success in 2025 requires adapting to new realities. Amazon hasn't increased its main FBA or referral fees, but smaller charges are impacting profitability more than many sellers expect. The low-inventory fee, introduced in 2024, kicks in when stock levels drop below 28 days of expected supply. Inbound placement fees are changing in 2025, with Amazon lowering inbound placement service fees for large bulky-size products an average of $0.58 per unit for minimal shipment splits, effective January 15, 2025. The inbound placement service fee will be waived for new parent ASINs that qualify for the FBA New Selection Program and are included in shipments created between December 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
"Understanding these fee changes is vital for maintaining healthy margins," said , a company providing sellers with market analysis and sourcing strategies tailored to current Amazon requirements. "The key lies in building systems that account for all costs upfront, ensuring every product sourced maintains profitability after fees."
Tools for Finding Fast-Moving OA Products
Successful OA depends on having the right technological foundation. Three core tools form the backbone of any profitable OA operation, each serving a specific function in the product evaluation process.
1. Keepa for Price Drop Alerts and Buy Box Monitoring
functions as both a time machine and prediction tool for Amazon pricing. This platform tracks price history, Buy Box movement, and sales rank fluctuations, revealing whether apparent deals represent genuine opportunities or temporary traps. The tool's graphs show pricing stability over months or years, helping sellers identify products with consistent demand and stable profit margins.
Price drop alerts notify sellers when target products reach predetermined thresholds, enabling quick action on profitable opportunities. Buy Box monitoring reveals competitive dynamics, showing how often different sellers control the featured merchant spot. Without this historical context, sellers risk purchasing inventory for products experiencing permanent price declines or facing intense competition.
2. SellerAmp SAS for Eligibility and Profitability Analysis
serves as a profit calculator that integrates directly with Amazon product pages. The tool calculates ROI, Amazon fees, and identifies restricted products or gated brands in real-time. Its color-coded system provides instant visual feedback, with green signals indicating profitable opportunities and red flags warning of potential issues.
The platform checks seller eligibility for gated categories and brands, preventing costly mistakes before they occur. It accounts for referral fees, FBA costs, storage charges, and newer fees like low-inventory penalties. This analysis ensures sellers understand true profitability before making purchase decisions.
3. Tactical Arbitrage for Simultaneous Multi-Search Sourcing
operates as the heavy lifter for product discovery, scanning hundreds of retailers simultaneously to match products against Amazon listings. Now integrated into the Seller 365 package from Threecolts, it automates the time-intensive process of finding arbitrage opportunities across multiple online stores.
The tool's reverse search capability allows sellers to input profitable Amazon products and find sourcing opportunities across various retailers. Its bulk scanning features help build lead lists efficiently, while automated filters ensure only products meeting predetermined criteria appear in results. This scalability transforms manual sourcing from an hours-long process into an automated system.
7-Step Workflow for Profitable OA
Establishing clear rules prevents emotional buying decisions and ensures consistent profitability. Successful OA sellers follow a systematic approach that begins with defining parameters and ends with active inventory management.
1. Define Buy Box and ROI Rules
Buy Box control determines where most Amazon sales occur. Sellers must establish minimum ROI percentages, margin thresholds, and competition tolerance levels before evaluating products. For example, setting rules for a minimum 30% ROI and Best Seller Rank under 100,000 in specific categories creates clear decision-making criteria.
These guardrails prevent chasing marginal opportunities that appear attractive but lack long-term viability. Written rules enable quick evaluation decisions and help maintain focus on products with genuine profit potential rather than getting distracted by apparent bargains.
2. Source Leads from Reliable Retailers
Lead generation combines automated and manual approaches. Reliable retailers like major chains provide consistent sourcing opportunities through clearance pages and weekly promotions. Automated tools scan these sources continuously, while manual browsing uncovers unique opportunities that algorithms might miss.
Building relationships with 3-5 consistent retailers provides a steady pipeline of potential products. These established sources offer predictable inventory turnover and clear pricing patterns, making profit calculations more reliable.
3. Evaluate Price History and Competition
Historical analysis reveals product stability and competitive dynamics. Keepa graphs show whether current prices represent temporary dips or permanent declines. Sales rank history indicates consistent demand, while Buy Box data reveals how frequently different sellers control featured placement.
Competition analysis includes examining seller types, pricing strategies, and inventory levels. Products dominated by Amazon itself present limited profit opportunities, while those with primarily third-party sellers offer better chances for sustainable margins.
4. Navigate Brand Protection Approval Barriers
Brand gating requirements vary significantly across categories and manufacturers. Some brands require approval applications with supporting documentation, while others maintain strict authorization policies. Checking gated status before purchasing prevents stranded inventory situations.
Understanding approval processes helps prioritize which brands deserve the effort to obtain authorization. Building approval portfolios for profitable brands creates competitive advantages and access to restricted inventory sources.
5. Verify Compliance Requirements
Amazon's compliance checks have intensified significantly in 2025. The platform now requires invoices less than one year old from authorized distributors or manufacturers for authenticity verification. Retail receipts are generally not sufficient during appeals processes.
Maintaining proper documentation includes storing supplier contact information, product identifiers matching ASINs, and clear quantity records. This preparation prevents account suspension risks and enables quick response to authenticity challenges.
6. Manage Purchase and Logistics
Inventory routing decisions impact overall profitability through shipping costs and processing fees. Options include direct-to-seller shipping for personal inspection and labeling, or prep center services that handle intake and FBA preparation. Prep centers add costs but save time and ensure professional processing standards.
Batch planning optimizes shipping efficiency and reduces per-unit logistics costs. Coordinating multiple product purchases into single shipments minimizes inbound placement fees and storage optimization charges.
7. List Products and Set Repricing Strategy
Product listing accuracy ensures proper categorization and searchability. Using correct ASINs prevents listing errors that could trigger policy violations. Repricing strategies balance competitiveness with profitability, requiring either manual monitoring or automated systems that adjust prices based on market conditions.
Automated repricing tools maintain competitive positioning without constant supervision, adjusting prices in response to competitor changes while respecting minimum profit thresholds.
Best Product Categories for Fast-Moving Inventory
Category selection significantly impacts turnover rates and profitability potential. Understanding which products move quickly helps optimize cash flow and inventory management.
Consumables That Move Quickly
Consumable products offer the most consistent opportunities for fast-moving inventory. Supplements, craft supplies, beauty and personal care items, pet supplies, and office goods typically maintain steady demand throughout the year. These categories benefit from repeat purchasing patterns and predictable consumption cycles.
Small, lightweight consumables optimize shipping economics while minimizing storage costs. Their regular replacement needs create ongoing market demand, reducing the risk of inventory becoming stranded due to seasonal fluctuations or trend changes.
Kitchen items and everyday household products also maintain consistent velocity, particularly those solving common problems or offering convenience benefits. These products appeal to broad customer bases and generate steady sales volumes.
Categories to Avoid for Newcomers
Certain categories present significant challenges for new sellers. Electronics and luxury brands frequently trigger intellectual property complaints and require documentation such as test reports from ISO 17025 labs, Children's Product Certificate (CPC), General Certificate of Conformity (GCC), Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and Battery compliance documentation for electronics. Oversized or fragile items increase shipping costs and customer service complexity.
Seasonal products create cash flow challenges due to concentrated demand periods followed by extended slow periods. Fashion items face rapid trend changes that can quickly obsolete inventory. Products dominated by Amazon's own brands offer limited competitive opportunities.
Hazardous materials require special handling certifications and compliance documentation that adds complexity for beginners. Categories with extensive brand gating make sourcing inventory difficult without established supplier relationships.
Start Your First Weekly Sourcing Routine Using This Proven System
Building consistent sourcing habits creates sustainable business growth. A weekly routine focusing on reliable retailers and generates steady deal flow without overwhelming complexity.
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