Thinking about selling on Amazon or just getting started? You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed! In this episode, I’m sharing the things real Amazon sellers wish they knew before they started. From hidden costs to the importance of driving traffic to your listings, these are the lessons they learned the hard way—so you don’t have to.

I also give practical advice on the things you can do to overcome some of the challenges you're likely to face.

Whether you’re about to launch or are feeling stuck, this episode is packed with insights to help you move forward with confidence.

🎧 Listen now and save yourself from making these common mistakes!

Mentioned in this episode:

• The costs of selling on Amazon: https://youtu.be/KabTbQrvtjA
• Watch my explainer of the FBA fees calculator: https://youtu.be/Mso8UMYNCfo
• Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/powerhour
• How to deal with Amazon Seller Support: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a3805fa1-9a5b-4e43-a058-0b580f7f3a8b/

Mentioned in this episode:

Amazon Made Easy is now open

My membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership

membership

Welcome to the bring your product idea to life podcast.

This is the podcast for you if you're getting started selling products or if you'd like to create your own product to sell.

I'm Vicki Weinberg, a product creation coach and Amazon expert.

Every week I share friendly, practical advice as well as inspirational stories from small businesses.

Let's get started.

Foreign.

Welcome to today's episode.

However you're listening, perhaps you're even watching this episode.

Did you know that I now record.

All of these bonus podcast episodes and publish them on YouTube?

So if you would like to watch me talking to you as well as listening, that's now possible as well.

So I'm really excited about today's episode because it's one that I hope will.

Help a lot of people, which, as you know, is always my goal.

So today I'm going to talk to you about the things that Amazon sellers wish they knew before they started selling.

First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who contributed your ideas for this episode.

Obviously, I have my own.

I used to be an Amazon seller and you know, as you know, I.

Work with lots of Amazon sellers.

However, my experience is just my experience.

And obviously my client's experience is theirs.

But I really wanted a wider range.

Of people's views as possible to make.

This episode as informative and interesting as possible.

Because as I say, my experience was my experience.

And actually, if I'm really honest with you, when I first started on Amazon, which I'm trying to remember how long.

Ago it was, I think it was about nine years ago, it was actually.

Really different to how it is now.

So my experience might not be as relevant anymore.

And of course I get to see what my clients and my Amazon made Easy members are struggling with.

However, it was really good to get.

All of your inputs.

That was a very long way of.

Saying thank you so much.

So what I want to do in this episode is go through the things that you told me you wish you'd.

Known before you started.

And so if you're not on Amazon yet or you're just starting, these are things that's really good for you to hear.

And I'm also going to give my thoughts on each one and if there's any ways that we can tackle them.

Or address them together.

So hopefully it'll be really useful.

So the first thing that people wish.

They knew before they started are the real costs of selling on the platform.

And yeah, it is absolutely essential to know the cost before you get started.

I actually did a whole episode on.

But I will summarise the costs here.

So you basically pay an account fee.

And you can either have a professional account, which is £25 plus VAT a month in the UK, or you can have an individual account which is free, but the number of sales you can make is capped.

I usually recommend the professional account if that's possible for you.

You then also pay a referable fee.

So basically this means for every item sold, you pay Amazon a percentage of the total price, which includes the item price, the shipping cost and any gift.

Wrapping charges or a minimum amount, whichever is greater.

These are in addition to your selling fee plans and vary from between 5 and 15%.

Then if you're using Amazon FBA, you're.

Going to be paying storage costs and fulfillment costs.

If you are doing your own fulfillment, then you might have your own storage costs.

Depending where and how you store your products, you have your own fulfillment costs too.

And then there are other things that you might have to pay for.

So for example, long term storage fees, if that becomes a factor, and we'll talk about that later.

In this episode, you might need to.

Pay for, for removal orders, you might.

Need to pay for refunds.

There might be advertising, you might use Amazon vine, you might decide to run some promotions.

There are lots of things that you.

Could spend your money on.

So my best advice is that if you're not sure about all of the.

Fees involved in selling on Amazon is.

Go and have a listen to that episode or watch it on YouTube.

There is also a great Amazon sales estimator tool which tells you, for a product that you're going to list on.

Amazon, what the fees will be for your, you know, decided selling price.

So you can work that out before you start selling.

I have a video on how to.

Use the tool and I'm going to link to that video in the show notes this episode because I think you'll find that really useful.

Because yes, you absolutely need to know.

What you're going to be paying before you start selling.

So the next thing is how to set up parent child listings and what this means.

So in simple terms, parent child listings.

Are a way of saying variations and.

It'S a way of setting up your listing so that customers can choose from different options.

So, for example, your product might come in different colors, different flavors, different sizes.

And this means that when a customer goes to your product page, if you.

Set it up as a variation, they'll be able to choose whether they buy your product in red, yellow or orange.

For, for example, all from one listing.

Because the other way of doing it is having every single SKU you sell separate.

So a customer might find your item in blue, but maybe they don't want.

Blue, maybe they want red, but they.

Don'T know that you sell red because.

They'Ve only found the blue one.

Hopefully that's kind of clear.

I really like setting up variations where.

It makes sense for a product for a few reasons.

One, because it's really easy to find.

All of the options.

And as I say, a customer might not want your products in blue, but.

They do want it in red.

Brilliant.

They can see all of the options in one place.

If you run ads on Amazon, you can run ads to just one color.

One size, one for labor, perhaps the one that converts best.

But a customer can still see all.

Those other options on the same listing, but you're only advertising to one.

And also reviews are combined.

So this is a reason I sometimes.

Suggest if people have all their products.

Listed separately, but it would make sense.

For them to be combined to do it.

Because they could have a handful of reviews on each sku, but by combining.

Them, suddenly they've got a really good number.

So that's another reason I think it.

Could be worth doing it.

People don't always know that you can.

Do it, which is why one thing that I think this comment was addressing and I wanted to let you know and also, it's sometimes not easy on.

Amazon to figure out how to do things, is it?

I completely know that a podcast is.

Not really the place for me to.

Explain how to set up parent and child or variation listings, but I am.

Happy to help with this.

So if you this is something you're struggling with or something you'd like to know more, you can book in a.

Call with me again.

I'll put a link in the show notes and I can definitely help you.

The next thing is that Amazon Seller Central is glitchy.

I actually think that's a really polite.

Way of putting it.

You've probably heard me say this before.

I think seller Central is really outdated.

I find it hard to use.

Well, I don't find it hard to use, but I think it is hard to use.

I'm okay with it, but then again, I use it all the time.

It's definitely not intuitive and it's definitely not easy to find your way around.

In fact, yesterday I recorded a tour of Seller Central for my Amazon Made easy members.

And I basically showed them the whole site.

We went through every single menu option and I showed them where things are, what, you know, what they could access.

Because actually there's a lot of things that people just don't know are there.

Because the whole thing is so vast.

And not brilliantly laid out.

And that was really useful.

I got some really good feedback on.

That session, which I will be repeating.

Every couple of months actually.

So if you need support, obviously, as I've said, let me know.

Or you could come and join us.

In Amazon Made Easy.

And then the next time I run.

This session, you can be there.

But of course, if you have any.

Questions, let me know.

There's not actually much I or anyone I think can do to address the.

Fact that Seller Central is hard to use.

It hasn't changed much in the years I've been using it.

There have been a couple of little upgrades, but nothing major.

I don't.

Nothing that comes to mind anyway.

So I think the best thing you can do is familiarize yourself with it or find someone who can help you do that.

And I definitely can.

Next thing people want you to know.

Is that seller support is useful.

Useful.

Useless.

Seller support is useless.

And you've probably heard me say this before too.

About four years ago, I actually recorded.

A podcast episode all about what to do if things go wrong on Amazon.

And you actually have to contact Amazon Seller support.

Sadly, this episode probably doesn't even need much updating, despite being almost four years old, because not a lot has changed.

It's still, you know, seller support are still not great to deal with.

And I will link to that episode in the show notes.

You can find it really easily.

But to kind of summarize my best.

Advice that I give in that episode.

The first thing is to be really persistent and really consistent.

I have had issues that have taken me weeks to resolve.

I've actually had issues for clients that have taken me months to resolve.

But 99% of them, I would say we have got there in the end.

And on that you're probably thinking, gosh, Vicki, that's taken you a long time.

It has.

But do know that it's not me.

Or you that's the problem, it's them that's the problem.

It's can be really hard to communicate with seller Support.

They will often misunderstand you.

I don't know if that's deliberate or by accident.

They will often close cases that aren't resolved.

And this is where I say about being persistent and consistent every time Amazon.

Close a case that I believe hasn't got a resolution, I reopen it, I tell them it's not resolved and I reiterate my issue over and over again.

There's a lot of copy and paste.

Involved, which leads me on to another point, is that you need to be really clear when you raise a case of them, what exactly.

You need be very, very clear in your wording, so there's no ambiguity at all.

They can't misunderstand what you're saying and.

Keep just sending that same, you know, that same message until you get a.

Resolution that you're happy with.

You can also contact them on the phone as well.

What I like to do is always.

Start off in writing, because I think.

You can summarise what your issue is really, really clearly in writing, then go back into the case, request a callback.

And then talk to somebody.

But at least you've got that text there.

There's also a chat function, which I've.

Had mixed results with.

You can try that as well.

But I would say really important to.

Always summarise your issue first of all, and don't give up.

It can often feel like you want to, even for me, and I am very, very tenacious.

However, I don't.

And as I say, I've got a very good success rate of getting things resolved.

So I guess that's the key.

And often it's the bit when you.

Think, oh, gosh, I really want to give up.

When you sort of.

You realise you're almost there.

So don't, don't, don't give up.

Definitely keep going.

Next, we're going to move on to the fact that Amazon values customers over.

Sellers, which follows on from the last one, really.

In lots of Amazon's policies, the customer.

Does seem to get a better deal than the seller.

So one example of this is, let's.

Say a customer returns your product and they return it damaged or not, in a great condition.

Amazon gives them a refund.

They then send it back to you.

Or dispose of it, depending on what you've decided.

You want doing with it.

And that leaves you without the sale and with stock that you potentially can't sell on.

So you don't have the money because the customer's been refunded and you've got a damaged item that you can't do a lot with.

That sort of thing sadly, does happen.

And you can raise cases and you.

Can address these things, but it does take time.

I don't know what the solution for this is.

I think being aware of it is good.

I think what I would focus on.

In this instance is reducing returns to.

The best of your ability.

So some of this will be out of your control.

But things you can do is ensure.

That you have all the key information included on your product listing.

So you have text, you have images.

You have videos, if appropriate, to kind.

Of make it really clear what your product is, what it does, how it.

Works, sort of everything that you think a customer might need to know, especially.

If you can see there's something missing.

That'S perhaps leading to returns.

If you get any messages from customers.

With questions or concerns about your order.

I would deal with them really promptly.

If you're using fba, this won't be an issue.

But if you're doing your own shipping, I would make sure that your dispatching orders on time so that you're not getting hit with customers complaining, oh, this, you know, I ordered this and it.

Turned up too late.

This isn't a solution.

And I'm aware of that.

And, you know, for some of these.

Things, you know, also with, you know, the way seller central is and the.

Way the support can be, there aren't actually solutions.

But I think it's really good for.

You as a new seller to be.

Aware of these things and also to.

Have some ideas of things you could do to maybe mitigate it or make it slightly less tedious.

So hopefully this is still helping.

The next thing I want to talk about is Chinese suppliers competing directly.

And what this basically means is there.

Are some Chinese suppliers or factories that manufacture their products and sell them on Amazon.

And they can do this for cheaper than other sellers selling similar products because they're coming directly from the factory.

So there is no markup.

This affects some products more than others.

So I used to sell baby products and this is definitely something I started.

To see around the time I was.

Sort of closing my business.

Actually, I was selling baby towels and.

There were some that looked remarkably similar to mine with a very similar spec.

To mine that were half the price because they were being sold directly from Chinese suppliers.

There is not actually a lot that you can do here.

I don't really know what the answer is.

I mean, one idea that I have.

And we'll actually talk about this because it leads into the next point is, which is talking about the madness of price wars.

And this, again, this is another tough one.

But I'm bringing this up now because I think they're both relevant and I think that for both of these, so Chinese suppliers selling the products cheaply and.

Price wars in general, other people selling.

Products similar to yours, a lower cost.

Are making you think, oh, actually mine looks really expensive.

Should I lower the price?

I would actually say, as hard as it sounds, if you're confident on your pricing, do what you can to hold your ground.

If other people, whether they be Chinese factories, whether they be your competitors, are selling similar products for less, but you know your product is better, you know.

It gives more value, you know there's something that means it deserves that extra.

Price, don't be swayed.

What I will say, though, if you are taking this approach, definitely do take this approach, is that make sure your.

Product listings and the reviews you have.

From customers reflect this, because they're really important.

So if your product is selling at.

Five pounds more than a competitor's, it.

Needs to be really clear why in the listing.

And obviously you can't say it as.

Blatantly as that, but customers really need.

To get, oh, okay.

They need to be to read your listing and read the other listing and.

Go, oh, I can see why this.

One is more expensive.

It's because of X, Y or Z.

It's got this feature, it's got whatever.

But this is going to be a.

Lot harder to do.

Coming back to reviews, if you don't.

Have many reviews or you have negative reviews, so getting as many positive reviews as you can, and obviously that's another.

Issue and something we've covered in another.

Podcast, but that's something that will also.

Really, really help you.

The next thing is stockholding.

Amazon penalize you for having too much stock.

Amazon penalize you for.

For not having enough stock.

Now, this is a tricky one.

Let's take the too much stock thing first.

My advice always is do not send in too much stock to Amazon for.

Fba, because we're talking about FBA here.

Because then your stock is potentially all tied up.

So let's say you sell on your.

Website as well, which I hope you do.

I hope you're not just selling on Amazon.

Definitely have at least one other place.

And your website is a great one.

Let's say that all of the stock.

That you use to replenish orders on your website is.

You know, you're out of stock, but.

You'Ve got 100 units sitting in Amazon.

You're then left with a situation where you can, you can fulfill those orders.

On your website using your Amazon FBA.

Stock, and you absolutely can.

However, of course Amazon is going to.

Charge you for that or you can get some of your stock returned to you.

But again, Amazon are going to return you for that.

Not return, charge you for that.

So you're going to, you know, if.

You have to pay to have stock sent back to you, sent to a.

Customer, you're going to pay for it.

So if you can, I would suggest drip feeding stock into Amazon starting small.

Even if you're sending shipments every fortnight.

Maybe even every week, you don't get penalized.

You can send as many shipments as you like into Amazon.

There are no minimum quantities.

If you're using, using Amazon shipping, which.

Is what I always recommend, then you're.

Only paying for what you send.

So whether you send one box a week or two boxes in a fortnight, it's going to be roughly the same cost.

So there's not actually a reason to.

Send everything in bulk.

And also it's worth knowing that once your stock has been in Amazon for 270 days, which is about nine months, I think you then start paying long term storage fees.

I can't say how much this will be because it's done on cubic meters.

So it depends on the size of your products.

But potentially they could start to add up.

So it's just another reason not to send too much stock in.

That's definitely how I suggest you get around this one.

And then not having enough stock is basically that.

You've heard me probably talk before about.

Ranking on Amazon and the Amazon algorithm.

And where you're shown in the search results.

And your Amazon ranking is something you build up.

So as you get sales and you.

Get, get reviews, your ranking goes up, which means you get higher and higher in the search results organically without paying for ads.

As soon as you go out of.

Stock and Amazon can't sell your product anymore, your rankings start to drop and your competitors who do have stock, their rankings go up.

So yeah, you've heard me talk before about rankings, you'd have heard me talk about algorithm.

That's why this is all really, really important.

You do not want to go out of stock because you, you will be penalized.

And then all that hard work you've done to build your ranking up, you're.

Not starting from zero.

Well, depends how long you're out of stock for.

But you are starting from a lower place.

So ideally you would be sending in.

Enough stock to cover you for the next week fortnight, however often you're sending.

It in, but not enough that you've.

Got lots of excess units.

And I know that what I've said might give you a bit of a headache.

I know that is tricky and it's.

A real balancing act and it can.

Take a while to get right, but it's definitely something, well, one worth knowing about.

So knowing the implications of sending in.

Too much stock, knowing the implications of.

Not having enough stock, and then you can put a place plan in place to manage it.

And then the final thing that other sellers would like you to know about.

Starting on Amazon is how much needs to go into ads and that it's an ongoing cost.

I've spoken before about the fact that.

You need to do something to drive.

Traffic to your listings on Amazon.

It doesn't matter what you do, it.

Doesn'T have to be ads ads.

But I do think ads are really good option.

But you have to do something.

So that's the first thing I'll say.

Is if you absolutely don't have any.

Budget and you just think ads are.

Completely out of the question, I cannot.

Afford to pay for Amazon ads.

You don't have to.

However, they do work and if you do have a little bit of budget.

They are a really good option.

However, as you'll know, if you've done.

Any type of advertising, there is a bit of trial and error.

They might not be profitable from day one and it can take a little while to get things going.

Hopefully you also won't need them forever.

You might need them for a while.

It really depends on your product, what category it's in, how competitive it is.

There's lots of factors to think about.

So you hopefully won't need to run ads, you know, for the lifetime of being on Amazon.

But then again, I can't guarantee that.

My best advice here is if you are using Amazon ads to think about your budget, think about how much you can afford to spend.

Monitor your ads ads closely.

So keep an eye on what's converting, what isn't.

Tweak and optimize your ads.

Don't set them and forget them.

I think those are the key ones really.

But it's important to just be aware of what you're spending on ads, what the return is and whether that's working for you.

And like I say, I think Amazon ads are great, but if they're not working for you for some reason, you.

Don'T have to run them forever.

You can turn them off and you.

Can do something else to get traffic to your listings.

The key is you have to do something.

So I hope that all of this was helpful.

If you need help with any of the above or anything else, you might be interested to know that my Amazon.

Made Easy membership is opening again.

Next month.

If you'd like to get on the.

Waitlist for that, please email me or send me a message on social media and let me know.

Because as a thank you for showing.

Your interest, I'm going to give you.

A free spot on a paid for masterclass that I'm running very soon.

So it will be a paid for.

Event, but if you're on my wait list, you won't pay anything for that.

And then also you'll be the first to hear when the membership reopens next week.

I am doing an Ask Me Anything.

Episode so you can ask me any questions you want.

It can be about Amazon, it can.

Be about me, it can be about anything.

Anything you like really.

I haven't done one of these for a while so I thought it'd be fun to do one.

So please do send me your questions.

Vicky vickyweinberg.com or as I say, you.

You can DM me.

I'm mostly on Instagram or perhaps you're.

In my free Facebook group.

If you're there you can send me a message there.

If you're not there, you should be.

There and it'll be lovely to have you come over and join us.

That is it for this week, so I really look forward to answering all.

Of your questions next week.

Have an amazing week.

I will be back with my usual episode on Friday.

See you soon.

Thank you so much for listening.

Right to the end of this episode.

Do remember that you can get the Fullback catalogue and lots of free resources on my website vickyweinberg.com Please do remember to rate and review this episode if you've enjoyed it and also share it with a friend who you think might find it useful.

Thank you again and see you next week.