Starting Amazon from Scratch — What New Sellers Get Wrong (And How to Get It Right)

📖 Introduction:

Starting an Amazon business is exciting—but it’s also overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Most new sellers jump in without a strategy, expecting quick profits. What follows is frustration, wasted money, and in many cases, complete burnout.

This guide is for you if:
✅ You’re launching your first Amazon product
✅ You’ve been researching but don’t know where to start
✅ Or you’ve launched and already hit your first roadblocks

Let’s uncover the top 10 rookie mistakes that hold new sellers back—and how you can set yourself up for long-term success.

🔍 Top 10 Mistakes New Amazon Sellers Make — And How to Fix Them:

1. Choosing a Saturated Product

📉 The Problem:
Beginners often pick products like “yoga mats” or “phone cases” just because they’re popular. But they’re also highly competitive and hard to break into.

🛠 The Fix:

• Use tools like Jungle Scout or Helium 10 to find low-competition, high-demand niches
• Look for products with <100 reviews in top 10 results
• Focus on products you can improve or differentiate

2. Ignoring Branding

📉 The Problem:
Many sellers treat Amazon like a one-off product sale instead of building a real brand.

🛠 The Fix:

• Create a brand name, logo, and color scheme
• Write a compelling brand story
• Use your branding in A+ content, packaging, and storefront

3. Poor Listing Design

📉 The Problem:
Your listing is the face of your business. Poor photos, weak bullet points, and no clear value = no sales.

🛠 The Fix:

• Invest in professional product photography
• Use infographics to highlight features
• Write benefit-driven bullet points that speak to customer needs

4. No Keyword Research

📉 The Problem:
Without keyword research, your listing won’t even show up in search.

🛠 The Fix:

• Use keyword tools to find high-volume, low-competition terms
• Include them in title, bullets, backend keywords, and A+ headings
• Keep optimizing monthly based on performance

5. Launching Without Reviews

📉 The Problem:
Social proof is everything. Without reviews, your product seems risky.

🛠 The Fix:

• Ask friends/family to purchase and leave honest reviews (within TOS)
• Use Amazon’s Request a Review tool
• Provide an excellent unboxing and post-purchase experience

6. Mismanaging Inventory

📉 The Problem:
You run out of stock or overstock too early.

🛠 The Fix:

• Start with a small batch (100-300 units)
• Track sales trends weekly
• Use inventory forecasting tools or spreadsheets

7. No Budget for Ads

📉 The Problem:
Some sellers think products will sell on their own. Amazon doesn’t work like that.

🛠 The Fix:

• Allocate 20–30% of your launch budget to PPC ads
• Start with automatic campaigns for discovery
• Optimize and scale only what works

8. Skipping A+ Content

📉 The Problem:
Plain listings look cheap and don’t build trust.

🛠 The Fix:

• Enroll in Amazon Brand Registry
• Design A+ content with comparison charts, lifestyle images, and banners
• Tell your brand story and answer customer concerns visually

9. Depending Only on Amazon Traffic

📉 The Problem:
If you’re only relying on Amazon’s organic traffic, you’re leaving sales on the table.

🛠 The Fix:

• Create a social media presence (start with 1 platform)
• Drive traffic using Google Ads or influencer shoutouts
• Add inserts in packaging with your social links or QR code

10. Expecting Fast Results

📉 The Problem:
Amazon is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Unrealistic expectations cause discouragement.

🛠 The Fix:

• Set a 6–12 month success timeline
• Be ready to learn, test, and improve continuously
• Track progress weekly—celebrate small wins

💡 Pro Tips for New Amazon Sellers:

✅ Start with one product, but design it like it’s your flagship item

✅ Treat your listing like a sales page—every detail matters

✅ Learn Amazon’s rules so you don’t get suspended

✅ Document everything and build processes

✅ Always put customer experience first

✅ Final Thoughts:

Starting from scratch on Amazon is tough—but it’s also full of potential. Avoid these 10 mistakes and focus on brand, listing quality, and data-driven decisions, and your first launch can set the foundation for real success.