Amazon Side Hustle: Best ways to make money online with Amazon

🚀💸 Ever thought about making money without leaving the comfort of your couch? Well, fasten your seatbelts and put on your money-making hats because Amazon, the e-commerce giant, is not just for shopping – it's a treasure trove for side hustlers and entrepreneurs! From selling your own brand to streaming video games, Amazon is packed with golden opportunities to stack up those dollars. In this article, we’re uncovering the secrets of the Amazon treasure chest. Read on if you're ready to embark on a journey that could potentially change your financial life!

In the past few years, there's been a mad dash to make money on Amazon. One way that’s really catching on is selling private-label products. That’s a fancy way of saying selling stuff under your own brand.

Believe it or not, over half of the stuff on Amazon is sold by regular folks like you and me, not by big companies.

So, how do you do this if you’re not some genius inventor? Here’s the usual game plan:

There's a catch, though. Getting into this business can cost a pretty penny. You have to buy a lot of your product upfront, which can be risky. Plus, there's a ton of competition out there.

But here’s the upside: if you find that golden product that everyone wants, you might have trouble keeping it in stock! Some people have built crazy successful online stores in no time flat using this method.

Print-on-demand services aren't new; they’ve been around since the late '90s. But none of them can match the reach or the ready-to-buy audience that Amazon has. With Amazon Merch on Demand, you can create stuff like t-shirts, long-sleeve tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, PopSockets, and more.

Even though she spent just 10-20 hours a week on it, she didn’t hold back and churned out thousands of designs. Wondering what sells? Elaine said her designs mostly fall into three buckets:

There's a fresh way to earn some cash on Amazon, and it's called the Amazon Influencer Program. Think of it as a cousin to the Associate's program, but this one’s specially tailored for folks who create content and have a bunch of followers on social media.

Once you get the thumbs up for your Influencer account, you can start posting short videos reviewing products.

Here's the cool part: Amazon puts those videos on the product pages they’re about, and if someone buys something after watching your video, you get a cut.

I gave it a shot and made just over a hundred bucks in my first month, and it was a breeze!

One income source that has been trickling in money for me consistently over time is Amazon Associates, which is Amazon's own affiliate marketing program.

Got a website or a blog? You can earn some cash by directing your readers to Amazon for products you mention. The cut you get from each sale can be anywhere between 1% to 10%, based on what you’re promoting, and it can add up to a decent sum.

But, the actual charm of Amazon’s affiliate program isn't just the percentage you make. To be honest, compared to other affiliate programs, it's kinda on the lower side. What's really great is the high chance of people actually buying stuff and the fact that you earn a cut on everything they buy once they’ve clicked on your link.

I must say, I've made money from some really unexpected items over time!

And if you're thinking, "But I don’t have a website," don’t worry, you can actually publish content in some of my websites and you can earn by using your affiliate links (for instance, SideHustlify.com, MoneyMakers.app or also AIProductHub.com)

Retail flipping is just a simple way of buying things for cheap and selling them for more.

Here’s how it works: you look for good deals in local stores, and then sell those items on Amazon to make some cash. The cool part is that Amazon can even ship the products for you through their Fulfillment by Amazon program.

To kick things off, you’ll need:

Next time you're out shopping, swing by the clearance section and start scanning.

The app is super helpful – it tells you how much the item is selling for on Amazon and how much you’ll make after fees. Just check the price tag and see if it’s a good deal.

Also, keep an eye on the item’s “sales rank.” It shows how popular the item is or how fast it might sell. Lower is better, but generally, anything under 100,000 should sell pretty fast.

If the mention of audiobooks piqued your interest, here's another angle to rake in some cash through audiobooks on Amazon without penning down a single word.

Enter the world of audiobook narration and production. If the thought of earning money by lending your voice to stories excites you, and you have some know-how of audio gear and software, this could be a thrilling side gig for you.

As an audiobook narrator and producer, you can work with ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) to create audiobook versions of books. All you need is a passion for storytelling, a clear voice, and a bit of technical skill in handling audio equipment. So, if you're a chatterbox who loves books, why not get paid for it? It could turn out to be an enjoyable and profitable venture.

Let’s dive straight into what Amazon Handmade is all about and how it sets itself apart from the regular Amazon marketplace.

Amazon Handmade is a special section within Amazon, where only handmade products are sold. Sellers must apply to join, and Amazon screens these applications to maintain the authenticity of the products being truly handmade. Unlike the standard process of selling on Amazon which involves a monthly fee, this is waived for Handmade sellers. Once you're an Amazon seller, you can apply to the Handmade program, and it generally doesn’t take too long to get approved. After approval, you can start listing your handmade products. There are no listing fees, but a 15% referral fee is charged on each sale.

Before jumping in, ask yourself:

Now, let’s talk brass tacks.

I had initially hoped to present a balanced view of Amazon Handmade, highlighting both its pros and cons. But, to be honest, the negatives overshadowed the positives for me.

Here’s the bottom line:

Amazon Handmade might work for some, but in my opinion, it isn't the best fit for most handmade sellers. It might actually impact your brand negatively, hindering the establishment of a strong connection with your ideal customers, and possibly not allowing you to price your products as you’d like to.

Amazon's Mechanical Turk is like a big online marketplace for small jobs. The jobs are super simple, but they need a real person to do them. They call each job a HIT, which stands for Human Intelligence Task.

Since the jobs are so easy, don't expect to make big bucks. They usually pay peanuts, starting with just a few cents for each task. A lot of people doing these jobs are from places where it doesn't cost much to live, but folks in the US can join in too.

So, if you’ve got some free time and you're looking to make a little extra cash without much hassle, Mechanical Turk might be worth checking out. Just don't expect to get rich doing it!

If you’re a pro at things like cleaning houses, fixing stuff, wiring up electrical systems, sprucing up gardens, fixing pipes, or anything similar, Amazon Services could be your new best friend.

Once you sign up, you’ll get the inside scoop on all the new gigs in your neighborhood. The cool part is you can pick and choose the jobs that slide right into your schedule. Amazon says it’s an awesome way to keep the cash flowing or just fill up any free slots in your week.

And guess what? You don’t have to pay anything to get started or keep a membership. But keep in mind, Amazon will take a cut from each job you score. How much they take depends on what kind of job it is and how much it pays.

Even if this one is not completely online, you can get jobs and manage your services completely online, you only need to execute the service in person then.

If you love video games and have a knack for entertaining people, you could make some serious cash by streaming on Twitch.tv, which is actually owned by Amazon.

So, how do Twitch streamers rake in the dough?

Some of the big-shot gamers on Twitch are believed to be making $300,000 or even more every year!

The Hustle puts it this way: “Twitch has opened up a whole new career avenue for gaming buffs. Thousands are making a living just by playing video games. There are two ways this can go. Twitch streamers are either super-skilled — think of them as the video game version of pro athletes — or they're showmen and women, mixing gaming with a dose of comedy and chit-chat.”

So, if you're a gaming whiz or a natural entertainer, Twitch might be your golden ticket.

In conclusion, this article has described the various ways in which individuals can earn income through Amazon. Through selling private-label products, participating in Amazon Merch, engaging in the Amazon Influencer Program, and several other avenues, it is clear that Amazon offers a diverse set of options for generating revenue. However, it is important to approach these opportunities with a strategic mindset and be cognizant of the competition and challenges that may arise. Whether you are seeking a supplementary income or looking to establish a substantial business, Amazon provides a platform to achieve your goals. We encourage you to carefully consider the options discussed and take informed steps towards your financial aspirations.