Most beginners hit their first $1,000–$3,000 profit month within 60–90 days with consistent effort. Reaching $10k+ monthly profit usually takes 4–8 months of scaling (reinvesting profits, adding more SKUs, and refining systems). Average net margins are 15–25% after fees, so you’ll need roughly $40k–$70k in monthly sales to clear $10k profit. It’s doable with discipline — but it’s work, not passive income.
Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners (2026 Edition)
1. Set Up Your Amazon Seller Account*
Sign up for a Professional Seller Account at sellercentral.amazon.com ($39.99/month). Choose the US marketplace first (biggest opportunity).
Verify your identity and bank details (international sellers can use Payoneer or Wise). You can operate from Cambodia — many Southeast Asian sellers do exactly this.
2. Learn the Numbers That Matter
Download the free Amazon Seller App.
Install Keepa (free browser extension) to see sales rank, price history, and competition.
Aim for:
- Buy price + shipping + fees < Amazon selling price (target 30%+ gross margin before fees)
- BSR (Best Sellers Rank) under 50,000 for fast sales
- At least 10–20 sales/month per listing to start
3. Source Profitable Products (Online Arbitrage – Perfect for Cambodia)**
Focus on online arbitrage because physical retail stores are hard from Phnom Penh.
- Shop at Walmart.com, Target.com, Costco.com, Amazon clearance, or discount sites during sales.
- Use tools like SellerAmp, Tactical Arbitrage, or free Keepa + manual searching.
- Buy items you can have shipped to a US forwarding address (services like Shipito or MyUS cost $5–15 per package).
- Common winners: groceries, beauty, household essentials, toys on clearance.
Start small — $500–$2,000 budget for your first 10–20 items.
4. Handle Gated Categories & Approvals
Some brands require proof of authorization (invoice from wholesaler).
Start with ungated categories (books, groceries, beauty, home).
Once you have sales history, apply for approvals using your purchase invoices.
5. Prep & Ship to Amazon FBA
Label items per Amazon rules (use the Seller App).
Use a US prep service or forwarder to box and ship straight to Amazon warehouses (they handle FBA prep for a small fee).
Amazon stores your inventory and fulfills orders automatically.
6. Launch, Monitor & Scale
List the products (Amazon creates the listing if the product already exists).
Price competitively to win the Buy Box.
Reinvest every dollar of profit into more inventory.
Track everything in a simple spreadsheet: cost, fees, profit per unit.
Once you have momentum, hire a cheap VA from the Philippines ($4–8/hour) to source for you daily.
Pro Tips to Hit $10k+/Month Faster
- Source every single day — consistency beats genius.
- Focus on 5–10 proven SKUs first, then expand.
- Use cashback sites and coupons to boost margins.
- Watch for clearance events and holiday spikes.
- Avoid low-margin or slow-moving items — quality over quantity.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Buying without checking Keepa (dead stock kills cash flow).
- Ignoring Amazon fees (referral 8–15%, FBA fees ~$3–5 per unit).
- Scaling too fast without systems.
Your Next Action Today
Create your Professional Seller account and spend 30 minutes browsing Walmart.com with Keepa open. Find one product that meets the numbers above. Buy it, ship it, and get your first sale. Momentum builds from there.
