How Much Money Do Amazon Sellers Make?

New Amazon sellers are earning an average of nearly $30,000 in annual profits. What does it take to start selling on Amazon, and what can new sellers do to ensure they are profitable this year? Jungle Scout’s latest report has the data.

46% of new Amazon sellers cite a desire to “be their own boss” as the top motivator to use the platform. Additionally, 42% of new sellers are looking for extra income to supplement their existing income. Many are also searching for flexibility to work from any location or to travel the world while more than a third want to feel successful or accomplished. 

Whatever the reason for selling on Amazon, it’s the primary income stream for many.

So just how much can you expect to make selling on Amazon in 2023?

The team at Jungle Scout, the leading all-in-one platform for selling on Amazon, surveyed* thousands of Amazon sellers so you can learn all you need to know about getting started selling on Amazon from those who are doing it.

What we’ll reveal:

    1. How much Amazon sellers make, in sales and profits
    2. How long it takes sellers to start earning profits — and how much time and money they need to start
    3. Whether selling on Amazon will be profitable in 2023
    4. Tips from sellers to get started making money on Amazon now

Want to learn more about selling on Amazon? Check out our complete guide.

Now, on to the data!

1. How much do Amazon sellers make?

Most Amazon sellers make at least $1,000 per month in sales, and some super-sellers make more than $100,000 each month in sales. 45% of Amazon sellers make $1,000 to $25,000/month, which could mean $12,000 to $300,000 in annual sales.

Though there are a number of different methods for selling on Amazon, the most common is Amazon’s Fulfillment-by-Amazon (FBA) program.

Like any other business, selling on Amazon will involve some expenses and fees for the seller. Part of makes Amazon FBA so appealing is that it simplifies this process for sellers. 

Simply put, you choose a product, get it to Amazon’s warehouses, set up your Amazon listing, and Amazon takes care of the rest. Then you start seeing sales and profits.

What are the average monthly sales for Amazon sellers?

Most Amazon sellers make at least $1,000 per month in sales, and some super-sellers make more than $100,000 each month in sales. 

  • 25% of Amazon sellers makes $25,000-$250,000/month, amounting to annual sales between $300,000 and $3,000,000.
  • 17% of sellers make under $500/month in sales.
Monthly sales Percent of sellers
Under $500 17%
$501-$1,000 10%
$1,001 – $5,000 17%
$5,001 – $10,000 12%
$10,001 – $25,000 16%
$25,001 – $50,000 12%
$50,001 – $100,000 8%
$100,001 – $250,000 5%
$251,000 – $500,000 1%


Selling on Amazon has been a viable way of building an ecommerce business for years, which attracts new Amazon sellers to the game. But that hasn’t limited their sales. 

17% of SMB (small and medium-sized businesses) Amazon sellers have reached lifetime sales of over $100,000:

  • Under $25,000: 49%
  • $25,001-50,000: 11%
  • $50,001-100,000: 10%
  • $100,001-500,000: 8%
  • $500,001-1,000,000: 4%
  • $1,000,001-5,000,000: 5%
  • $5,000,001-10,000,000: 1%
  • $10,000,001-50,000,000: 0%

While sales are often a strong measure of a healthy Amazon business, they don’t paint a complete picture of how much Amazon sellers make — that is, what they take home. So let’s turn to profits.

How much do Amazon sellers profit?

The higher the profit margin, the better. Small companies often struggle to achieve profitability in their first few years, but Amazon SMB sellers see healthy profit margins.

  • Over half of sellers (55%) see profit margins higher than 15%.
  • Better still, 38% see profit margins above 20%.
  • On the other hand, 8% said their businesses are not yet profitable.
Profit margin for SMB sellers Percent of sellers
~1-5% 7%
6-10% 16%
11-15% 19%
16-20% 17%
21-25% 19%
26-50% 16%
51-100% 3%
Not currently profitable 8%


While profits change based on factors including sales volume and business expenses throughout the year, sellers weighed in on their total lifetime profits since they started their Amazon businesses.

How much money have Amazon sellers made over time?

47% of SMB sellers have reached lifetime profits of more than $100,000 — not bad for what many start as a “side hustle” — and 12% have lifetime profits between $100,000 and $500,000. 

Lifetime profits

  • Under $25,000: 23%
  • $25,000-50,000: 12%
  • $50,001-100,000: 8%
  • $100,001-500,000: 12%
  • $500,001-1,000,000: 15%
  • $1,000,001-5,000,000: 13%
  • $5,000,000-10,000,000: 3%
  • Not yet profitable: 9%
  • Don’t know: 10%

47% of Amazon SMB sellers achieve lifetime profits over $100,000

And for many Amazon sellers, those profits turn quickly.

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2. How long does it take to become profitable on Amazon?

Across all respondents, the majority (68%) said they were profitable within the first year of selling. 

  • Profits within 3 months: 15%
  • Profits within 3-6 months: 25%
  • Profits within 6 months-1 year: 28%
  • Profits within 1-2 years: 14%
  • Profits within more than 2 years: 4%
  • Don’t know: 3%

READ MORE | How to Make Money on Amazon in 2023 – 15 Top Methods

So, how do you get started selling on Amazon? We asked sellers how much money and time they invested to get their businesses up and running.

How much do you need to start selling on Amazon?

One of the biggest hurdles for people starting to sell on Amazon is the idea that it will cost them too much money. As with many things, what you put in impacts what you get out. But that doesn’t have to mean cash — it can mean time, the necessary data to inform your decisions, or simply the will to succeed.

In fact, one quarter (25%) of Amazon sellers spent less than $1,000 to start their businesses. Overall, most sellers (58%) spent less than $5,000 to get started selling on Amazon.

  • Sellers spent less than $500: 11%
  • $500-1,000: 13%
  • $1,001-2,500: 15%
  • $2,501-5,000: 18%
  • $5,001-10,000: 19%
  • More than $10,000: 22%
  • Don’t know: 2%

What is that money spent on? Typically, initial costs include sourcing your product (including samples), Amazon fees, and promotions. (Read more about how much it costs to sell on Amazon here.)

And where does that money come from? An overwhelming number of sellers (77%) are bootstrappers, funding their entrepreneurial endeavors with their own cash. A smaller portion of sellers (37%) borrowed money from banks, family, or other lenders.

READ MORE | Amazon FBA Fees: How They Work and How to Profit as a Seller

How much time do you need to start selling on Amazon?

Overall, Amazon sellers don’t need to spend a lot of time on their Amazon businesses. Most (76%) spend fewer than 20 hours per week. 

  • Fewer than 4 hours per week: 22%
  • 4-10 hours: 31%
  • 11-20 hours: 23%
  • 21-30 hours: 10%
  • 31-40 hours: 7%
  • 41-50 hours: 2%
  • 51-60 hours: 2%
  • More than 60 hours: 3%

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of sellers were also able to launch their businesses within 6 months. 

In fact, you’re likely to give more time to get your business off the ground in its early stages; after they find products to sell and create their niche, many sellers simply maintain their businesses and let the income roll in. 

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3. Is selling on Amazon profitable in 2023?

Nearly all sellers (85%) had planned to continue selling on Amazon in 2023, and 82% are optimistic that selling on Amazon will be a viable way to make money online in the future, compared to 63% who said the same last year.

Amazon is an industry unto itself, and it’s irrevocably tied into so many other industries that the opportunity for sellers to find a profitable niche to sell in is massive.

While 9% of SMB sellers are not yet profitable, most are already taking big Amazon money home — or using it to invest further in their businesses:

  • Amazon seller with a profit margin less than 10%: 23%
  • Profit margin 11-20%: 36%
  • Profit margin 21-50%: 35%
  • Profit margin 50+%: 3%

What does that amount to in dollars? Let’s just say it’s enough to be considered much more than “side hustle money.”

How new sellers could start making nearly $30K/year on Amazon

SMB sellers are making an average* of $11,671 in sales each month — or $140,052 in sales per year.

Considering the average profit margin of SMB sellers, 21%, new sellers are averaging $2,451 per month or $29,412 in annual profits.

And for the 38% of sellers with profit margins of 21% and higher, they could be taking home monthly profits upwards of five figures and beyond. 

New Amazon sellers are earning an average profit of nearly $30K per year.

A handful of new sellers are fortunate enough to be raking in incredibly high sales — upwards of $250,000 per month — $3 million per year. While these “super sellers” are outliers from the average seller, they’re certainly aspirational.

*Weighted average calculated based on reported sales by midpoint of range, and capped at the high-end range ($250K) to prevent arbitrary projection.

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4. Takeaways from successful Amazon sellers for a profitable 2023

Countless have tried their hand at selling on Amazon. So what can you learn from those who’ve had distinct, measured success? Here are the top takeaways:

Achieve big wins in little time. 

  • Nearly half of sellers (46%) launched their business on Amazon within 3 months. 
  • 53% of sellers spend 10 hours per week or less working on their Amazon business.

What Amazon sellers say:

  • “Just jump in now. Perfection is the enemy of profit.”
  • “I wish I knew how important it was to start sooner. The barrier to quick trajectory seems to be higher over time.”
  • “I wish I had known where to start and where to get good information.”

Put in the effort — it will pay off.

  • 54% of sellers maintain that selling on Amazon takes some effort and is not a “get-rich-quick strategy.”
  • Most sellers are still evolving their Amazon businesses and 45% plan to add new products in the coming year.

What Amazon sellers say:

  •  “I need to spend more time doing product research.”
  • “[You] need time.”
  • “More and more analytics.”

Find the right resources and tools

  • The primary factors sellers said contribute to their success selling on Amazon are having the time to commit to their business and having the necessary tools and information to help them.

What Amazon sellers say:

  • “I wish I knew the right way to launch without burning a ton of money.”
  • “I wish I knew about product research for finding ideal products.”
  • “I wish I knew about the tools for selling on Amazon.”
  • “I wish I knew which metrics are most important to keep track of.”

For more tips and resources, check these out:

If you’re ready to start selling on Amazon, consider signing up for Jungle Scout’s Freedom Builder Bootcamp! Join Jungle Scout Founder and CEO Greg Mercer on a limited bootcamp course designed to get you up and running as a seller on Amazon. 

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*Methodology

Between December 1, 2022 – January 3, 2023, Jungle Scout surveyed more than 2,000 Amazon sellers, including prospective and former sellers. 

This article reflects responses from 715 active first- and third-party Amazon sellers earning $2 million or less in annual ecommerce revenue. 

Also included in the analysis for Jungle Scout’s 2023 State of the Amazon Seller Report were sellers and brands earning over $2 million in annual revenue, respondents representing agencies that offer services to Amazon sellers and their businesses, sellers who are looking to launch a business on Amazon but have not yet started, and respondents who previously sold on Amazon. 

Respondents represent 117 countries, all 20 Amazon marketplaces, and all relevant Amazon product categories. They are ages from 18 to 80+, as well as all genders and levels of education. 

Sign up for Jungle Scout’s newsletter to make sure you don’t miss the report!

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91 comments on “How Much Money Do Amazon Sellers Make?

  1. I really need to get store started due to my failing health I can no longer keep doing construction.
    I need help as to find products how many items should I put on my store to sell?
    Is there anyone who could guide me don’t want to loose my home my wife and l are both disabled.
    Please reply to help me get store up.
    Thanks James

  2. I hope to start selling on Amazon very soon. The amount some people are making using on this platform is amazing. I will try to figure out the cost and then the product that will sell best. Thank you for this educative post.

    1. You can expect a margin of around 15-20% for wholesale products. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Depends on how much you can source products for.

  3. If I spend $1000 on products, bought from wholesale and then sell it on amazon. How more it will generate for me and in how much time I have to patience

    1. Hi Salim,

      Those questions are impossible to answer without knowing what product you will sell, how much you bought the products for and the selling price.

  4. I’m interested im selling books on Amazon. How many would I need to begin selling? Also, what kind sell best?

    I don’t have a website yet.

  5. Jungle Scout, un grand lévier rédoutable du commerce electronique.
    grand merci pour l’initiative et son développement.

  6. I wonder why the fbm seller is covered much in articles like this. Im fbm only and im 14k away from 1 million year to date, this year 2022. Me and my 12 year old son do it all from our home.

  7. Wow, really interesting stats and info. I’ve seriously been thinking of starting an Amazon store. So will this program really help me find a product that has a sufficient demand?

    1. Hi Ben,

      Yes, Jungle Scout helps sellers find in-demand products to sell on Amazon. We have many tools within our suite that help you make an informed decision.

  8. Hi,
    Good info. I used to subscribe to Jungle Scout but left because I wasn’t ready. I will be joining again soon. Do you have an Affiliate program?

    Ed

  9. I sold books a few years ago using FBA and while I didn’t get rich I got out what I put into my business. Just like everything else in life it can work if you put enough effort into it.

  10. Hi Brian,

    We’ve been looking at 2021 reporting and are seeing that advertising and all other Amazon fees are running at a rate of 62.5% of sales. Would a number like this be considered as normal?

    Thanks,

    Bill

    1. Hi Bill,

      Not knowing what your actual advertising costs are, it’s hard to say. Amazon fees eat up roughly 30-40% of sales and advertising costs can take up a big chunk as well. I would work on trying to reduce the costs of your ads. Figure out ways to improve your products or listings to increase conversions on your ads.

  11. I*m a cab driver here in newyork and seen alot of garbage boxes mark amazon.yep your rigth somebody is making money,im thinking of joining you,soon

  12. The truth is that most reseller are working for free for Amazon and loosing money for year. Amazon refunds customers that should not be refunded. Just a business to avoid.

    1. Hi GG,

      I am sorry that you feel that way! Sure, while some sellers likely lose money selling on Amazon, many sellers are very profitable. You just need to find the right products at the right price!

      Thanks for reading.

  13. I have been doing my research on Amazon FBA and came across this article. This happens to be one of the most helpful articles, research I have found in all of my hunting towards learning about Amazon FBA. To be honest, I just learned, yesterday October 10, 2021, what “Jungle Scout” was. So not only do I know what you guys do, but now I know you guys create educational articles and create courses to help advance new sellers. Of course the more sellers there are on Amazon the better chance you guys getting new sellers using your company as well. With that being stated when I start with Amazon FBA I will be using Jungle Scouts services as well.

    1. Hi Marimba,

      If you choose the professional selling plan with Amazon, that is $39.99 per month. Jungle Scout’s basic plan is $29 per month. That is before you purchase any products to sell on Amazon. You need to figure out what your overall starting budget is and start doing product research to see which products you can invest in.

    1. After 3 or 4 months will be tough to do that, especially with products so low in price. I suggest selling higher-priced products as you will be left with more profit typically.

  14. My friend have been trying to convince me to start a business on Amazon for over a year now and I’m really ready to jump in after reading this article , so thank you.
    She always gave me the feeling of telling me all about the good and nothing about the bad. I hate surprises and always want to know what to expect before starting.
    I’m glad they’re a lot of free resources out there to help new seller. I only have 3k to invest in and hopefully this will be enough to start.

    1. Hi Ronald,

      We have the academy inside our Jungle Scout subscription or I suggest checking out our Youtube for some great free information!

  15. Hello, I just want to let you know how helpful this article was for me. I have been dreaming about getting started on Amazon for some time, but fear has held me back, that along with uncertainty. After reading this article I feel like I have the statistics to help me manage my time better and set more targeted goals. Thank you for answering our questions in such a resourceful way!!

  16. I really like your information but it sounds to good to be true my 21year old son is trying to convince me to start a buisness on Amazon I’m old school i need more information i now have a life treating condition do to covid-19 and and i need extra $$$ my savings are getting low and I’m not sure if i would ve doing a good move

    1. Hi Liliana,

      Thanks for reading! I know it may sound too good to be true but it is not. You do need to make sure you do thorough research beforehand, though. While sellers can make a lot of money, they can also lose a lot of money.

      I suggest checking out our How to Sell on Amazon for Beginners Guide to give you an idea of what you are up against. You can also start reselling used books or retail items if you need to start with a smaller budget.

      Look around our blog, we have lots of great free resources!

    1. Hi Cathal,

      That’s great to hear! And yes, when sellers first start out, they will typically source their own products. As a business grows, you can hire additional help to source products for you. What business model on Amazon do you want to follow? Private label?

      Brian

  17. Hi there,
    I’m very much interest get involve amazon on line
    business but I couldn’t figure out how I can start.
    In the on line business so many people talk and thousands of side. It’s difficult to find out right one
    If I start and with wrong people then I became negative minded.
    Please let me know proper path.
    Thank you.

    1. Hi Fakhrul,

      Please check out our free How to Sell on Amazon guide for beginners! It’ll show step by step on how you get can started selling on Amazon.

  18. Well I’m glad u mentioned it’s no get rich quickly scheme . Although financially secure at 68 I’m still a money man aka enjoys life , pay your bills and save money. I’ve had a very successful sales career just by persistence and being a nice guy & making sure the clients are happy. That said I’m clueless where to begin but I always challenge myself and I won’t enter the business to make less than $25k after my first year. I apologize if I sound cocky but I was a Money maker for decades. $50 k min is acceptable but I’ve never made under $100k since 1984 as 2020 I came up a bit short . NOTE > I don’t have my own website?

    1. You can source them from China by going the Private Label route. You can purchase products from retail stores doing retail arbitrage. Take a look around our blog, it will give you plenty of free resources to figure out what you can sell!

  19. Hi
    Is it better to use a course on how to sell on Amazon or just jump in and which course would you highly recommend and where does it compare against other competitors?

    1. Hi Sujit,

      I suggest you go through our blog and youtube. We have lots of free resources to go check out!

      We also have out Freedom Builder Bootcamp.

  20. Be aware that since Covid, sellers in North America using Chinese based-capital have been driving profit margins into the ground on common commodities and products. What was once highly profitable is now slaving for pennies. I might as well be working in China. I do over $50,000 in sales monthly on Amazon, but profit margins have TANKED . I see this as being a calculated move, since a Chinese competitor appeared in my product categories the same month Covid was announced, and they quickly deflated price points like crazy. What I used to make $10 on, I now make .66 cents on per sale…
    This is a war, and the goal is for them to take over the online market.

  21. Hm interesting. 20kish a year in profits. You probably had to invest 4-5k in a course and all the upfront costs

    So you make what someone that just got a job does. Only a person with a job has less mental gymnastics

    I dont think theres a point. And that profit you make will need to be re-invested back into more product.

    Meanwhile you have to be paying rent or living with family for free or something. Car payment? Etc.

    The only people that could do this are people with some successful business already and then add this into another income stream

    Just my thoughts.

  22. How much do Amazon charges as a commission for their services?
    Which all states their presence is there in India? We want to sell fresh pork / frozen, with all Government certificate. And our speciality RTE retort packed off the shelf of about one year
    Please guide us
    Reg
    Norman.

  23. GREETINGS!
    I’M SOO SOO VERY INTERESTED IN SELLING WITH AMAZON, I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME TRAINING COURSES FIRST SO I WONT FEEL LOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND OFCOURSE BE SUCCESSFUL ! I WANT TO BE MY OWN BOSS , I”M 45 AND VERY VERY SERIOUS TO DO MY OWN BUSSINES , IM READY TO INVEST AND GET PROPER TRAINING FOR THIS NEW JOURNEY IN MY LIFE , PLEASE HELP, THANK YOU

  24. How I can start small business with Amazon.
    I’m interested to start small business as retail stores for Amazon products. In case of emergency they come to store buy products.
    Small store like UPS store.

  25. I want to make at least 1500 a month or more, heck I would love to make and see the most money I’ve ever seen.
    How much is the start up. And how do you pick the right product or products

    1. Hi Branden,

      Thanks for the comment! We have tons of free resources in our blog on how to get started and find the right product to sell.

    2. This is good article but as a newbie i want to start this Amazon business with 10k usd.but i don’t know from where i have to start.please guide me.

  26. I have read that Amazon looks at the best performing sellers,sees what they sell and how they do it then undercuts them selling the same thing but they can do it for less than anyone else and how does anyone know who owns what?

    1. Yes, Amazon has been accused of using seller data when creating their own private label products. That’s why you should focus on creating something very unique and different in the marketplace that would be difficult for someone to replicate.

  27. Do I have to purchase an inventory of a product that I want to sell? Can I resell products without having to spend cash? How do I establish an inventory of products to sell without having to purchase it first myself?

  28. I need to try and make money for the long run. I dont expect to see profits right away. I just want to secure for the future.

  29. I really doubt anyone is making money in Amazon these days except for Amazon itself. They hack your listing. They get money through fees, keep insisting on Advertising, all coupons and deals they money for sure but not the seller. Customers can beat the seller left, right and center and seller has little to no say at all.

    1. I am glad you asked, Yvonne, because taking a paid course is unnecessary. There is a lot of free content out there that takes you through the entire process of creating an online business on Amazon. My recommendation? Check out our most recent Million Dollar Case Study – https://www.junglescout.com/mdcs4/

      If you scroll down to the bottom of the above page, you’ll have access to all 18 episodes, for free. 🙂 Hope this helps!

  30. It’s a system where you can decide the levels of income that you want to attain each month..Not a Boss.Thanks you Amazon..Stay Bless.

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