Table of Contents:
1. 🔑 Maintain Your Job
2. 🐢 Embrace Patience
3. 🔍 Vet Suppliers Thoroughly
4. 🙋♂️ Seek Help and Mentorship
5. 📚 Avoid Overconsumption of Content
6. 🔍 Verify Your Product
7. 🧪 Conduct Inspections
8. 🤑 Approach PPC Cautiously
9. 🧠 Limit Multiple Seller Accounts
10. 🚀 Check Your Ego
**The 10 Biggest Mistakes I Made on Amazon in My First Year**
😅 As an Amazon seller, I've certainly had my fair share of ups and downs. In my first year, I made a number of costly mistakes that resulted in three failed products, a $15,000 loss, and countless headaches. Looking back, these errors significantly slowed my progress and caused me to doubt whether I could truly succeed in this business. However, I've learned from these experiences, and I'm here to share the 10 biggest mistakes I made, so you can avoid the same pitfalls and get on the path to Amazon success much faster.
🔑 Mistake #1: Maintaining Your Job
One of the biggest mistakes I made was quitting my job too soon. I was so eager to dive into Amazon that I left my steady income behind, relying solely on my savings. As my account dwindled due to failed products and other setbacks, the pressure mounted, and I found myself rushing through decisions and making costly errors. The lesson here is to keep your job, at least in the beginning, to provide a financial cushion as you build your Amazon business. This will allow you to take the time necessary to research, plan, and execute your strategy without the added stress of an empty bank account.
🐢 Mistake #2: Embracing Impatience
Closely tied to the first mistake, my impatience was a constant thorn in my side. I had a tendency to "wing it" and expect results immediately, rather than taking the time to thoroughly research, plan, and execute. This led me to hastily purchase three products that ultimately failed, costing me over $15,000. The key is to find a balance between urgency and patience. While it's important to have a sense of purpose and take action, you must also be willing to slow down, make informed decisions, and minimize your risk. Building a successful Amazon business is a marathon, not a sprint.
🔍 Mistake #3: Vetting Suppliers Poorly
Another major misstep was my lack of due diligence when it came to selecting suppliers. I would simply find a supplier on Alibaba, order some samples, and consider that good enough. This approach backfired spectacularly, as I ended up with products that were of poor quality, leading to a flood of negative reviews and customer complaints. In hindsight, I should have spoken to 15-20 suppliers, requested detailed samples, and thoroughly vetted each one before making a decision. Supplier selection is a critical step, and it's worth taking the time to find a reliable partner who can consistently deliver high-quality products.
🙋♂️ Mistake #4: Refusing to Seek Help
I've always had a bit of an ego when it comes to asking for help, viewing it as a sign of weakness. This stubbornness held me back tremendously in my first year on Amazon. I refused to reach out to communities, mentors, or experts, even as I faced one obstacle after another. From copyright issues to account suspensions, I wasted countless hours and money trying to figure things out on my own. If I had simply swallowed my pride and sought guidance from those who had been there before, I could have resolved these problems much more quickly and efficiently. Don't be afraid to ask for help – it's a sign of strength, not weakness.
📚 Mistake #5: Overconsumption of Content
In my early days on Amazon, I was guilty of binge-watching YouTube videos, reading blog post after blog post, and constantly searching for the "perfect" strategy. While some level of research is necessary, I took it to an extreme, essentially procrastinating and delaying taking action. At a certain point, you need to stop consuming content and start implementing what you've learned. Balance your learning with consistent, focused action, and you'll make much faster progress.
🔍 Mistake #6: Inadequate Product Verification
My first three product choices – fidget spinners, pizza stones, and paracord bracelets – were all complete failures. I didn't properly research the market, assess the competition, or validate the demand for these products. Instead, I took a "wing it" approach, and it cost me dearly. Thorough product research is essential, and it's worth taking the time to verify that your product idea has genuine potential. Seek out the advice of experienced sellers, join communities, and don't settle until you're confident you've found a winner.
🧪 Mistake #7: Skipping Inspections
Another costly oversight was my failure to get inspections done on my products before placing large orders. If I had taken the time and invested a few hundred dollars to have a third-party company thoroughly test and inspect my fidget spinners and pizza stones, I would have discovered the quality issues before they reached my customers. Inspections are a small price to pay to ensure your products meet your standards and avoid disastrous reviews and returns.
🤑 Mistake #8: Overspending on Amazon PPC
When it came to Amazon's Sponsored Products advertising, I made the mistake of starting with excessively high budgets, often blowing through $1,500 to $3,000 per month. This was a highly inefficient use of my advertising dollars, as I was still figuring out the platform and my product's performance. The better approach is to start small, with daily budgets of $10-$20, and gradually increase your spend as you gather data and optimize your campaigns. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to Amazon PPC.
🧠 Mistake #9: Opening Multiple Seller Accounts
In my early days, I made the mistake of opening multiple Seller Central accounts, thinking it would give me more flexibility. This turned out to be a nightmare, as Amazon does not look kindly on having multiple linked accounts. If one account experiences issues, they can suspend all of your related accounts, making it incredibly difficult to get reinstated. It's best to focus on a single, well-managed Seller Central account until your business has grown to the point where a second account is truly necessary.
🚀 Mistake #10: Failing to Check My Ego
Ultimately, the root of many of my mistakes was my own ego. I thought I knew better than everyone else, refused to ask for help, and cut corners wherever I could. This stubborn, "I can do it all myself" mentality cost me dearly in my first year on Amazon. It's crucial to check your ego at the door, be open to learning from others, and put in the hard work required to build a successful Amazon business. Humility and a willingness to learn are far more valuable than blind confidence.
Highlights:
- Quitting my job too soon and relying solely on savings led to rushed decisions and costly mistakes.
- Impatience and a "wing it" mentality resulted in the failure of my first three products, costing me $15,000.
- Poorly vetting suppliers led to quality issues and a flood of negative reviews.
- Refusing to ask for help or join a community prolonged the resolution of numerous problems.
- Overconsumption of content without taking action caused me to procrastinate and delay progress.
- Inadequate product research and verification led me to choose poorly performing products.
- Skipping inspections allowed low-quality products to reach customers, damaging my brand.
- Overspending on Amazon PPC early on was an inefficient use of advertising dollars.
- Opening multiple Seller Central accounts created a nightmare when one account experienced issues.
- My own ego and stubborn refusal to learn from others held me back significantly in my first year.
FAQ:
Q: How long did it take you to recover from the mistakes in your first year on Amazon?
A: It took me about 3 years to truly recover from the mistakes I made in my first year on Amazon. I had to essentially start over with a new brand and rebuild my business from the ground up, which was a slow and painful process. If I had avoided those initial mistakes and built a solid foundation, I estimate I could have been 3 years further ahead in my Amazon journey.
Q: What's the most important piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out on Amazon?
A: The single most important piece of advice I would give is to check your ego at the door and be open to learning from others. Don't make the same mistake I did of thinking you can do it all yourself. Seek out mentorship, join communities, and be willing to put in the hard work required to build a successful Amazon business. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so have patience and focus on doing things the right way from the start.
Q: Can you recommend any resources for new Amazon sellers?
A: Absolutely. Here are a few resources I would highly recommend:
- The Seller's Playbook (https://www.sellersplaybook.com/) - A comprehensive training program and community for Amazon sellers.
- Jungle Scout (https://www.junglescout.com/) - A powerful suite of tools for product research, competitor analysis, and more.
- Helium 10 (https://www.helium10.com/) - Another great set of Amazon seller tools to help with everything from keyword research to listing optimization.
- r/AmazonSeller subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonSeller/) - An active community of Amazon sellers sharing advice and support.
And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the AI chatbot from VOC.ai (https://www.voc.ai/product/ai-chatbot). This powerful tool can help automate and streamline many of the customer service tasks that can be a huge time sink for Amazon sellers. Definitely worth checking out!
