A large portion of the population is familiar with Amazon’s shopping culture, with the average American spending around $91.75 monthly on Amazon purchases. However, what often goes unnoticed are the diverse opportunities to earn from the comfort of home with Amazon. Although not as abundant, we’ve discovered six exceptional avenues to boost income through these remote Amazon positions. Being the largest online marketplace worldwide, Amazon provides remote workers with access to an extensive customer base, enabling them to take charge of their financial future.
1. Fulfill uncomplicated tasks via Amazon Mechanical Turk.
Have an Amazon account and a few minutes to spare? You’re primed to kickstart your earnings with the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) program!
Through MTurk, remote workers (yes, that’s you!) pocket anywhere from 8 cents to $5 or beyond per minute tackling “human intelligence tasks” (HITs). These microtasks, like data entry and surveys, thrive on human expertise, trumping computer algorithms.
“As simple as checking a word’s spelling, transcribing text from a business card, or composing a 50-word description of a cat,” details Trent Hamm, the brains behind TheSimpleDollar.com and an MTurk contributor. “Just visit Mturk.com, set up a free worker account, then explore the tasks listed under ‘Find Hits Now.’ Pick one that catches your eye and dive right in.”
As you tackle the myriad tasks on MTurk, your earning capacity flourishes with every completed HIT. Spot a “pre-test” pop-up? Seize the opportunity! Hamm suggests these tests can pave the way for slightly more complex tasks, paying between $1 to $5 each, albeit requiring a bit more time, like lengthier surveys. “The more tasks you wrap up, the greater your standing on the platform,” Hamm highlights, “opening doors to higher-paying gigs.”
Searching for extra tactics to boost your MTurk success? Dive into online forums like MTurk Crowd and Turker Nation for a wealth of valuable tips and tricks!
2. Market your own private label and other merchandise.
The allure of selling private label products on Amazon as a work-from-home opportunity is undeniable — with a staggering 310 million reasons to explore this avenue!
Absolutely, tapping into Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program grants you immediate access to a vast pool of over 310 million potential customers worldwide. As a private label seller, your strategy revolves around rebranding existing products and promoting them on Amazon’s platform.
“If you’re just starting out with Amazon selling or eCommerce in general, I highly recommend getting involved in the FBA program. It’s a game-changer because Amazon handles all the nitty-gritty aspects of your business – from storage to shipping to customer service – enabling you to work conveniently from home,” suggests Krishna Vemulapali, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Trellis.
Wendy Wang, the brains behind F&J Outdoors, a niche store specializing in outdoor furniture covers predominantly available on Amazon, underscores the pivotal role of partnering with Amazon FBA in her online selling venture.
“As I’ve gained experience over time, I’ve realized the importance of optimization techniques such as keyword utilization, enhancing listings, and integrating high-quality images to boost product visibility and rankings. It’s not merely about selling a product; it’s about ensuring it stands out and attracts attention. This frequently involves understanding Amazon’s algorithms and the searching behaviors of customers,” she elaborates.
To kickstart your journey, establish an account on Amazon Seller Central. This platform acts as the central hub for all your product-selling endeavors. Furthermore, women-owned businesses are adorned with a badge showcased alongside their Amazon listings, so make sure to incorporate the badge to elevate the visibility of your product!
3. Become a wholesale seller
61% of wholesale sellers on Amazon rake in $5,000 or more in monthly sales, and you don’t need any special experience to turn a profit as a wholesale seller. Plus, you can achieve this all from the cozy confines of your home!
The first step is choosing the product to sell. The key is to pinpoint items with high demand and a strong reputation (which means less marketing work for you!), but with few competitors. Then, you purchase these products in bulk from a brand or manufacturer and profit by selling them individually on Amazon.
One upside of being a wholesale seller is bypassing the responsibilities of manufacturing or branding the products — that’s already taken care of by another company. This grants you the chance to resell a diverse array of goods, spanning from toys and clothing to electronics.
Wang offers guidance to women (and men) stepping into the Amazon selling realm, urging them to delve into comprehensive research, uphold perseverance and patience, and embrace the opportunity to pivot or explore diverse strategies. Identify your niche, understand your customer base, and aim to deliver exceptional service to them.
To kickstart your journey, set up an Amazon seller account. This process is straightforward and offers two seller options: individual and professional. The professional plan caters to those targeting a significant volume of sales, while the individual plan is tailored for smaller-scale sellers. (This article offers an in-depth comparison of both plans.)
4. Work from home as an Amazon rep
When most people imagine working at Amazon, they might picture delivery drivers. However, there’s another opportunity: earning income as a remote virtual employee from the comfort of your home!
A plethora of work-from-home positions await, spanning from data entry to customer service. Compensation varies depending on the role, but it’s worth noting that Amazon established a $19 minimum wage in 2022. Discover the array of opportunities available on Amazon Jobs.
5. Become an Amazon Affiliate
The Amazon Associates program is a titan in the world of affiliate marketing… and you can join in on the action too!
Here’s the deal: When you share a link to an Amazon product and someone makes a purchase, you earn a percentage of the sale. If you’re known for giving great product recommendations, why not make some money from it? Joining the Amazon Affiliate program is a fantastic opportunity, especially if you have a blog, social media presence, or any kind of following.
To get started, visit the Amazon Associates webpage to grab unique links tailored just for you (note: not all applications are accepted). You can pocket commissions of up to 10% from purchases — all while lounging at home.
If you’re an influencer, you can capitalize on the Amazon Influencer Program, an extension of Amazon Associates. The best part? You don’t need a huge following to get approved. As an Amazon Influencer, you can set up your own storefront on Amazon, showcasing your favorite products. There’s a potential to earn anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars each month. (Ready to splurge some of your well-earned cash? Click through to discover how to save while shopping on Amazon.)
6. Join Merch by Amazon
Overflowing with imaginative concepts? Merch by Amazon could be your ultimate avenue to earn from home! This print-on-demand platform converts your designs into lucrative products sold on Amazon, all with a simple click of a button.
Ready to kickstart your Merch on Demand journey? Sign up and upload your design. Choose from a variety of product types like hats, mugs, or tote bags. Best part? No sign-up fee, and you’ll earn royalties with every purchase (check out the royalty ranges on Merch’s FAQ page). Amazon takes care of creating the item and listing, so you can earn extra cash from the comfort of your pajamas. Plus, with Amazon handling all shipping processes, you won’t have to worry about your home getting cluttered with inventory.