What is Amazon FBA Sourcing?
Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) lets you send inventory to Amazon warehouses. They handle storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. Your job is to source profitable products and manage listings.
FBA sourcing is the practice of finding products that:
- Have strong demand on Amazon
- Can be sourced profitably (typically from China)
- Won't be instantly copied by competitors
Step 1: Product Research
Before you source anything, validate the product. Use these criteria:
- Monthly sales volume: Target products with 300+ sales/month at the top 10 listings
- Price band: $15-50 is the sweet spot (lower = margin issues, higher = ad cost pressure)
- Review count: Top 3 listings under 500 reviews = easier to break in
- Weight: Under 2 lbs keeps FBA fees low
- Seasonality: Avoid products that sell 80% in 2 months
Tools to validate: Helium 10, Jungle Scout, or AMZScout. Free alternative: sort Amazon category bestsellers and check "#1 Best Seller" badges.
Step 2: Source from China
Use Source Finder to Find Matching Suppliers
Open any Amazon product listing, click the [Source Finder](/source-finder) Chrome extension, and get instant matches on 1688 and Alibaba with prices, MOQs, and supplier profiles.
Contact 3-5 Suppliers
Send this exact message template:
Hello, I'm interested in [product description].
1. What is the FOB Shenzhen/Ningbo price for 500 units?
2. MOQ for custom logo?
3. Lead time and shipping options?
4. Can I order a sample first?Expect 30-60% reply rate. Narrow to the top 2-3 based on responsiveness and English quality.
Step 3: Order Samples
Always sample before bulk. Order from top 2-3 suppliers.
Evaluate:
- Does it match product photos?
- Build quality, weight, finish
- Packaging ready for Amazon (no printer brand, no URLs)
- Compare warm-up time, button feel, or other product-specific traits
Step 4: Calculate Profitability
Formula:
Profit = Sale Price - Cost of Goods - Amazon FBA Fee - Referral Fee - PPC Cost - ShippingExample for a $25 kitchen gadget:
- Sale: $24.99
- Cost (unit + freight): $4.50
- FBA fee: $3.50
- Referral (15%): $3.75
- PPC (avg): $3.00
- Net: $10.24 per unit
At 10 sales/day: $102/day profit per product.
Step 5: Place the Order
Payment terms should be 30% upfront, 70% on BL copy (bill of lading — proof goods are shipped). Never pay 100% upfront to a new supplier.
Inspection options:
- Third-party QC (Asia Inspection, QIMA): $200-400, catches 95% of issues
- Self-inspection via video call (free, catches obvious issues)
- Factory inspection before production (large orders only)
Step 6: Ship to Amazon
Shipping options:
- Sea freight: $0.30-0.60/kg, 30-45 days — best for 200kg+ orders
- Air freight: $4-8/kg, 5-10 days — for low-volume/high-value products
- Express (DHL/FedEx): $8-15/kg, 3-5 days — only for very low volume or urgent restocks
Use a freight forwarder who handles Amazon FBA inbound. Popular options: Freightos, Flexport, local agents.
Step 7: Launch on Amazon
Once the product arrives at FBA:
- Turn on listing
- Run Amazon PPC to generate initial velocity
- Request reviews through Amazon's "Request a Review" button
- Expect 2-4 weeks to reach steady sales
Common Mistakes
- Undercapitalized: Budget $3-5K minimum for first product (inventory + shipping + PPC + samples)
- Wrong product category: Avoid restricted categories your first time (health, beauty, grocery need approval)
- No differentiation: "Me too" listings lose to established competitors — add a real product improvement
- Skipping trademark: Without a trademark, you're vulnerable to hijackers
Scaling Your FBA Business
Once your first product works:
- Add variants (colors, sizes) to the same listing
- Develop complementary products (same supplier = shared freight)
- Expand to other marketplaces (Amazon EU, Walmart)
- Register Brand Registry for A+ content and sponsored brand ads