Is Selling on Amazon Worth It in 2025?

Amazon dominates the ecommerce landscape, especially in the US, where it captures over a third of all online sales. For millions of customers, it’s the go-to destination for buying nearly anything. But for new sellers, the big question remains: is selling on Amazon worth it?

Amazon’s marketplace offers immense reach and infrastructure to support growing businesses—yet it also comes with fees, strict policies, and fierce competition. You’ll have to align that with your own business model and goals.

We’ll break down what it’s really like to sell on Amazon. You’ll learn the pros and cons, what it takes to be profitable, and how different fulfillment options—like Amazon FBA or Printful—shape your success.

Why consider selling on Amazon?

Amazon offers a compelling platform for third-party sellers. With a massive built-in audience and a trusted global selling reach, it connects sellers to millions of shoppers who use the platform for everything from basics to niche products.

Its fulfillment infrastructure lets sellers outsource shipping, returns, and customer service through programs like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). If you want more control or flexibility, print-on-demand providers like Printful are an alternative to selling products without handling inventory.

Whether you’re interested in running an Amazon FBA business, selling customizable print-on-demand products, automating Amazon dropshipping, or listing handmade goods, Amazon offers multiple entry points for new and experienced sellers.

Pros of selling on Amazon

Large built-in audience: Amazon attracts 3.14B monthly visits, making it one of the most visited sites worldwide. The Amazon marketplace provides access to a massive, global customer base without significant marketing efforts on your end.

No logistic hassle: Amazon FBA or POD providers like Printful handle order fulfillment, shipping, and even customer messages. This smooths out the fulfillment process and reduces business expenses.

Fast shipping: Amazon Prime members expect quick delivery. With Amazon’s fulfillment centers worldwide, your FBA products qualify for two-day shipping, improving customer satisfaction and retention.

Diverse customer base: Whether you’re selling books, gadgets, or handmade goods, Amazon connects you with shoppers seeking different products—helping you scale across multiple niches.

Cons of selling on Amazon

Expensive service fees: Amazon’s Professional selling plan costs $39.99 a month. On top of that, Amazon charges an up to 17% referral fee for each item sold, as well as other fulfillment fees and possible returns processing charges. These costs can cut into your profit margins.

Intense competition: 1.9M active sellers compete on the Amazon website, so finding a profitable niche and maintaining solid Amazon reviews is critical.

Strict inventory and packaging requirements: Amazon’s fulfillment centers have packaging and labeling standards for FBA listings. If you don’t follow them exactly, your products could be rejected or delayed. However, working with a POD partner like Printful might be better.

Limited branding options: Because Amazon prioritizes uniform shopping experiences, it’s harder for sellers to create a distinctive brand or customer journey, unlike with an independent online store.

Is it worth selling on Amazon?

Yes, selling on Amazon is still worth it. Amazon is one of the most visited sites with 3.14B monthly visits. It can get you the kind of brand visibility you won’t find anywhere else.

In fact, 56% of consumers across all generations begin their product searches on Amazon—it’s almost like Amazon is its own search engine.

People search for products on Amazon more often than on social media like YouTube or TikTok, other online retailers like Walmart, or even search engines like Google Shopping. So, if you want to get traffic, Amazon is the place to be.

Source: Jungle Scout

Can you actually make money selling on Amazon?

Yes, you can make money selling on Amazon. In fact, most Amazon sales come from independent sellers. According to Amazon, more than 60% of its sales come from third-party sellers, including small and medium-sized businesses.

Your success on Amazon depends on factors like product demand, listing quality, fulfillment fees, and extra expenses like FBA fees. But the most important ones are your selling price and how much you can raise your profit margins.

To make a profit selling on Amazon, plan out your profit margins. A healthy margin is estimated between 15% and 20%. If you go below 5%, your Amazon business won’t sustain itself long term.

Fulfillment also plays a role when selling on Amazon. FBA fees can stack up, while POD sellers using providers like Printful avoid storage costs and only pay per sale, helping protect margins, especially on niche or low-volume products.

Valuable read: How to Make Money on Amazon: 5 Best Ways

What is the success rate of Amazon sellers?

New sellers who choose an Amazon FBA business are very likely to succeed. 

64% of new Amazon sellers turn a profit during the first year of running their store. The majority of Amazon sellers will become profitable within 3–6 months. Only 2% of sellers take more than 2 years.

Let’s take a look at the stats of how much Amazon sellers make in sales revenue:

• 40% of Amazon sellers sell anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000 a month

• 29% of Amazon sellers make over $5,000 a month

• 31% make less than $500 a month in sales

Whether you become an Amazon FBA seller or sell products with POD, you’re likely to become profitable within your first year.

Success isn’t guaranteed, but with smart product research, competitive pricing, and a clear niche, many sellers see steady growth.

Valuable read: Printful Academy: How to Build a Brand

How can you start selling on Amazon?

If you want to sell trending products without worrying about order fulfillment, shipping, or inventory management, you have several options that can make Amazon profitable.

You can either use the Amazon FBA service or sell print-on-demand products with a third-party provider like Printful. Let’s break them down step by step.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Amazon’s fulfillment service, also known as Fulfillment by Amazon, lets Amazon sellers outsource order fulfillment and shipping directly through Amazon.

Here’s how it works:

1. Set up your Amazon seller account: Choose the Professional plan if you want to sell 40+ items a month

2. Enroll in FBA: Register for Fulfillment by Amazon through Seller Central

3. Create your product listings: Add your items to the Amazon marketplace

4. Prepare and ship inventory to Amazon: Package and label your products according to Amazon guidelines, then send them to Amazon’s fulfillment centers

5. Wait for customer orders: When someone buys your product, Amazon picks, packs, and ships it directly to them

6. Let Amazon handle post-sale tasks: This includes customer service, processing returns, and even issuing refunds

Source: Amazon

Printful

If you want something simpler, go with a print-on-demand provider like Printful. Unlike Amazon FBA, you won’t have to endure the hassle of sending your products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Printful will print, pack, and ship out orders on your behalf.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick your products: Choose from Printful’s catalog—t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more—based on your niche and what online shopping trends show potential

2. Apply custom designs: Create designs with Printful’s Design Maker templates or your own artwork to turn blank products into your brand’s signature items

3. Connect your Amazon store: Link your Amazon seller account with Printful by following our integration setup and listing your products

4. Market your products: Once live, attract potential customers through Amazon SEO, ads, or social media

5. Let Printful take care of fulfillment: Once you make a sale, Printful prints, packs, and ships the product directly to your customer

6. You keep the profit: You set your own prices, so after paying for the product, fulfillment, and shipping, the rest is your profit

Printful integrates with your Amazon store and handles all things order fulfillment. This is a great option if you want to build a brand and automate your fulfillment process.

Feeling good about Printful? Here’s more info you need to know about how to sell on Amazon with Printful.

Sell on Amazon with Printful

Printful is a reliable way to start an Amazon business without a heavy upfront investment. The POD model allows you to sell online without managing inventory or shipping, making it a strong option for small business owners who want to build a brand with low overhead.

Why use Printful instead of Amazon FBA:

• No inventory risk: Pay for only what you sell. There’s no need to pre-purchase stock or worry about unsold products.

• Lower upfront costs: Avoid Amazon FBA fees like long-term storage costs and removal charges.

• Custom branding options: Add branding elements like packing slips and inserts.

• Access to global fulfillment: Sell across the globe with Printful’s worldwide fulfillment network.

This model is ideal for small Amazon business owners testing new ideas or launching niche products. Design, launch, and fulfill products automatically—without worrying about Amazon’s strict packaging or warehousing rules.

Setting up your Amazon store with Printful: What to know

1. Use Printful’s Design Maker strategically

Select your product and start designing. Upload images from your device and align them with the canvas, or you can use our Design Maker’s built-in clipart, quick designs, custom fonts, and premium patterns to make detailed designs from scratch.

2. Set up product details before syncing

Customize each product with product titles, descriptions, size guides, and retail pricing inside the Printful Dashboard. Make use of Printful’s SEO prompts to optimize listings for increased search volume before they even hit Amazon. 

3. Integrate and customize your Amazon sales channel

Navigate to Dashboard > Stores > Choose platform > Amazon. Printful will walk you through Amazon’s setup—including requesting Amazon’s brand approval if needed, choosing fulfillment preferences, and enabling shipping and tax settings directly within Printful.

4. Fine-tune sync settings and launch

Choose which Printful products to sync to Amazon. They’ll be added as Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), but Printful will handle every order from printing to delivery. This setup keeps you in control while letting you skip manual warehousing and packaging.

If you’re looking for ecommerce news and tips, subscribe to the Printful blog. And, if you’ve decided to work with POD, check out our YouTube channel for tutorials on how to get started.

Ready to start selling on Amazon?

Can anyone sell on Amazon? Yes. The platform is open to individuals and businesses alike, with multiple entry points to start a store, test product ideas, and grow a brand. Is it worth selling on Amazon? Absolutely—if you take the time to plan and execute strategically.

Here’s how to start strong:

• Do thorough product research before deciding what to sell

• Identify product categories that are in demand and avoid oversaturated markets

• Keep an eye on your competitors and how they price, market, and fulfill their products

• Calculate your overheads and plan your profit margins accordingly

To build a profitable venture, consider all fulfillment models, from FBA to POD, and factor in referral fees, Amazon fees, product costs, and subscriptions. Margins matter, and with smart pricing, marketing, and consistent effort, you can still achieve significant profits.

Amazon rewards consistency and quality. Use its tools, follow its policies, and tap into resources like Seller Support to keep the customer experience front and center. Your first few months will require patience, but the potential payoff is worth the effort.

Good luck on your Amazon seller journey!

Read next: The 8 Best Alternatives to Selling on Amazon for Your Ecommerce Brand