Find Wholesale Products to Sell on Amazon: The Ultimate Guide

Last updated on May 18th, 2023

Written by Ken Zhou

Online sellers have a variety of Amazon sales models to choose from, and one of the most popular and effective ways is wholesaling. However, finding wholesale products to sell on Amazon can pose a challenge, especially for newbies—you have to comb through millions of products on the Amazon Marketplace. Let's not even mention the number of suppliers and categories.

Don't worry because we've got you covered. In this article, we will discuss something that will make this task easier for you: using product research tools to find wholesale products to sell on Amazon! 

We'll also dive into how the wholesale business model works on Amazon, why it is lucrative, and how to choose the right suppliers for selling wholesale.

What is an Amazon Wholesale Business?

Amazon wholesale business is buying products in bulk directly from manufacturers or distributors and reselling them as individual units on Amazon Marketplace. Like any other business model, you need time, money, and killer marketing strategies to sell wholesale on Amazon.

Benefits of Starting a Wholesale Business on Amazon

Selling wholesale on Amazon might be daunting at first, but despite the complicated process, it offers the following benefits:

1. You don't have to create your listing, which would require expert copywriting skills. Instead, you only need to add value or an irresistible offer on the brand's existing product listing.
2. Wholesalers carry inventory from different manufacturers and suppliers. It gives you access to a much broader range of products than a retail store would. You can find exactly what you need without settling for the second best and sell well-known brands.
3. You're not building a brand from nothing. It has an established reputation across different marketplaces.
4. If you're selling established brands already loved by consumers, you only need a little push to ramp up your marketing efforts.
5. It generally offers higher profit margins than retail. Retailers typically mark up their products by a significant amount to make a profit. When you purchase in bulk, you can avoid this markup and pocket a larger percentage of the sale price. 
6. Expect steady sales due to the brands' popularity and high demand.
7. You can restock your product inventory at any time.
8. You don't have to spend time introducing the brand to the market or building a customer base.
9. It offers sellers a lower unit cost. When you buy in bulk, you can take advantage of economies of scale and get a lower price per unit. As a result, you get big discounts, especially if you're purchasing items to resell.
10. Your chosen brand has Amazon's seal of approval, which means less Buy Box competition.
11. It saves you from having to replenish or create more stock. All you have to focus on is the selling part.
12. It can help businesses build relationships with one another. By working with various suppliers, brand owners can better understand the market and learn about new products and trends in the industry.

8 Tools to Help You in Your Wholesale Product Research

Narrowing your research down to Amazon's best-selling products is a great head start. But keep in mind that best-selling doesn't always mean popular. We want these products to be profitable enough to jumpstart your wholesale business. 

Here are the top 8 tools to aid you in your wholesale product search: 

Helium 10

Helium 10 is a product research tool you can easily compare to a Swiss knife. It has several tools with different functionalities. One worth mentioning is the Black Box, Helium 10's product finder and product research tool. It uses smart filters to search by price, amount of sellers, product category, and estimated monthly sales revenue.

AMZBase

Do you want a broader search base? AMZBase lets you access other search engines like Google, eBay, AliExpress, Alibaba, and CamelCamelCamel. It is an all-in-one instant product research tool that allows you to obtain the listing’s Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) and title description.  

IO Scout

In just a few clicks, IO Scout's Amazon Product Finder helps you gather detailed product data and trends. Moreover, it can save you from math troubles with its integrated FBA Calculator and Sales Estimator.

It also eliminates the hassle of searching all over again because it saves your current filter. In case you want to go offline, Amazon Product Filter can export up to 20,000 rows of spreadsheet data.

AMZScout

Easily brainstorm and choose potential brands with AMZScout's web app. It lets you enter a keyword or product ASIN to start your search. If you want to conduct comprehensive product data research, the web app comes with 44 advanced filters you can tweak.

Furthermore, the web app can track the historical data of a product to determine if it is cost-effective.

Unicorn Smasher

The tool's brand name might be misleading, but this free tool from AMZ Tracker can help you choose a product with ease. Unicorn Smasher provides a comprehensive report organized in a single dashboard. You don't have to install clunky software because this is only a Chrome extension. 

The search starts right on the Amazon website. After entering your desired product in the search box, hit Enter and click on the Unicorn Smasher icon on your browser. It will display a small window with the results. Click Add to Dashboard for a broader view.

SellerApp

SellerApp's Amazon Product Research Tool uses product intelligence capabilities to provide you with valuable data displayed in one dashboard. This product-sourcing app has over 35 million products in its database, so the possibilities are endless.

On top of that, SellerApp offers free tools to help you find keywords, check the quality of your listings, estimate the sales of your products, and more.

ZonGuru

If you want to discover wholesale products by category, ZonGuru has a product research tool called Niche Finder. It lets you find the right products by selecting a category in easy mode or advanced mode.

Choose the easy mode if you don't want to set filters, and then select the appropriate business metric. It has three business metrics: Easy Starter, Business Builder, and Big Hitter.

Jungle Scout

It is a useful tool for both first-time sellers and seasoned merchants. Aptly called Product Database, it can sift through over 70 million products filtered from the Amazon catalog. Alternatively, you can use its Keyword Scout, which returns high-ranking keywords and ASINs.

Meanwhile, the Product Database can keep track of your products and competitors for a quick comparative analysis.

If you get easily intimidated by numbers, visit the Amazon website and follow these steps. 

Bonus: Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Another automation tool you can use is the Amazon web services marketing strategy. Although it is not the same as the tools above, it has numerous features that will make your job much easier. Also known as Amazon Marketplace Web Service, it is an API that helps you with the following:

• Inventory management
• Order management
• Reports management
• Creating and checking the status of inbound shipments
• Outbound shipment management

Factors to Consider in Amazon Wholesale Product Research

Now that you have the right tools, how do you determine which products are profitable? Don't let your precious data go to waste, and consider the following:

• Amazon.com doesn't sell the product itself.
• The manufacturer is not the direct seller of the product.
• It is not a seasonal product.
• It has the potential to have a high monthly sales volume.
• It is reasonably priced to earn profits.
• The product is always in demand.

What to Consider in Your Supplier Search

With so many options on the market, it can be tough to know where to buy wholesale products of excellent quality. Moreover, you might encounter suppliers whose work ethics can stress you out even more.

So to avoid making decisions you will soon regret, you must learn some of the basics of looking for suppliers. Here are some tips on how and where to find the best suppliers for your wholesale business.

1. Inquire About the Product Quality

When running an ecommerce business, you must ensure that you get high-quality products from your Amazon wholesaler. If you want to assess the product's quality firsthand, it would be best to ask for samples of the product you want to resell. By doing this, you can get more customers and avoid multiple product returns, leading to refunds.

2. Look for Competitive Pricing

Because the price you pay for your wholesale goods directly impacts your bottom line, it is important to ensure you're getting the best possible deal. Also, ensure that their prices are competitive so that you do not have to overpay for your items, which can affect your profits later on.

3. Understand the Type of Production Required

As a business owner, you must understand that there are different types of wholesalers. Therefore, depending on your business needs, you should consider the production capabilities of your supplier.

For example, if you're selling products that need to be made to order, you'll need to work with a supplier that can produce your goods promptly.

On the other hand, if you're selling mass-produced items, you'll want to partner with an Amazon FBA wholesale supplier that can provide you with a consistent supply at a competitive price.

4. Ask About the Shipping Costs and Logistics

Another factor in choosing a wholesaler is the cost of freight. No matter how low the wholesale price, it won't make a difference if the shipping costs are sky-high. So when you're considering a potential supplier, be sure to get a quote for shipping so that you will have an idea of your total costs.

In some cases, it may even be worth paying a slightly higher price to a supplier with lower shipping costs.

Of course, you'll also want to take delivery time into account. For example, a supplier close to your business will usually be able to bring you your products more quickly than one located further away.

Ultimately, it would help if you find a balance between low prices and reasonable shipping costs to keep your products' prices competitive.

5. Consider the Product's Perishability

When you're wholesale sourcing, consider the perishability of the items you're purchasing. If you're stocking on perishable items, be sure to order enough to meet your customer demand, but not so much that you end up throwing away expired products.

For non-perishable items, you can order in larger quantities to benefit from bulk discounts. By considering these factors, you're always stocked up on products your customers need without wasting valuable resources.

6. Ask for Recommendations

Sometimes, it is best to get feedback from other business owners. After all, they have worked with several suppliers, so they may have a say on who's great to work with. Ask for their recommendations through forums or emails. This can be a faster and easier way to find reliable manufacturers who can provide the products you need.

7. Research Thoroughly

Read online reviews about the supplier's product quality and customer service, compare their prices, and check out their product offerings to see if they're a good match for your needs. Look for the minimum order quantities (MOQs), shipping times, and anything else significant to your operations. This way, you identify which supplier meets your criteria before contacting them directly.

Where to Find Wholesale Suppliers

Now that you already know the qualities of a good supplier and how to find one, you are probably feeling more eager to know where you can find your potential supplier. Let’s find out below:

Online wholesale directories

You can search for a trusted wholesaler directory that lists companies selling products at wholesale prices and often includes contact information and user reviews. Some popular and reliable online directories are Alibaba, Salehoo, DHgate, Worldwide Brands, and Global Sources.

But if you want to explore other wholesale suppliers, it would be best for you to read listicles about them. These articles briefly inform you about what kind of suppliers are on their websites.

Trade shows and industry events

These events bring manufacturers and distributors together. New Amazon sellers are encouraged to attend them because they are an excellent place for you to network, make deals, and check out the quality of their products yourself.

Moreover, trade shows are a great way to get an idea of what products are available and to find out what kind of MOQs they require.

Local retail stores near you

Look for local retail stores that offer the kind of products you want to sell on Amazon. Then, ask for their recommendations of any good sources for your desired product or tips on dealing with potential suppliers.

Facebook and LinkedIn

Even though Facebook is commonly used for communicating with friends and family and LinkedIn is for job hunting and business networking, you can also use these two social media platforms to find wholesale suppliers.

On Facebook, you can search for groups that connect buyers and sellers in your industry. Unfortunately, many of these groups are private, so you will need to request access from the administrator. Once you're already a member, you can start posting about what you're looking for and see if any suppliers or sellers have leads for you.

Meanwhile, you can join multiple supplier directories or try reaching out to suppliers directly through LinkedIn's InMail feature.

Create a Successful Amazon Wholesale Selling Journey With Seller Interactive

If you want to start your business on Amazon, using the wholesaling method can benefit you in several ways, like lower unit cost and access to a wide range of products. However, you must be careful before purchasing large quantities because the wrong choice can drastically impact your business negatively.

Such choices involve selecting the right whole product to sell and its supplier. This blog offered a list of useful tools to look for top-selling wholesale products. It also included tips for finding suppliers, from rich supplier directories to local retail stores near you. Use them to ensure your wholesale venture is successful.

Still on the fence about how to buy wholesale products to sell on Amazon?

Consult professionals and Amazon account managers from reputable agencies like Seller Interactive.

Do you want to start a wholesale business on Amazon? Do you have a hard time finding wholesale products to sell on Amazon? If you need to become more familiar with how to start an Amazon wholesale business, Seller Interactive offers the Amazon FBA Wholesale Partnership Program to guide you on selling wholesale on Amazon.

To book an appointment, email [email protected] or call 1-800-820-3746!