How to Make Money from Selling Shoes on Amazon?

Sell shoes via Amazon FBA

So, what is Amazon FBA, and how does it serve you as a seller? Amazon has two fulfillment methods: FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) and FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant). Obviously, with the FBM program, you must handle everything and handle shipping orders. 

FBA is the preferred method among most third-party sellers on Amazon because it leaves the packaging, shipping, and delivery to Amazon while freeing your precious time. As a result, you can focus on increasing sales and sourcing the best products. Here’s a guide about starting an amazon fba business: 

First, you must do product research to find a suitable type of shoe and find a wholesaler that offers them, buy in bulk, and send your inventory to an Amazon Fulfillment Center. Your products will be stored there, and whenever a customer orders them, Amazon will pack and ship the order. This way, you won’t need to worry about the mundane parts of being an Amazon seller and can focus on more important things like advertisement and making your listings as attractive as possible.

Of course, Amazon FBA services are not free, and the costs vary based on the size and weight of your product. You can find the complete list of FBA costs on the Amazon website. 

Why Are Shoes Popular on Amazon?

If you’re still not convinced about selling shoes on Amazon, knowing more about why so many customers order them from this marketplace may help you decide. The main reasons for the popularity of shoes on Amazon are:

• Availability and ease of ordering – Nowadays, you don’t have to drive around the block searching for the perfect shoes. You can go on Amazon, look at the thousands of available products, and order your favorite pair from the comfort of your home. 
• Great customer service – did you know that Amazon offers free shoe returns? That’s right! If you get a pair that doesn’t fit, you can return them and order another pair. This resolves an issue for many people who don’t shop online for shoes because they fear they may not fit. 

As you can see, shoes are a great product to sell on Amazon because they have a vast target audience who love to shop online. If you can find a particular style of shoe that is a fan favorite or get into selling seasonal shoes, you can make tons of profits. 

Best Types of Shoes to Sell on Amazon

Picking a shoe to sell from the millions of available products is not easy, and you can’t just pick whatever you think looks nice. You must approach this strategically and rely on data when making important decisions. For starters, you can check out the Amazon best sellers page to see which products generate more sales. 

For example, comfort is a big hit right now. After a quick look at the best sellers page, you’ll find out that the best-selling shoes on Amazon are either croc-style casual shoes or have memory foam. However, other important factors determine which type of shoe you should go for when selling shoes on Amazon. Here are a few types of shoes that have sold well over the years: 

• Seasonal trends – for example, in the winter, everyone needs boots to keep their feet warm. So, fall and winter are the best times to sell boots on Amazon. The opposite of this is also true – people buy casual water shoes in the summer to keep their feet cool, so that’s an option you can go for during spring and summer. 
• Athletic shoes – we all love sneakers. Not only do they stand up to our favorite sport or exercise, but they also play a huge role in our outfits and overall fashion style. So, you can also sell sneakers on Amazon. 

How to Find Profitable Shoes to Sell Them on Amazon

Other than looking at Amazon’s best sellers, product research tools can help you find the perfect products for selling on Amazon. You can also check data reports such as sales rank history to ensure you choose the right product. However, in addition to these, you must also consider the variation differences. 

Unlike products like toys or books, shoes come in various variations. But amazon product hunting might not be a piece of cake for beginners. You might find out that a specific brand of shoes is selling well, but you don’t know which sizes are actually selling. You must consider two crucial factors when choosing the right shoes to sell on Amazon: color and size. 

In the US, the average size for a man is 11, while women mostly wear an 8.5. Knowing this, you should probably go for shoes between sizes 9-12 for men and 7-9 for women if you sell in the US marketplace. When choosing the color of the shoes, remember that most people are not that flashy in their sense of style, so neutral colors are more likely to sell. So, go for black, tan, or brown shoes instead of red or other flashy colors. 

When it comes to selling shoes on Amazon, there are three major ways to source inventory: 

• If you do retail arbitrage, go to a show store, scan different shoes, and see which can generate more profit. 
• If you do online arbitrage, go to an online store and search for good shoes. 
• If you do wholesale, find a reliable shoe manufacturer to sell their products on Amazon. 

Do You Need Brand Approval to Sell Shoes on Amazon?

The bad news for those of you who want to sell brand shoes is that you can’t just resell shoes from an established company. You must get approved by Amazon first. Amazon tries to keep fake or counterfeit items off its marketplace by restricting certain categories, brands, and products. Certain brands, such as Nike, are examples of this. If you want to sell a Nike shoe, you must get Amazon’s approval. Once approved, the restrictions will be lifted, and you can sell as many Nike shoes as you want. Remember that Nike isn’t Amazon’s only restricted – or gated – brand. You can find the complete list of gated shoe brands with a simple search. 

How to Get Ungated to Sell Different Brand Shoes on Amazon?

If you look at the list of gated shoe brands on Amazon and find your products’ brands, you can apply for approval for selling shoes on Amazon. The application process for every brand is the same, and it is surprisingly easy, and the process is similar to other products (like how to sell clothes on amazon). Here’s how you can do it: 

1. Log in to your seller central account, click “Inventory”, and select “Add A Product”. 
2. Search for the item or brand you want to get ungated in. 
3. Find the product from the search results, and click on the “Listing Limitations Apply” link across from the item. 
4. Click on the “Request Approval” button to begin the process. 

After you apply for ungating on Amazon, you have to wait for an answer. You may get auto-approved immediately, but most people have to provide the required documentation to get approved. If you get a response back from Amazon requesting additional information, you may need to upload the following documentation: 

• Wholesale invoices (Amazon usually does not accept invoices from China or other overseas manufacturers) 
• A letter from the manufacturer or brand owner 
• Other types of documentation 

If your account is “healthy” enough, you’ll probably get approved with no trouble. Certain metrics determine your account health, including Order Defect Rate, Cancelation Rate, Late Dispatch Rate, etc. So, pay attention to these metrics and try to keep them healthy so you can get approved fast. 

Remember that even if you get denied, you can try again, so don’t give up hope easily. There are many reasons for an application denial – the most common being that you haven’t established yourself as a reliable Amazon seller yet. Double-check your application requirements to ensure you qualify if this is not the reason. Try again in 3-6 months, and keep trying until you get the approval. In the meantime, improve your overall selling metrics to increase your approval chances. 

Final Thoughts

As already established in this article, shoes are a popular product on Amazon for various reasons. This makes it a profitable business venture for any Amazon seller. Although you must get ungated to start selling shoes on Amazon, the application process is relatively easy. Even if you find it so, some companies offer ungating services, such as OABeans. 

After deciding to sell shoes on Amazon, spend some time researching and finding out which variations and types of shoes are more profitable. By doing this, you will ensure the success of your business in the long run.