Amazon FBA — Fulfilment by Amazon — is one of the most powerful and scalable online business models available today. It allows you to sell branded products on the world’s largest e-commerce marketplace while Amazon handles all the storage picking packing shipping customer service and returns on your behalf. You focus on sourcing the right products and Amazon handles everything else.

We are Brandhunterz Ltd — a UK registered wholesale sourcing company (Company No: 15342697) — and in this complete beginner’s guide we explain exactly what Amazon FBA is how the business model works what starting capital you need and the precise steps to take to go from zero to your first profitable product live on Amazon.

What is Amazon FBA and How Does it Work?

Amazon FBA — Fulfilment by Amazon — is a service where Amazon stores your products in their fulfilment centres and handles the complete fulfilment process on your behalf. Here is the complete flow from supplier to customer:

Stage	Who Does It	What Happens
Source Products	You	Buy wholesale stock from verified supplier
Prep and Label	You	Label products with FNSKU barcodes and pack boxes
Ship to Amazon	You	Send stock to Amazon fulfilment centre
Store and List	Amazon	Amazon receives checks in and stores your stock
Customer Orders	Amazon	Buyer purchases — Amazon processes payment
Pick Pack Ship	Amazon	Amazon picks packs and ships to customer
Customer Service	Amazon	Amazon handles all buyer queries and returns
Payment Disbursed	Amazon	Amazon pays your net revenue every 14 days

Amazon FBA Wholesale — The Best Model for Beginners

There are several ways to sell on Amazon FBA — private label, retail arbitrage, wholesale and dropshipping. For beginners the wholesale model offers the strongest combination of low risk, fast time to first sale and sustainable repeatable profit:

Model	How it Works	Beginner Risk	Recommended
Wholesale	Buy branded products from suppliers — sell on existing listings	Low	✅ Yes
Private Label	Create your own branded product from scratch	High	Advanced only
Retail Arbitrage	Buy discounted retail products and resell on Amazon	Medium	Limited scale
Dropshipping	List products you do not own — third party ships direct	Very High	❌ Avoid

Step 1 — Register Your UK Limited Company

Before opening your Amazon account or approaching any wholesale supplier register a UK Limited Company. This step costs just £12 through Companies House and transforms how both Amazon and wholesale brands respond to you. Registration takes a few hours online and your company number is issued the same day.

Why Register First	Impact on Your Business
Amazon account verification	Company registration number required for Professional Seller account
Wholesale account approval	Brands approve registered companies — not individuals — at significantly higher rates
VAT reclaim	Reclaim VAT on all wholesale purchases once VAT registered
Limited liability protection	Personal assets protected if business encounters financial difficulty

Step 2 — Open Your Amazon Professional Seller Account

Go to sellercentral.amazon.co.uk and register a Professional Seller account. The Professional account costs £34.99 per month and is the only account type that gives you access to FBA Buy Box eligibility and the full suite of Seller Central tools. Never start with an Individual account — it severely limits your selling capabilities and does not allow FBA at the same level.

What Amazon Requires for Verification

Document Required	Accepted Format
Government-issued photo ID	Passport or driving licence — must be valid
Bank account statement	Business bank statement — under 180 days old
Company registration details	Companies House number and registered address
Credit or debit card	For monthly subscription fee payment
Video verification call	Sometimes required — Amazon contacts you to schedule

Step 3 — Research Your First Product

Product research is the most critical step in starting Amazon FBA wholesale. The right product makes your business. The wrong product ties up your capital in slow-moving or unprofitable stock. Every product you consider must pass a rigorous research process before you approach any supplier.

The Wholesale Product Research Criteria

Criteria	Target	Tool to Check
Consistent sales history	12 months stable BSR	Keepa
Amazon not on listing	Orange line absent on Keepa	Keepa
Minimum 30% ROI	After all Amazon fees	AMZScout
Stable MAP price	No price erosion trend	Keepa
Manageable competition	Under 5 active FBA sellers	AMZScout
Minimum 10 units per month	Confirmed monthly sales velocity	Helium 10

How to Use Keepa for Product Research

Keepa is the most important research tool for Amazon FBA wholesale sellers. It tracks every product’s price history and sales rank across all Amazon marketplaces — giving you 12 months of data that reveals exactly how consistently a product sells, whether prices are stable or declining and whether Amazon itself is active on the listing. Never source a wholesale product without checking its full Keepa history first.

Step 4 — Find Your First Wholesale Supplier

With your product research complete and a shortlist of promising products confirmed you are ready to find and approach wholesale suppliers. The fastest and most reliable starting point is our Brands Directory — over 5,000 verified wholesale brands across UK and USA markets all confirmed as authentic and Amazon-compatible.

Supplier Outreach Email Template

Step 5 — Calculate Your Margins Before Ordering

When your wholesale account is approved and you receive the price list calculate your exact margin before placing any order. Use the Amazon FBA Revenue Calculator or AMZScout to confirm every cost is accounted for:

Step 6 — Send Your First FBA Shipment

Once your wholesale stock arrives at your address you need to prepare and send it to Amazon’s fulfilment centres. Follow this exact process for every FBA shipment:

How Much Capital Do You Need to Start Amazon FBA?

One of the most common questions from beginners is how much money is needed to start Amazon FBA wholesale. Here is a realistic breakdown of starting costs:

Cost Item	One-Off	Monthly
Companies House registration	£12	—
Amazon Professional Seller account	—	£34.99
Keepa subscription	—	~£15
AMZScout or Helium 10	—	~£29
FNSKU labels and packaging materials	~£30	—
First wholesale stock order	£500 to £1,000	—
Recommended Starting Capital	£1,000 to £1,500 minimum

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Consequence	Prevention
Skipping Keepa research	Ordering products with no consistent sales history	Always check 12 months Keepa data before any order
Sourcing from unverified suppliers	IP complaints authenticity issues account suspension	Only source from verified brands in our directory
Not calculating all fees	Selling at a loss without realising it	Use AMZScout FBA calculator before every order
Ordering where Amazon is on listing	No Buy Box share — stock sits unsold	Check orange Keepa line — avoid if Amazon present
Over-ordering on first order	Capital tied up in slow-moving stock	Minimum order quantity only on every first order

Conclusion — Start Right and Build Systematically

Starting Amazon FBA wholesale is one of the most accessible routes to building a sustainable online business. The model is proven — established brands selling on an established marketplace with Amazon handling all fulfilment. Your job is to research the right products source authentic wholesale stock and manage your business metrics. Everything else Amazon does for you.

Use Keepa for every product research decision. Validate your margins with AMZScout or Helium 10. Source your first wholesale brand through our Brands Directory. And invest in your education through our complete course library to build the full system from day one.