Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) lets you sell physical products on the world's largest marketplace while Amazon handles storage, shipping, and customer service. You find or create a product, ship it to Amazon's warehouses, and they do the rest. The appeal is obvious — you are plugging into a platform with 300 million active customers.

The reality is more nuanced. Amazon FBA in 2026 is not the gold rush it was in 2018. Competition is fierce, margins are thinner, and Amazon's fees have increased significantly. But sellers who find the right niche — products with steady demand, limited competition, and healthy margins — still build incredibly profitable businesses. The winners tend to be in boring categories: kitchen gadgets, pet supplies, home organization, baby products.

The startup cost is real. You need inventory ($1,500-5,000 for a first order), product photography ($200-500), and Amazon PPC budget ($500-1,000/month initially). But unlike most side hustles, a successful FBA product can generate $5,000-20,000/month in profit with only a few hours of management per week once it is established. The heavy lifting is in the product research and launch phase.