Product idea- unsure of next steps

[ultra5]

Hey everyone -

So I have an idea for a physical product to sell on amazon that I would source from China. I don't want to give the project away but it is a type of bag.

I have done some research on this product on amazon and there is a lot of overall competition but not nearly as much specific competition. On the first page there is about 4-5 sellers with 200-300 reviews, 2 with 1,000+ and the rest with less than 50.

It doesn't seem like people are racing to the bottom on price - yet. There are a couple sellers selling similar items for substantially cheaper, but the product quality in the pictures looks cheap. I could hopefully net around $30-40 per sale on this item.

My concern is that amazon FBA sourcing generic products from alibaba etc is oversaturated and the gold rush is over so to speak. I would get the factory to add my logo to the bag but other than that there isn't much I can really change, so I do not know how I would really add value to anything I am doing.

I would obviously try to make my copy better than everyone else, and take better pictures, etc. but I feel like these days people will go with the similar product that has 1,000+ reviews unless they can get it for way cheaper - and I don't want to enter a business where the only way to win is on price cutting.

I guess my question is this - is sourcing things from china and selling on amazon still effective and worthwhile? I guess I am just hesitant because in my opinion it is only a matter of time before these same products people are sourcing will just get listed straight to amazon by savy Chinese people.

Honestly I am just brainstorming different business ideas, and I am looking for something that would potentially have a low starting cost because I have very little excess money and this is something I have been interested in, but worried it is too late, especially seeing all the "courses" people are selling these days to do it.

Thanks for any advice.

 

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[MHP368]

Hey everyone -

So I have an idea for a physical product to sell on amazon that I would source from China. I don't want to give the project away but it is a type of bag.

I have done some research on this product on amazon and there is a lot of overall competition but not nearly as much specific competition. On the first page there is about 4-5 sellers with 200-300 reviews, 2 with 1,000+ and the rest with less than 50.

It doesn't seem like people are racing to the bottom on price - yet. There are a couple sellers selling similar items for substantially cheaper, but the product quality in the pictures looks cheap. I could hopefully net around $30-40 per sale on this item.

My concern is that amazon FBA sourcing generic products from alibaba etc is oversaturated and the gold rush is over so to speak. I would get the factory to add my logo to the bag but other than that there isn't much I can really change, so I do not know how I would really add value to anything I am doing.

I would obviously try to make my copy better than everyone else, and take better pictures, etc. but I feel like these days people will go with the similar product that has 1,000+ reviews unless they can get it for way cheaper - and I don't want to enter a business where the only way to win is on price cutting.

I guess my question is this - is sourcing things from china and selling on amazon still effective and worthwhile? I guess I am just hesitant because in my opinion it is only a matter of time before these same products people are sourcing will just get listed straight to amazon by savy Chinese people.

Honestly I am just brainstorming different business ideas, and I am looking for something that would potentially have a low starting cost because I have very little excess money and this is something I have been interested in, but worried it is too late, especially seeing all the "courses" people are selling these days to do it.

Thanks for any advice.

You said you looked at the reviews , what did the low star ones say? Why not find out and add that as value instead of a logo and design angle?

 

[Walter Hay]

Hey everyone -

So I have an idea for a physical product to sell on amazon that I would source from China. I don't want to give the project away but it is a type of bag.

I have done some research on this product on amazon and there is a lot of overall competition but not nearly as much specific competition. On the first page there is about 4-5 sellers with 200-300 reviews, 2 with 1,000+ and the rest with less than 50.

It doesn't seem like people are racing to the bottom on price - yet. There are a couple sellers selling similar items for substantially cheaper, but the product quality in the pictures looks cheap. I could hopefully net around $30-40 per sale on this item.

My concern is that amazon FBA sourcing generic products from alibaba etc is oversaturated and the gold rush is over so to speak. I would get the factory to add my logo to the bag but other than that there isn't much I can really change, so I do not know how I would really add value to anything I am doing.

I would obviously try to make my copy better than everyone else, and take better pictures, etc. but I feel like these days people will go with the similar product that has 1,000+ reviews unless they can get it for way cheaper - and I don't want to enter a business where the only way to win is on price cutting.

I guess my question is this - is sourcing things from china and selling on amazon still effective and worthwhile? I guess I am just hesitant because in my opinion it is only a matter of time before these same products people are sourcing will just get listed straight to amazon by savy Chinese people.

Honestly I am just brainstorming different business ideas, and I am looking for something that would potentially have a low starting cost because I have very little excess money and this is something I have been interested in, but worried it is too late, especially seeing all the "courses" people are selling these days to do it.

Thanks for any advice.

Sourcing generics from Alibaba and selling on Amazon has always been oversaturated. It is not a good way to operate.

Many people succeed on Amazon but they do so by differentiating, not by cutting prices. Here's what they do:

• Think outside the square. Modify existing products to improve them, sometimes very substantially.
• Look for products that aren't hot sellers, but have a proven demand, and market them effectively.
  
• Private label them. The savvy ones don't just "slap on a label". They give a lot of thought to the whole branding process, making sure the brand name, the logo, the slogan, the label, the packaging, and the advertising copy, all convey the message the customers want to hear. Have look at my labeling website for ideas.
• Set up an eCommerce site and incorporate the URL in labels, packaging, and if possible as an integral part of the product.

Walter