Tania and her husband Tom were both working in sales back in 2018, but they had bigger dreams. What started as a side hustle, buying items from local supermarkets and selling them on eBay, quickly turned into a life-changing Amazon business journey. Here’s how they turned their thrifty thinking into a thriving, multi-million Amazon FBA business in 2024.

The Beginning: From eBay to Amazon FBA

In 2018, Tania and her husband dipped their toes into online selling by starting with eBay. They quickly realized the potential of what’s known as “Retail Arbitrage” so began buying discounted products and reselling them for a profit. After a year of honing their skills, defining what’s good to sell on Amazon and making a good steady income alongside their full-time jobs, they decided to take the plunge into FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon).

Their first big break came when they found Nike Elite Backpacks at a Nike Outlet Store. With an initial investment of $42 per backpack, they used SellerAmp to discover these very same backpacks were selling on Amazon for a whopping $100+. Including Amazon selling fees and product costs, SellerAmp SAS showed that they could make 45%+ profit per backpack. A no-brainer for these entrepreneurs! 

Having found this hidden gem, Tania and Tom bought as many as they could. But having a new baby at home and nowhere to store the backpacks, they stocked up their inventory at one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Within 24 hours of the listing going live, all 100 backpacks sold! This success was a game-changer and it opened their eyes to the power of selling on Amazon through FBA.

Scaling Up: Focusing on What Works

After their initial success, Tania and Tom decided to focus on retail arbitrage by primarily selling Nike and Adidas products. They applied to get ungated on these brands which meant they were able to specialize in a select few, high-demand products.

Their dedication really paid off! In their first year of Amazon FBA, Tania’s husband was able to quit his job and run their new arbitrage business full time. By the second year, Tania followed suit by leaving her job to focus entirely on their family and growing venture.

Family, Freedom, and Financial Success

As their Amazon sales skyrocketed, so did their quality of life. They bought a house in California in 2021, all funded by their Amazon earnings. They no longer worried about finances, had health insurance paid for by their business and most importantly; they had the freedom to spend time with their kids. Tania could now be there for every school event, never missing a moment.

By documenting their journey on social media, they inspired others to take the leap into Amazon FBA and by year 5 the couple had achieved over $5 million in sales, with a staggering $650 thousand in revenue in their first year!

The Strategy: Focus and Expertise

But their success wasn’t just luck—it was the result of a focused strategy. Concentrating on a few key brands and becoming experts in those niches. By using tools like SellerAmp SAS and participating in local Amazon selling events, they could make informed decisions about what products to buy and sell. They called SellerAmp SAS “the Lamborghini of product sourcing software” – it’s wealth of features ensuring they sourced the most profitable products.

Challenges and Resilience

Of course, the journey wasn’t without challenges. They dealt with issues like customers returning completely different (or used) products through FBA, which sometimes Amazon wouldn’t fully reimburse. But Tania and Tom were resilient—they would keep going and generously donated those returns to charity!

Despite the hurdles, they maintained impressive margins, often achieving a 60% ROI with some products even reaching a 100% return.

Looking Ahead: Scaling and Social Media

Now, with a thriving business that sells over 200 items a day, Tania and Tom are looking to scale even further, exploring wholesale opportunities and expanding their social media presence to inspire and educate others. And their journey is far from over.

See more success stories on our News & Updates page or follow Tania’s and Toms journey here!