How to 10x Your Amazon Business with Checklists

Selling on Amazon seems simple in theory. In practice, it's quite a challenge.

The core concept is so straightforward, it could fit on a napkin. Yet, it's the nuances that often catch even seasoned sellers off guard. And these nuances aren't always easy to navigate.

So, how does one improve as a seller?

The answer came to me through a small yet powerful book: The Checklist Manifesto by Dr. Atul Gawande.

Why Checklists Are Game Changers

Ever wonder why airplane takeoffs take a bit longer than you'd expect? The answer is safety. Pilots put safety before everything else, relying on detailed pre-flight checklists.

This meticulous approach makes flying safer than driving, statistically speaking.

Checklists aren't just for pilots, though. They're everywhere, once you starting looking. This realization hit Dr. Gawande, a surgeon. He saw the potential in using checklists to bring consistency to his operations. He dove into industries that thrived on them, from aviation to Formula 1 pit crews.

In fact, he hired a coach to treat his surgery team like a Formula 1 pit crew and began to optimize everything they did. What came out was a single 19-point checklist that changed everything.

Now, why should this matter to you as an Amazon seller? If a surgeon can leverage simple checklists to enhance his craft, you can too.

This was a game-changer for me, especially when transitioning to wholesale. My initial purchases, which seemed profitable at first glance, turned out to be far from it. Why was that?

I decided to take a second look at those products, but with a different lens. Instead of looking for reasons to buy, I looked for reasons not to. This shift in perspective led me to develop a simple checklist for vetting wholesale products.

From that point on, every buy was a profitable one.

A Simple Wholesale Checklist

Let's dive into my simple checklist for vetting wholesale products:

Personal sales volume: Can I move >30 units every month?

Profitability: Can I net 30% ROI and $4 in profit based on the average buy box price over 90 days?

Avoiding Amazon: Has Amazon ever been on the listing?

Avoiding the brand: Is the brand actively selling on the listing?

That's the essence of it. Simple, right? The beauty of this checklist is its simplicity. Even though it's simple, it's incredibly powerful. This approach has saved me a significant amount of money, easily in the tens of thousands.

Checklists thrive on being uncomplicated. They're your quick-reference guides to making decisions fast and accurately. They can also adapt and update as your experience grows as a seller.

Now, imagine applying checklists across your business. What checklist could you design for vetting your inventory, or for managing new stock? How about regular tasks? What's on your Monday list, or your second Tuesday routine, to keep the business running smoothly?