Last Updated July 4, 2024 by Davina Kelly
Amazon has become the number one place to do everything from treating yourself to having your groceries delivered at the click of a button. But have you considered utilising this marketplace to make money on Amazon without selling?
Most people who make money on Amazon do it by selling, but if you don’t enjoy selling there are plenty of other opportunities to make money on the platform that you are probably not aware of.
Whether you’re an influencer, writer or someone looking to monetise your skills Amazon offers various options to earn income without the need to manage inventory or ship products.
You don’t have to be a seasoned online business owner to be successful at making money on Amazon, if you are a beginner looking to earn money online you can do it too.
In this post, you are going to learn how to make money without selling as well as how to earn money from Amazon at home.
After reading this post, you will have many ideas to make money online using the Amazon app.
This post is all about how to make money on amazon without selling.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
11 Best Ways To Make Money On Amazon Without Selling:
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make extra cash in your spare time you can sign up to Survey Junkie and get paid to give your opinion.
Companies are always looking for feedback on their products and services so you can make money by completing surveys.
Once you’ve completed a survey you’ll rewarded for your participation. You can get paid cash via PayPal or receive free gift cards to shop at places like Amazon.
You can sign up for Survey Junkie FREE here.
1. Amazon Associates Programme (Affiliate Marketing)
The Amazon Associates Programme is one of the world’s most popular affiliate marketing programs and a classic way to make passive income.
The program enables content creators like bloggers, influencers and anyone with a personal brand to earn money by recommending Amazon products to their audience.
This is how it works, when someone uses your unique link to make a purchase (at no extra cost to them), you will earn a commission because you helped make the sale happen.
By joining the program you benefit from the brand’s credibility. So when your audience clicks on the link and lands on Amazon they will feel comfortable making the purchase because they are on a trusted platform.
Here are a few things to keep in mind about affiliate marketing. You need to have a brand, build trust with your audience and be authentic to be successful with it. If your audience doesn’t find value in your content or if they feel like you are just trying to make money you won’t be able to make affiliate sales.
Your primary focus should be on creating good quality content that is helpful to your audience. For example, if you create content about productivity and want to promote a planner don’t just tell them to buy the planner.
You need to talk about your personal experience with the planner and how it helped you become super organised and productive and save x amount of hours a week. Also, talk about the pros and cons of the planner and who it will be a good fit for.
By being honest and sharing your experience instead of just selling the product you will engage your audience and naturally entice them to buy the product.
2. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
If you love writing and are an aspiring author with dreams of being a self-published author, Amazon KDP can make your dreams come true.
This platform allows authors to release eBooks and audiobooks, make them available to millions of Kindle readers worldwide and earn money from royalties.
Whether you want to write about fantasy, romance, create educational content or tell your own rags to riches story Amazon KDP has a place for all genres. You can create your art and put it out without having to deal with the stress that comes with traditional publishing.
Once you have created your final draft and edited it to perfection you are ready to get started and the process couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is format your book based on Amazon’s eBook Manuscript formatting guidelines, upload it to your KDP account, add an eye-catching image cover and watch the sales roll in.
See it really is simple! This is one of the best ways to earn money from Amazon at home. If you want to see a step by step guide of the process watch this video.
3. Amazon Influencers Programme
The Amazon Influencer Programme is catered for people with a big social media following or online presence. It is similar to the Amazon Associates Program, but it is different because you are recommending personalised products.
The influencer program allows you to create your own storefront on Amazon and curate a list of your favourite products for your audience. So if you were wondering how to earn money from Amazon links this is it. When someone makes a purchase through your storefront you will earn a commission.
If you are a social media influencer with a loyal following this program is perfect for you. Let’s say you are a beauty influencer and you want to share your top picks for makeup products and your latest skincare obsessions you can add them to your storefront and allow your audience to purchase them too.
As with affiliate marketing, to have success as an Amazon influencer you need to focus on building a loyal and engaged audience and recommend products that align with your niche or expertise.
It is hard to say how much you can earn with the influencer program because it does depend on your niche. But as an idea, top earners make $500 – $10,000 a month.
4. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
If you have spare time and want to make some extra cash on the side Amazon Mechanical Turk is a great option for you.
MTurk works by allowing businesses to break down big manual projects into smaller digestible tasks and crowdsourcing them to be completed by online workers all over the world. These tasks can range from data validation, data entry, surveys, image tagging, research, and more. It’s like freelancing or gig work but on a micro level.
The tasks on MTurk are simple which means the pay is modest so it is unrealistic to expect to earn a lot of money. The average pay is about $1 – $6 per hour, but if you complete a lot of tasks you can make a few hundred dollars a month.
5. Merch By Amazon (Amazon Merch On Demand)
Merch by Amazon empowers creative people to design and sell custom-branded merchandise on their platform and make money through royalties. If you are creative and love design and graphic work this is a good way to get your ideas made and available for sale without stressing.
With this program, you can just focus on creating without having to worry about inventory, printing, shipping and customer service. Amazon will take care of all that for you and manufacture on demand.
All you have to do is create your design, upload it, add your listing details including your royalty rate and promote your products. When an order is placed Amazon will handle the production.
If you are a content creator with a substantial following this is a great way to sell your merch. Your audience will recognise the brand so they will buy your t-shirts, hoodies, mugs and anything else you want to create.
This works just as well if you are a beginner and haven’t built an audience yet because you can tap into Amazon’s millions of users. The monthly income potential can start from $200+ based on your designs and the size of your following.
6. Drive For Amazon Flex
If e-commerce isn’t your vibe and you are looking for ways to earn money outside of your full-time job you could try driving for Amazon Flex. Through Amazon Flex you can use your car to deliver Amazon packages to customers.
You have the freedom to choose your own schedule as a Flex driver so if the 9 – 5 structure doesn’t appeal to you this is a great option. You can choose a work schedule that is flexible and fits around your lifestyle.
Before you get started answer the following questions. Are you over 21? Do you have a valid driver’s licence? If yes, you are ready to go. All you need to do is download the Amazon Flex app and update your account with all of the relevant information. Once that is done you can reserve a time slot and start making your deliveries.
You can expect to earn between $13 – $20 per hour depending on your location and tips. If you enjoy driving Amazon Flex is a convenient way to monetise your time and vehicle while helping to make Amazon customers happy.
7. Write Amazon Product Descriptions
Before you make a purchase on Amazon do you read the product description? I know I do because I want to ensure the product has everything I need.
Many sellers struggle with writing effective descriptions to attract customers. So If you are good at copywriting you can offer your services as a product description writer to Amazon sellers.
Your clients will provide you with all the necessary product information. So if you take the time to understand your target audience and highlight the product’s benefits you can create compelling product descriptions that grab the customer’s attention and convert into sales.
As a freelancer, you could earn $40+ per description. If you focused on a niche and did 10 each week you could earn over $1,500 per month.
8. Review Amazon Products (Amazon Vine)
Amazon relies heavily on customer reviews to help inform customers about what they are purchasing and improve product visibility. I always read the reviews before I commit to making a purchase because they are super helpful.
Amazon Vine is an invite-only program where Amazon selects the most insightful reviewers to be part of the program.
If you are a regular Amazon shopper and want the chance to be selected the next time you make a purchase leave a review. Ensure that your review is authentic and informative and will help the customer make an informed decision.
You won’t get paid for your reviews so this isn’t a side gig to make money, but you will get free products. Amazon will allow you to select the products you want to review and deliver them to your doorstep at no cost in exchange for your helpful reviews.
I know this post is about how to make money on Amazon without selling, but I wanted to include it anyway because this is a good way to save money on your favourite products.
9. Amazon Home Services
Amazon is literally tapping into every market and becoming a one-stop shop for customers so they have launched Amazon Home Services. This new venture connects customers with various services such as home improvement, electronics, repairs and more.
If a shopper wants to order an appliance but isn’t able to install it or doesn’t have the tools, they can now order the appliance and book the installation service at the same time. As an Amazon customer who is not good at DIY, I think this is a great idea.
If you are a local professional joining Amazon Home Services can help you showcase your expertise, reach a broader audience with free marketing and attract new clients through the platform.
Whether you are a plumber, cleaner or assembly expert Amazon Home Services can help you grow your business and increase your earning potential. List your skills and services on the platform and watch the service requests start rolling in.
10. Amazon Jobs
Aside from freelancing and gig work, Amazon offers a wide range of jobs across various departments and locations. They range from warehouse jobs and customer service to software development and corporate roles.
If you are a student they even have options for you to complete internships. Or if you enjoy being paid an hourly wage Amazon has plenty of opportunities no matter where you are in the world. The career portal lists job openings and provides plenty of resources for applicants.
With competitive salaries, benefits and career advancement opportunities, working for Amazon can be a rewarding way to earn an income and build a long-term career while working for one of the world’s most successful businesses. Click here to find jobs in your area.
11. ACX Audio Narrator
Amazon offers options for everyone to make money. If you prefer talking to blogging or gig work consider exploring Amazon’s ACX platform.
ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) is owned by Audible which is a subsidiary of Amazon. This is a platform that connects authors and publishers to voice talent. So if you prefer speaking and have a good storytelling voice you can be a narrator.
As a narrator, you can audition for audiobook projects listed on ACX. You will be given a pre-written book or script and tasked with bringing the story to life through voice narration.
To get started create your profile, include your background, experience and add vocal samples showcasing your range. For example, if you can speak another dialect or excel in certain genres highlight it in your profile. Then you can start auditioning and monetising your vocal talents.
You can either earn a flat project fee or royalties on each copy sold. On average you can expect to earn about $150 per hour.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making Money On Amazon Without Selling
Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about how to make money on Amazon without selling.
Is The Amazon Side Hustle Real?
In short yes, the Amazon side hustle is very real. With a vast ecosystem and many earning opportunities, Amazon provides legitimate avenues for people to make money on the side. Or even build a sustainable business.
From retail arbitrage to affiliate marketing and wholesale selling many people have successfully generated income within Amazon’s platform.
Success will vary depending on factors such as strategy and market demand. But the opportunities presented on Amazon’s platform are real and can serve as a valuable source of income for anyone who wants to start a side hustle.
Can You Actually Make Passive Income On Amazon?
Yes, passive income on Amazon is very achievable. It does take careful planning, consistent effort and strategic implementation, but it is doable.
There are many options to make passive income on Amazon such as through Amazon KDP, affiliate marketing, Amazon Influencer program and Amazon Merch. I have gone into detail about each of these options in this post.
Establishing passive income on Amazon does require some time and effort to start, but the potential for long-term earnings with minimal effort makes this an attractive option.
Final Thoughts
While selling on Amazon remains a popular choice for entrepreneurs, there are many other ways to make money within Amazon’s vast ecosystem. Whether you’re leveraging affiliate marketing, self-publishing books, providing freelance services or exploring employment opportunities Amazon offers a lot of opportunities to make money without selling.
By tapping into your skills, interests and resources you can find ways to make extra money outside of your 9 – 5 job.
I hope you have found this post helpful and now have many ideas for ways to make money on Amazon without selling. Which idea will you try? Let me know in the comments below.
This post was all about how to make money on amazon without selling.
Other Posts You May Like:
How To Make $300 Fast: 15 Quick Money Making Ideas
Davina Kelly
Hey! I'm Davina, the owner of Davinas Finance Corner. I'm passionate about finding ways to budget, save, earn more money and improve your life. After breaking free from payday loan debt and living paycheck to paycheck I want to share my experience to help other women improve their finances.