I'm going to differ from others. Online arbitrage is still possible on Amazon and elsewhere, if the cost of inventory is low enough. I do 100% online arbitrage (no dropshipping of any kind). My sales are 55/25/15/5 FBA/Walmart/FBM/eBay. I mostly source from Amazon, sometimes Walmart or other retailers, and rarely from the manufacturer itself (but some of my best-selling products come from the manufacturer). I mostly sell my products at $50-200. My rule of thumb is to buy inventory for 50% or less of what I expect to sell it for, so that means paying 100. Obviously the lower the better. If I have confidence in selling an item for more than $200 I'll go above 50%. I did $300K (+25% yoy) in revenue in 2023, and ~$85K (+39% yoy) pretax profit. I prefer to focus on return on investment. That $85K came from $149K in inventory; that is, I spent $149K for the inventory that I sold in 2023, I got that $149K back, and earned $85K in addition, so a ROI of >55%. I agree with u/CoyotePuncher about this strategy not being viable for "upper level" annual sales (let's say seven figures). I'd love to prove him (and me) wrong, though! CC: u/catjuggler , u/mttl Answer from TMWNN on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/fulfillmentbyamazon › is online arbitrage still viable on amazon given buy box removal for high pricing?
r/FulfillmentByAmazon on Reddit: Is Online Arbitrage Still Viable on Amazon Given Buy Box Removal for High Pricing?
January 3, 2024 -

As someone who’s been selling through online arbitrage on Amazon for about 2 years now, I’m facing a dilemma and would appreciate your insights. Lately, Amazon seems to be actively removing the buy box for sellers if the item’s price is significantly higher than on other websites. This strategy of Amazon complicates our ability to forecast profitability.

The main issue here is the lack of clarity from Amazon regarding the maximum price threshold before they decide to remove the buy box. This uncertainty makes each purchase a risk, potentially leading to razor-thin margins, breaking even, or even losses. I’ve purchased products before that seemed promising only to have Amazon remove the buy box until I brought it down to a price that led to a loss.

Given these circumstances, I’m questioning the feasibility of continuing with OA on Amazon. How are you all managing this situation? Do you still find OA on Amazon to be a viable strategy?

Eager to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Top answer
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I'm going to differ from others. Online arbitrage is still possible on Amazon and elsewhere, if the cost of inventory is low enough. I do 100% online arbitrage (no dropshipping of any kind). My sales are 55/25/15/5 FBA/Walmart/FBM/eBay. I mostly source from Amazon, sometimes Walmart or other retailers, and rarely from the manufacturer itself (but some of my best-selling products come from the manufacturer). I mostly sell my products at $50-200. My rule of thumb is to buy inventory for 50% or less of what I expect to sell it for, so that means paying $25-$100. Obviously the lower the better. If I have confidence in selling an item for more than $200 I'll go above 50%. I did $300K (+25% yoy) in revenue in 2023, and ~$85K (+39% yoy) pretax profit. I prefer to focus on return on investment. That $85K came from $149K in inventory; that is, I spent $149K for the inventory that I sold in 2023, I got that $149K back, and earned $85K in addition, so a ROI of >55%. I agree with u/CoyotePuncher about this strategy not being viable for "upper level" annual sales (let's say seven figures). I'd love to prove him (and me) wrong, though! CC: u/catjuggler , u/mttl
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A big part of OA is finding stuff that’s discontinued, rare, or hard to find. For example, a limited run flavor of Coke. In those cases, buy box isn’t necessary, people will buy it anyway. If you aren’t able to sell something unless you have buy box, it just wasn’t a good product with enough demand or constricted enough supply. Dropshippers are the biggest threat. They can instantly list on Amazon the entire catalog of Walmart.com at razor thin margins, leaving zero opportunity for regular old OA. Is OA viable? Only if you’re creative. Create multipacks and bundles, create your own Amazon listings, run ads, predict supply shortages and demand increases. Competitors and dropshippers aren’t doing any of that. They’re doing things in a “lazy” way and refusing to do anything outside the box.
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Tactical Arbitrage
tacticalarbitrage.com › home
#1 Online Arbitrage Sourcing Software for Amazon FBA | Tactical Arbitrage
August 7, 2024 - Pinpoint opportunities to efficiently narrow down your more in-depth sourcing. Tactical Arbitrage provides historical Buy Box prices and sales rank data in an interactive graph for each product. Gain insights that help you buy confidently and stay ahead of the curve. Dive deeper into arbitrage with detailed data on competitor stock levels and similar Amazon FBA listings.
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Aura
goaura.com › blog › online-arbitrage-guide
Online Arbitrage: Getting Started for New Amazon Sellers (2025)
Here's your step-by-step roadmap to go from setup to first sale. Your online arbitrage journey begins with creating an Amazon seller account. While you can start with an Individual account, serious sellers should invest in a Professional Seller Account ($39.99/month). Here's why the upgrade is essential: ... The single most important decision for online arbitrage profitability? Enrolling in Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).
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Jungle Scout
junglescout.com › resources › articles › online-arbitrage-guide
How to Make Money on Amazon with Online Arbitrage in 2024
November 6, 2024 - You can even ship your inventory to FBA with the box you receive your order in! Source from thousands of sites. With online arbitrage, the possibilities are endless. There are thousands of online retail stores where you can find profitable inventory to resell on Amazon.
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AmzScout
amzscout.net › blog › how to start an online arbitrage
Amazon Online Arbitrage Business: A 5-Step Guide to Start in 2025
September 8, 2025 - What is online arbitrage? Learn how to run a successful online Amazon arbitrage business and make money. Find out how to discover product ideas and get the best websites for sourcing products.
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Udemy
udemy.com › business › e-commerce › amazon fba
Free Amazon FBA Tutorial - Online Arbitrage Beginner To Full Time - Amazon FBA Training | Udemy
In this course, we look at effective ways to do research online, from the comfort of your home, so that you can find products are in hot demand on Amazon. I show you how to track products and prices so that you never miss a good opportunity to make a profit. When you complete this course, you will have a complete understanding of the Online Arbitrage business model and you will have the skills to consistently find profitable products that you can resell on Amazon for massive profits.
Rating: 4.4 ​ - ​ 564 votes
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Seller Snap
sellersnap.io › home › things to know when starting online arbitrage for amazon
Things To Know When Starting Online Arbitrage For Amazon - Seller Snap
June 10, 2025 - STEP 1: Search for a product on other platforms or a trusted online marketplace to resell. Ensure that the product you purchase is sold for less than what it sells on Amazon. STEP 2: Once you find products from other online stores that you can ...
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SageMailer
sagemailer.com › blog › amazon selling tips › how to make money on amazon with online arbitrage in 2025
Amazon Online Arbitrage - Make Money in 2025 | SageMailer
May 19, 2025 - Create a Seller Central account for Amazon; select a professional account if you plan to sell more than 40 products monthly; Sign up for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) if you plan to use their services.
Find elsewhere
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Helium 10
helium10.com › home › blog › online arbitrage on amazon: everything you need to know
Online Arbitrage on Amazon: Everything You Need to Know | Helium 10
January 4, 2024 - On the other hand, a successful online arbitrage business can be conducted from anywhere with internet access, offering unparalleled convenience. Resellers virtually search for profitable deals, discounts, or price discrepancies on websites without the need for physical store visits. Inventory handling options include using fulfillment services like Amazon FBA, which handles storage and shipping, or fulfilling orders themselves (Fulfilled By Merchant – FBM).
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Seller Assistant
sellerassistant.app › blog › how-to-find-profitable-products-to-sell-on-amazon
How to Find Profitable Products for Amazon Online Arbitrage - Seller Assistant Blog
July 2, 2025 - By using this FBA and FBM product sourcing software, you can easily identify products that have the potential to be sold well on Amazon. Automated bulk sourcing – also known as supplier-to-Amazon sourcing – is a high-leverage method for online arbitrage sellers who either don’t yet have ...
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MyWifeQuitHerJob
mywifequitherjob.com › how to sell on amazon › amazon business models › a guide to online arbitrage on amazon and how to get started
A Guide To Online Arbitrage On Amazon And How To Get Started
There are 3 ways to do online arbitrage but one of the ways below is against Amazon’s terms of service. Use Amazon FBA – To leverage Amazon FBA, you first have the products you buy online shipped to your home.
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Jungle Scout
junglescout.com › resources › articles › amazon-retail-arbitrage
Amazon Retail Arbitrage: How to Resell Products on Amazon in 2024
November 6, 2024 - When you choose the FBA option, the app will automatically add the listing into Seller Central for you. All you need to do then is create an FBA shipment so your listing offer can go live. This is the easier way to list your retail arbitrage ...
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SmartScout
smartscout.com › amazon-seller-key-terms › oa-online-arbitrage
What is Online Arbitrage for Amazon Sellers?
Amazon arbitrageurs employ various strategies to outsmart the retail giant, such as buying products in bulk and selling them individually on Amazon. FBA sellers can often find undervalued items that are also popular for retail arbitrage. ... Retail arbitrage involves an arbitrageur looking for products that sell at a lower price online and buying them in bulk.
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Fasttrackfba
fasttrackfba.com › blog › b › my-top-2-amazon-online-arbitrage-sourcing-methods
My Top 2 Amazon Online Arbitrage Sourcing Methods
It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes for competitors to update their prices, so an hour is enough time to observe any changes. Keep in mind that this approach is not suitable for long-term use but it is a good way to learn. In Fast Track FBA, we utilize a chrome extension tool to streamline the deal analysis process.
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Actorio
actorio.com › home › mastering online arbitrage on amazon: a beginner’s guide
Mastering Online Arbitrage on Amazon: A Beginner’s Guide - Actorio
January 9, 2025 - Online arbitrage can be very profitable if done correctly. The key lies in finding the right products to resell. ... Product Selection: Not every product will make money. You need to find items with high demand, low competition, and enough margin to cover Amazon’s fees and shipping costs. Amazon Fees: Amazon takes a portion of your sales through referral fees and FBA ...
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Amazon
sellercentral.amazon.com › seller-forums › discussions › t › f5a40d64-8c2a-4eb7-8fe6-c9730bcadd5a
Retail Arbitrage
You need to start a relationship with a valid supplier/distributor and find something that isn't already saturated in the marketplace. Most brands have pulled back allowances for Amazon sales. ... Amazon requires invoice/s for all units which been proceed through FBA or FBM for the past 365 days.
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AMZ PREP
amzprep.com › oa
Amazon Online Arbitrage - AMZ Prep
January 2, 2020 - Let us be the back-end for your re-seller Amazon online arbitrage business to manage, prepare and manage shipments to Amazon FBA warehouses.
Address   9 Van Der Graaf Ct, L6T 5E5, 1st fl UNIT 1,
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Amazon
amazon.com › online-arbitrage › s
Amazon.com: Online Arbitrage
Dropshipping: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Make Money Online And Build A Passive Income Stream Using The Dropshipping Business Model (Business & Money) · Tribe Of Arbitragers: Short Arbitrage Advice From Successful Online Sellers: (Online Arbitrage, Retail Arbitrage, Books, Wholesale, Amazon ...
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M19
m19.com › blog › amazon-retail-arbitrage
Amazon Online Arbitrage: How to Resell Products in 2025 - m19
Fulfillment: Choosing between Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or self-fulfillment (FBM) to store and ship products to customers. Profit Calculation: Factoring in all costs, including purchase price, Amazon fees, and shipping, to determine the final profit margin. ... Online arbitrage is one of several popular business models for selling on Amazon, each with its own advantages and challenges.