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 - It quickly calculates Amazon fees, source discounts, cash back, and shipping costs to ensure accurate profit and ROI. ... The Online Arbitrage module also includes Reverse Search.
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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 - The process of online arbitrage is simple. Here are the steps you should take: Search for discounted or clearance products on an online retail store such as Target.com or Walmart.com ... Purchase the products that sell for a higher price on Amazon (we’ll go over how to calculate profit later)
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AmzOnlineArbitrage
amzonlinearbitrage.com › infinity › asin checker › asin grabber › pricing › about us › contact us › blogs › fba calculator
online arbitrage Amazon product leads list and Amazon seller tools
Online Arbitrage Amazon is the best Amazon seller platform where our product leads list from 1000+ online stores & we are taking 1000+ deals per month.
Price   $0
Address   1550 W Evans Ave, 80223, Denver
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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 - Online arbitrage is the process of buying products from one online marketplace (often at a discount) and reselling them on another platform, like Amazon, for a profit. Unlike traditional retail or wholesale, this method doesn’t require working ...
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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 - At its core, online arbitrage on Amazon works by sourcing products from one online platform or retailer, often at a lower price, and then reselling those products at a higher price on Amazon.
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SmartScout
smartscout.com › amazon-seller-key-terms › oa-online-arbitrage
What is Online Arbitrage for Amazon Sellers?
They can change the dollar amount of Amazon products by logging into their Amazon Seller account and updating the ASIN for selling profitable products at their resale price. ... No law prohibits operating an online arbitration business as a niche for Amazon sellers who offer profitable deals ...
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Aura
goaura.com › blog › online-arbitrage-guide
Online Arbitrage: Getting Started for New Amazon Sellers (2025)
Online arbitrage applies this principle to eCommerce—you source inventory from online retailers like Walmart.com, Target.com, or other websites, then resell those products on Amazon at a higher price.
Find elsewhere
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Seller Essentials
selleressentials.com › arbitrage
Amazon Retail Arbitrage and Online Arbitrage - Seller Essentials
October 9, 2015 - Finding products in retail establishments that present an arbitrage opportunity. RA might involve spending time in retail stores while using a scanning app on your smartphone to compare prices online. This will allow you to see if you can make a profit by reselling the item on Amazon, eBay, or some other venue.
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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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Mir Saeid
mirsaaeid.com › online-arbitrage-in-canada
How to Start an Online Arbitrage in Canada? • MS Marketing
July 13, 2024 - That is where retail arbitrage comes in as a popular and profitable business model on Amazon. Many sellers have found success by leveraging this strategy. Let us explore the concept of online arbitrage in Canada, its advantages and disadvantages, popular categories, and the steps involved in it.
Call   +12898281414
Address   1396, L4X1Z7, Glen Rutley Circle
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Seller Assistant
sellerassistant.app › blog › 15-best-amazon-online-arbitrage-tools
15 Best Amazon Online Arbitrage Tools - Seller Assistant Blog
June 2, 2025 - Amazon online arbitrage tools that help sellers find profitable products, track prices, manage inventory, and scale faster with less manual work
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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 - But how do you get started without creating your own products? That’s where online arbitrage (OA) comes in. With OA, you buy products online at a low price and resell them on Amazon for a profit.
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Riverbend Consulting
riverbendconsulting.com › home › amazon › is amazon arbitrage worth it?
Mastering Amazon Arbitrage with Expert Strategies
The arbitrageur, or seller, aims ... Arbitrage (OA) involves buying products from an online retailer at a lower cost and reselling these products for a higher price point on online marketplaces....
Published   June 10, 2025
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Amazon
sellercentral.amazon.com › seller-forums › discussions › t › 04c5a9b2-dba3-4e0b-a4ef-e2cc9ee145ec
Want to start Aamzon online arbitrage
Hey @Seller_TAMpS7ojoxcj0, I strongly ... from others and what is and isn't allowed on Amazon. ... Online arbitrage as used by drop shipping sellers is strictly forbidden....
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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
If you don’t have a large budget to start an ecommerce business, then online arbitrage (aka Amazon arbitrage) can be a good way to make some short term cash and learn how to sell on Amazon at the same time.
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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 - In contrast, online arbitrage entails sourcing products from online platforms, providing a wider selection and scalability but lacking physical inspection. ... OA starts with identifying products that are priced lower on one platform than they ...
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Forceget
forceget.com › home › blog › #1 guide on amazon online arbitrage
#1 Guide on Amazon Online Arbitrage - Forceget Supply Chain Logistics
August 15, 2024 - Amazon online arbitrage entails purchasing products from online marketplaces and reselling them on Amazon for profit, leveraging Amazon's extensive customer base