Are Amazon FBA Courses Worth it? + FREE Resources
I first heard about Amazon FBA when an advert for a course popped up on YouTube. The ad really captivated me, so I began researching everything about the business model.
I quickly found that the space is dominated by ‘gurus’ selling their expensive online courses that will guarantee you success and riches. However, skeptical me decided to learn how to do it via blogs, Reddit and free YouTube videos.
I’m certainly no expert however, I have months where I make more from Amazon FBA than I do my day job, having never paid a penny for any course. This begs the question, are Amazon FBA courses worth it?
No, they are absolutely not worth it. Everything you need to know about Amazon FBA can be learned via free YouTube videos and blogs. The only benefit you will receive by paying for a course is the extra impetus to work hard purely because you’ve parted with good money for it.
Does this mean that these Gurus are uninformed fraudsters? Not necessarily, most seem to have some good information, just don’t pay for it – use what they publish for free!
Hopefully, I’ve persuaded you not to waste your money.
Instead, here’s a collection of the very best free resources that I used to learn the ins and outs. Everything you need is here, if you have any further questions, just leave me a comment and I will get back to you.
Why You Don’t Need to Take Amazon FBA Classes
While Amazon FBA classes can be an effective way to learn the basics of selling on Amazon, they are not necessary for success. There are a variety of free resources available, such as YouTube videos and blog posts, that provide invaluable information about the FBA process. Additionally, Helium 10 offers a range of tutorials and webinars, as well as its X-Ray tool, which can help you easily analyze product data and find the right products. The most important thing to remember is to do your research and stay up to date on the latest Amazon FBA trends and strategies. With the right preparation, sellers can become successful on Amazon without the need for expensive classes.
Best Amazon FBA blogs
Best Amazon FBA YouTube channels
The Amazing Seller – Scott has the very best podcast around in my opinion however, he has recently started a YouTube channel too. Lots of FBA content here, mixed in with brand building, mind set and general ecom chat. There are lots of plugs for his own training however, the free content is more than enough to learn from.
Tanner J Fox – One of the original ‘gurus’ who offered an expensive training course. I can’t comment on the course however, there is value to be taken from his earlier videos including live Q&A’s which answer many of the simple queries new sellers may have.
Jonny Bradley (UK) – I’ve followed Jonny since his first YouTube video, his channel documents a great Amazon journey from newbie to trainer. There is value to be found in his longer videos particularly. He is also the only person I know to publish a case study that reveals his product during the process, a water bottle – surrounding content is definitely worth a watch.
Helium 10 – They make the best software for Amazon sellers (as of 2020), but they also release news, case studies, and podcasts on their channel for free which are useful. Have a watch of their 7 part series about Project X, I guarantee you will learn things.
Kevin David – Another old-timer in the Amazon FBA world. He has courses available which get mixed reviews. However, there seems to be little in the course that isn’t available on his channel for free. I would recommend the more analytical videos from Kevin, things like keyword research and listing creation. I recently did a deep dive on Kevin and wrote an extended article about him and his courses: Kevin David Net Worth | Con artist or genius?
Brock Johnson – Brock made his riches selling solar eclipse glasses. He is very facts/stats driven and this shows in his no-nonsense approach to finding products to serve niches with demand. Take a look at his product research videos to get a good idea of what thought processes you should go through when choosing yours.
Jungle Scout – JS make very good software for Amazon FBA, I couldn’t operate without the JS chrome extension they offer. Their YouTube and blog have some nice basic tutorials for most things. Check out their Million Dollar Case Studies (about 6 hours of content each). They show the whole process from product research to launching and advertising – essential viewing.
Seth Kniep – Lots of self-promotion for his coaching services however, there is some reasonable value from his FBA content. Latest videos seem quite click baity and wishy washy – a bit like my adjective selection. Find out more about Seth Kniep in our blog post here.
Dylan Reed (UK) – A newer channel showing the basics pretty well. Seems to be emulating the ‘guru’ style with a course to promote however, reasonable guidance can be taken from his free content.
JT Franco – Similar to Dylan, these guys have some reasonable content but seems to be tarnished with self-promotion. Look for the videos with Nick (blonde hair), he knows what he is talking about.
Best Amazon FBA tools
Jungle Scout Chrome Extension – Great tool available for product research with a one-time fee, which means you don’t get raped by ongoing subscription fees!! However, I think the price has gone up recently.
Keepa – Extension that embeds into Amazon product pages. It gives you most importantly the product sales rank history. This allows you to see how well the product has been selling over time – not just its current status (really important for picking a successful product). Keepa used to be free but unfortunately, now you have to pay monthly for the privilege. (Edit 2020: unfortunately no longer free).
Helium 10 – The best software package available at current is offered by Helium 10. The features of both Keepa and the Jungle Scout Chrome Extension are included in the Helium 10 subscription, thus I recommend just paying for Helium 10. You can use H10 for free each month with limited uses. Once these run out, use the free trial, and once that runs out, you can use my discount to get 50% off the first paying month. This is the most cost-effective way to do it. Read my in-depth review of the software here.
TransferWise – The best way of paying suppliers. It’s the cheapest and safest service I’ve found after many years. It very cleverly uses a network of banks in different countries to sidestep currency conversion fees – don’t be persuaded to pay any other way. My Full guide and review here: The ULTIMATE TransferWise Review | How Does it Work | TransferWise vs PayPal vs Revolut
Best Reddit subs and posts
(Update: I’ve recently made a whole article about reddit communities to follow and great posts to read.)
r/FulfillmentByAmazon – The best FBA sub for sellers with 60K plus members. Loads of content with weekly Q&A threads for simple questions, AMA’s (ask me anything) from very successful individuals and a pretty friendly community on the whole.
Some top posts within the sub:
r/AmazonSeller – Smaller sub with 8K members, worth a look from time to time.
r/ecommerce – Good 50k sub with general ecom information including dropshipping, affiliate marketing, Amazon FBA etc.
r/Entrepreneur – Massive 560k sub with a huge range of topics, very little FBA content but interesting reading.
Best Amazon FBA Podcasts
The Amazing Seller – The best Podcast with hundreds of great FBA episodes, newer content is focussed towards brand building which is great too. The ‘Ask Scott’ episodes keep a solid stream of interesting and relevant questions to be answered.
Seth Kniep – Primarily FBA based with more general ecom content and advertising too.
Kevin David – Entrepreneur advice and motivation, smaller amounts of FBA content. A fairly young guy but offers great, mature insights from an analytical perspective.
Best Amazon FBA Course for Beginners
If you are looking for a free Amazon FBA courses for beginners, there are a few options available.
Best Amazon FBA Courses:
- Udemy’s “FREE Amazon FBA Course For Beginners – 2023 Private Label” provides 4-5 hours of material and covers topics such as product research, setting up your Amazon seller account, and generating reviews.
- Helium 10 offers webinars and tutorials to help you understand the process of selling on Amazon.
- The “How to Start an Amazon FBA Store on a tight budget” ebook course is also a great option, providing step-by-step guidance to help you build a successful Amazon FBA business.
Dominate Amazon Course Review
Dominate Amazon is an online course and membership program targeted to Amazon sellers who are looking to increase their profits and grow their businesses. It is an 8-week course, with each week focusing on a specific topic, such as market research, pricing strategy, and product launch. Additionally, the membership program offers access to additional resources, such as best practice guides, webinars, and live Q&A sessions with the Dominate Amazon team. Overall, if you really want to signup for a paid course Dominate Amazon is a good course and membership program for Amazon sellers.
Amazon.com Helpful Content
Below are some useful videos provided by Amazon themselves regarding getting your inventory to the fulfillment centre – essential viewing for first-timers.
- Setting up a amazon seller account – must read free guide on how to setup your amazon seller account
- How FBA Works
- FBA Prep Tutorials
- FBA Labeling Tutorials
- FBA Packing Tutorials
Parting thoughts
I may shift most of this into a ‘resources’ style page which may be easier to find. However, I hope all this content is enough to persuade you that buying courses just isn’t worth the money.
An expensive course may give you a kick up the backside and the accountability to push you into starting. For example the Amazing Selling Machine course costs $4,997!! But I’d wager if you need that, you likely won’t have the motivation required to continue to run the business in the future. Something to think about if this sounds like you!
If I had to pick my top resources (not including this!), in no order they would be:
- Podcast – The Amazing Seller Podcast
- Reddit – r/FulfillmentByAmazon Sub
- YouTube – Jonny Bradley/Brock Johnson/Jungle Scout/Tanner J Fox (early videos)
- Software – Helium 10
Now get learning and doing!
Take care,
More helpful Amazon Content:
- How Does Alibaba Work? Complete Beginners Guide
- Amazon Review Not Showing up – easy solution
- Does Amazon FBA work? BEST Products to Sell and Why
- Amazon FBA Product Research in 2019 – A guide for all skill levels
- The BEST Way to Remove and Deter Hijackers from your Amazon Listing
- The ULTIMATE TransferWise Review | How Does it Work | TransferWise vs PayPal vs Revolut
9 Replies to “Are Amazon FBA Courses Worth it? + FREE Resources”
Thanks for this Info, I was about to pick a course, maybe with this info on this page I don’t need to
Hi Dom,I can’t thank you enough for this amazing content,it’s extremely helpful,I understand the principles of FBA as a business but I’m struggling to get my head around the simple things like difference between being wholesale and private label,could you suggest anywhere I can learn the basics? Thank you
Thank you so much for this info. I was sucked into the advertising videos and was quoted… Wait for it… £12,000 for their VIP Elite programme! Shocking. I decided that surely if these two overly excited puppies could learn what is needed, I too could do the same and came across you.
Hi Hannah,
It certainly sounds dubious at the least that anyone could receive £12,000 worth of value from such products!
No problems, glad to offer a different perspective on it.
Take care!
Dom., Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to share all of this information.
I too was about to take a course, but vacillated on learning on my own…and then I ran across this page of yours. So, thank you. I haven’t even begun yet, but now I know where to start.
===============
Geoffrey USA
You’re welcome, good luck!
Thank you so much. I appreciate all the information as I was just checking out Kevin David because he kept popping when I was watching YouTube. So glad I found you as I am super interested in Amazon FBA and I am a total newbie. I’m sure it will take me quite a bit of time to go through everything you have listed, but you have given some great resources to check out. Thank you again and have a super day. 🙂
You’re welcome, good luck!
Thanks for posting this,
Thanks for the resources!!
I bought an amazon course and it’s true I feel like it’s NOT WORTH THE MONEY.
The only thing it did was really motivate me to get started on selling on Amazon FBA and stop being lazy. (Because of what I invested) so of course I’m gonna go in there and DO IT!!
Once again, thanks.
And I wish I read this before buying the course.