This is a quick post on choosing an Amazon brand name, as opposed to my usual long posts. I hope to alleviate confusion and frustration for beginners.

Amazon Brand Name – Expensive vs Cheap

There is an expensive way to find the ideal Amazon seller brand name, which is through SquadHelp. Honestly, this saves a lot of time, as hundreds of people from around the world will do the brainstorming for you.

Now it’s likely you’re starting with limited capital but have some time to spare for brainstorming. At the same time, you don’t want to waste weeks thinking about it. If that’s you, then I hope this guide is of great use.

Consider your product base

Your product base should be consistent with your brand name to a degree. Nike, for example, has no relevance with shoes, but it does sound good. Gaiam, however, does suggest that this is a yoga brand.

Having a brand name with Smith Importing would be a terrible idea. A generic name could be The Smith Collective or Smith & Reynolds. Narrowing down, Smith Sports or a play-on-words could be Smithison.

Use non-dictionary words

I prefer looking at non-dictionary words. If your brand name has two words, then one of the words can be a usual dictionary words. For example, Manaashe Candles. ‘Manaashe’ doesn’t mean anything, whilst ‘Candles’ is very descriptive.

Also consider international dictionary words. If you’re looking for a Scandanavian name, then this is an excellent idea. I look for typical English words, then throw them into Google Translate.

The importance of trademarks

These two points raised above have been mentioned for the main purpose of trademarking. It’s challenging to trademark dictionary words or those which could create a brand/product confusion. For example, Jensen Jewellery suggests that you’re selling jewellery, yet you’re selling water taps?

Getting a trademark on your Amazon brand name is a very wise idea to stop listing hijackers. This process with the USPTO takes up to 12 months and up to several thousand dollars, so getting the brand name right is paramount. Even if you find the ideal brand name, your attorney may still reject it, as she did for my previous brand name.

Consistency with other brands

Remember that your brand name, and particular your logo, needs to have consistency in your marketplace. At the same time, it should also stand out too.

Go into any sports and outdoor store, or just jump on Anaconda, and you’ll see how connected they are. The brand names and logos speak out outdoors, mountaineering and adventures. Whilst you don’t want to copy or mimic another brand name, seek to get close.

Consider international markets

There are more places to sell goods than just in the United States via Amazon. The UK, for example, has almost just as much buyer volume.

Your brand name now needs to not to mean something strange or simply naughty in another popular language such as French, Spanish or German. How can you find out? Hire someone off Upwork for $50.

Lastly, take the time needed

Whilst I’ve written this guide as a way to (hopefully) reduce the time it takes to find that ideal brand name, you don’t need to rush to find the brand name in the first 5 minutes. My 2nd brand took almost 2 weeks and thousands of names, before deciding on a play on words. The first thing I did was check the USPTO website.

You may wish to consider Squadhelp if you’re still stuck. Their pricing is quite reasonable and you’ll get thrown literally hundreds of unique words that are relevant.

My last piece of advice would always be to communicate with an attorney. Pay for that 1 hour of consulting time, as it will save your backside in the long run. Trust me.

They’ll be able to tell you whether your brand name has a good chance of trademarking before you spend thousands on the product and packaging. This is one mistake I did which is now costing me a lot of time and money to have branding re-done.

The bigger picture

In closing, this Amazon journey is a long one. Choosing your brand name is one critical component, but is one of many things to consider too. You may wish to run with a generic brand name, for now, simply to get yourself live before choosing a more official and trademark-official name.

This might be a frustration step. I know – it was for me. “Will people like it?” was something I questioned often. It’s wise to get feedback from friends, family or your Mastermind.

See these Amazon brain-storming sessions as a part of the bigger picture. You won’t be making money on Amazon in 5 minutes. It took me almost 18 months to make my first $1. Just another process you’ll have to go through on this journey, one that reduces competition as many people aren’t willing to do the work.

For many beginners, you’ll have no need for a 2nd Amazon seller account just yet. But for some who have already gone live, another account can be helpful.

There are advantages including reducing risk (as you’ll sell in separate categories) plus maximizing sales volume and velocity. Some sellers also opt to do a joint-venture in their 2nd account with another person, for better cash and time management.

In this post, I’ll explain quickly how I did it successfully, through their own process, without getting myself banned.

2nd Amazon seller account: Follow these steps

Firstly, to get a 2nd Amazon seller account, you’ll need to ask Amazon first for permission. Otherwise you risk getting your 1st and 2nd account shutdown.

Aim to satisfy the following criteria:

• Always sell your new products in a different Amazon category
• Have no relevance in the product type to your existing account
• Create a new company or business structure with no resemblance
• Show some samples of your existing or proposed new branded products
• Open a bank account with the new business credentials
• Have an email adddress resembling the details of the new business

So effectively, I needed a different company, selling different products, to a different audience, with different email and bank account details.

In my old account I am selling homewares. Joshua @ reallycoolkitchengoods dot com is my email.

In my new account, I am selling sports and outdoor goods. Joshua @awesomelyoutdoors dot com is my email.

*Of course fictional brand names. I have a strong financial interest in both businesses to protect. 🙂 But certainly those categories are real.

So I nervously applied to Amazon one morning. I added ‘high priority‘ to my support ticket, which of course, wasn’t that high priority. But I didn’t care – I needed this to be seen by a human, not a robot.

I then checked my email again that evening after just 12 hours. Low and behold – they said yes!

*Cue moment of massive relief* 😇

I was literally up shit-creek if they said no. After all, I had already paid a 30% deposit for a $22,000 order. My new products have no resemblance to my old products. Different audience, different interests. Like chalk and cheese.

Shopify and eBay just aren’t reliable options for me at this time, as I require Amazon’s vast traffic for the high sell-through rate that I was looking to achieve.

My straight forward advice

Follow their process to a Tee. Don’t deviate. Amazon IS the boss here. They have their own policies and procedures, and in this case, it’s to stop rogue sellers from tarnishing their brand.

Despite your attempts, you might find that you don’t get approved the first time. You can appeal that decision, though as that experience I thankfully didn’t experience, I can’t provide any guidance in this part.

There are blackhat ways to open a 2nd Amazon seller account but I would highly advise against going down this path. The effort of having a new phone number, new internet connection and a new computer for the sole objective of ‘isolating’ yourself from your existing business is absurd. Amazon does give just about everyone permission to have 2 Amazon selling accounts, provided you follow their process.

I’ve had no problems in signing into each account on the same computer, using the same internet connection. Sales come through on both accounts daily, though I’ve noticed the app for Android to be a little delayed in the stats.

Amazon does have 2-factor authentication as standard for professional sellers now. I do have 2 mobile phones (one business, one person, but they’re really both business) so I’ve allocated a phone number for each account. I’m not sure if you can have 2 accounts with the single phone number.

My next step is trademarking. The new account is under the trademark application in both the US and the UK. The old account is about to begin its trademarking process. Exciting times ahead!

In closing

As I mentioned at the beginning, beginners will find it best to stick with 1 seller account for their first year or two, just like you don’t need to trademark before going live.

At this time, it is 3.5 years since I started this journey. In fact, I had that Amazon account for 7 years, as it is my buying account too. So I guess they had a sense that I’m a trustworthy person.

I’m really looking forward to the growth in this 2nd Amazon account. That said, I don’t want to neglect the original account either. I have big things planned for both, with clearly defined customer avatars.

As usual, if you have any questions, then drop them below. I’ll do my best to help you out!

So you’ve joined a course and now you’re eager to jump into their Amazon Facebook Group. But wait! There is an etiquette that you need to adhere to.

I’ve been apart of a few Facebook groups for Amazon sellers for several years now. There is a range of people that are in there, from all walks of life and in varying stages of the journey. But you need to be wise with your questions. Data in, data out.

Amazon Facebook Group etiquette

You’ll find a goldmine of information within certain groups. Especially those attached with high-level courses. But don’t rush in guns blazing, expecting everyone to bend over backwards when you’ve just joined.

You see, Facebook groups for beginner Amazon sellers aren’t a free-for-all. Many of them have guidelines that Bob (today’s character) can’t figure out.

So let’s look at 10 things that Bob should never ask in a Facebook group. And in case you’re wondering, I’ve seen all of these in my journey.

1. “Hey all – what are the best products to sell on Amazon to make quick profits?”

Yeah, no. Bob – you’ve missed the mark here mate. Jump into the course content, then jump into Amazon research. No one else is going to find the gold for you.

Stuck for product ideas? Go into shopping centers, into big box stores and gift shops. Look these up on Amazon and get yourself some real experience. This is how I still find products even today. It’s pretty straight-forward.

2. “How do I create an Amazon seller account? Is it easy to do?

This is too basic. Go to this magical whizbang tool called Google, and type in ‘Amazon Seller Central’ and set up an account. From there, choose the free plan. Both the course and Amazon has tutorials if you’re stuck. You don’t have to pay the professional plan unless you’re selling 40+ units per month.

Be resourceful young padawan. Joining an Amazon Facebook Group isn’t your spoon-feeding machine. You need to respect the members in there, some of which have years of experience.

3. “I’ve just joined the course yesterday and I’m looking for a Mastermind of experienced Amazon sellers to pick their brains.”

Woah! Hold on there Bob. You can’t go from 0 to 180km/h. I mean, you just joined the course yesterday. This is a fast way to lose respect in any community.

The best way to join a Mastermind is to create one yourself and lead it all the way. Best of all, with people who are right next to you on the journey. You’ll struggle to grasp concepts of experienced sellers like me anyway, at least until you’re live and selling.

4. “Is Amazon becoming too competitive? My brother in law reckons it is”

Yes, Bob, it’s too competitive on Amazon. Your question is providing lots of value here. Please get a refund on the course that you’ve just bought and continue on your merry way.

For the rest of you, there’s still plenty of opportunities here. Especially for those who are creative and can innovate. It’s easy to outwork the competition who are delivering average products to a hungry market. And the quitters. There are many quitters. 🙃

And if you think, like Bob’s brother in law, that it’s too competitive, then please sit on the sidelines and watch the game.

5. “I’m talking to a factory but they can’t speak clear English!! How do they expect to do business with us westerners.”

Bob, mate, they’ve been doing business with western countries for more than 40 years now. More than 70% of products found in 1st world countries comes from China. Back then the language limitations were significantly higher. How did they manage? Translators.

Today, Chinese > English translators are a becoming extinct. Many suppliers have a basic amount of conversational English. Keep it simple and they will most likely understand your questions and requests. I’ve found them very responsive via WeChat.

China is evolving rapidly, with English becoming more mainstream. Their lack of English is our advantage. At least, for now. Your complaints add no value to an Amazon Facebook Group anyway, Bob.

6. “My factory has made my product and it’s ready to ship, but I’m not sure about it? They sent a few photos and that’s all. What do I do?”

Did you not go through the entire course? You know – that module on suppliers and shipping. Yeah, that one. Where they discussed how to get your products audited by 3rd party inspectors. Best you go do that.

Secondly, why not just jump on a plane and see for yourself? From Australia at least, you can go return for less than $700. 2 nights in a hotel ($240) and some taxis ($50) means that, for less than $1,000, you’ll sleep better at night sending your 1st shipment to Amazon.

7. “Who has failed at Amazon? I think there are a lot more failures than success stories that these courses promote.”

Bob, there are very few, if any, failures. Because these students invested in a course, to massively reduce the likelihood of failure. Is this your excuse for not making progress? Your vendetta against course creators?

What I will tell you is, that there are lots of people who give up. Many just aren’t cut out for this. It’s a lonely journey but has some excellent rewards (not just financial) for those who play the long game and don’t give. Really – this sounds like another complaint from you, Bob. Did you get that refund yet?

8. “I’ve got $400 saved up to launch a product. How do you think I’ll go?”

You won’t go anywhere. Amazon businesses require capital, with $5,000 minimum. $10,000 is better. This isn’t a game for cheap people. Remember how I discussed about those who quit the Amazon journey?

You’ll need capital, Bob. If you don’t have it, find a way to save some (without borrowing) with a 2nd job or otherwise, so you can get started properly. Have you heard about those mega-successes? They started with a large amount of capital, not $5 in their back-pocket.

9. “I’m looking for phone mentoring to help me through the journey but I have no money to pay. Any suggestions?”

Ummm, delete your post? Since mentors and coaches don’t work for free. Real mentoring costs money. I would charge $95 USD per hour for phone support, but quite frankly, I don’t have enough time with the projects I have on. Most Amazon sellers who become coaches are north of $100 USD per hour.

At the same time, most people don’t need mentoring until they’ve finished a full course anyway, done some product research and ordered at least 1 sample. You’ll learn a shit-ton from that experience alone. Be resourceful with what you have.

10. “How quick do you think I can get to $100,000 per year? I really need to get out of my job now.”

How big is a piece of string? How much starting capital do you have, Bob? Sounds like you have very little. If that’s the case, Amazon isn’t right for you at this time.

I would always advocate that you focus on finding the right job first before starting this journey. Before quitting my job, I had a great job with 2 awesome bosses and we all respected each other. This made it significantly easier to build my Amazon business in the evenings and weekends. I actually miss my old job at times. I mean, really.

Amazon isn’t a get-rich-quick gig or a way to quit your job in 1 month, despite what anyone tells you. This takes work. Expect 2 to 3 years, but likely longer, before you can quit your job. Assuming, Bob, that you have some decent starting capital, which doesn’t sound like you have just yet.

Final thoughts on ‘Bob’

I’ve been tough on Bob. I don’t think he likes me anymore. See – this Amazon selling gig isn’t right for everyone. Some people come on board with misguided expectations. They believe that people will find a winning product for them or simply spoon-feed information that is found in Amazon courses.

Amazon groups have a search box. You’ll likely find that your question has been answered before, if you haven’t yet found it in the course.

Amazon courses all have varying degrees of content, student support, success stories and updates. I’ve actualy provided my readers with a regularly updated list of Amazon courses that are ideal for beginners.

Yet, these are just tools. It’s the student, more than the teacher, that is going to drive this forward. Where does that start? Mindset. I’m fortunate that my personal development journey started almost 10 years ago. I used to be a bit like Bob. Today, we’re at opposite ends of the spectrum.

You might not be ready for Amazon yet. But if you are, don’t be like Bob. Respect the Amazon Facebook group that you find yourself in. For within it, you’ll be respected resourceful and find opportunities that others won’t.

More importantly, play the long game. I’ve been in one group for almost 4 years. Who has the most respect? The students who have been posting real value consistently from Day 1. And guess who’s first in line for joint-venture opportunities? You guessed it.

A real pain-point of new FBA sellers is the constant startup expenses, hence why many seek cheap Amazon photos. I’ve found some affordable options.

In this post, I’ll be quickly sharing my experiences towards how I’ve been able to achieve a reasonably high-quality photo reel on my listings, without breaking the bank. For less than $100 USD, I have great quality photos on one of my listings.

Yes, I have also used professional photo studios. They are expensive, and I understand that not everyone has a huge amount of capital in their early stages of building an Amazon business. I do hope you find some value in this guide.

Let’s begin.

Use your smart phone

You’ll be surprised at the power of your smart phone to produce very high quality photos. Whilst I do have an impressive camera, I’ve chosen to use my smart phone to take the majority of my photos. Uploading my photos to Amazon is simply easier.

I would recommend that you upgrade if you’re using a phone that is 2+ years old. Check with your accountant, as you may be able to get a tax deduction on this.

Cost: $0 if you already have a newish phone.

The sink / bathtub method

This is a little-known trick. You don’t need an expensive photography studio who charges $400 per hour. Nope. Just your sink, or preferably, your bathtub and some good lighting.

Don’t have a bath? You can hire a hotel for $120 per night which has a white porcelain bath, and this is especially handy if you’ve got 20+ products to photograph. That porcelain white is quite vibrant, so be sure to not catch reflective light with your photos.

Cost: $0 if you have a bathtub already

Purchase a white table cloth

If you don’t have a bathtub, or you’re not comfortable with this idea, then I’ve also done the white table cloth trick. Find a well-lit room with natural light and place your product on the white table cloth.

Generally speaking, the product should pop out quite well. I found this trick to work very well with darker items (black, brown, dark red etc) as the colours are in polarity.

Cost: $20 at your local homewares shop

Purchase a cheap Amazon photo kit

There are kits on eBay and Amazon that can give you a decent amount of lighting if natural lighting is insufficient for you. Simply look up ‘studio lighting kit’ or similar.

I would recommend 2 lights minimum. These also take up quite a bit of space even when packed away, so not a good idea for those with limited storage such as the laptop lifestyle crowd.

Cost: $99 with coupon codes including delivery.

More lifestyle shots, less studio

Whilst we’re all looking for the perfect ‘money shot’ which is the #1 image that customers see with the white background, many sellers think their remaining photo reel needs to be perfect. It doesn’t. You don’t even need to have them done in the studio.

Consider outdoor shots on the grass, in the forest or at the beach if you have a product that suits this scenary. Alternatively, those selling kitchen goods on Amazon can rent an upmarket Airbnb for a couple of hours to take high quality photos straight from the iPhone.

Cost: $0 to $80.

Use cheap software tools

Whilst you may be unhappy because your ‘white background’ isn’t all that white initially, there are plenty of software offers that can clean up the background so that your product pops.

Background Burner, for example, does a good job. Their professional plan for eCommerce sellers is quite affordable too, especially if you need to process lots of photos.

Cost: $0 (free version) to $54 (annual version with 20 photos monthly)

In summary

Selling on Amazon is an expensive and some-what risk exercise, as many sellers are realizing. These minimal costs for cheap Amazon photos, luckily, are just something that you’ll inherit once.

There are professional studios that charge $1,000+ for a full photo reel. You don’t need to spend that much unless you have the capital available and want to dominate your category.

Many people are still have low quality photos on Amazon. Your photos are the closest that your customer will ever get to your product, so ensure they are as high quality as possible. Consider upgrading to a professional standard once you’ve got some decent sales volume under your belt.