Choose Smartly: Affiliate Marketing vs Amazon FBA

March 29, 2023

Written By SAMRUDHA SALVI  |  Amazon  |  0 Comments

Are you considering selling products online? It can be a daunting task to decide between affiliate marketing vs Amazon FBA. Both models have their pros and cons, so it’s essential to do your research before deciding which one is right for you.

In this blog post, we will explore the differences between these two methods of selling goods on the internet, as well as discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with each model.

By taking a closer look at both affiliate marketing and Amazon FBA, you'll gain an understanding of how they compare in terms of cost-effectiveness and convenience—so that by the end, you can make an informed decision about which route best fits your business goals.

Affiliate Marketing Vs Amazon FBA

Affiliate Marketing Vs Amazon FBA

1. Affiliate Marketing


What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate's own marketing efforts.

The most common form of affiliate marketing involves promoting products and services on websites, blogs, social media platforms, email newsletters, search engines, and other digital channels.

 

Benefits of Affiliate Marketing For Business

One of the main benefits of using affiliate marketing is that it allows businesses to reach potential customers who may not be familiar with their brand.

Additionally, since affiliates are only paid when they generate sales or leads for the company, there’s no upfront cost associated with this type of advertising.

This makes it an attractive option for companies looking to increase their online presence without breaking the bank.

Affiliate marketing is a great business for someone who is good at writing articles or blogs, or someone who has lot of followers on social media channels like Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest , etc.

 

How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

Starting with affiliate marketing can initially seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Firstly, you need to find an appropriate program that fits your needs, such as Amazon Associates or Walmart Partner Network programs, depending on where you want to advertise your product/service.

After signing up for these programs, you will receive unique links that track clicks from visitors sent through your website so you can monitor how successful your campaigns are over time.

Once set up correctly, all you need do is promote those affiliate links across various channels such as social media posts or emails and wait for conversions.

As said, your blog also needs to have lot of traffic in order to make traffic. In affiliate marketing you also learn how to do an SEO for your blog.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online without creating and managing your own product. However, Amazon FBA offers many more benefits that may be better suited for some sellers.

 

Key Takeaway

Affiliate marketing is a great way to increase your online presence without breaking the bank. To get started, you must sign up for programs such as Amazon Associates or Walmart Partner Network and promote unique links across various channels. Benefits include no upfront cost, reaching potential customers, tracking clicks from visitors sent through the website.


2. Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) is a service offered by Amazon that allows sellers to store their products in the company’s fulfillment centers. This enables them to have their products shipped directly from these centers when orders are placed on either the Amazon or Walmart websites. The seller only needs to send their inventory once and then let Amazon handle all the packing, shipping, and customer service for them.


Benefits of Amazon FBA

One of the main benefits of using this service is that it saves time and money for sellers who would otherwise need to ship each order individually.

Additionally, since customers know they can trust orders fulfilled through this program, they may be more likely to purchase items from a seller who uses it.

Furthermore, because buyers don’t have to wait long periods for an item they ordered online, they are more likely to become repeat customers if they receive their product quickly and without any issues.


How To Get Started With Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA is a great way to start selling on Amazon . It offers many benefits, such as low costs and convenience. Now let's look at how it compares to affiliate marketing in terms of cost, time investment, and risk.

Key Takeaway

Amazon FBA is a great way to save time and money when selling online. Benefits include 1. Faster shipping times for customers 2. Increased trust in the seller 3. More likelyhood of repeat customers


Comparison of Affiliate Marketing and Amazon FBA

Regarding selling on Amazon, there are four main business models: Dropshipping, Retail Arbitrage, Private Labeling or Wholesaling. To decide which model is right for you, it’s important to understand the cost, time investment, and risk associated with each one.

Where as in affiliate marketing, there is marketing via blogs, Instagram or other social media channels.

Cost Comparison between the Two Models: Affiliate marketing requires little or no upfront costs, while Amazon FBA requires an initial investment in product inventory. Depending on your product selection and the quantity of items purchased, this can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

Time Investment Comparison between the Two Models: With affiliate marketing, you don’t need to worry about shipping products or dealing with customer service inquiries since those tasks are handled by the merchant you partner with. But you need to invest in managing either your blog or other social media channels.

Affiliate marketers have to wait quite a long before they start seeing monetary benefits since developing an audience takes time compared to readily available customers on amazon.

However, if you choose Amazon FBA as your selling model, then be prepared for a much larger time commitment as you will be responsible for packing orders and responding promptly to customer inquiries.

The risk associated with affiliate marketing is minimal compared to that of Amazon FBA, as there is no financial outlay involved in setting up an account or purchasing inventory upfront. But affiliate marketing can take lot of time and effort if you don't have ready audience, building blog takes at least 8 months before you start seeing any traffic.

Conversely, when selling on Amazon, there is a slight chance that some products may not sell as expected, resulting in losses due to unsold stock sitting idle in warehouses around the world. But you can avoid it by doing proper research and using tools like Helium10 and Jungle Scout.

Customer Support: In affiliate marketing, customer support is taken care of by the brands as compared to selling on amazon, where you are responsible for post-purchase concerns. 

Amazon FBA is a highly scalable business model

Both Affiliate marketing and selling on amazon have their own advantages and disadvantages, which I will be discussing in the next section.


Pros and Cons of Each Model

Affiliate marketing is a great way to start making money online without investing in inventory or overhead costs. It’s also relatively easy to get started, as all you need is an affiliate network and some promotional materials.

With affiliate marketing, you can quickly begin earning commissions on sales that you refer from your website or blog.

Additionally, there are no long-term commitments required with this model, so it’s perfect for those who want the flexibility of working when they choose.

 

Cons of Affiliate Marketing:

The downside of affiliate marketing is that it can be difficult to generate consistent income since commissions are only earned when someone purchases through your link. Additionally, competition among affiliates can be fierce so it may take time and effort before seeing any real returns on investment.

Lastly, if an advertiser decides not to pay out commission after a sale has been made, then the affiliate won’t receive any money for their efforts which could lead to financial losses over time.

On average, you need around 1000 visitors to your page to earn anywhere from $40 to $150. 

There are many pros and cons of selling on amazon, but major pro and cons of amazon fba model are below.


Pros of Amazon FBA:

Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) allows sellers to store their products in Amazon warehouses and have them shipped directly to customers via Prime shipping options, which makes ordering more convenient for shoppers while saving sellers time and money on shipping costs with traditional methods such as dropshipping or self-fulfillment services.

This model also offers access to millions of potential customers around the world due its global reach across multiple countries, including Canada, Mexico, India, and China, to name a few. Plus, with Amazon Prime membership holders receiving free two-day delivery on orders over $35 USD, sellers have even more incentive for buyers to make purchasing decisions easier than ever before.


Cons of Amazon FBA:

The biggest Con for Amazon is investment, you need at least $500-$5000, for doing research and for inventory. 

Affiliate marketing and Amazon FBA both have their own pros and cons. Consider these carefully to decide which model best fits your business goals before making a decision. Next, let's explore the conclusion: which model is right for you?

 

Key Takeaway

A key takeaway from this comparison is that both affiliate marketing and Amazon FBA have their own advantages and disadvantages. Affiliate marketing requires no overhead costs but can be difficult to generate consistent income.

On the other hand, Amazon FBA provides access to millions of potential customers around the world with Prime shipping options, but sellers will need larger upfront investment.


Which Model is Right for You?

Affiliate marketing and Amazon FBA are two popular models for selling products online. Both offer their own unique advantages, but they also have some drawbacks that must be considered before making a decision.

Regarding cost, affiliate marketing is generally the more affordable option as there are no upfront costs associated with setting up an account or maintaining inventory.

However, Amazon's FBA can be more profitable in the long run due to its ability to leverage Amazon’s vast network of customers and its competitive pricing structure.

Amazon takes care of inventory management, but you need to do product research before you start selling on amazon. On Amazon, you can enjoy profit margins anywhere from 7% to 35%, depending on the business models you choose. 

You can also look at our guide on dropshipping on amazon and amazon private labelling. 

Time investment is another factor to consider when deciding between these two models. Affiliate marketing requires less time commitment since all you need to do is promote your links and wait for commissions from sales generated by those links.

On the other hand, Amazon FBA requires more effort as you will need to manage inventory levels, create product listings, process orders, and handle customer service inquiries.

Risk-wise, both models carry some degree of risk depending on how well you execute them; however, affiliate marketing carries less risk than Amazon FBA since there is no overhead cost involved with setting up an account or managing inventory levels as there would be with an FBA business model.

Ultimately, which model you choose depends on your individual needs and goals; if you want a low-cost way of earning passive income, then affiliate marketing may be right for you, whereas if you want higher potential profits then Amazon FBA could be worth considering too.

It is important that whatever route you take aligns with your overall business strategy, so make sure to weigh up all factors before making any decisions.

Key Takeaway

Affiliate marketing and Amazon FBA both offer unique advantages, but it is important to consider cost, time investment and risk before making a decision.

Cost: affiliate marketing requires no upfront costs;

Time Investment: affiliate marketing takes less effort;

Risk: affiliate marketing carries less risk than FBA


FAQs in Relation To Affiliate Marketing vs Amazon FBA

How profitable is Amazon affiliate marketing?

Amazon affiliate marketing can be very profitable for those who understand the platform and how to use it effectively. With the right strategy, affiliates can earn commissions from Amazon sales without owning any inventory or managing customer service.

The potential earnings depend on the amount of traffic driven to Amazon and how well-targeted that traffic is. Affiliates should also consider other factors, such as competition and product pricing when deciding whether or not this type of marketing is right for them. Affiliate commission is subject to the affiliate owner's decision and can change rapidly.


Which is better, affiliate marketing or eCommerce?

Affiliate marketing and eCommerce both have advantages and disadvantages, so it is difficult to say which is better. Affiliate marketing involves promoting products from other companies in exchange for a commission when someone purchases through your affiliate link.

This can be an effective way to make money without creating or managing any inventory. On the other hand, eCommerce involves selling physical goods directly from your website or marketplace, such as Amazon or Walmart.

This requires more upfront work and can result in higher profits if done correctly. Ultimately, the best option depends on the individual's goals and available resources. Amazon FBA is worth your efforts and it does pays off. 

 

What is better than affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn passive income, but it's not the only option. Selling on Amazon and Walmart can be even more lucrative if done correctly. With these platforms, you have direct access to customers who are already interested in buying products related to your niche.

You also have control over pricing and product selection, allowing you to maximize profits. Additionally, both Amazon and Walmart offer seller support services that make setting up an online store easier.

Ultimately, selling on Amazon or Walmart may be better for some businesses than affiliate marketing due to the greater potential for profit and control over their business model.

 

What is the difference between an Amazon affiliate and an Amazon seller?

Amazon Affiliate is a program where you earn commission from Amazon by referring customers to their website. You do not need to purchase or store any products but simply refer customers and receive a percentage of the sale as your commission.

Amazon Seller on the other hand, requires you to purchase and store products to sell them on Amazon's marketplace. As an Amazon seller, you are responsible for shipping orders directly to customers and managing customer service inquiries. But you can use Amazon FBA services and let amazon manage fulfillment. 

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for affiliate marketing vs. amazon fba. Both models have advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before deciding.

Affiliate marketing offers the potential for high returns with low upfront costs, while Amazon FBA provides an easy way to get your products in front of millions of customers quickly. Ultimately, the choice between these two models depends on your individual goals and resources available.

If you are looking for a quick start with minimal investment, then affiliate marketing may be the right choice.

On the other hand, if you want to build a long-term business with more control over pricing and product selection, then Amazon FBA could be the better option. Whichever model you choose, make sure to do your research and create a plan that works best for you!

But its critical to learn from best coaches in order to avoid mistakes while selling on amazon. Some of the best amazon courses are there to guide you through the journey of selling on amazon.

Are you looking to get started in Amazon FBA? BuildFBA is here to help! We provide comprehensive, step-by-step guides on successfully selling your products on both Amazon and Walmart. Our team has years of experience with these two platforms so we can give you all the advice and tips that will ensure success for your business. Get started today by checking out our tutorials and taking advantage of our services – there’s no better way to jumpstart your online retail journey!

Samrudha Salvi ‧ Author

With more than 5 years on selling on amazon, and helping 100s to get started on Amazon. 

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