Expensive Amazon FBA mistakes(opens in new tab) can happen when choosing what to sell (from Amazon categories & product research to Amazon barcode requirements) and who will manufacture your product.
This is part one of a three-part checklist built from our experience leading product launches.
This article covers the early stage: Amazon Product Research, what you need to know about Restricted Categories, barcodes, and finding suppliers on Alibaba.
Amazon Product Research: Step One
Before committing to Amazon, you must confirm the product has enough demand to justify entering the market. We have seen too many cases of sellers wanting to sell a product that does not fit the US market, or on the contrary, it has so much competition that it can’t take off without a massive budget.
When doing Amazon product research, analyze market niches with enough demand to grow, but also room to enter competition-wise.
Ask yourself these important questions:
- Is there consistent sales volume, or a seasonal spike you would be buying into at the wrong time?
- Are sales spread across many sellers, or locked up by a few dominant listings?
- Can you offer something the current options do not?
The best tools for Amazon product research in 2026 fall into two groups. Paid platforms like Helium 10, Jungle Scout, and SellerSprite estimate sales volume and pull keyword data.
Free methods still work: read one and three-star reviews on top listings in the category, for example.
With AI tools woven into Amazon, you can now use Alexa for Shopping to do product research too. Of course, Alexa for Shopping is a buyer-facing tool. It gives you qualitative research, free, from inside the buyer’s actual experience. You can:
- Extract buyer purchase criteria. Create a custom shopping guide comparing features, price, and reviews across Amazon and the web based on what matters most to you.
- Pull competitor price history.
- Select multiple products from search results and compare them side by side on features, prices, and reviews. There’s also a “Compare with Similar” button on any product detail page.
- Using Shop Direct can also show you products not currently sold on Amazon that are available through other stores. Useful for spotting products with demand that nobody has brought to the marketplace yet.
Check for patents before you order samples
Once you’ve chosen a product, always check if it is patented in the US or the country you’re sourcing from. A patent claim can pull your listing down after you have already paid for inventory. Search first.
The USPTO Patent Public Search(opens in new tab) tool is free and covers granted US patents and published applications. Utility patents generally run 20 years from the filing date. Design patents, which protect how a product looks rather than how it works, run 15 years. Check the status and the assignee on anything you find.
This is a complex topic. Especially if your are planning to source your products from abroad. Many sellers outsource this process to third-party specialists that can handle everything for them.
Amazon Restricted Categories and Product Restrictions
Some categories and products require approval before you can list them. Others require selling history or additional documentation. Confirm this early, because a great product you are not permitted to sell is not a product.
To check category restrictions, try to add the product in Seller Central. Go to Catalog, select Add Products, and search by ASIN, barcode, or product name.
- You can check our Amazon Compliance & Requirements(opens in new tab) content to see the specific process for the major categories on the Amazon marketplace
Also confirm your Hazmat and dangerous goods status. Batteries, aerosols, liquids, magnets, and flammable materials can require additional approval and specialized handling.
If your product has any of those materials, upload either a SDS document or an exemption into the Manage Dangerous Goods Classification(opens in new tab) page:
Amazon Barcode Requirements: GTIN vs UPC
Do you need GS1 barcodes for Amazon? Yes. Amazon verifies UPC authenticity against the GS1 database, and codes that do not match GS1 records are treated as invalid. Buy GS1 barcodes for Amazon directly from GS1.
GS1 US licenses a single GTIN for a one-time fee of $30 with no annual renewal fee.
If you sell private label, handmade, or unbranded products with no manufacturer barcode, you may qualify for a GTIN exemption(opens in new tab). Amazon grants exemptions per brand and per category.
Related article:
How to Find Suppliers on Alibaba for Amazon FBA
If you do not already have a manufacturer, Alibaba is where most sellers start looking. At this stage, focus on how much a supplier can prove about itself.
Prioritize companies that are certified and audited by a third party. Ask for photos and videos of the factory floor, recorded on request rather than pulled from the profile page.
Alibaba’s badges are a good filter:
- Gold Supplier: a business verified as legally registered by a third-party institution.
- Verified Supplier: a Gold Supplier whose company profile, management, production capabilities, product, and process have been assessed, certified, or inspected by third-party institutions.
- Trade Assurance Supplier: a Gold Supplier who accepts payment through Alibaba.com, which enables payment and order protection.
Verified Supplier is the higher bar. Filtering for Verified Supplier plus Trade Assurance clears out the lowest tier of providers at once. 
Samples and specifications
Always order a sample before your first production run. Ask for detailed photos or video of that sample before they send it to you. Many times you will be able to discard candidates just from those pictures alone.
If you get a sample and it convinces you, you’re almost there.
As a best practice, always get a written specification of materials and components before final price negotiation, and put it in the purchase order.
Without it, a supplier who agreed to a lower unit price can substitute with cheaper materials. That way, you can freely negotiate without compromising product quality.
Once you approve a sample you are happy with, treat it as the golden sample and make it the quality benchmark for production.
For proprietary designs, an NNN agreement covering non-disclosure, non-use, and non-circumvention is worth having in place. Confirm in writing who owns the tooling, molds, and packaging designs.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Start on Amazon FBA (FAQs)
How do I choose a product to sell on Amazon FBA?
Analyze demand, competition, seasonality, and opportunities to differentiate. Use product research tools and customer reviews to validate the market.
What tools can I use for Amazon product research?
Popular options include Helium 10, Jungle Scout, and SellerSprite. You can also use Amazon reviews, search results, and competitor listings.
How do I know if a product is restricted on Amazon?
Check Seller Central under Catalog > Add Products. Search by ASIN, barcode, or product name to see if approval is required.
Do I need a UPC or GTIN to sell on Amazon?
Many products require a valid GTIN, such as a UPC. Some sellers may qualify for a GTIN exemption.
Should I check for patents before selling a product?
Yes. Search for relevant US patents and applications before ordering inventory to reduce the risk of intellectual property issues.
How do I find reliable suppliers on Alibaba?
Prioritize suppliers with third-party verification. Verified Supplier and Trade Assurance can help narrow your options.
Should I order samples before placing an Alibaba order?
Yes. Always evaluate a sample before placing a large production order and use the approved sample as your quality benchmark.
Ready to Launch on Amazon Without the Expensive Mistakes?
The checklist above is the groundwork. Applying it to your product, your category, and your target marketplace is where the real decisions get made, and where experience saves you months.
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