I want to share a hard lesson for anyone selling on Amazon or thinking about it.
Even if you’ve done 10 orders perfectly, it only takes one mistake to cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Here’s what happened to me.
My supplier put incorrect UPCs on the boxes. Was it their mistake? Yes. Did it still become my problem? Also yes.
And here’s the part I own.
I skipped a third party inspection because previous orders had gone smoothly. Everything had always been fine. Until it wasn’t.
Once those boxes hit Amazon’s warehouse, the cost of that decision showed up fast. Time. Stress. Fees. Inventory stuck in limbo. Profit gone.
So if you’re an Amazon seller, or even just Amazon curious, here’s what I wish I had fully internalized earlier.
What to do:
- Always get an inspection. Even when you trust your supplier.
- Double check UPCs, labels, and carton details yourself.
- Never assume.
- inspection costs into your pricing from day one. It’s not optional. It’s protection.
What not to do:
- Don’t skip steps because things have gone well before.
- Don’t assume Amazon will fix supplier errors. They won’t.
- Don’t tell yourself “this one time will be fine.”
Why this matters:
Amazon is unforgiving. Systems don’t care about good intentions or past success. One oversight can wipe out months of margin.
This isn’t meant to scare anyone. It’s meant to be honest.
I’ve learned a lot running this business, and some of the biggest lessons came from the most expensive mistakes.
If this post saves even one person from making the same call I did, it’s worth sharing.
Lesson learned... The hard way!