Selling on Amazon without holding your own inventory has become an attractive, low-risk way to start an Amazon business. Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or an experienced seller, learning how to sell on Amazon without inventory can save you upfront costs and storage hassles.
This article will explore the top strategies – from print-on-demand and dropshipping to digital products and Amazon’s own programs – to help you build a successful Amazon business with little or no physical inventory.
Running an Amazon store without managing inventory offers several benefits:
- Lower Startup Costs & Risk: You don’t need to buy bulk stock upfront or pay for warehousing, which reduces financial risk and overhead. You only pay production or fulfillment costs when you make a sale, protecting you from unsold “dead stock.”
- Flexibility and Easy Scaling: With no inventory tying up cash, you can quickly test new products and niches. If a design or product isn’t selling, pivot to a new idea without liquidating stock. This makes it easier to scale your Amazon business globally and respond to trends.
- Less Logistics, More Focus: Amazon sellers without inventory don’t need to pack boxes or manage warehouses. Instead, you can focus on product design, marketing, and customer service while third-party services handle production and shipping. This lets solopreneurs run a lean Amazon operation from anywhere.
- Custom Branding Opportunities: Some inventory-free models (like print-on-demand) still allow you to brand your products and create unique offerings. You get the benefits of customization and brand-building without the burden of manufacturing and storing goods yourself.
In the sections below, we’ll dive into seven effective and scalable methods to sell on Amazon with little or no inventory. We’ll also highlight how MyDesigns can turbocharge your success in print-on-demand and digital product businesses, and how to streamline your workflow with automation.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Print-on-Demand (POD) on Amazon
Print-on-Demand is one of the most popular ways to sell Amazon products without inventory. With POD, you sell custom-designed items (t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, posters, etc.) that are only produced after a customer places an order. This means you don’t hold any pre-made stock – each item is printed and fulfilled by a third-party provider on demand.
How Print on Demand Works
You create original designs and list products on Amazon through your Amazon Seller Central account (an Amazon seller account where you manage marketplace listings.
Instead of storing items, you partner with a print-on-demand fulfillment service. When an order comes in, the POD provider prints your design on the product and ships it directly to the customer. You earn the profit margin between the selling price and the base fulfillment cost.
Benefits of POD
You can offer a wide variety of products and variants without investing in inventory. It’s perfect for creatives and entrepreneurs – you focus on design and marketing, while the printing partner handles production and delivery. POD is low-risk and easily scalable since you can add new designs quickly and test what resonates with Amazon shoppers.
Best Print on Demand Products for Amazon
Focusing on quality, trending themes, and customer appeal is essential to build a sustainable business model. The beauty of print on demand lies in its scalability and the ability to experiment with different product categories until you find the perfect match for your target market. Here are some of the top print on demand items to consider:
T-Shirts
A perennial favorite, custom t-shirts allow for creative expression through unique graphics, slogans, or seasonal trends.
From USD 9.79 with Pro Plus
From USD 13.43 with Pro Plus
From USD 7.71 with Pro Plus
From USD 5.13 with Pro Plus
From USD 7.21 with Pro Plus
From USD 9.17 with Pro Plus
View more mugs in MyDesigns product catalog.
Phone Cases
Customizable phone cases combine functionality with style, offering designs that cater to individual tastes and the latest trends in mobile accessories.
iPhone 16 Pro Max - Premium Glossy Tough Case
From USD 16.65 with Pro Plus
Samsung Galaxy S22 - Premium Glossy Tough Case
From USD 16.65 with Pro Plus
From USD 13.98 with Pro Plus
View more phone cases and tech accessories in MyDesigns product catalog.
Tote Bags
Eco-friendly and versatile, tote bags are perfect for showcasing artwork, inspirational messages, or trendy patterns, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.
From USD 6.83 with Pro Plus
From USD 7.55 with Pro Plus
View more products in MyDesigns product catalog.
Posters/Wall Art
Ideal for home decor, posters allow for high-quality prints featuring modern art, motivational quotes, or pop culture themes.
From USD 11.25 with Pro Plus
From USD 20.40 with Pro Plus
From USD 3.89 with Pro Plus
From USD 5.32 with Pro Plus
From USD 3.29 with Pro Plus
From USD 4.55 with Pro Plus
View more stickers in MyDesigns product catalog.
Dropshipping on Amazon
Dropshipping is another popular model to sell on Amazon with no inventory. In a dropshipping arrangement, you list and sell products in your Amazon store, but a third-party supplier stocks the items and ships orders to your customers on your behalf. Essentially, you’re the middleman: you market and sell the product, then purchase it from the supplier only after you’ve made a sale, and have them fulfill the delivery.
How Dropshipping Works
You’ll need to set up as a Seller on Amazon (which means creating an Amazon Seller Central account and possibly a Professional selling plan if you’re serious). Then:
- Find a Dropship Supplier: Identify products to sell and a supplier or manufacturer who will fulfill orders for you. This could be a wholesale supplier, a manufacturer, or a dropshipping platform that integrates with Amazon. Ensure the supplier can ship products reliably and quickly, as Amazon has strict performance metrics.
- List the Products on Amazon: Create Amazon listings for the products (or list against an existing product listing if one already exists on Amazon). You set the retail price on Amazon.
- Sell and Forward Orders: When a customer places an order on your Amazon listing, you collect payment (Amazon will later pay you minus fees). You then forward the order details to your supplier and pay them the wholesale price. Make sure to remove any supplier branding or invoices from the shipment – Amazon’s drop shipping policy requires that the Amazon seller (you) is the seller of record on packing slips and communications, not the supplier.
- Supplier Ships to Customer: The supplier ships the product directly to your Amazon customer. The customer sees your Amazon store as the seller. You profit from the difference between what the customer paid and the supplier’s charge for the item (minus Amazon selling fees).
Amazon allows dropshipping but has guidelines. You must: a) be the seller of record of your products, b) identify yourself as the seller on all packing slips/invoices (not the supplier), and c) take responsibility for returns and customer service.
Why Dropshipping?
For Amazon sellers, dropshipping offers low upfront cost and a broad catalog. You can quickly add many products to your Amazon storefront without ever buying inventory. It’s easy to experiment with different product types since you’re not committing capital to stock. This model is especially common for commodity products or trending gadgets from marketplaces like AliExpress. In fact, about 34% of products sold on Amazon are fulfilled by third-party sellers who are dropshippers, demonstrating how prevalent this model has become. Profit margins per item can be thinner than if you bought inventory in bulk, but you save on storage and only pay for what you sell.
Tips for Dropshipping Success
Focus on reliable suppliers with quality products – your seller metrics (and reviews) on Amazon depend on timely delivery and product satisfaction. Research niches that aren’t oversaturated. Many dropshippers succeed by finding a specialty or trending product and optimizing the listing with great keywords and images to stand out.
Keep an eye on your pricing and Amazon fees to ensure each sale is profitable after the supplier’s cost. Also, provide prompt customer service – even though you don’t handle fulfillment, you’re responsible for the buyer’s experience.
Digital Products
Another way to run an Amazon business without holding physical goods is to sell digital products. Digital products are intangible items like e-books, online courses, software, music, or other downloadable content. The beauty of digital products is that there’s no inventory to store or ship – delivery is electronic.
On Amazon, the primary form of digital product individuals sell is e-books via Kindle Direct Publishing (which we’ll cover as its own strategy in Section 7). However, beyond e-books, there are other digital offerings on Amazon’s platform: for example, apps and games (through the Amazon Appstore), music and audiobooks (via Amazon Music and Audible), and video content (through Amazon Prime Video Direct). These typically cater to specific content creators (developers, musicians, filmmakers).
For most entrepreneurs reading this, publishing an e-book or print-on-demand book via Amazon KDP is the most accessible digital product route, so be sure to read the KDP section as well.
Pros of Digital Products
You create the product once (e.g. write an e-book or develop a software tool) and can sell it repeatedly with minimal additional cost – this is extremely scalable. There’s no manufacturing, no shipping, and customers get instant delivery.
You also avoid issues like stock shortages or supply chain delays. Profit margins can be very high since Amazon’s cut is typically a commission or delivery fee (for example, Amazon pays KDP authors up to 70% royalty on e-book prices). And again, zero inventory means zero storage fees.
Types of Digital Products
Common types of digital products Amazon sellers pursue include:
E-books and Written Content
Self-published novels, non-fiction guides, or even short Kindle Singles. (See Section 7 on KDP for details.)
Audio Content
If you have audio skills, you might create audiobooks for Audible or music tracks for Amazon Music. Amazon’s ACX platform allows you to produce audiobooks and sell on Audible/Amazon without inventory.
Software or Digital Codes
Some sellers list software activation codes or gift cards on Amazon (usually via the Amazon Renewed or vendor programs). This is a niche area and often requires approval, but it’s inventory-free (delivery via code).
Ultimately, selling digital products on Amazon can be straightforward – especially e-books – and yields passive income once the item is published. You’ll spend your time on creation and marketing rather than any logistical tasks. If you have expertise or content that can be packaged digitally, this is a route to explore for an inventory-free Amazon business.
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a program where Amazon stores your products in its warehouses (fulfillment centers) and handles packing, shipping, and even customer service for those products. At first glance, FBA involves inventory (since products are stored in Amazon’s warehouse). So why include it in “selling without inventory”? The reason is that FBA greatly reduces the hands-on inventory management for the seller. You as a seller don’t personally hold inventory at your home or office – you send it to Amazon’s facilities and let Amazon take care of the rest.
In other words, you’re not running your own warehouse; Amazon’s doing it for you. Many entrepreneurs consider this a way to avoid the operational burden of inventory, even though technically the inventory exists (in Amazon’s fulfillment network).
How FBA Works
You source or manufacture products (for example, buying wholesale or creating your private label items) and then ship them in bulk to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Once in FBA, your items are eligible for Amazon Prime two-day shipping to customers, and Amazon will pick, pack, and ship each order.
They also handle returns and basic customer inquiries on those orders. You pay storage fees and fulfillment fees for this service. When items sell, Amazon credits your account after deducting their fees.
Advantages of FBA
- Prime Eligibility & Boosted Sales: FBA listings are Prime-eligible, which can significantly increase your sales. Amazon customers trust products that are “Fulfilled by Amazon” for fast, reliable delivery. You’re more likely to win the Buy Box as an FBA seller, and many Prime members filter for Prime shipping when shopping.
- Hands-Off Fulfillment: You don’t have to personally pack or ship orders, even if you get 100 orders a day – Amazon scales its logistics for you. This frees your time to focus on marketing, product research, and expansion.
- Multi-Channel Fulfillment: Amazon can also fulfill orders from other channels (like your own website) using your FBA inventory, consolidating your logistics in one system.
With FBA, you do need to invest in inventory upfront, so it’s not as low-cost to start as POD or dropshipping. However, you avoid needing your own storage facility or staff. In essence, you outsource inventory management to Amazon.
Tips for FBA Success
When using FBA, manage your stock levels carefully to avoid long-term storage fees. Amazon charges extra for items stored for longer periods. It’s best for products with steady or high turnover.
You should also calculate FBA fees into your pricing – use Amazon’s FBA calculator to ensure your margins are healthy. Despite the fees, FBA can often be more cost-effective than running your own warehouse when you factor in labor, shipping contracts, etc., especially as you scale up. Many Amazon entrepreneurs start with FBA for private label products since it simplifies logistics hugely.
Learn more on Amazon’s official Fulfillment by Amazon page which explains FBA fees and benefits for sellers.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL) and Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)
Third-Party Logistics (3PL) is similar to FBA in that you outsource warehousing and fulfillment, but instead of Amazon handling it, a third-party company does. In Amazon terminology, when you ship orders yourself or via a third party, it’s called Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM). So this strategy is essentially using a 3PL partner to fulfill your Amazon FBM orders, meaning you still don’t touch the inventory yourself.
How 3PL Fulfillment Works
You contract a logistics provider – e.g., ShipBob, Deliverr, or other fulfillment centers – to store your products and ship orders for you. You send them your inventory in bulk. When an order comes through on Amazon (as FBM), you forward it to your 3PL or they are integrated to automatically receive it. They then pack and ship the item to the customer (often they can ship fast, though not Prime).
The process is invisible to the buyer; from their perspective, you, the Amazon seller, shipped the item. You remain responsible for customer service and returns, though many 3PLs will handle returns processing as part of their service.
Why use a 3PL?
This approach is useful if:
- You want more control or lower storage costs than FBA for certain products. For example, oversized or heavy items can accrue large FBA fees, so a 3PL might be cheaper for fulfillment.
- You sell on multiple channels (Amazon, Shopify, eBay, etc.) and want one central inventory hub that fulfills all orders. A 3PL can consolidate fulfillment for all channels, whereas FBA mainly handles Amazon (or charges extra for multi-channel fulfillment).
- You want to avoid Amazon’s inventory restrictions or long-term storage fees. Sometimes Amazon limits how many units you can send to FBA (especially for new sellers or slow sellers); with a 3PL, you can store as much as you’re willing to pay for.
In short, partnering with a 3PL gives you similar benefits to FBA – professional storage and shipping – but outside the Amazon ecosystem. It’s a bit more work to coordinate, but it can be cost-effective and gives you flexibility in how you run your Amazon business logistics.
Amazon Merch (Merch by Amazon)
Amazon Merch on Demand (formerly known as Merch by Amazon) is Amazon’s own print-on-demand service for custom apparel and merchandise. It’s a fantastic program for designers and content creators to sell print-on-demand products without any inventory or upfront costs, and Amazon handles production and fulfillment entirely. Essentially, it combines the concept of POD with Amazon’s platform and Prime shipping.
How Merch by Amazon Works
You must apply and be accepted into the Merch program (Amazon has an application process to ensure quality and limit the number of new sellers). Once approved, you can upload your graphic designs to the Merch portal. You choose the product type (t-shirt, hoodie, PopSocket, etc.), color options, and add a title, brand name, and description for your listing. When you publish, Amazon creates a product page on the Amazon marketplace for your item (for example, a t-shirt with your design).
When a customer orders it, Amazon prints the item using their in-house printing (they have printing facilities for Merch products) and ships it via Prime. You earn a royalty on each sale – essentially the listing price minus Amazon’s base cost and fees. Amazon sets base costs for each product type; you control the final price above that, which determines your royalty. There’s no cost to you unless you buy your own sample products.
Advantages of Amazon Merch
It’s completely inventory-free and hassle-free. You don’t worry about fulfillment, storage, or even customer support on orders. Amazon Merch items are Prime-eligible, so customers get fast shipping. Plus, your products are on Amazon’s huge marketplace, not a smaller POD site, so you tap into a massive audience. It’s arguably one of the easiest ways to start selling on Amazon without inventory – if you have design talent or can outsource designs, you can earn passive income through royalties.
Scaling Merch
Merch by Amazon uses a tier system – you start with a limited number of design slots (e.g., 10), and as you make sales, your account “tiers up” allowing you to upload more designs (100, 500, 1000, etc.). Successful sellers continually upload new designs to increase their chances of a hit.
Since there’s no cost per upload, you can experiment a lot. The key is quality designs and clever niches – Amazon has millions of Merch shirts, so niche down (e.g., funny cat memes for nurses, or a specific holiday/event).
Automate Uploading with Merch Titans Automation
Merch Titans is a powerful automation software that can upload your designs to multiple print-on-demand marketplaces – including Amazon Merch – simultaneously. It’s developed by the MyDesigns team to save sellers countless hours on the manual upload process. If you have dozens or hundreds of designs, manually creating listings on each platform (Amazon, Redbubble, Teespring, etc.) is tedious. Merch Titans Automation handles this by letting you set up your listing details in a spreadsheet or interface once, and then the software uploads to all supported platforms on autopilot.
In essence, Merch Titans Automation is like hiring a virtual employee that tirelessly submits your creations to various stores. This frees you up to concentrate on designing, trend research, or marketing – the creative and strategic aspects that actually grow your business. For a modern e-commerce entrepreneur aiming to scale without a team, such automation is invaluable.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s self-publishing platform that enables you to sell books without inventory. Through KDP, you can publish e-books (Kindle books) and paperbacks (print-on-demand books) and have them available on Amazon worldwide.
This is an excellent way to sell content (like novels, how-to guides, journals, or low-content books) with Amazon handling the printing (for paperbacks) and digital delivery (for e-books).
How KDP Works
It’s free to publish on KDP. You write or create the content, format it according to KDP guidelines, and upload your manuscript and cover. For e-books, once you hit publish, the book can be downloaded on Kindle devices/apps by purchasers.
For paperbacks (and hardcover, which KDP also offers now), Amazon prints each book on demand when a customer orders it. The printed books even get the “Prime” badge because Amazon prints them in their own facilities and ships to customers directly. You set your list price, and Amazon pays you royalties (typically 70% for Kindle e-books within certain price ranges, and around 60% for paperbacks minus printing costs).
Types of KDP Products
- Kindle eBooks: These can be text-only (like a novel) or include images. Customers buy and read them on their Kindle e-reader or app. You can update the content anytime and even enroll in programs like Kindle Unlimited for additional readership.
- Paperback books: This ranges from traditional books to “low-content” books such as notebooks, journals, coloring books, or planners. Low-content publishing has become a popular KDP strategy – for example, designing a beautiful journal interior and cover, and publishing it as a paperback; Amazon prints it whenever someone orders.
- Hardcover books: KDP now offers hardcover printing for certain book formats as well, also on demand.
Advantages of KDP
You gain access to Amazon’s enormous book marketplace – Kindle is one of the largest e-book platforms in the world. Your book can potentially reach millions of readers without you ever handling a single copy.
Royalties are generous compared to traditional publishing. And you have full control: you can edit your book’s details, update the cover, change pricing, or even unpublish if needed. If your content is good and you optimize your keywords/categories, KDP books can become a steady source of income.
With KDP, you effectively run a no-inventory publishing business. Combined with other methods like Merch or POD, you could have a diverse Amazon product portfolio – all without ever handling inventory, focusing instead on content creation and design.
Scaling Your Amazon Business with MyDesigns
Let’s dive into MyDesigns AI and automation features and tools you can use for Amazon automation.
Generating Designs with Dream AI
Dream AI is MyDesigns’ built-in AI art generator, capable of turning your ideas into eye-catching designs in seconds. Instead of spending hours (or money hiring designers) to create artwork for your products, you can simply describe what you want and let Dream AI produce it.
Check out MyDesigns Dream Library to view designs created by MyDesigns users.
The tool supports various styles and advanced models, so whether you need a cute cartoon, a photorealistic scene, or a trendy graphic, Dream AI can deliver a high-quality image ready for your products. It’s like having a limitless design team on standby – perfect for Amazon sellers who constantly need fresh designs for new listings.
Optimizing Designs with Canvas
Once you have a design (whether created via Dream AI or your own artwork), the Canvas feature lets you fine-tune and customize it to perfection. Canvas is an intuitive drag-and-drop design editor built into MyDesigns – think of it as a lightweight, user-friendly Photoshop tailored for sellers.
You can easily add text (with a variety of fonts and effects), include shapes or stock images, change colors, or remove backgrounds, all without leaving the platform. It also provides pre-built templates for hundreds of print-on-demand products, so you can visualize and adjust how your design will look on a t-shirt, phone case, coffee mug, etc. This means you can quickly ensure your artwork meets the exact specifications and aesthetic for each Amazon product you plan to sell.
Related reading: see How to Use MyDesigns Dream AI and Canvas Tools to Scale Your Shop with Multiple Listings on our blog for a step-by-step guide.
Preparing Listings with the Listing Management Feature
After your designs are ready, the next step is to create compelling product listings – and MyDesigns’ Listing Management feature makes this process efficient and scalable. Instead of manually entering product details one by one on Amazon’s interface, you can centralize all your listing data in MyDesigns. This feature provides a single dashboard to input and organize everything a listing needs: titles, descriptions, bullet points, images/mockups, tags or keywords, prices, and more.
You can group listings into folders or collections (say, by niche or product type) to keep things organized as your portfolio grows. The real power comes from its bulk editing capabilities: you can select multiple listings and update a field (like adding a keyword to all titles or changing the price) in one go.
Publishing Listings in Bulk with the Bulk Publish Feature
Finally, when your designs and listing details are ready, the Bulk Publish feature lets you push those listings live across marketplaces with just a few clicks. This is the automation magic that truly enables hands-off scaling. Instead of manually uploading each product to different platforms, Bulk Publish coordinates that process for you.
Using Bulk Publish means you dramatically cut down the time between finishing a design and having it available for sale.
Conclusion
By now, it’s clear that in 2025 you have a wealth of options to make money on Amazon without the burdens of traditional inventory management. Whether you choose print-on-demand, self-publishing, dropshipping, or Amazon’s in-house programs like FBA and Merch, you can tailor a model that fits your strengths:
- If you’re a creator or designer: POD and Amazon Merch allow your art to generate income on products worldwide, and KDP lets your words reach readers without printing a single copy in advance.
- If you’re a savvy product researcher or marketer: Dropshipping and 3PL fulfillment let you capitalize on trends and run a nimble Amazon storefront without ever stocking items yourself.
- If you want Amazon’s heavy lifting with logistics: FBA and 3PL services can handle the dirty work of storage and shipping, so you effectively run an Amazon business from your laptop, focusing on sourcing and sales.
Crucially, tools like MyDesigns tie these strategies together, making it easier to create, list, and manage products at scale. Instead of juggling spreadsheets or spending hours on repetitive tasks, you can use automation and AI to multiply your productivity.
The barriers to e-commerce entrepreneurship have never been lower. If you’ve been dreaming of starting or scaling an Amazon business, you now have a roadmap to do it without the headache of inventory. It’s time to take action – combine your ingenuity with these inventory-free models, utilize MyDesigns to work smarter, and build your Amazon empire.
Sign up for MyDesigns today to get started!
Good luck on your selling journey!
Leave a Reply