10 Years on Amazon — The Biggest Lesson I Learned

 When I look back at the last decade of selling on Amazon, it feels like a journey filled with small victories, unexpected setbacks, numbers that kept me awake at night, and lessons that quietly shaped me into the businesswoman I am today.

                                    

Strangely, the most important lesson was never taught through a course or a mentor.
It came from experience… and a painful one.

The Lesson:

Never expect Amazon (or any marketplace) to care about your business more than you do.

For years, I thought if I worked hard, maintained quality, followed the rules, uploaded the right documents, kept my listings clean, and did everything “by the book,” the marketplace would naturally reward me.

But the reality is very different.

1. The System Is Structured for the Platform — Not the Seller

Amazon is an incredible platform for reach, visibility, and global expansion.
But the system is built in a way where:

• Fees accumulate quietly

• Policies change without warning

• One small error can block a listing

• A delay in support response can cost you weeks of sales

• A small fee mismatch can suddenly turn your profits into losses

I learned that you cannot rely on “the platform” to safeguard your margins or your sanity.
You have to vigilantly safeguard it yourself.

2. Visibility Isn’t Permanent — It Has to Be Earned Every Week

Whether it was algorithm shifts, new competitors, or a sudden drop in impressions, I realized one thing clearly:

Amazon does not guarantee your success.
It only gives you an opportunity.

If you are not optimizing consistently, refreshing content, updating images, and revisiting your ads strategy every few weeks, your listings will fade into the background.

3. The Hidden Costs Are Real

This is something most sellers learn the hard way.
You don’t realize how quickly:

• service fees

• shipping services

• ads

• returns

• reimbursements

• category fees

…eat into your revenue.

There were months where the platform earned more than the seller.
And that is the moment you realize:

Profit is not in sales.
Profit is in understanding your numbers.

4. No One Will Protect Your Business Like You Do

Support teams, agencies, consultants — they come and go.
But as a seller, you face the consequences of every wrong move.

This one realization taught me to:

• question reports

• double-check listings

• monitor every fee

• ask for proof of work

• never assume anything is “done” unless I see it myself

It sounds tiring… and it is.
But it’s also necessary.

5. The Emotional Journey Matters Just as Much as the Business

Working on Amazon is not just a technical job; it’s an emotional rollercoaster.

You learn:

• patience

• discipline

• detachment

• resilience

• and the courage to rebuild things from scratch

Sometimes the numbers break you.
But then an unexpected review or a sudden surge of orders reminds you why you started.

What I Carry Forward Now

I no longer look at Amazon as a place where I “hope” things will work.
I look at it as:

A business playground
where I need to be alert, smart, analytical, and emotionally balanced.

My biggest learning over 10 years is simple:

Amazon rewards consistency, clarity, and control.
Not blind trust.

And once you understand that, the entire game changes.

This journey has shaped my thinking, my discipline, and the way I look at business today.
It has made me stronger, sharper, and far more aware.

And honestly…
I wouldn’t trade it for anything.