How to pick Amazon products worth filming

When I started making Amazon videos, I filmed whatever I had in the house. Some of those videos did well. Most earned a few cents, and I couldn't tell why. After a lot of trial and error, I realized the winners and losers usually looked different before I filmed them. These five questions catch most of the losers.

1. Does it pay enough?

Look at what one sale actually earns you, in dollars, not just the commission percentage. A small percentage on an expensive product can beat a big percentage on a cheap one.

Also check if the product has a Creator Connections campaign. Brands use those to pay creators extra commission for a limited time, so the same video can earn noticeably more.

2. Do people actually buy it?

Your video only earns when someone buys. Two numbers on the product page tell you a lot:

• "Bought in the past month", shown under the title on many products. It's Amazon telling you roughly how many sold.
• Best Seller Rank, near the bottom of the page in the product details. The lower the number, the better it sells in its category.

A great commission on a product that barely sells is a trap. I'd rather film a steady seller.

3. How many videos are you up against?

This is the one most creators skip. Scroll the product page and count the creator videos, both in the top carousel near the photos and in the video section lower down. If there are already dozens, your video has to beat all of them for attention. If there are only a few, you have a real chance.

The sweet spot is a product that sells well but doesn't have many videos yet.

4. Is it a good product?

Check the star rating and skim the bad reviews. A product people return doesn't earn you anything, and recommending junk hurts your name with viewers. If you wouldn't buy it again, don't film it.

5. Can you make a video that helps someone decide?

The best Amazon videos answer the question a shopper has: does it fit, how big is it really, how does it work, is it worth the money? If you can show the product being used and answer those questions, it's a good pick. If all you can do is hold the box up to the camera, skip it.

The quick version

1. Does one sale pay enough, in dollars?
2. Is it selling (bought in the past month, Best Seller Rank)?
3. Are there only a few videos on it so far?
4. Is it well rated?
5. Can you show it in a way that helps someone decide?

If the answer is yes to all five, film it.

Questions