8 Profitable Amazon Side Hustles to Explore in 2025 (Beyond FBA)

Discover how to generate substantial income on Amazon without inventory headaches—perfect for creators, marketers, and flexible entrepreneurs

When most entrepreneurs think about making money on Amazon, their minds immediately jump to selling physical products through FBA. While Fulfillment by Amazon remains a powerful business model, it’s certainly not the only way to generate income on the world’s largest marketplace. 

In fact, some of the most profitable and scalable Amazon opportunities in 2025 require zero inventory management.

Whether you’re looking to supplement your existing e-commerce business or start a fresh side hustle, Amazon’s diverse ecosystem offers multiple avenues to generate income with varying levels of time investment and startup costs. 

Let’s take a closer look at eight proven ways to leverage Amazon’s massive customer base without dealing with the complexities of inventory management.

1. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Turn Your Knowledge Into Passive Income

Self-publishing through Amazon’s KDP platform remains one of the most accessible paths to passive income in 2025. The digital book market continues to grow year over year, with specific niches yielding particularly strong returns.

How it works:

• Write informative or entertaining content (or hire a ghostwriter)
• Format your manuscript using Amazon’s free Kindle Create tool
• Design an eye-catching cover through Canva or a professional designer
• Upload to KDP and set your pricing strategy

The most successful KDP publishers focus on targeted niches with dedicated audiences rather than trying to compete in oversaturated categories. Low-content books like journals, planners, and coloring books have also emerged as profitable options with simpler creation processes.

What makes KDP especially attractive is its royalty structure—earning up to 70% on each sale—and the complete absence of inventory or fulfillment concerns. Once published, your digital assets can continue generating income for years with minimal maintenance.

2. Amazon Merch on Demand: Monetize Your Creativity Without Inventory

For design-oriented entrepreneurs, Amazon Merch on Demand offers a zero-risk path to selling custom apparel and accessories. This print-on-demand service has expanded significantly in 2025 to include more product categories and improved design tools.

How it works:

• Create original designs for t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, and more
• Upload designs and select your product types
• Set your pricing (consider competitive analysis for optimal rates)
• Amazon handles production, shipping, and customer service

Success on Merch requires understanding design trends and customer preferences. The most profitable sellers regularly research popular themes and create designs that connect with specific passionate communities—whether that’s professions, hobbies, or cultural references.

While getting accepted to the program can take time due to Amazon’s review process, established Merch sellers report earning thousands in monthly passive income by building up a portfolio of hundreds of designs.

3. Amazon Associates: Strategic Affiliate Marketing

Despite changes to commission structures over the years, Amazon’s affiliate program remains a cornerstone of content-based monetization strategies. The key difference between average and exceptional affiliates lies in their approach to content creation and promotion.

How it works:

• Join the Amazon Associates program
• Create valuable content featuring relevant products
• Embed your unique affiliate links within your content
• Earn commissions (typically 1-10%) on qualifying purchases

The most effective Amazon affiliates build authority sites or YouTube channels focused on specific niches rather than general review sites. By establishing yourself as a trusted voice in categories like home improvement, tech gadgets, or parenting products, you can drive significantly higher conversion rates.

In 2025, successful affiliates are combining traditional content with newer formats like short-form videos and interactive tools to maximize engagement and click-through rates.

4. Amazon Influencer Program: Monetize Your Social Following

For those with established social media audiences, the Amazon Influencer Program offers enhanced monetization opportunities beyond standard affiliate marketing. This program has expanded significantly in 2025 with improved analytics and promotional tools.

How it works:

• Apply with your social media accounts (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc.)
• Create a customized storefront featuring your recommended products
• Share your storefront link with your audience
• Earn commissions on purchases through your recommendations

The program works best for creators who authentically integrate products into their content rather than creating obviously promotional material. Successful influencers focus on genuine recommendations that align with their personal brand and audience interests.

5. Amazon Live: Interactive Selling Through Livestreams

Livestream shopping has exploded in popularity, and Amazon Live provides a direct path to monetizing this trend. This interactive platform allows you to showcase products in real-time while engaging directly with potential customers.

How it works:

• Qualify as an Amazon Influencer
• Download the Amazon Live Creator app
• Host engaging livestreams featuring relevant products
• Earn commissions on purchases made during and after your stream

The most successful Amazon Live creators develop consistent schedules and engaging personalities that keep viewers coming back. Product demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and limited-time offers help drive conversions during streams.

While this option requires more active time investment than some other side hustles, it offers higher commission potential and helps build a loyal following that can translate to other monetization opportunities.

6. Digital Products: Create Once, Profit Repeatedly

Beyond books, Amazon’s marketplace supports various digital products that can generate significant passive income once created. These products require no physical inventory or shipping logistics.

Popular digital product categories:

• Printable planners, templates, and worksheets
• Educational guides and tutorials
• Digital art and designs
• Educational courses linked from your Amazon listings

The key advantage of digital products is their scalability—you invest time upfront in creation, but each additional sale comes with virtually no incremental cost. This creates exceptional profit margins compared to physical products.

7. Amazon Flex: Flexible Income on Your Schedule

If you prefer more active income opportunities, Amazon Flex allows you to earn money delivering packages using your own vehicle. This side hustle has evolved in 2025 with improved route optimization and earning potential.

How it works:

• Sign up as an independent contractor through the Flex app
• Select delivery blocks that fit your schedule
• Complete deliveries using your own transportation
• Earn $18-25+ per hour depending on your location

While this option doesn’t offer passive income potential, it provides reliable hourly earnings with complete schedule flexibility. Many entrepreneurs use Flex to fund their more passive Amazon ventures during the startup phase.

8. Dropshipping: Selling Without Inventory

Though more involved than purely digital options, dropshipping allows you to sell physical products without managing inventory. This model has remained viable in 2025 despite increased competition.

How it works:

• Find reliable suppliers who handle individual order fulfillment
• List their products on Amazon at marked-up prices
• Forward orders to suppliers who ship directly to customers
• Profit from the margin between your selling price and supplier cost

Successful dropshippers focus on niche products with lower competition and reliable suppliers. While Amazon has tightened some policies around dropshipping, sellers who maintain excellent customer service metrics and carefully vet their suppliers continue to thrive.

Maximize Your Amazon Side Hustle Success with Eva

While these Amazon side hustles offer exciting income potential, maximizing your results requires strategic optimization and efficient management. That’s where Eva’s specialized platform comes in.

Eva helps Amazon entrepreneurs across all these business models streamline operations, identify optimization opportunities, and scale their income. Our comprehensive platform offers:

For Content Creators and Publishers:

• Keyword research tools to optimize your book titles and descriptions for maximum visibility
• Content performance analytics to identify your most profitable topics
• Royalty tracking to monitor earnings across all your digital assets

For Merch on Demand and Digital Product Sellers:

• Trend analysis to identify high-potential design opportunities
• Pricing optimization tools to maximize your profit margins
• Performance analytics to focus your efforts on your most profitable products

For Affiliate Marketers and Influencers:

• Commission tracking across all your content channels
• Click-through rate optimization suggestions
• Conversion analysis to identify your highest-performing product recommendations

Whether you’re just starting your Amazon side hustle journey or looking to scale existing income streams, Eva’s AI-powered platform provides the insights and tools you need to outperform the competition. Our clients typically see a 35-50% increase in revenue after implementing our optimization recommendations.

Ready to transform your Amazon side hustle into a reliable income stream? Try Eva’s platform free for 15 days and discover untapped opportunities to grow your Amazon-based business.