I never thought I’d be making money on Amazon without selling a single product.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be earning passive income from the biggest e-commerce platform in the world; without dealing with inventory, shipping, or customer service; I would’ve laughed it off.
But here I am. And if you’re curious how to make money on Amazon without selling, let me walk you through my personal journey. Spoiler alert: it’s 100% possible and surprisingly doable.
How to Make Money on Amazon Without Selling?
- My Turning Point – Tired of Side Hustles That Didn’t Stick
Like many Americans, I was hunting for ways to earn extra income without quitting my 9-to-5. I’d tried reselling, dropshipping, and even print-on-demand. While those work for some, I couldn’t keep up with the logistics and marketing.
That’s when I stumbled across an article (ironically, on Amazon Kindle) talking about Amazon’s affiliate program. I had no idea you could earn money just by recommending products. No selling, no shipping, no stress.
Step 1 – I Joined the Amazon Associates Program
Signing up for Amazon Associates was completely free. After registering, I got access to a dashboard where I could create special links for any Amazon product.
Every time someone clicked my unique link and made a purchase, I earned a small commission. It didn’t matter if they bought what I recommended or something else entirely; as long as they entered Amazon through my link.
Step 2 – I Built a Simple Blog and YouTube Channel
I knew I needed a platform to share my affiliate links.
I started a basic blog using a free WordPress theme and wrote posts like,
“Top 10 Home Office Essentials”
“Best Budget Fitness Equipment Under $50”
“What I Bought on Amazon That Made Life Easier”
I also created short YouTube videos showcasing these products. Sometimes I didn’t even appear on camera—just voiceovers and stock footage.
Every blog post or video description included my Amazon affiliate links.
Step 3 – Leveraging Pinterest and Facebook Groups
I was surprised to find Pinterest traffic actually converted really well. I created simple pins using Canva and linked them back to my blog.
I also joined Facebook groups related to home organization, parenting, and remote work, where I genuinely shared helpful suggestions (with affiliate links when allowed).
This trickled in traffic slowly, but it was consistent, proving that it’s possible to make money on Amazon without selling anything directly.
Step 4 – I Dabbled in Amazon Influencer Program
Once my content picked up, I applied for the Amazon Influencer Program. It’s like the affiliate program but with extra perks, like having a custom storefront on Amazon where I could recommend curated lists (e.g., “My Home Gym Must-Haves”).
I began making short videos reviewing products and uploading them directly to Amazon. Those videos showed up on product pages and earned commissions.
Step 5 – Exploring Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
After setting up my affiliate blog and YouTube channel, I was curious—was there another way to earn from Amazon without selling? That’s when I discovered Amazon Mechanical Turk, also known as MTurk.
It’s a platform where people can complete small online tasks and get paid. These tasks, called HITs (Human Intelligence Tasks) can include,
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Transcribing short audio clips
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Verifying data
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Taking surveys
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Categorizing images
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Moderating content
I signed up and started with basic tasks like surveys and short writing assignments. While the pay per task was small (usually between $0.05 to $1), I realized that the more tasks I completed accurately, the higher-paying gigs started appearing.
I spent about 30 minutes a day for a few weeks and made an extra $100 in a month. Not a fortune, but definitely helpful, and a real example of how to make money on Amazon without selling anything.
Pro tip: Always check the requester rating on MTurk forums before accepting a task. It saves time and frustration!
Step 6 – Publishing Low-Content Books on Amazon KDP
One day, while browsing YouTube, I came across a creator talking about Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing); but not for writing novels or eBooks.
Instead, they were publishing low-content books like,
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Planners
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Journals
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Coloring books
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Puzzle books
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Meal trackers
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Budget planners
I was attracted. With zero experience in book publishing, I gave it a shot. I created a few gratitude journals using free Canva templates, added a nice cover, and uploaded them to Amazon KDP.
To my surprise, I made my first sale within a week. Over time, as I uploaded more journals and planners, I started seeing consistent income. Even better, Amazon handles everything: printing, shipping, and customer service.
I now have over 25 journals on my KDP dashboard, and some months they bring in $200–$300 in royalties. All passive.
How Much I Make (and What You Can Expect)
It started slow: $15 in the first month. But after three consistent months of blogging, pinning, and posting, I started earning over $300/month.
Today, I average $500–$800 monthly, all without selling a single item myself.
Some influencers and bloggers earn thousands with this strategy. But for me, the best part is the passive nature of the income. Once content is up, it keeps working for you.
Tools That Helped Me Along the Way
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Canva (to make Pinterest graphics)
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Grammarly (for writing cleaner blogs)
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TubeBuddy (to optimize YouTube tags)
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Linktree (to organize all my affiliate links)
Final Thoughts – You Don’t Need to Sell to Succeed on Amazon
If you’re wondering how to make money on Amazon without selling, let me assure you, it’s not a gimmick. With a bit of effort upfront, you can build a passive income stream that fits your lifestyle.
I’m not a tech wizard. I didn’t have a large audience. But I was willing to learn and take small steps. If I can do it, so can you.
Read: How to Make Money in One Hour – My Unexpected $100 Story
