Average Amazon Seller Revenue by Category

Let’s clear up the biggest confusion right away.

When most people hear “average,” they mentally translate it into “most people.” But on Amazon, the spread is huge. There are new sellers making a few hundred dollars in a month. There are also established brands doing seven figures per year. When you combine them, the average becomes a useful benchmark—but not a “typical seller” snapshot.

Here’s why averages get messy in e-commerce:

• Amazon has sellers at very different stages: launching a product, scaling, plateauing, exiting.
• Some sellers are one-product businesses; others manage 50–500 SKUs.
• Some sellers build brands; others do wholesale; others do arbitrage; others do handmade.
• Some sellers operate on tight margins with high volume; others run fewer orders with higher price points.

So when someone asks for Average Amazon Seller Revenue by category, what they really want is: “If I choose a category, how does it affect my odds of earning meaningful revenue?”

That’s a good question. We just need to answer it honestly.

Before we talk categories, I want to say something that saves sellers a lot of pain:

Amazon Seller Revenue is not the same thing as “income,” “profit,” or “money in your pocket.”

Revenue is the top line. Profit is what’s left after you pay for:

• Product cost (COGS)
• Shipping to Amazon (or to customers)
• Amazon fees (referral fees, FBA fees if applicable)
• Advertising (and this can be a monster)
• Returns, refunds, replacements
• Promotions/coupons
• Storage, removals, write-offs
• Tools, software, prep, packaging
• Labor (even if it’s your own time)

A category might have high revenue potential, but if returns are brutal or ad costs are intense, your “great revenue” can still lead to thin margins.

So the goal isn’t just “pick the category with the highest revenue.” The goal is to choose a category where you can build a repeatable system that produces predictable sell revenue and healthy margins over time.

Amazon’s own stats give you a “reality anchor”—something that isn’t just a random blog opinion:

• Independent sellers in the U.S. averaged more than $290,000 in annual sales in 2024.
• 55,000+ independent sellers generated over $1 million in sales in 2024.
• Independent sellers account for more than 60% of sales in the Amazon store.

These numbers tell you two things:

• There is enough customer demand on Amazon for independent businesses to scale.
• A meaningful number of sellers are operating at “real business” levels, not hobby levels.

But again—those are overall stats. To make category decisions, we need to translate “overall opportunity” into “category behavior.”

Think of category as the environment you’re building in. Same skills, different weather.

Some categories are like:

• High volume, low price: You can scale revenue fast if you win traffic, but fees and ads can crush you if you’re sloppy.
• Lower volume, higher ticket: You can build meaningful revenue with fewer orders, but conversion may be harder, and customer service may be higher.
• Repeat purchase: You can build stable monthly revenue because customers come back.
• One-time purchase: You need constant new customers or new products to keep revenue growing.
• High return / high variability: Your revenue may look strong, but you’ll fight returns and customer satisfaction.
• Restricted / compliance-heavy: Higher barriers can reduce competition, but one mistake can become a major problem.

This is why a seller can be “good” and still struggle in a category that doesn’t match their strengths. And it’s why another seller can look like a genius simply because their category and offer structure are aligned.

Most public sources don’t give a verified, audited spreadsheet that says: “Average revenue per seller in category X equals $Y.” That data is usually private (inside Amazon) or scattered across surveys with different methodologies.

So instead of inventing fake averages, we’ll do what serious sellers do: look at categories that are consistently discussed as profitable opportunities, then talk about what makes them “revenue-friendly” and what makes them difficult.

Seller Snap, for example, lists categories it considers among the most profitable/best-selling and discusses why they can be strong options for sellers.

Let’s break down several of those categories with a seller-reality lens.

Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry (biggest demand… plus the biggest complexity)

This category is massive because people buy apparel constantly—work, events, seasons, gifts, trends. Seller Snap includes Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry among top categories sellers consider profitable amazon product.

What it can do for your Average Amazon Seller Revenue potential:

• The demand ceiling is high. If you build a product that resonates, revenue can scale quickly.
• You can expand into variations, bundles, and “family” items (matching sets, sizes, colors).

What can hurt your sell revenue:

• Returns. Fit and “expectation mismatch” are constant battles.
• Inventory complexity. Size runs and variations can create stranded inventory and stockouts at the worst time.
• Branding matters. Generic clothing is hard. A clear brand angle and quality consistency help a lot.

Who usually wins here:

• Sellers who are strong at branding, product photography, and managing variations.
• Sellers who can control quality tightly and communicate sizing clearly.

Arts, Crafts & Sewing (quietly powerful because of repeat behavior)

Seller Snap points to Arts, Crafts & Sewing as a strong category driven by DIY culture and hobbyists.

Why it can support strong Amazon Seller Revenue:

• Repeat purchase potential can be excellent (supplies, consumables, refills).
• Bundles are natural (kits, starter sets, “everything you need” packs).
• Customer language is specific, which can make targeting easier.

What can hurt your revenue:

• Some products become “price commodities” quickly.
• Trend spikes exist, but they fade—so you need a product line, not just one hit.

Who wins here:

• Sellers who create complete solutions (kits) instead of single components.
• Sellers who invest in instructions, guides, or clear usage brand content.

Sports & Outdoors (great upside, but seasonality and size can surprise you)

Seller Snap includes Sports & Outdoors as a category with strong demand influenced by wellness and outdoor trends.

Why it can support strong revenue:

• Lots of sub-niches: fitness, camping, hiking, team sports, accessories.
• Seasonal peaks can be big, and many buyers are “enthusiast buyers” (they spend more

What can hurt Average Amazon Seller Revenue outcomes:

• Bulky items can destroy margins if you don’t model fees.
• Quality expectations are unforgiving. If durability fails, ratings sink.
• Seasonal revenue can be uneven—great months and slow months.

Who wins:

• Sellers who plan inventory early for peaks and don’t overextend.
• Sellers who pick “small but valuable” products (lighter items with strong perceived value).

Health, Household & Baby Care (steady demand, but you must respect the rules)

Seller Snap highlights Health, Household & Baby Care as driven by everyday essentials and consistent consumer needs.

Why it can drive stable Amazon Seller Revenue:

• Repeat buying is strong in many sub-niches (household supplies, certain care products).
• Customers buy on habit. If you become their default, revenue smooths out.

What can hurt your sell revenue:

• Compliance, restrictions, and claims sensitivity (depending on product type).
• Competition can be intense in staples.
• Reviews can be polarized because people are picky with items they use daily.

Who wins:

• Sellers who keep claims clean, instructions clear, and quality consistent.
• Sellers who focus on differentiation (form factor, bundle, scent options, better packaging).

Toys & Games (gift-driven rockets… and forecasting landmines)

Seller Snap includes Toys & Games as a profitable category with strong demand, especially driven by children and gifting.

Why it can push revenue high:

• Q4 can be enormous.
• Products can go viral or trend quickly.
• Gift buyers care about “wow” and presentation.

What can hurt revenue:

• Forecasting mistakes cost money. Overstock after peak season ties up cash.
• Safety and compliance considerations can be serious depending on age range.
• Trends move fast; yesterday’s winner can turn into dead inventory.

Who wins:

• Sellers who plan seasons like a calendar-based business.
• Sellers who have multiple SKUs so one product doesn’t decide the whole year.

Even though category matters, a few variables will dominate your revenue outcome no matter what you sell.

Price point (the easiest lever to understand)

Revenue is partly math.

• At $15, you need about 3,334 sales to hit $50,000 revenue.
• At $50, you need 1,000 sales to hit $50,000 revenue.

Same revenue, totally different operational world.

Lower price often means:

• More units, more PPC pressure, more customer service volume.

Higher price often means:

• Fewer units, higher expectation, more persuasion required.

Category influences where “normal” price points sit, which influences what kind of sales volume you need to build meaningful Amazon Seller Revenue.

Conversion rate (the silent multiplier)

Two sellers can run the same traffic and get different revenue because:

• One has strong images, clear bullets, and great reviews.
• The other has a confusing listing and mixed feedback.

Category influences conversion pressure:

• Apparel: sizing clarity drives conversion.
• Household: trust and reliability drive conversion.
• Toys: perceived value and gifting cues drive conversion.

Advertising intensity (the profit killer disguised as growth)

This is where the “category average revenue” conversation can mislead.

You can buy revenue with ads. The question is whether that revenue is healthy.

In high-competition categories, you might spend heavily just to be visible. In less saturated niches, you can sometimes get traction with less spend—especially if your listing is strong and your offer is clean.

This is why two sellers in the same category can have the same revenue but totally different profit.

Returns and refunds (the hidden tax)

Returns don’t just cost money. They can:

• Lower your rating
• Create negative review themes
• Increase customer service load
• Raise your future ad costs because conversion drops

Some categories inherently have higher return risk (like apparel). That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sell there—it means your model must assume it.

Inventory health (you can’t earn revenue if you’re out of stock)

Stockouts kill momentum. Overstock kills cash flow. Both kill growth.

Category affects inventory behavior:

• Seasonal categories demand better forecasting.
• Variation-heavy categories demand tighter planning.
• Repeat purchase categories reward staying consistently in stock.

This is the part most people want—but almost nobody does properly.

Here’s a quick framework you can use without pretending you know the future.

Step 1 — Decide what “success” means for you

Be specific. Examples:

• “I want an extra $3,000/month to replace freelance work.”
• “I want $25,000/month revenue with stable cash flow.”
• “I want to build a sellable brand at $80,000/month revenue.”

Your target changes what categories make sense.

Step 2 — Choose a realistic price point + unit volume

Instead of fantasizing about big revenue, pick something you can model:

• Conservative unit target (based on demand and competition)
• Expected selling price
• Conservative conversion assumptions

This gives you a “base case” revenue estimate you can refine.

Step 3 — Build a conservative cost model (even if it’s rough)

To keep it real, include:

• Product cost
• Amazon fees
• Shipping to Amazon
• Ads budget assumption
• Return/refund assumption

Even a rough model beats a hype-based plan.

Step 4— Use Amazon Seller Central to validate reality

Once you’re live, stop guessing and start measuring. Amazon Seller Central is where you track whether your assumptions hold up. It’s not glamorous, but it’s how revenue becomes predictable.

What to watch consistently:

• Sessions and conversion rate (are you earning sales from traffic?)
• Units ordered and order item sessions
• Refund and return data (why are people unhappy?)
• Inventory signals (are you limiting your own growth?)
• Ads performance (is ad spend scaling profitably?)

The sellers who win are not the ones who pick the “best category.” They’re the ones who adapt fastest based on real numbers.

Amazon’s stats page also highlights that sellers can use tools and programs to improve performance. For example, Amazon says Basic A+ Content can increase sales by up to 8% in some cases. Amazon also cites that discounted Subscribe & Save can increase sales conversion by up to 1.8x on average.

You don’t need to use every program. But it’s worth understanding the principle: small conversion lifts can create meaningful revenue increases over time—especially in categories where traffic is expensive.

This is also why “category” is only half the story. Your listing quality, offer clarity, and operational consistency can turn an “average category” into a strong business.

If you’re in the “research phase,” here’s a practical checklist that keeps you honest:

• Do I understand the customer in this category, or am I guessing?
• Will I be competing against giant brands with unlimited ad budgets?
• Is the product fragile, bulky, or return-prone?
• Can I explain my differentiation in one sentence?
• Can I create a better offer (bundle, kit, upgraded component) rather than a copy?
• Is demand stable or seasonal—and can I plan inventory management accordingly?
• Can I handle compliance/restriction requirements if the category needs it?
• Can I realistically reach a review profile that supports conversion?

If you can answer those confidently, your revenue odds improve—regardless of category.

Average Amazon Seller Revenue is influenced by category, but it’s shaped even more by your execution—your product selection, pricing, listing quality, advertising discipline, and inventory consistency. 

Amazon’s own published data shows independent sellers in the U.S. averaged more than $290,000 in annual sales in 2024, with more than 55,000 sellers doing over $1 million—and independent sellers driving over 60% of sales in the Amazon store.

On the category side, seller-focused discussions highlight niches like Clothing, Arts/Crafts, Sports & Outdoors, Health/Household/Baby, and Toys & Games as categories with strong opportunity—when sellers understand the trade-offs and build a real offer, not a copy.

If you want the most realistic “by category” approach, use category research to choose a lane, then let the numbers inside Amazon Seller Central shape your actual revenue expectations month by month. That’s how you turn Amazon Seller Revenue from a dream into a plan—and from a plan into stable sell revenue.