4 Amazon FBA seller tips from an online spice business founder

Sylvia Kapsandoy is the Nairobi-born, Salt Lake City-based founder behind USimplySeason, a kitchen brand that sells fresh, vibrant spice blends. Amazon customers love USimplySeason’s wide array of spice offerings, which celebrate flavors from all corners of the world—like Jamaican jerk, Ethiopian berbere, and Indian garam masala.

closeup of sylvia kapsandoy holding a long platter filled with spices, including chinese five space, za'atar, sumac, and tabil

Kapsandoy is one of the many small business owners who uses Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to lower operational costs and free up time to innovate and create more products. With the FBA program, independent sellers can take advantage of Amazon’s cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure, and outsource their fulfillment, delivery, customer service, and returns to Amazon.

In her own words, Kapsandoy shares the story of USimplySeason and how FBA can empower other small business owners and independent sellers on Amazon:

My mom is the biggest inspiration in my life—she’s a nurse, homemaker, and an amazing cook, too. In her late 30s, my dad passed away, leaving her as a single mom raising four kids in Kenya. The stress eventually led to a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Later, my sister, who has her PhD and is also a nurse, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). With two strong women in my family battling diseases, I was inspired to use spices with natural benefits, instead of adding supplements, in my cooking.

sylvia kapsandoy founder of small business usimplyseason looks down while grinding spices with a mortar and pestle

I started my business in 2013, creating healthy spices that tell the story of merging tradition, innovation, and health. I wanted to show how you can incorporate food as medicine into your everyday life and make it easy to create fabulous meals for your family in a short period of time.

After more than 10 years of running my business, these are my top 4 learnings and tips for other small business owners who want to sell in Amazon’s store.

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I’ve been able to better connect with my customers and audiences.

1

I’ve been able to better connect with my customers and audiences.

2

I have more time and resources to focus on the core of my business.

3

I take advantage of Amazon’s useful advertising tools and A+ content pages, and so should you.

4

If you’re just starting out, the key to success is to understand the fundamentals of your business.

1.

I’ve been able to better connect with my customers and audiences.

Amazon FBA made it possible for me to build a small business, using the tools traditionally only available to big businesses. Selling through a platform as large as Amazon has helped me connect with more customers, who make me feel like what I’m doing is worth it.

I’m able to read my reviews, respond to every customer, and listen to their feedback. They’re the ones who helped me reformulate products that have now become best sellers. They give me a reason for why I do what I do.

closeup of a variety of ground spices surrounding a bottle of usimplyseason yucatan spice blend

2.

I have more time and resources to focus on the core of my business.

FBA handling customer service and shipping logistics frees up time for my small team to do what we do best—make our products. It’s the best thing that has happened to us and has enabled us to grow.

The technology allows me to reach more people and has also made my products more affordable and accessible since FBA is 70% less expensive than comparable 2-day shipping options.

3.

I take advantage of Amazon’s useful advertising tools and A+ content pages, and so should you.

Amazon has innovative advertising tools, which help us understand our customers more and what they’re looking for. They also help us reach new customers and figure out how to talk to them.

sylvia kapsandoy founder of usimplyspice holds and looks down at a tablet while sitting on a couch

Meanwhile, the A+ content pages have helped us learn how to introduce a product. A+ content makes it very simple for us to showcase our products in different ways using the tools we already have. With a small amount of effort, we get to see bigger results.

4.

If you’re just starting out, the key to success is to understand the fundamentals of your business.

Whichever category you go in, make sure you understand your foundation, and then the fun stuff comes in. Learn how to position your product, understand what you’re providing and why you’re providing it, and be able to explain your “why.”

And remember, be authentic and embrace the weird. The key is to have fun. The minute you stop having fun, it becomes a job.

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