Managing an Amazon FBA business is no walk in the park. That’s why today we’re talking about extending your capabilities by hiring an Amazon FBA Virtual Assistant (VA).
Hiring an Amazon FBA VA may seem like an unnecessary expense, but as your business grows, you’ll find the extra set of hands is key to succeeding in the competitive marketplace. In this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about Amazon virtual assistants—including what they do, how they can help, and how to hire the best Amazon FBA VA for your business needs.
What is an Amazon Virtual Assistant?
An Amazon virtual assistant (VA, as they’re typically called) is a remote worker who specializes in handling various Amazon Seller Central tasks. Think of them like your personal assistant, managing those important but time-consuming Amazon FBA tasks that can significantly impact your bottom line.
What Does an Amazon Virtual Assistant Do?
An Amazon VA can take on an impressive range of tasks—from routine operations like order processing and inventory management to more complex responsibilities such as PPC campaign management, customer service, or even overseeing entire product launches. Here are a few areas an Amazon FBA VA can help you out:
1. Customer Service
Your VA can help you with customer service and engagement aspects of your Amazon FBA business. Tasks might include answering customer questions on Amazon or through email, responding to product reviews, crafting and sending follow-up emails to customers, or any other customer management service.
2. Product Listing Optimization
Hiring an Amazon virtual assistant could be a great resource for upkeeping product listings. Listings need to be updated regularly with new photos, videos or refreshed copy to stay relevant and keep up with high-ranking keywords. Incorporating appropriate keywords by using software like Magnet from Helium 10 is an important part of getting your Amazon listings discovered, but keyword research can be time-consuming. There are lots of Amazon VAs for hire who are well-versed in finding keywords who can save you a ton of time.
3. Inventory Maintenance
This one is pretty self explanatory, but you may hire an Amazon FBA VA to monitor your inventory levels to make sure they remain ideal for business. The assistant’s job may involve keeping track of when inventory is becoming stale and needs to be sold off or monitoring when there is an unexpected drop in revenue, which might lead to a listing or price adjustment.
4. Managing Social Media
If you hire a virtual Assistant who’s skilled with social media, you can have them assist you with posting, responding to direct messages or comments, or even developing paid advertising and marketing campaigns to run across platforms.
5. Graphic Design/Images/3D Product Renders
An increasingly important part of running an Amazon business is having high-quality visuals on your product pages and web store. It’s widely known that more photos typically means more sales, but you can’t get away with using crappy iPhone photos anymore. Hiring a VA who’s well versed in product photography, editing, visual design, etc. can help you capture high quality images of your Amazon products to boost sales.
6. Product Research and Sourcing
You can hire an Amazon virtual assistant to find your next big product on Amazon or negotiate with wholesalers. Your FBA VA can also help with researching your competitors, finding new suppliers, and analyzing product trends using software like Jungle Scout. This can save you a lot of time and effort, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
Benefits of Using a Virtual Assistant for Amazon FBA
There are plenty of benefits to hiring a virtual assistant for your Amazon FBA business, here are the biggest advantages that come to mind:
- More time: Hiring a VA to tackle daily operational tasks allows you to focus on strategic, high-level tasks that drive growth, leading to greater efficiency and productivity. It also allows you to take time off while knowing your Amazon business will be taken care of.
- Cost efficiency: Employing a virtual assistant can be more cost-effective than hiring full-time, in-house staff because you can scale the level of support based on your needs.
- Leverage specialty skills: You can hire VAs with specific skills, like graphic design or product photography, to help your Amazon FBA business grow.
- Improved customer satisfaction: Having a VA tend to your customer questions, reviews and needs can improve your seller rating and customer satisfaction.
How to Hire an Amazon FBA Virtual Assistant
The process of hiring an Amazon virtual assistant will look different for every seller. I’ve created a step-by-step guide to help you get started, but feel free to take or leave whatever best suits your business.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
Clearly define the tasks you need your FBA virtual assistant to handle. These may include inventory management, customer service, product research, listing optimization, and order processing. Understanding your requirements will help you create a precise job description.
Step 2: Create a Detailed Job Description
Craft a comprehensive job description that outlines the responsibilities, required skills, and experience necessary for the role. Include specifics about the Amazon FBA processes they will manage and any tools or software they need to be proficient in.
Step 3: Source Candidates
Use reputable platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, or specialized virtual assistant services like FreeUp and OnlineJobs.ph to post your job listing. Additionally, consider soliciting referrals from industry peers and utilizing social media to widen your search.
Step 4: Review Applications
Screen the applications meticulously. Look for candidates with relevant experience, strong communication skills, and positive feedback from other employers. Pay attention to their familiarity with Amazon FBA processes and their proficiency with necessary tools.
Step 5: Conduct Interviews
Schedule interviews with shortlisted candidates. Prepare questions that assess their technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of the Amazon FBA ecosystem. Also, evaluate their communication skills and reliability during this process.
Step 6: Test Their Skills
Assign a practical test related to the tasks they will be handling. This can include specific tasks such as drafting a product listing or creating a spreadsheet for inventory tracking. Assess the quality of their work, attention to detail, and adherence to deadlines.
Step 7: Check References
Request and verify references from previous employers to gain insights into the candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and performance. This step is crucial for ensuring the credibility of the candidate’s experience and skills.
Step 8: Make the Offer
Once you’ve identified the right candidate, present a formal offer that includes the scope of work, compensation, work schedule, and other relevant terms. Ensure that both parties sign a contract that clearly outlines the expectations and responsibilities.
Step 9: Onboard Your Virtual Assistant
Provide a comprehensive onboarding process to familiarize your new assistant with your business operations, Amazon FBA specifics, and any tools or systems they will use. Regular check-ins and training will help them integrate smoothly into your workflow.
Step 10: Monitor Performance
Establish a monitoring and evaluation system to regularly assess the performance of your FBA virtual assistant. Provide constructive feedback and support to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with your business goals.
Verdict: Should You Hire an Amazon FBA VA?
The decision to hire an Amazon FBA VA is entirely situational. I personally use a virtual assistant to help me manage my businesses and I don’t know where I would be without them—they’re a huge help! That said, back in my early days of selling, I didn’t really have a ton of need for one, and I was glad to get the experience of learning Amazon FBA on my own.
If you don’t already, I recommend starting with an Amazon seller software. Tools like Helium 10 and Jungle Scout simplify so many tasks and can save you a lot of time on things like product research, finding keywords and optimizing your listings. As your business grows, then you may want to hire an Amazon VA to help you manage these things so you can focus on other areas of your business.
On the most popular plans
Get 20% OFF
Your First 6 months
Code: PROJECTFBA20
FAQ Amazon Virtual Assistant
There are plenty of job sites where you can find VAs. I recommend looking on Upwork, Fiverr or LinkedIn.
Absolutely! In fact, with how fast Amazon FBA is growing, there’s an even greater demand for Amazon VAs.
It’s hard to say, because rates can vary based on experience and tasks. According to Indeed, the average Amazon Virtual Assistant is paid about $23 an hour. But you can also work out with your VA whether they will be paid on an hourly or per-task basis.
A virtual assistant performs a mix of administrative and operational tasks, which may include digital marketing, customer support, inventory tracking, and data entry.
