1. Define the product and the Amazon store
Start with one product idea and one store, such as Amazon Australia or Amazon US. Record the intended use, materials, dimensions, customer and likely selling price. Compare products that solve the same problem. Keep Australian and US dollars in separate models.
2. Record evidence of demand
Save dated examples of the alternatives buyers can purchase. Record price, features, recurring review themes and available demand signals. A purchase badge is a screening signal, not an exact sales forecast. Check the exact format you intend to sell: demand for a broad category does not prove demand for your version.
Separate observations from assumptions. If you cannot support the price or demand, write down the missing evidence. An unknown is a research task, not a positive result.
3. Turn buyer complaints into a testable improvement
Look for repeated problems that your proposed product could solve. Specify the change, how a supplier would make it and how you would test it. For example, “a stronger handle” is vague; a written load test gives you something to assess. A new colour or a logo alone does not establish a useful difference.
4. Ask suppliers the same questions
Send the same specification to each shortlisted supplier. Ask for the base product and proposed improvement separately, minimum order quantities, sample costs, packaging, production time and the quote’s shipping basis. Record the currency and which freight or other charges are excluded.
A lower unit price is not automatically a better quote. Compare the same product specification and usable quantity. Complete supplier identity and payment checks separately; a strong supplier score does not authorise payment.
5. Test a sample and resolve product requirements
Assess the sample against your written brief: function, dimensions, materials, packaging and the buyer problem it should solve. Record the findings and any changes needed. Resolve the requirements for that product and market before committing to inventory. A supplier’s assurance alone is not a completed check.
6. Model the numbers before advertising
Itemise the selling price, product and packaging costs, freight, applicable Amazon fees, storage and allowances for returns or unusable units. Use current quotes and product-specific fee estimates. Record every assumption and when it was checked.
Idea To Inventory uses a 40% pre-ad margin screen. This is SGWE’s teaching rule, not an Amazon requirement, a net profit forecast or permission to order stock. Advertising, overheads and tax treatment still need separate consideration.
| Selling price | Modelled costs | Before-ad remainder | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| US$19.99 | US$11.90 | US$8.09 | 40.5% |
| US$18.99 | US$11.69 | US$7.30 | 38.4% |
When the example price drops, price-linked fees and allowances are recalculated too. The lower-price result falls below the course’s 40% screen. These are teaching inputs from the course, not a live fee quote or a prediction of sales.
Use the SGWE margin calculator for an initial estimate. Its discounts and returns fields start at zero, so fill them in and read the result’s exclusions. Verify the applicable Amazon fees using Amazon’s fee-estimation guidance. The course example and the public calculator do not include identical assumptions by default.
7. Clear every stock-order gate
A margin GO alone does not authorise a stock order. The Idea To Inventory course requires all of the following:
- A demand GO for the exact product format, with a supported target price.
- Completed supplier checks, including identity and payment route.
- A sample tested and approved against the specification.
- Resolved product and market requirements.
- A verified seller account.
- Final numbers using the real quote and a usable-unit allowance.
- An affordable cash plan with a reserve for the order and the next steps.
In the course, demand WATCH means keep researching. Missing required costs mean HELD. Neither is a stock-buying decision.
8. Record a decision and the next action
Choose pursue, revise, investigate or pass. Attach your evidence, list what is still unknown and name the next check. Keep one record containing the researched idea, improvement brief, comparable quotes, sample findings and cost model. Stopping before buying unsuitable stock is a useful outcome.
Want the full beginner process?
Idea To Inventory teaches six self-paced written modules, with the workbook, Profit Kit, Skills Manual and core product and supplier templates. Optional paid tools are separate. Stock, samples and other business costs are separate too.
The course has a 60-day money-back guarantee under its purchase terms.
Sources and method
Adapted from the final Idea To Inventory course dated 15 October 2026: its six-module method, stock-order gate map and worked examples on pages 36 and 55. See the course and inclusions. For current Amazon fees, use Amazon’s selling-cost guidance and fee-estimation guidance. Published 16 October 2026.
Already operating a brand? Read the Australia versus US expansion guide. Back to the Vault guides.