Ever felt like a golden opportunity was just out of reach? That’s how I felt about Merch by Amazon. The platform seemed perfect—no upfront costs like with print-on-demand services and the promise of selling Prime-eligible T-shirts, tank tops, and more. But after being rejected once and reading that reapplying was against their terms of service, I thought my dream was over.
That is, until an influencer I trusted (who had always been against buying accounts) started selling them. He had years of experience on Merch by Amazon and was usually super cautious. If he was on board, then it had to be safe, right? Spoiler alert—it wasn’t.
The Purchase Process
I took the plunge and bought a tier 10k account for $1500. I received detailed instructions via e-mail on how to transfer the account without alerting Merch by Amazon. Everything went smoothly for about two months. I was uploading designs, running ads, and making sales. By the end of month two, I’d racked up $500 in sales. I found a gaping hole in a trending niche that didn’t violate any copyrights or trademarks. My evergreen designs were also selling well, and I was confident I’d recoup my investment in no time.
Then came the Friday that changed everything. I logged in, ready to upload new designs, only to find my account terminated.
The Heartache of Termination
After some back-and-forth with the customer service reps, it became clear that my termination wasn’t due to a content policy violation but a Terms of Service violation. Somehow, they knew I’d purchased the account. Although they couldn’t explicitly state it, it was evident.
Lessons Learned
- I’m good at finding underserved niches. This experience reinforced that I have a knack for identifying profitable areas.
- Stick to the rules. I learned that buying into opportunities isn’t worth the risk. Using my talents and grinding through the process is the way to go.
- Explore other platforms. I’m now focusing on Etsy, Shopify, and Amazon Seller Central. I hope to join Amazon’s influencer program one day, which occasionally offers a backdoor into Merch by Amazon.
Ethical Implications
Sure, buying an account doesn’t really hurt a multi-billion-dollar company like Amazon. But it does flood the market with spam accounts, keeping genuinely talented creators out of the loop. That’s not cool.
Moving Forward
For now, I’m sticking to platforms where I can build my brand ethically and sustainably. If the opportunity to join Merch by Amazon comes through legitimate means, I’ll take it. Until then, it’s all about hard work, creativity, and ethical practices.
Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Thanks for reading, and happy designing!