Amazon FBA Product Research & Supplier Sourcing VA — Long-Term Opportunity

# Amazon FBA Product Research & Supplier Sourcing VA — Long-Term Opportunity

**Company:** Africa Unite Distribution
**Position:** Amazon FBA Product Research & Supplier Sourcing Virtual Assistant
**Employment Type:** Part-time to start, with potential for long-term growth
**Experience Required:** 2+ years of Amazon product research experience preferred

## About Africa Unite

Africa Unite is a growing e-commerce business focused on bringing authentic African products to customers in the United States through Amazon FBA.

Our product categories include African foods, agricultural products, natural beauty products, and other culturally relevant products with strong market potential.

Our long-term vision is to build a scalable brand that connects African producers and manufacturers with the American market. We are looking for a reliable, analytical, and resourceful VA who can help us discover profitable opportunities and build a dependable supplier network.

## Your Primary Responsibilities

### 1. Amazon FBA Product Research

Your primary responsibility is to identify **10–20 qualified product leads per week** that meet our research criteria.

You will research products based on:

- Customer demand, sales volume, and sales trends.
- Competition, listing quality, review counts, and barriers to entry.
- Selling price, estimated FBA fees, shipping costs, and other relevant expenses.
- Estimated net profit, profit margin, ROI, and break-even advertising costs.
- Seasonality, price history, and market stability.
- Amazon restrictions, category approval, brand restrictions, and product eligibility.
- Potential risks involving expiration dates, food safety, labeling, documentation, and import requirements.

You must be able to distinguish genuinely attractive opportunities from products that look profitable but have excessive competition, unreliable demand, or significant compliance barriers.

### 2. Product Research Tools

You must be comfortable using:

- **Keepa:** Sales rank history, price history, Buy Box trends, competition, and demand stability.
- **SellerAmp SAS:** Profit calculations, estimated sales, eligibility checks, competition analysis, and sourcing decisions.
- Amazon Seller Central and Amazon search results.
- Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel for tracking and reporting.
- Additional research tools when they improve the accuracy of your findings.

You must know how to interpret the data rather than simply collect screenshots or copy numbers from software.

### 3. Our Product Sourcing Strategy

Our research will follow two primary tracks:

**70% — African products for private label**

Find African-origin products that could be developed under the Africa Unite brand, especially products with identifiable demand and opportunities to differentiate our offering.

Examples include:

- Tiger nuts and other African agricultural products.
- Sobolo ingredients and dried hibiscus products.
- Shea butter and natural beauty ingredients.
- Prekese, waakye leaves, alligator pepper, and other African spices and botanicals.
- Fufu ingredients and other African pantry staples.
- Other promising African food, agricultural, and personal-care products.

These are examples, not a restriction on your research. You should actively identify new opportunities beyond our current catalog.

**30% — Established African products and brands**

Research recognizable African products that already have demand in the United States and may offer reliable, repeatable sales opportunities.

For these products, investigate brand authorization requirements, invoices, wholesale pricing, competition, Amazon selling eligibility, and the potential for sustainable margins.

**Important:** We prioritize products that can be sourced consistently, sold compliantly, and reordered profitably. Do not recommend a product simply because it is African or has a high selling price.

### 4. Supplier Sourcing & Verification

Once a promising product is identified, research suppliers and help us determine the best sourcing option.

Responsibilities include:

- Finding manufacturers, wholesalers, farms, cooperatives, and exporters.
- Prioritizing reliable suppliers in Ghana and other African countries where appropriate.
- Comparing local US wholesalers against direct international sourcing.
- Requesting quotations, minimum order quantities (MOQs), samples, lead times, and payment terms.
- Comparing unit costs, packaging costs, shipping, customs duties, and other landed costs.
- Identifying suppliers that offer consistent quality and repeatable inventory.
- Checking supplier credibility, business documentation, references, and export capabilities.
- Determining whether suppliers can provide the documentation needed for Amazon and applicable US import requirements.
- Organizing supplier communications and maintaining a database of qualified contacts.

For international suppliers, you should be comfortable communicating professionally across time zones and following up persistently.

You will research and recommend suppliers. **All supplier approvals, purchases, and financial commitments must be authorized by the business owner.**

### 5. Product Eligibility, Compliance & Ungating Research

Before recommending a product, investigate whether Africa Unite can realistically sell it on Amazon.

This includes:

- Checking category, brand, and ASIN-level restrictions where applicable.
- Identifying potential approval or ungating requirements.
- Researching acceptable invoices, supplier qualifications, and documentation.
- Flagging products that may require FDA-related, food safety, cosmetics, labeling, or import compliance review.
- Identifying potential intellectual property, trademark, authenticity, or restricted-product risks.

Do not assume a product is ungateable merely because another seller offers it. Clearly distinguish verified eligibility from requirements that still need confirmation in Seller Central or with the relevant authority.

### 6. Product Listings & Growth Support

As needed, assist with:

- Competitor listing analysis and keyword research.
- Product title, bullet point, and listing improvement suggestions.
- Identifying listing weaknesses and opportunities for differentiation.
- Reviewing customer feedback and recurring complaints.
- Tracking product performance, inventory, and competitor changes.
- Providing research that supports pricing and advertising decisions.

Product research and sourcing will remain your primary responsibilities.

## Weekly Deliverables

You are expected to deliver **10–20 qualified product leads per week**, not simply a list of product ideas.

Each lead must include:

1. Product name and proposed Amazon marketplace.
2. Existing Amazon listing or relevant competitor examples.
3. Estimated monthly sales and supporting demand evidence.
4. Current selling price and competition analysis.
5. Keepa and SellerAmp findings, where applicable.
6. Estimated product cost, FBA fees, landed cost, and other material expenses.
7. Estimated net profit per unit, profit margin, ROI, and break-even considerations.
8. Selling restrictions, ungating requirements, and compliance concerns.
9. At least one potential supplier, including contact information and pricing when available.
10. Recommended next step and a brief explanation of why the product is worth considering.

Maintain an organized Google Sheet with source links, calculations, research dates, supplier details, and a clear status for every lead.

Prioritize quality and accuracy over inflated lead counts. Clearly flag estimates, assumptions, and missing information.

## Required Qualifications

- At least 2 years of hands-on Amazon product research experience preferred.
- Practical knowledge of Amazon FBA, with an understanding of FBM where relevant.
- Strong working knowledge of Keepa and SellerAmp SAS.
- Ability to calculate landed costs, FBA fees, net profit, ROI, and margins.
- Experience sourcing products and communicating with suppliers.
- Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written English and professional communication.
- Proficiency in Google Sheets or Excel.
- High attention to detail and the ability to meet weekly deadlines.
- Comfortable working independently and presenting evidence to support recommendations.

Experience with African products, international trade, food or beauty products, private-label sourcing, and US import requirements is a significant advantage.

## What We Value

We are looking for someone who takes ownership of their work, thinks like a business operator, and understands that a product must be profitable, sellable, and reliably sourced to be a good opportunity.

We value initiative, honesty, data-driven decisions, clear communication, and long-term thinking.

We do not want generic product lists, copied research, unrealistic profit estimates, or suppliers that have not been properly evaluated.

## How to Apply

Please include the following in your application:

1. A brief introduction describing your Amazon FBA product research and sourcing experience.
2. The tools you have used, specifically Keepa and SellerAmp SAS, and how you use them to evaluate products.
3. An example of a product you researched, including its selling price, estimated sales, costs, net profit, ROI, competition, and sourcing approach. Please remove any confidential client information.
4. An example of a supplier you identified or a product you helped source, including the process you used to evaluate the supplier.
5. Your expected monthly compensation and weekly availability.
6. Confirm whether you can consistently research and submit 10–20 qualified product leads per week.

**Please begin your application with the words “AFRICA UNITE” so we know you have read the full posting.**

We are looking for a dependable long-term partner who can help Africa Unite discover the right products, establish reliable sourcing relationships, and grow a sustainable Amazon business.