The budget-thirds split is the r/AmazonFBATips operator rule. Total budget: $ divided by three, written down before spending. Example from the lesson: on $3,000, that is $1,000 / $1,000 / $1,000.
Weeks 1-3: research and the calculator
☐ Shortlist of ten candidates built.
☐ Each run through the unit-economics calculator.
☐ Kill criteria applied in writing: margin under ~15% net, ROI under roughly 60%, giants on page one, gated, seasonal-only, trademark conflicts.
☐ Two or three survivors move forward; supplier outreach started on all of them (factories are also a filter).
Kill gate: no candidate survives the calculator. Stop. Research again next month with the budget intact. This gate saves the other two thirds.
Weeks 3-5: samples and the decision
☐ Samples ordered from two or three factories, express shipped.
☐ Tested to destruction; compared side by side against page one.
☐ One winner confirmed in writing: unit price at your quantity, lead time, packaging, labeling, prep requirements.
Weeks 5-6: the order and the freight booking
☐ Deposit paid (typically ~30%); production scheduled (2-4 weeks).
☐ Freight quoted with landed duty in writing, for your product's HS code.
☐ Third-party inspection booked for before the balance payment (~$100-300 per visit).
☐ Setup track in parallel: LLC, EIN, bank accounts, seller account on the Professional plan, GS1 codes.
☐ USPTO search run; trademark filed now or when the product proves out, name clears today.
Weeks 6-12: the freight window, worked hard
☐ Listing built completely: photos, bullets, backend keywords, price positioned against page one.
☐ Three ad campaigns written in draft.
☐ Launch budget cap set in writing.
☐ Vine enrollment staged if Brand Registry is ready.
Season checkpoint: check the calendar for the week inventory becomes sellable. Landing October through December means Q4: storage rates peak, ad costs rise, holiday demand can rocket or strand a new product. Workable, but the reserve stays untouched until January. A seasonal product must be sellable before its season, or the loop is delayed to the next one. Sellable week: Q4 landing: ☐ yes ☐ no