Everyone knows that Amazon is one of the fastest-growing companies in America. They add new positions all the time and pay well compared to other shopping sites. Their most coveted jobs, however, are those that you can work from home. The three ways to make extra money with Amazon include customer service reps, the mechanical Turk program, and Amazon store owner.
Amazon Customer Service Rep Jobs
One of the most popular jobs to work from home is as a customer service rep for Amazon. To work this job, Amazon asks that you be internet savvy and able to quickly think on your feet to solve customer problems, answer questions, and resolve any concerns customers may have. These jobs can be done over the phone or also via the chat box customers can access when logged into their Amazon accounts.
When do you work?
Since the Virtual Contact Center at Amazon is open from 3am – midnight PST, you may be asked to work any of these hours. Additionally, expect to be able to work weekends. Most customer reps are expected to work mandatory overtime, especially during the busy holiday season. Associates may not, however, work more than 60 hours per week. Any earned paid holiday time is not usually allowed during Thanksgiving through mid-January, due to holiday demands.
What does the Amazon Customer Service job pay?
This job pays $10 an hour. There is also paid training and ongoing resources to help you in your job. Bonuses are applicable to some positions, as well.
Who is eligible to work these jobs?
Amazon currently only hires people who live in the following states to work these jobs:
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Virginia.
In addition, you must be a high school graduate or have a GED. Amazon only hires those familiar with basic computing technology (such as email and instant messaging.) It is also preferred that you have at least one year in a customer-facing work position, such as retail, customer service, or hospitality.
What technical requirements does Amazon have?
You must have your own computer with Windows 8.1/ OS 10.9 or higher. Your internet speed must be reliable and at least 10 MBps download/ 3 MBps upload. You may be asked to uninstall or disable any number of apps or security tools. Amazon will provide the headset and network key necessary to do this job.
You can make extra money by applying for these customer service jobs at Amazon here. Note that not all jobs will be available at all times. Those who are bilingual and fluent in other languages (such as Spanish, Japanese, and French) are more likely to find a job available to them.
Make Extra Money with Amazon Mechanical Turk
See also: The Best Ways to Make Extra Money Right Now
One unique way people can make extra money from home with Amazon is with the Mechanical Turk program. This is not a traditional employment situation, however, as those doing the work are independent contractors and not employees of Amazon. The turk program allows any qualified person to do an unlimited number of small tasks that cannot be automated.
These tasks, called Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs) can vary wildly. They may include jobs such as:
- Verifying CAPTCHA
- Transcribing audio
- Proofreading
- Writing descriptions
- Labeling
- Spreadsheet management
- Usability testing
When do you work?
Tasks are available to complete anytime, day or night. The good jobs go fairly quickly, however, so you may want to check in periodically to do work as you find the time each day.
What does the Amazon Mechanical Turk program pay?
Each HIT may pay between a penny and a few hundred dollars. Obviously, those that pay the most will require hours of work (vs. those that take just seconds.) The more experience you have, the more likely you can get the higher-paying jobs on the list.
Who is eligible to work these jobs?
Currently the program is open to any worker in most countries worldwide, subject to limitations or exclusions that Amazon may create at any time. Some jobs may require you to take qualifications tests, however. Fortunately, these can be completed on the site to open up new jobs as they become available.
What technical qualifications does this job have?
If you can access the Turk site and receive payment from Amazon, you are qualified. If you need extra software or tools to do any of the tasks, those will be noted in the HIT description.
Set up your Amazon Mechanical Turk account and start making extra money here. Note that you are competing with workers from all over the world, and it can take quite a bit of work to make money. If you have extra time and are willing to put in the effort, however, it can be a good way to make some extra cash.
Amazon Seller Opportunities
See also: Amazon vs eBay: Where Should I Sell My Stuff?
Finally, one legitimate way to make money from home with Amazon is as a store owner or Amazon seller. Amazon currently allows two ways to sell items on their marketplace:
1) You can have your own inventory that you ship from your own warehouse or business. You handle all fulfillment issues, returns, and shipping processes.
2) You can have Amazon handle shipping, fulfillment, and returns. This is called “Fulfilled by Amazon” or FBA. FBA sellers have to meet additional requirements and send all of their inventory to Amazon’s warehouse for storage. There are also additional fees for this service.
Who is eligible to work these jobs?
Both the regular Amazon seller and FBA accounts have proven successful for many people hoping to make extra money from home. If there is a market for something to be sold on Amazon, a third-party seller store can sell it. Amazon’s store owner policies change all the time, so check to be sure you qualify before spending any money on setting up your store.
When do you work?
Since this is a store, you can set your own hours. It is important that you regularly check in on orders and customer requests, however. The most responsive store owners tend to be the most successful.
What requirements are there?
Store owners only need access to their Amazon account and the basic equipment needed to store or ship products. Some sellers spend extra on training, data tracking and trend software, and marketing. These are optional, however.
You can make extra money as an Amazon seller by setting up your store here. You will want to be sure that the items you hope to market meet the requirements set out by Amazon. It can take time for your store to really be successful, but many have done it with just a few hours a week. (see also our article: How to Sell Things on Amazon.)
Amazon has provided an income for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. As one of the fastest-growing consumer companies, it is expected to provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for many years to come. Their work-from-home opportunities will most likely expand, as a result.