Can you really get paid for Amazon reviews?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is it depends on your writing skills, social media influence, and even what you consider as “getting paid.”

And that’s the topic of this post.

We all know how easy it is to spend money at Amazon, but let’s explore how you can actually make money with Amazon, too.

The Truth About Getting Paid for Amazon Reviews

Before we get into how to make money from Amazon reviews, you should know that Amazon actually has some pretty strict guidelines to help maintain the trust and integrity of their reviews.

Per the official rules:

“We don’t allow reviews that are created, edited, or removed in exchange for compensation.”

Compensation includes:

cash
discounts
free products
gift cards
refunds

If someone or some company offers you money or other perks in exchange for a review, think twice before accepting. Doing so could get your reviews removed or even your account suspended.

But even with those rules in place, there are some perfectly legal ways to get paid for Amazon reviews that won’t threaten your account.

1. Amazon Vine 

Amazon Vine is Amazon’s own invite-only program to help sellers get unbiased reviews on their products.

Because this program is invitation only, unfortunately it’s not as simple as applying or joining whenever you want.

Per Amazon: “Customers who consistently write insightful reviews are most likely to be invited.”

The program doesn’t offer cash in exchange for reviews but it offers free products to reviewers. And Vine Voices can request which products they want to review, which is definitely a great perk to being part of this program.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, writing high-quality reviews for everything you purchase on Amazon is a great place to start.

2. Amazon Influencer Program

The Amazon Influencer Program is probably the fastest, easiest, and most accessible way to get paid for Amazon reviews.

You create short product review videos, which Amazon then features on the product’s page.

When a potential customer watches your video and makes a purchase, you receive a small commission from Amazon, usually about 2-4% of the sales price.

Amazon Influencers like Tyler Christensen reported making $2,000 and more per month testing and reviewing Amazon products, and I even made over $1000 myself in my first year in the program.

To apply, you’ll need to list one or more of your social media accounts, including:

YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok

There aren’t any official requirements about how big a following you need to get accepted. But if you apply and get rejected, you can re-apply at a later date.

Amazon Storefront

If you’re approved to be an Amazon Influencer, you can set up an Amazon storefront to get even more commissions.

With your Storefront, you can set up different product recommendations and lists to recommend to your followers. Each purchase made through your storefront earns you a small commission.

For example, Jackie Mitchell created her Storefront after followers kept asking her about certain products in her videos. She added her favorite gift ideas and home essentials, and now earns hundreds of dollars a month passively.

Your storefront will be linked to your profile as well. If someone clicks on a review or video you created, they will be taken to your Amazon Storefront.

Having a storefront is an added bonus. You may get organic traffic from people just shopping on Amazon.

Amazon Shoppable Videos

As an Amazon Influencer, you also have access to their Live Creator App (iOS | Android).

This app allows you to create videos and live streams where customers can purchase directly from your videos, giving you commission.

This content can be product reviews, buying guides, unboxing videos, or other video content.

3. Become an Amazon Associate

If you don’t want to go the Amazon Influencer route, you’ve still got other options to make money reviewing Amazon products.

Amazon Associates is an affiliate program where you can make commissions on products that you recommend and sell through your specific link. Like the Amazon Influencer Program, you will need to apply.

To stay an active affiliate, you have to make at least 3 sales within 180 days (personal orders don’t count).

Amazon Associates has more specific criteria for applicants, depending on what format you want to use to promote your affiliate links.

Here are some potential strategies.

Create a Product Review Website

For creators wanting to make money with a product review website, here is the criteria you should aim for:

Original content — Amazon recommends at least 10 posts.
The website must be public.
Content must be recent (updated within the last 60 days).
Own your website

You could actually start a product review website with stuff you already own. Create a blog post reviewing each item and insert your affiliate link throughout the post.

You can use organic marketing like SEO and even post your blogs on Pinterest to drive traffic to your website. With every purchase, you’ll earn a small commission, and those commissions can really add up.

For example, Andrew Fiebert started a site curating creative gift ideas. When we spoke, it had earned $1.2M in its first 5 years.

Want to start a blog of your own? Check out my free 6-part video course on how to start your own site.

Review Amazon Products on YouTube

Amazon allows you to promote their products as an affiliate through social media platforms, as well.

Supported platforms are:

Facebook (group pages and fan pages, not personal pages)
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube
TikTok
Twitch

Here are the requirements for using social networks as an Amazon Associate:

Your social network page or group must be established
Have a substantial number of organic followers/likes (Amazon recommends at least 500)
It must be public

Every time subscribers or followers purchase using your link, you’ll receive a commission.

For example, Jon Shanahan reported earning $4-5k/mo in affiliate income from his men’s fashion YouTube channel.

YouTube has over 2.7 billion users, meaning 50% of all Internet users visit the site at least once a month. While it may take time to build up an audience, your income can increase as you do.

(You can also earn money from YouTube ads once your account hits certain milestones as well!)

Start a Daily Deals Service

People are always looking for a good deal right? Daily deal sites can be incredibly successful when they feature one niche.

For example, David Paxton turned his love for golf into DailyGolfSteals.com — a website to share the best golf deals every day. By tapping into an audience of golfers on Reddit, he made $2,000 his first month!

If you have a hobby that you’re already knowledgeable on, why not turn that into some cash?

Amazon already has a section on their website for “Today’s Deals”, which you could scour for the best buys in your niche and share affiliate links for them.

4. Amazon Product Videos

There are over 600 million products available for sale on Amazon, and new sellers are popping up every day.

Amazon product videos can be posted by the sellers to showcase their product and its features on the sales page. These aren’t necessarily review videos but more like product demo/explanation videos.

Many Amazon sellers turn to contract gig workers on sites like Fiverr, to help create these videos for them.

5. Sign Up with Product Testing Websites

Outside of Amazon, there are other platforms that offer free products in exchange for reviews.

Each site has its own requirements, but the premise for each is the same: you get sent free products in exchange for a review.

Some companies allow you to pick from a set of product options, while others send random boxes based on personalized questionnaires.

You won’t make big bucks from these websites, but you can score some free products. Some users even report being sent items from luxury brands like Gucci and Givenchy.

Here are just a handful of legit product testing websites:

PinchMe
Influenster
Sampler.io
Highlight
TopBox Circle

One important note here is you won’t necessarily be reviewing the products directly on Amazon. Instead, you may receive a survey after testing the products. On sites like Influenster, they publish your feedback publicly on their site.

And if you love getting paid for your opinion, here are some of Side Hustle Nation’s favorite survey sites:

6. Freelance Writing

Many websites like Cnet and Wirecutter pay professional product reviewers and writers. This works best as a side hustle when there’s a particular niche or industry you’re involved with.

Maybe it’s photography equipment, home theater products, or hunting gear. Look for the websites operating in that space and offer your services. Typical rates might be anywhere from $50-250+ per review, depending how much time and research is involved.

You can also find freelance writing jobs on sites like Upwork or FlexJobs. 

7. Create Your Own Product

One creative way to get paid for Amazon reviews is to “build a better mousetrap.”

Here’s how it works:

Look for products that have a bunch of 1-3-star reviews.
See what buyers are complaining about.
Work with manufacturers to make a better version.

For Lou Rice, inspiration struck when she dropped her Kindle on her newborn’s head during a late-night breastfeeding session. Disappointed with the available Kindle straps on Amazon, she and her husband created the Strapsicle, a simple, silicone strap for Kindle devices.

When we spoke, it was generating $50k per month in sales!

Profitable ideas don’t have to be complicated, they just need to be useful.

Can You Get Paid to Review Books on Amazon?

This goes back to Amazon’s rules about receiving money or products in exchange for reviews. It’s against their terms of service and it’s possible that the reviews will get removed and/or your account could be banned.

However, if an author was to send you a book for free, and then you wrote a review, that would be permissible as long as the review was unsolicited by the author or publisher.

Getting Paid for Amazon Reviews: The Bottom Line

The idea of getting paid for writing product reviews is intriguing — but not all opportunities are created equal.

Whether you’re enjoying the free products and a little side money, or decide to go all in on becoming an Amazon Influencer, make sure you’re doing it within the confines of its terms of service.

Don’t skirt the rules just to make a quick buck.

Serious About Making Extra Money?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.

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Big thanks to Holly Humbert for helping research and draft this post!

Tired of trading time for money at your 9 to 5 job? Looking for a way to make passive income with minimal startup costs and overhead?

Then starting a vending machine business may be perfect for you.

The vending machine industry was valued at $42 billion last year and is expected to grow at 8.1% from 2024 to 2030.

Profitable vending machines are everywhere — offices, apartment buildings, gyms, airports.

Wherever people gather, there’s an opportunity to provide convenient access to snacks, drinks, and other bestselling impulse-buy items.

And it’s a great market to get into because it’s extremely fragmented, with vast potential for growth. No national player owns more than 5% market share.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

How the vending machine business model works
The step-by-step process to go from zero to $1,000+ in monthly passive income
Finding ideal locations and signing contracts
Buying used machines vs leasing new ones
Stocking, restocking, and maintenance procedures
Risks to watch out for and mitigation tactics

Want to go deeper? Check out Mike Hoffmann’s Vendingpreneur program (Side Hustle Show listeners get 10% off!). 

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An Overview: How Do Vending Machine Businesses Make Money?

Vending machine businesses operate by purchasing or leasing vending machines, filling them with products, then splitting the profits.

It’s that simple!

You secure locations to install your vending machines, usually through a standard 3 to 5 year agreement. This guarantees no other machines can service that location.

Next, you buy wholesale products like snacks, candy, gum, drinks, and even healthy alternatives—anything that can fit inside the vending machine slots—and mark up the cost 3X to 6X.

So if you purchased a snack for $1, you would sell it out of your machine for $3 to $4. Do that enough times with enough products and it really starts to add up!

You’ll need to restock items that sell out and collect the cash/credit payments. But smart vending machine owners outsource these tasks for around $20/hr, making this an impressively hands-off income stream.

Now let’s walk through the setup process:

Identify The Right Locations To Place Your Vending Machines

The foundation of a profitable vending machine business is foot traffic. So what should you look for in an ideal placement spot?

Mike Hoffmann operates a network of 15 vending machines generating thousands of dollars per month, and targets locations with at least 100 units or 100+ employees passing by on a regular basis. Examples include:

Office buildings/corporate campuses
High-density apartment complexes
Airports
Universities
Recreational facilities like gyms, pools

Essentially, anywhere large groups routinely gather and may want a convenient snack purchase.

Vending Machines vs Amenities

When reaching out to these locations, avoid the word “vending” which may trigger visions of outdated, neglected machines. Instead, lead with luxury “amenities.”

Today’s modern vending machines include cashless payments, cameras to reduce theft, sensors to proactively reorder popular items, and high-end finishes to seamlessly match any environment.

So focus the conversation on improving their offerings through cutting-edge amenities with self-service convenience.

Once inside, close the manager by emphasizing how outsourcing vending frees up their staff. No more wasting time running to the store to restock kitchens. No more leaving residents, guests, and employees disappointed when supply closets sit empty.

You handle everything end-to-end, leaving more time for properties to focus on their core business. It’s a total win-win.

Buy Your Vending Machines Upfront or Use $0 Down Financing

Purchasing your first vending machine is a huge milestone. While used ones offer cheaper startup costs, they come with downsides: higher maintenance and limited features.

Instead, buy a new one whenever possible. And great news—most vending machine distributors offer 0% down financing programs with predictable loan payments.

For example, one of Mike’s combo snack and drink machines costs $5,500. At today’s rates, financing that over 5 years equals around $170 per month.

But the key is that first payment isn’t due until 90 days after installation. Giving you roughly 3 months to recoup profits before any outlay.

Where To Buy Vending Machines

Other options for sourcing vending machines include:

Facebook Marketplace
Craigslist
eBay
Vending machine dealers
Commercial auction sites

New machines range from $3,000 – $10,000 while used/refurbished machines start around $1,000.

Fill Your Vending Machine With Best Selling Items

Okay, you’ve secured financing and found the perfect spot. Now it’s time for the fun part—selecting what products your vending machine will sell!

The mix of snacks, drinks, and other items ultimately comes down to testing. But these categories represent big opportunities:

Drinks:

Soda
Energy drinks (Monster, Red Bull)
Water
Sparkling water (LaCroix)
Coffee

Food:

Candy bars
Chips
Pastries (cupcakes)
Gum and mints

Healthy Alternatives:

Sandwiches
Vegetable Chips
Kombucha & Probiotic Drinks
Fresh fruit packs
Natural juices
Dried Fruit

Higher Price Point:

Headphones & chargers
Toiletries (toothbrushes, facemasks)
Souvenirs (at airports, landmarks)
Lego kits

Whatever you choose, aim to purchase wholesale and sell at a 3-6X markup. Vending machine shoppers expect and happily accept these premium prices for the convenience factor.

Emphasize variety to drive more sales. You can also offer tasty yet nourishing products free from artificial additives to satisfy consumer demand.

It aligns better for locations with an emphasis on nutrition, performance, or corporate wellness.

Office workers may desire energy drinks, protein bars, and caffeine. College students may seek late-night snacks like candy, chips, and ramen noodles.

Set The Right Prices & Promote Top Sellers

Pricing for vending machine items comes down to maximizing profits while moving enough volume. The right product mix helps. But you also need to keep an eye on how fast items sell and adjust how much they cost over time.

Modern vending machines give owners complete control over digital price displays. This flexibility lets you easily identify and promote the most popular picks through limited-time discounts or spotlight visibility.

Some locations share back-end data on buying behaviors if you negotiate revenue sharing. This allows for decisions based on hard numbers, not just guesswork.

Expect high single-digit sales of large-size candy bags around $4 and 20 oz. sodas from $2-$3 range. Price accordingly based on what moves.

Branding Your Vending Machine Business

Create brand awareness by:

Custom wrapping your machine in vibrant colors/logos
Printing your brand name, slogan, and contact info
Offering promotions like free gifts with purchases over $10
Rewarding referrals with free products

Market on social media and run local ads. Word-of-mouth referrals will spread organically if you offer unique, high-demand products.

Streamlining Operations for Vending Machines

Managing a thriving vending machine business takes organization. Inventory levels must be tracked to plan restocking.

Cloud-based route management software like Canteloupe lets you remotely monitor your sales.

Such programs automate inventory alerts, cashless payments, online ordering and more.

Investing in automation maximizes efficiency so you can grow your business faster.

Outsource Restocking & Consider Route Managers

Once your vending machines get humming along, staying on top of refilling bestsellers and collecting cash can eat up serious hours in the day.

The good news? This becomes a perfect task to outsource for around $20 per hour.

Post an ad for a weekly restocking gig on Craigslist and TaskRabbit, or ask family and friends if they want to make some extra money. Provide them inventory tracking sheets. Allowing you to remotely monitor supply levels via text or email.

Some owners enjoy the weekly commitment to service their vending machines personally. But offloading the operational work is key to building a scalable, passive side hustle.

As your network expands, consider hiring an area manager to handle restocking, maintenance, and cash collection for multiple vending machines across a defined territory.

Streamline Your Vending Machines With Technology

Modern vending machines now come Wi-Fi enabled, allowing owners to remotely track real-time inventory levels, sales velocities, foot traffic, and other metrics through online dashboards and mobile apps.

This technology revolution removes previous roadblocks, when the only way to gauge demand involved driving from location to location.

Beyond the vending machines themselves, additional software helps owners organize contacts, plan efficient restocking routes, access financial reporting and simplify taxes.

While technology requires a slightly higher upfront investment, the long-term time and cost savings make systems well worth it.

Scale Through Multiple Machines & Selling Your Route

Most entrepreneurs don’t stop at one vending machine. Because once the framework gets built—from product supply chains to location agreements to restocking processes—it simply becomes a matter of duplication.

Adding more and more vending machines creates economies of scale and higher earnings.

But say you want to exit the business eventually. Every vending machine generates dependable cash flow worthy of a sales multiplier.

Industry experts confirm popular routes frequently sell for 2X-4X yearly gross revenues. An impressive return from these hands-off small business investments.

Minimizing Your Risks

While vending machines require remarkably little oversight, some key risks need awareness:

Machine failure/damage – Start with new vending machines under warranty for repair/replacement coverage. Also maintain a relationship with a certified repair company as backup.
Product liability – Carry a general liability insurance policy to protect against potential recalls or other issues.
Inventory shrinkage – Leverage security camera systems many modern vending machines come equipped with to prevent and track theft.
Poor location performance – Not all placement spots will succeed. Focus on high traffic areas and keep machines filled with bestselling selections.
Low-cost competitors – Offer great service and modern options to stand out. Lock in multi-year exclusivity contracts when possible.

Wrapping Up and Next Steps

As you can see, starting a vending machine business gives almost anyone a chance to secure hands-off income streams. With consistency and reinvesting profits, it’s realistic to reach thousands in monthly passive earnings within 12 months.

The keys come down to securing enough foot traffic locations, keeping restocking and maintenance simple through outsourcing, and leveraging today’s technology to remotely monitor your assets.

So if you’re eager to escape the rat race and design a business tailored around your ideal lifestyle, vending machines deserve a hard look.

For additional guidance, check out Mike’s Vendingpreneur program. (Side Hustle Show listeners get 10% off!)

Serious About Making Extra Money?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.