The AMZ Formula is a 70-module Amazon FBA private label course presented by Joshua Crisp, a 7-figure Amazon seller and 8-figure eCommerce earner. Joshua’s Amazon sales formula involves researching and validating products using Google trends and sourcing them quickly, using the same source that large brands use. This course is ideal for beginners or people who need inspirational and motivational speakers to push them towards success. An AMZ Formula review online will share both good and bad things about the course.
An Amazon private label business gives you more control than other Amazon business models, like retail arbitrage. This is because by owning your own brand, you won't need authorization from bigger brands to sell their products. But, Amazon will still have final say over your operations, and big suppliers can hijack your product if it becomes successful. Something like local lead generation won't hand over control to other parties.
Pros
Excellent communication: shares a phone number
Dedicated chat room on top of private Facebook group
Motivational
Cons
Shady refund policy (only refundable if the course is not discounted, but it’s always on sale)
Focuses a little too much on trendy products
Upsells to AMZ Formula Max
Price:
$1997, sometimes offered at 50% off.
Refund Policy:
14 day money-back guarantee if you have not completed over 25% of the course. If you buy the course at a discounted rate, it is non-refundable.
Training:
Over 70 hours of training material, 8 modules.
Group:
Private Facebook mastermind + a dedicated chat room
Origin:
2017
Reputation:
The AMZ Formula has a neutral online reputation. Some reviews are positive, and not over-saturated with affiliates. Negative reviews say that the course isn’t worth its price.
1 Glaring Problem with Joshua Crisp’s Private Label Strategy (AMZ Formula Review and AMZ Together)
Joshua Crisp's FBA course and Amazon automation agency teaches his unique private label strategy. It involves conducting product research, validating those products by determining if they are trending or not, and sourcing them quickly.
However, even if you do the best product research, there is no guarantee that a product will remain profitable long term. In fact, by the time you order the product from a supplier, and it ships to the Amazon warehouse, and your listing goes live, the market can change. Or, another competitor can come in and do exactly what you plan to do faster, taking your clientele before you have a chance.
Even if the market doesn't change right away, there is no guarantee that the product you've purchased will remain profitable years into the future. It's likely that you will have to continue investing money into new products to continue to get sales.
What is the AMZ Formula?
The AMZ Formula is an 8-module, 70+ hour Amazon FBA private label course created by Joshua Crisp in 2017. Part strategy, part motivation, this course covers conducting product research with tools like JungleScout, how to find and connect with suppliers, the “secret sauce” of finding well-known brands for product sourcing, how to scale your business with Amazon PPC tactics, and more.
It will take at least 2 weeks to complete the course, depending on how much time you have daily to commit to education.
Who is Joshua Crisp?
Joshua Crisp is a 7-figure professional Amazon seller and 8-figure ecommerce earner from Indiana. He specializes in Amazon FBA private label, which he teaches through his YouTube channel (26,000 subscribers), his course the AMZ Formula, and many other products including an Amazon automation service called AMZ Together.
Joshua Crisp was born on December 11, 1989 in San Clemente, California. He spent his childhood in homeless shelters. He made it through his freshman year of high school. After that, he dropped out and by 18 was in jail for drug possession and carrying a concealed weapon.
Years later, the only job he could get was through Spartan Staffing. Joshua began working 3rd shift as a Finatech team agent, which means he hand-sorted trash throughout the night for $7.25/hr. His first son was about to be born. He tried other businesses, like SEO, stocks, and rank and rent. He even started a bathroom remodeling construction business, but he was still miserable.
Joshua’s wife (then fiancee), Magali, had a boss who mentioned Amazon FBA. Josh started learning all he could. He didn’t have a laptop, so he went to the library to do research. When their son Jeremiah was born, that mentor gave them $200 as congratulations. Joshua put that- as well as the cost of whatever he could sell at home- into starting his Amazon FBA business.
Joshua Crisp Net Worth
Joshua Crisp is worth around $11 million. He and his wife were married on August 22, 2015, and they have two sons. The family lives in Indiana, and the garbage plant he worked at for minimum wage is now his warehouse.
What Did Joshua Crisp Do on Amazon?
Joshua began selling Amazon FBA products in 2014. His first product, a trendy dashboard sticky pad, was a complete failure. The product only cost him $0.15 each, and he listed them at $9.99. The product melted and ruined people’s dashes. Soon, Amazon suspended Joshua’s account because of poor customer reviews.
In late 2015, he launched a second product: a trending USB charger. Joshua bought it for $1.00 and sold it for $14.99. Unknowingly, he had entered an extremely competitive and saturated niche. He began to over-negotiate with his suppliers, not realizing that the lower he went with price, the more cheaply made the product would be.
His third failed product was a garlic press. After product launch, he hit the saturated market with too little inventory. He ran out of stock, ran out of PPC funds, and ran out of stock again.
Is Joshua Crisp Still Active?
Yes, selling on Amazon is Joshua’s primary income. His fourth product- bath bombs- made him millions. In fact, it only took him about 4.5 years to hit $10 million.
I found what appears to be his Amazon store and brand. According to his LinkedIn, he has been the CEO of Lotion Fast since 2014, which sells beauty products on Amazon. He is still CEO today.
Besides selling on Amazon, he is also the CEO of:
Crisp Learning Technologies (The AMZ Formula Course),
AMZ Hunter, an SAS company for Amazon sellers, and
Crisp Holdings, a real estate company.
Joshua also has an active YouTube presence and sells multiple products other than the AMZ Formula.
If Joshua Crisp is So Successful, Why Does He Teach AMZ Formula?
Joshua Crisp has mastered the art of selling on Amazon. So, even though he makes money selling products, he has every right to further diversify his income and teach others. Some Amazon sellers enjoy teaching others, or burn out from pursuing a single business model.
What Business Can You Learn in the AMZ Formula?
In the AMZ Formula, you learn all about Amazon FBA private label. What is Amazon FBA private label? It’s an online business model that involves buying cheap, brandless products from a supplier, listing them at a higher price on Amazon, and storing your inventory at an Amazon warehouse. You’ll create your own brand and place that brand on your packaging. Besides branding costs, you pay for your initial inventory, Amazon FBA fees (over 15% of your sales) and your Amazon PPC (pay-per-click advertising). Yet, even with all those expenses, the idea is to have a high enough profit that you can reinvest the difference back into your business.
This business model isn’t as easy as it sounds. Spend $15K-$20K in startup costs to get on the right track. The competition will be fierce, even though the Amazon market is huge (100 million Prime customers alone worldwide). But, if you can join the sellers who have had success, you’ll enjoy somewhat passive income, and the marketplace that Amazon customers already trust.
What’s Included with AMZ Formula?
The AMZ Formula course includes 8 modules with over 70 hours of training videos that cover every aspect of the Amazon private label business, including product research (with JungleScout and AMZ Hunter), Amazon SEO techniques, PPC strategies, social media tactics off of Amazon, and ways to steal sales from your competition.
Besides the course, you will receive:
Free course upgrades
Lifetime access
A live chatroom, besides the Facebook group
16 cheat sheets and templates for contacting suppliers, customer service, and more.
Twice a week coaching calls with Joshua
24/7 email support
AMZ Formula Modules
The intro module for the AMZ Formula includes the terms you will need to know to be a successful Amazon FBA seller. You will also learn how to stay organized as you start your Amazon business. This module is extremely basic, so if you’re a beginner, pay attention. If you are an Amazon private label veteran, skim the content as you can to learn Joshua’s teaching style.
Module 2 covers setting up your Amazon Seller Central account and learning the Amazon dashboard. Again, this is pretty basic Amazon selling knowledge for a $2K course. Joshua also shares details on gated categories. Gated categories are certain products that Amazon blocked for quality control. Joshua will share some strategies to become ungated. However, this will be different depending on the product you choose.
This section shows Joshua’s strategies for product research using JungleScout. JungleScout is a great tool, but it’s expensive. Buy a basic annual membership for $349, the Suite for $589/year, or the Professional membership for $999/year. Or, choose a monthly package from $49/month.
Module 4 is all about contacting and negotiating with suppliers. Joshua encourages you to source products overseas rather than domestically.
This module covers creating your product listing. You’ll learn title optimization, how to write sales copy for Amazon SEO, and more.
Come to this module to learn everything about keyword research, which differs from product research. Placing the right keywords in your product listing will help you rank your product organically, which will help you spend less on Amazon PPC. Joshua goes over paid ad strategies here too, but not as much as keyword research and organic traffic.
Module 7 covers how to keep and strengthen your search position on Amazon. You’ll also hear about specific Amazon FBA mistakes and how to avoid them, like running out of inventory and dealing with product listing hijackers. You’ll also learn to patent your product and hire virtual assistants.
Joshua dedicated the final module to scaling your store. So, keep in mind you won’t use its contents until your brand becomes successful. Here, Joshua covers several areas of marketing off of Amazon (social media marketing, email marketing), QR codes, and more.
When was AMZ Formula Created? Is it Up to Date?
AMZ Formula was created in 2017. Joshua last updated it in 2020, so it’s not as up to date as it could be.
Still, Joshua is active on YouTube with more up-to-date strategies, so you can supplement what's missing from the course there. Plus, your purchase gets you instant access to lifetime updates, so when Joshua gets around to it, you will have the latest information with your onetime purchase.
How Much Does the AMZ Formula Cost?
AMZ Formula Pricing is $997, 50% off its full cost of $1997. Joshua has valued the course at $23,470.
How Do You Apply the AMZ Formula Coupon Code?
We couldn’t find a coupon code for the AMZ Formula. But we found this link that gets you $100 off the AMZ Formula Course.
Does AMZ Formula Offer a Money Back Guarantee?
Yes. AMZ Formula has a 14 day money-back guarantee. But, you can only get your money back if you have completed only less than 25% of the course. If you bought the course at a discounted rate, you cannot receive any of your money back.
How Do You Get Your Money Back on the AMZ Formula?
For an AMZ Formula refund, you must request it by email. If you were to reach out in the group or chatroom, it’s likely that they would deny your request.
Does AMZ Formula Have Upsells?
Yes, the upsell is called AMZ Formula MAX. You will still get a full course with the classic AMZ Formula, but MAX includes features you cannot unlock without $4997. According to its separate website, the AMZ Formula MAX is not a course, it’s a movement. Here’s everything you get for $5K:
3 coaching calls per month
Trainings on business structure
Product research instruction for Alibaba
Learn how to validate your own product
Access to Joshua’s supplier in China
Freight discounts
Technical importing training (EXW, DDP, and more)
Using Vine, influencers, and other promotional strategies
In addition, Joshua Crisp has several products you can choose from that are more expensive than the AMZ Formula. Don’t feel surprised if you hear about other, more expensive opportunities from Joshua, like his AMZ Together automation product.
Does Joshua Crisp Sell Any Other Programs?
Yes. Joshua’s other programs include a one-on-one mentorship, a free Amazon FBA training, a Done-With-You updated program, a Done-For-You automation agency called AMZ Together, the AMZ Formula Max, and the 7-Figure Blueprint, which puts together Amazon and purchasing real estate. He used to have a podcast too, but there hasn’t been a new episode since November 18, 2020. Finally, Joshua recently held a live One Product Away Challenge event.
What's the Difference Between AMZ Formula Course and the Done-With-You Program?
With the done-with-you program, you have better access to coaches, mentorships, and support, rather than just taking a course.
What is Different About AMZ Together?
AMZ Together is Joshua’s Amazon automation agency. You will pay a large sum for his team to manage your entire Amazon business, providing you with passive income.
The AMZ Together strategy involves finding an existing product that is already being sold in the US market. Their team handles everything from creating your company to conducting PPC research.
The cost of AMZ Together is not public- you will have to call them to find out. Don’t be surprised if the cost is over $10K. Amazon automation services are often tens of thousands of dollars and take a cut of sales. Joshua advertises that some people with a 650 credit score or above and $2000 gross can get AMZ together 100% funded.
If you’re considering Amazon automation, compare services like AMZ Together to Push AMZ reviews, Tommy Rodriguez Automation Empire, or Kevin David’s AMZ DFY before making a commitment.
Are Amazon automation agencies scam or legit? Read our full breakdown.
Can You Make Money with the AMZ Formula?
Yes, you can make money using the strategies shared within the AMZ Formula. Private label is the most profitable of other Amazon FBA business models (up to 40%). However, the strategies shared in Joshua’s course seem a little too basic. You will get the real value from one-on-one coaching and the dedicated chatroom, where you can get expert advice from fellow Amazon sellers.
What is the Success Rate of AMZ Formula?
The direct success rate of the AMZ Formula is not known, but Joshua has 26,000 sellers in his Facebook group alone.
Joshua Crisp AMZ Formula Reviews
Jhodeff Charles: AMZ Formula Student Grew From 0 To $100K in 1 Year
Jho's Background and Story
Joe moved from Haiti to the U.S. when he was 10 and worked at a factory for a living. He found Joshua's AMZ Formula ad online and took the risk, even though English is not his first language. Since then, he has dedicated time, effort, and finances to learning the course.
Strategies That Helped Joe Achieve $100K in 1 Year
How Joe's Business Is Doing Today
Jho's business has made $100K in its first year, and is still steadily growing. He is now expanding his ecom store by launching products that are cheap to make, long-lasting, and relatable to everyday people. He is now building a brand and not just a business. His long-term goal is to build a global brand that resonates his personal beliefs and values.
What's not mentioned in the interview: Jho did not mention how much capital he raised to start his Amazon business. Based on industry standards, we can estimate he started with at least $5,000. Most of his capital goes to inventory (his initial order is 300 units) and PPC campaigns.
AMZ Formula reviews show that the course is not a scam, but it could provide a better service:
AMZ Formula Reddit Reviews
Here’s what AMZ Formula Reddit users had to say:
Joshua Crisp Positive Reviews in the Press?
Joshua’s websites promote his features on Forbes, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, and the Profit. It’s important to remember that the subject can sometimes pay for these features.
Joshua has 19 press articles listed on his website that feature his success. However, of these 19 articles (used to promote his credibility) 8 lead to 404 errors. 2 are the same link. This link matches word-for-word with another article. Another 4 features are the same article, just copied and pasted. Likewise, 2 Yahoo finance articles feature him with the same wording. Of the 19 articles, only 2 were unique. All were from 2020 or earlier.
What Do Members of AMZ Formula Say?
“When I got into his course, I figured out right away there was a lot more to private label than I had previously thought and I was so thankful/glad that I had actually put some money down on education to learn how to do this the correct way.” - Joey
Is AMZ Formula Legit?
The AMZ Formula is a legit course. If you buy it, you will receive a product. However, it will be difficult to get a refund because of its discounted cost. And, the subject hasn’t been updated in a few years.
Is AMZ Formula Worth It?
The AMZ Formula is worth it if you are looking for a course that will teach you the basic overview of an Amazon FBA business. It also might be worth it for you if you need a cheerleader or motivator to succeed. Joshua likes to share quotes, catchy sayings, and other inspirational content just as much as he shares Amazon FBA business strategies.
What is the AMZ Formula Alternative?
A great AMZ Formula alternative is Private Label Masters by Tim Sanders.
But, there are many other Amazon FBA course options to consider, like FBA Academy by David Zaleski, Seller Systems by Brandon Young, or the Amazing Selling Machine. Check out the ultimate Amazon Private Label Courses list.
If you'd rather learn about a different business model, consider the Wholesale Formula for Amazon FBA wholesale, or the Proven Amazon Course.
What are the Challenges of Amazon FBA Private Label?
Amazon FBA private label is the most expensive way to make money as a third party seller in the Amazon marketplace. You need to expect an initial investment of $15K-$20K. Then, you also need to reinvest the profits you earn to continue to be successful. Your profit margins are lower compared to other business models (though private label has one of the highest profit margins of Amazon fulfillment business models, around 40%.) This profit margin will get lower as Amazon increases their FBA fees, which happened in April 2022.
Amazon private label is often considered passive income. But in reality, you must spend more to make it passive. Virtual assistants, automatic repricing tools, JungleScout, social media marketing and email marketing all cost money if you want to free up your time.
Is Amazon FBA Private Label Saturated?
Yes. Even though you will tap into the worldwide, trusting customer base of Amazon, you will also enter a saturated market. 700 new sellers join the US marketplace alone every single day. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make a sale, but it means that it will be significantly more difficult and more expensive to be successful than it was even a few years ago.
What is the Startup Cost of Amazon FBA Private Label, other than Cost of AMZ Formula?
Spend $15,000-$20,000 for your highest chance of Amazon private label success. You can start with closer to $5K, but you probably won’t be able to keep up with the marketing necessary to push your product through the saturated marketplace. Read our in-depth article for more information on private label costs.
How Long Does it Take to Make Money with Amazon FBA Private Label?
It can take 6 to 8 months to turn a profit on Amazon, though for some it takes at least a year. Yes, some sellers get lucky and earn a profit in a few weeks or months, but these sellers most likely start with a high initial investment and have product, market, and advertising expertise behind them. The bottom line is, if you’re walking into Amazon private label as a new seller, it will take more time and more money to make a profit, if you do at all.
Is Joshua Crisp's AMZ Formula Still A Good Business in 2024?
AMZ Formula and private label can be a good business in 2024 if you have more than $5,000 as capital for inventory and PPC campaigns. You should also be prepared for the grind, because this is not a passive income business. Joshua is fairly up front that AMZ Formula is not a get rich quick scheme, and it takes a lot of hard work.
You should also consider other factors if you want to start a private label business. Initial inventory should be around 300 to 500 units, ordering less than this range puts you at risk of OOS (out of stock). The price range for your private label products should also be between $20 to $25. Selling below this slims your margins.
It is inevitable for private label sellers to spend on PPC campaigns. You need at least $1,000 for PPC to compete in the market. Otherwise, you can't get your products out there.
Overall, the private label business is expensive and risky without guaranteed returns. The margins are low, operating costs are high, and your stocks might not even sell-out.
My recommended business model is simple and straightforward, it's called local lead generation. This biz builds simple websites for local service providers like plumbers and towing companies, and ranks them on Google. Once ranked, they generate leads you can sell to local business owners at 85% margins. You don't need PPC campaigns for leads because your sites generate them on autopilot. You don't need to hard-sell leads. Owners come to you for them because it keeps their business going.
Local lead gen is the best passive business on the internet and my most-recommended for beginners.
