FBA Masterclass is an Amazon FBA private label training program by Tom Wang that teaches you how to take boring, unbranded everyday products from China, put your own brand on it and sell it on Amazon FBA. You will learn how to optimize your new product listing on Amazon using Tom's Rank & Bank system. Tom's key strategy is to find the cheapest products possible so that you earn better profit margins than most other Amazon sellers. It costs about $10,000 to $15,000 in investment to start an Amazon FBA private label business. Profit margin for Amazon FBA private label range from 14% to 28% and this does not consider the spending for marketing.
FBA Masterclass reviews are mostly positive, with a 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot. Students mostly praise the comprehensive training, the community, and competent mentors. Complaints mostly talk about the lack of refund policy and the lack of support from the FBA Masterclass team. There is also a lack of student success stories outside of what is advertised.
In this review, we'll cover if this program lives up to the hype? How does it compare with other Amazon FBA courses? Realistically, how much does it cost to start an Amazon FBA business? What does an average seller make? Who is Tom Wang? Is Amazon FBA still profitable?
FBA Master Class Pros & Cons
Pros
Tom Wang is a 7 figure Amazon seller.
Tom Wang doesn't coach a bunch of other online business models. His focus is Amazon FBA.
His strategies are up to date.
Support provided is solid in the group.
Cons
The course is on the pricey side.
His model of selling low-ticket products takes a while to generate good profits.
Amazon FBA is more competitive than ever before, lack of transparency on potential failed product launches even if you follow the training to a T.
Price
Tom Wang's FBA Masterclass costs $6,997. There are some payment plans available.
Refund Policy
No refunds
Training
13 modules containing 300 lessons of updated content; DFY templates and systems
Group
FBA Masterclass Private Facebook Community
Origin
Tom Wang started FBA Masterclass in 2019, after he became a 7 figure seller. He started Amazon FBA in 2017. YouTube channel started in 2018.
Reputation
After scanning Reddit, Quora and comments on his YouTube videos. Tom Wang has a solid online reputation.
What Does Tom Wang Teach Inside FBA Masterclass?
Tom Wang teaches Amazon Private Label, making your own brand on unbranded products that you source from China. Tom likes to target boring, low-ticket products that people use daily.
Step 1: Product Selection
The reason Tom likes to target "boring" products that people use daily is because those products get impulsive purchases. When a product becomes high-ticket, people spend weeks or months on research. Therefore, he recommends picking products that sell for $50 or less.
He teaches the use of Viral Launch for Product Research. It's a $69 per month software but its one of the best. He shows you what parameters to enter so the software can quickly filter which products you should target, such as a minimum of 3,000 searches per day and fewer than 100 reviews.
Step 2: Rock Bottom Sourcing Process
When you're selling low-ticket products, even $1 savings can be worth a lot (5%-10% more in profit margins). Therefore, Tom Wang teaches his students to contact 40-60 different Chinese vendors and manufacturers while most FBA sellers only contact 5-10.
You're working with razor-thin margins when you're buying at unit prices of $1-$2 like he recommends.
He then recommends ordering the sample or hiring an inspection company to validate the product quality of the vendor you find. Tom also shows you the art of negotiation by only paying a deposit of 30% or so and only paying the rest once they pass the inspection.
Once the product passes, then you will need to order at least 1.5 months' worth of inventory and get it shipped to a FBA warehouse in the states. This can take over a month.
Step 3: Rank and Bank System
Tom Wang's rank and bank system involves optimizing your Amazon listing with professional photos and copywriting and then using PPC campaigns and social media ads (paid traffic) to drive traffic to your product until you get enough reviews to rank.
Although Facebook ads and Google Adwords can drive traffic. The biggest bang for buck is going to come from Amazon's sponsored ad platform or their PPC ads. Where you can place your product listing at the top rankings in front of thousands of people that are already looking to buy your product. People on social media is cold traffic (not looking to buy, therefore much more difficult to convert into buyers).
Tom Wang likes to put special names to these various steps of the Amazon FBA business. But for ranking your listing, all top sellers agree. You need Amazon PPC or Pay per click.
What Do You Get With FBA Masterclass?
What’s Covered in FBA Masterclass?
Who Is FBA Masterclass For?
6 Controversies About Tom Wang’s Course
Controversy 1: Misleading Income?
Tom Wang posts testimonials of students making $100K per month for example, but it's misleading because this is revenue not profit. These Amazon stores are profiting around 15% which means when students make $100K revenue, they're only taking home around $15K net.
Controversy 2: Is Tom Wang still running Amazon FBA business?
It's not clear if Tom Wang is still running and gunning a high level Amazon business or is he just focused on selling the coaching? Because the Amazon landscape changes constantly, if Tom is not continually launching new products himself, can he really teach this business at a high-level? For example, Tim Sanders constantly shows his Amazon seller account on his YouTube channel to prove that he's running a 8 figure Amazon business. Tom never does. The only story he tells is his Sdara Skincare brand that he sold & exited already..
Controversy 3: Lack of Transparency of the Startup Cost
"How much does it cost to start an Amazon FBA business?"
Tom Wang never answers this question directly. He says it can cost few thousands dollars to $10K, $20K or it can even cost $100K, it all depends on how much money you have and what product category you get into. This is not very clear to a beginner. Amazon FBA will be extremely difficult if you have any less than $5K to start because its a physical product business, you need to buy inventory in bulk. Tom doesn't want to scare people off by saying this flat out because he's selling a course that costs $6997 so you're looking at having at least little over $10K to invest in the Amazon business and Tom Wang's program. If you make any mistakes in the business, you will have to spend more.
Controversy 4: FBA Masterclass might be the most expensive Amazon coaching program
FBA Masterclass clocks in at $6997 which makes it the most expensive Amazon FBA program we have reviewed. The other expensive courses that we have reviewed include Private Label Masters at $5000 and Amazing Selling Machine at also $5000. Tom Wang seems to know what he's talking about, but there's other coaches today providing great Amazon training for cheaper. We have checked online for any major complaints or people claiming Tom Wang is a scam and we have not found any, so his training seems legit if you have the money for it.
Controversy 5: Tom Wang lacks business experience
Tom Wang only has 2-3 years of success on Amazon when their skincare product line Sdara did really well and he sold the brand in December 2020. There's some luck involved there in his success and he hasn't truly proven that he can repeat his success on Amazon or other business ventures, besides some Airbnb. A lot of Tom's business tips seem to come from different stories he has learned from his students or various business people he has interviewed on his podcast. Which makes his coaching content feel bit shallow at times. It doesn't seem like he's in the trenches everyday taking big risks, and grinding at an actual business other than being an online guru.
Controversy 6: Amazon FBA is difficult for many people
Out of all the online business opportunities out there. Amazon FBA has the toughest competition (Foreign manufacturers & suppliers) and it has the most variables that can go wrong that you have no control over. (ex: your supplier ships a bad batch of inventory and you get hit with negative reviews from customers) Despite these challenges, you can still succeed with enough tenacity but the question is, just because it worked for some students doesn't mean it's the most ideal business for you.
Success Rate of FBA Masterclass? & How Much Do Amazon Sellers Make?
Tom Wang Hires SEO Expert Jacky Chou to Rank His Listings on Google
Tom Wang didn’t just find great success with Amazon FBA on his own. In a YouTube video Tom posted on his channel, he interviewed Jacky Chou, who he hired to rank his Amazon listings on Google for increased visibility. Jacky explains his key strategy of link building and tiering backlinks to increase listing visibility on Google. This used to be an effective strategy a few years back, but is less so after all the latest Google updates.
Hiring SEO experts is an additional cost to your business which increases the risks. Freelance SEO specialists cost around $50 to $200 depending on factors like experience and expertise. SEO agencies typically offer more comprehensive services but charge more ranging from $99 to $2,000 per product or $450 to $1,800 per month.
FBA Masterclass Reviews
FBA Masterclass has an 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot with 147 reviews. There are only 2 verfied reviews with contrasting reviews.
This verified positive review by Irnes Ross praises the comprehensive training of FBA Masterclass. She highlights the weekly group zoom calls and the skill of their mentor named Samantha. This review mirrors most of the other positive reviews, as students praise the course and mentor but mention nothing of the results of their businesses.
Busy Mom Makes $1,000 Daily Income with Amazon FBA
Mary's Background and Story
Mary is a tech consultant from Toronto, Canada, with no prior business experience. While on maternity leave, she thought about starting an Amazon FBA business to support her family and grow personally. She saw Tom's ad on YouTube and was immediately hooked. She joined the course, even though she had never worked with manufacturers or launched a product before.
How Mary's Business is Doing Today
Mary started her Amazon FBA business in November 2020. She began selling baby products in April and quickly made $1,000 daily. She initially invested around $4,000 and now makes around 30% profit. Mary also started a successful Etsy shop and leveraged her skills as a micro-influencer and her network in the motherhood community. She runs an Instagram page to boost sales and connect with customers.
Lessons Mary Learned, and the Challenges Faced
Stepping Out of Comfort Zone: Mary stressed how important it is to face your fears and try new things, even if you might fail.
Investing in Oneself: Mary advises moms to focus on their own growth and put their needs first sometimes. She believes personal success and family life can go hand in hand.
Community Support: Mary pointed out the benefits of having support, like the Facebook group in FBA Masterclass. This kind of support helps with guidance and reduces the fear of starting new projects alone.
Continual Learning: Mary recognizes that in business, learning and adapting never stop and believes it is essential for business growth and success.
What's not mentioned in the interview: Amazon FBA is an expensive business to run. The platform charges various fees like storage fees, fulfillment fees, and referral fees, which can significantly reduce profit margins.
Joyce Dos Santos posted this verified review where she calls out FBA Masterclass for being a scam. She complains that she got no support from the setting up of the store, selection of products, the failed promise of getting you on Amazon priority selection, and refusal to refund. She also points out that the positive reviews do not mention if their Amazon FBA store is doing well at all.
Is FBA Masterclass Worth It?
My Thoughts: FBA Masterclass will be worth it if you're ready to commit to this business model at least 2-3 hours every day and take action. You should also have ideally $3,000 to $5,000 set aside and a source of income that you can use to invest in the business if any mishap takes place. Mistakes will happen in an ecommerce business. Even with high-level coaching, you only minimize the risks but at the cost of an enormous investment. Tom targets everyday products, so there will be a lot of competition. Advertising is the key to beating your competition, but it will be very expensive.
Expect Failed Product Launches
Look, most product launches will not go the way you had hoped. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it. Even if you follow Tom Wang's product selection training using the "gold mining tool" aka Viral Launch. You have no control over what the customers will do. How they'll respond to your product? Maybe the manufacturer's quality was not as good as you thought. Or another competitor comes in with a superior product. Maybe the PPC was more expensive than what your budget allows?
Having unrealistic expectations is one of the biggest reasons Amazon sellers fail. Amazon FBA business has a lot of different moving parts. Many variables outside your control. It takes time & mistakes to learn all the lessons & skills. The ultimate teacher is experience. Be willing to invest & risk money, otherwise you'll give up at the first sign of difficulty.
Who Is Tom Wang?
Born in China and moved to Canada in 2001. Tom Wang is a serial entrepreneur that loves to "scale the unscalable" and share his business insights with others. He dropped out of college 3 times and failed at 7 different businesses on his journey to becoming an entrepreneur. His side hustles while working at a Yellow Pages call center in 2015 involved buying 15 hoverboards from China to sell on Craigslist, but 10 of them were defective. He even sold watches at local night markets. He initially discovered Amazon FBA from a friend that he partnered with. They had some success, but they also failed a lot. In 2017, Tom hired some Amazon coaches. He finally saw success and could quit his 9 to 5.
In 2019, he did $3 million in sales on Amazon and has done $5 million in sales total. He also started speaking in local entrepreneurship conferences in Vancouver, CA. Today he runs his FBA Masterclass coaching program, runs a YouTube channel with 30K subscribers, and has a podcast called the Tom Wang Show, where he shares free Amazon FBA tips like below, business insights & personal development topics.
Tom Wang's Net Worth?
Tom Wang's net worth is estimated to be $2 million. He has done $5 million in sales on Amazon and he has a coaching program. If you take the average 25% profit margin of Amazon, you're at $1,250,000 net profit. A coaching program he sells for $6997. Has around a few hundred students, which equals a revenue of around $3,000,000 since 2019. Deduct around $250K per year in living expenses & business expenses over six years, and that's $1.5 million to deduct. You're at $2.75 million net, take out 30% in taxes and you got $1,925,000
FBA Masterclass Alternatives?
Amz Champions by Trevin Peterson is a solid course if you need a more affordable option. The course price is $1500. Trevin has launched 40+ products to date, and he does live coaching sessions once per week. There's also a private Facebook group as well. Trevin is younger though, so I feel Tom has a lot more business & life experience. Anyway for more info you can check out my AMZ Champions Review.
Is Amazon FBA still profitable?
Yes, Amazon FBA can still be profitable, if you're willing to treat it like a business that requires constant care & attention. The days where you can launch a few products, sit back and make passive income forever is gone. The competition is much more fierce than 4 years ago. Which is why sellers need to continue to reinvest profits to launch more products.
No, it is not too late to start Amazon FBA in 2024, but as more brands & manufacturers do FBA themselves, 3rd party sellers need to innovate on products & marketing to stay ahead. According to Jungle Scout, every day 4,000 new sellers to join FBA, however, there's also more Amazon prime users as time goes on. Amazon accounts for 50% of all online e-commerce sales. There is still opportunities for the small guys to get a piece of the pie, however you have to employ some creative strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
Create Low-Risk Predictable Passive Income With Local Lead Generation
Local lead generation is my recommended business that has low-risk and creates predictable passive income. Compared to Amazon FBA, you do not have to sell any products or run any advertisements. For as low as $500 in initial investment, you can create and rank your website on Google using free SEO tactics. Once your site is ranked on Google, you can rent it out to local businesses for up to $2,000+ per month.
In Amazon FBA, you need to compete for the buy box against hundreds or thousands of other sellers. You only need to outrank a handful of websites in a local lead generation business. Scaling is also as easy as repeating the rank and rent process. There is no limit to how many sites you can own, meaning you have potential earning is virtually infinite. These reasons are why local lead generation is my recommended business to create time and financial freedom.
This sounds like a pyramid scheme. In the fine print it states, not everyone will be able to make money. Their are hidden cost etc.
Unfortunately with Amazon FBA, there are many factors to consider and paid traffic is getting more expensive each year. Also, lots of online programs upsell you alot and after you’ve joined their program, there are other tools and systems you may have to pay for.
I'm glad I never signed up for his program it's a woping 8K-30K omg!!