> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sellermagnet.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sellermagnet.com/selling-tools/product-sourcer-overview.md).

# Product Sourcer

{% hint style="info" %}
**Difficulty:** 🟡 Intermediate · **Reading time:** \~10 min
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" icon="rocket" %}
**Open this page in your dashboard:** [**Go to Product Sourcer →**](https://dashboard.sellermagnet.com/sourcer)
{% endhint %}

## 📋 Overview

The **Product Sourcer** is SellerMagnet's primary product-research tool. Enter any product identifier or keyword, select a target marketplace, and within seconds you receive a complete profitability breakdown, competitive landscape analysis, and historical trend data.

Whether you are an online-arbitrage seller scanning hundreds of ASINs a day, a wholesale buyer evaluating a supplier catalog, or a private-label researcher validating demand, the Sourcer gives you every data point you need to make a confident buy/pass decision without ever leaving the SellerMagnet dashboard.

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70pc5qrMLwg>" %}

![SellerMagnet Product Sourcer](/files/HOmbBlXk6StMBBi1cY5r)

***

## Accessing the Sourcer

1. Log in to your SellerMagnet dashboard.
2. In the left navigation, click **Sourcer**.
3. The page opens on the **Overview** tab by default. A second tab, [**Converter**](/selling-tools/product-sourcer-overview/identifier-converter.md), provides bulk identifier conversion.

***

## Search & Marketplace Selection

![Identifier Converter: bulk convert ASINs, EANs, UPCs, and ISBNs](/files/j9viLU7WG7Zjb1cMD6CM)

At the top of the Overview tab you will find:

| Element                | Description                                                                  |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Search bar**         | Accepts ASIN, UPC, EAN, ISBN, or product name keywords                       |
| **Marketplace select** | Dropdown of all Amazon marketplaces connected to your Seller Central account |
| **Search button**      | Triggers the product lookup                                                  |
| **Info button**        | Opens a legend explaining icons and data fields used on the results page     |

### Supported Input Formats

| Format     | Example                | Notes                                              |
| ---------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| ASIN       | `B09V3KXJPB`           | 10-character Amazon Standard Identification Number |
| UPC        | `012345678905`         | 12-digit Universal Product Code                    |
| EAN        | `4006381333931`        | 13-digit European Article Number                   |
| ISBN-10/13 | `978-0134685991`       | Books only                                         |
| Keyword    | `silicone spatula set` | Returns the best-matching ASIN for the query       |

{% hint style="success" icon="rocket" %}
**Pro tip:** Paste a full Amazon product URL directly into the search bar. SellerMagnet automatically extracts the ASIN from the URL, saving you the step of copying just the identifier.
{% endhint %}

***

## Search Quota

Depending on your subscription plan, each account has a monthly search quota. A progress bar at the top of the page shows:

* **Searches left:** remaining lookups for the current billing cycle
* **Total searches:** your plan's monthly allowance
* **Progress bar:** visual fill indicating usage percentage

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Warning:** When your quota reaches zero, searches will be blocked until the next billing cycle or until you upgrade your plan. Plan your bulk research sessions accordingly.
{% endhint %}

***

## Product Information Card

After a successful search, the **Product Info** card appears on the left side. It contains:

### Product Identity

| Field             | Description                                     |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Product image** | Primary listing image from Amazon               |
| **Product name**  | Full listing title (truncated to two lines)     |
| **Star rating**   | Average customer rating with star visualization |
| **Review count**  | Total number of customer reviews                |
| **ASIN**          | Amazon Standard Identification Number           |
| **EAN**           | European Article Number (when available)        |

### KPI Strip

Three high-level KPI cards sit below the product identity:

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>BSR</strong></td><td>Best Sellers Rank in the product's primary category</td><td>Lower BSR = higher sales velocity. Under 50,000 is generally strong.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Est. Sales</strong></td><td>Estimated monthly unit sales based on BSR modeling</td><td>Validates demand before you commit capital</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Max Cost</strong></td><td>Maximum you can pay per unit and still break even at the current price</td><td>Your instant go/no-go number for sourcing</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Detail Grid

Below the KPI strip, a two-column grid provides granular product data:

| Field              | Description                                                       |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **BuyBox Price**   | Current Buy Box winning price                                     |
| **Offers**         | Total number of active seller offers                              |
| **Amazon's Price** | Price when Amazon Retail is offering the product (if applicable)  |
| **Total Stock**    | Aggregated stock across all offers                                |
| **Lowest FBM**     | Cheapest Fulfilled by Merchant price                              |
| **Variations**     | Whether the listing has size/color/style variations               |
| **Lowest FBA**     | Cheapest Fulfilled by Amazon price                                |
| **Eligible**       | Whether your Seller Central account is eligible to sell this ASIN |
| **BuyBox Share**   | Whether BuyBox share data is available for analysis               |
| **Hazmat**         | Whether the product is classified as hazardous material           |
| **Private Label**  | Whether the listing appears to be a private-label brand           |

{% hint style="info" %}
**Understanding the icons:** A green checkmark means the condition is favorable (e.g., you are eligible to sell, the product is not hazmat). A red X indicates a potential concern that warrants investigation.
{% endhint %}

***

## Profit Calculator

The **Profit Calculator** card appears directly below the Product Info card. It lets you model profitability scenarios in real time.

### Input Fields

| Field                | Default        | Description                                                        |
| -------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Cost Price**       | Empty          | Your per-unit acquisition cost (landed cost)                       |
| **Sale Price**       | Current BuyBox | The price at which you plan to sell (pre-filled with BuyBox price) |
| **VAT %**            | 0.00           | Value-added tax rate for your country                              |
| **Fulfillment Type** | FBA            | Toggle between FBA and FBM to compare fee structures               |
| **FBM Cost**         | Hidden         | Appears only when FBM is selected: enter your own shipping cost    |

### Output Fields

{% hint style="success" %}
**Most important metrics (in order):** 1. **Estimated Profit** : is there money to be made? 2. **ROI** : is the return worth your capital? 3. **Margin**, is there enough cushion for price drops? If all three show a positive indicator (✅ green), the product is worth investigating further.
{% endhint %}

| Metric                   | Description                                                             |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Max Cost**             | Maximum purchase price to break even                                    |
| **Total Fees**           | Sum of all Amazon fees (expandable to see individual fee lines)         |
| **VAT Due**              | Calculated VAT amount based on your entered rate                        |
| **Breakeven Sale Price** | Minimum sale price needed to cover all costs at your entered cost price |
| **Estimated Payout**     | What Amazon will deposit to your bank after all deductions              |
| **Estimated Profit**     | Net profit per unit (highlighted in green)                              |
| **Margin**               | Profit as a percentage of the sale price                                |
| **ROI**                  | Return on investment: profit divided by cost price                      |

{% hint style="success" icon="rocket" %}
**Pro tip:** Click the **Total Fees** row to expand a detailed breakdown showing the referral fee, FBA fulfillment fee, storage fee, and any other applicable charges. This helps you understand exactly where your money goes.
{% endhint %}

### Buy Box Suppression and the MAX COST Fallback

The **Max Cost** figure is anchored to a reference sale price. Normally that reference is the current **Buy Box price**. When Amazon suppresses the Buy Box (often because of pricing or eligibility issues), the Buy Box price shows as **N/A** and the calculator falls back through a defined chain so Max Cost still reflects a realistic sale price:

**The fallback order at a glance:** Buy Box price → else Lowest FBA → else Lowest FBM → else N/A (Max Cost cannot be calculated).

| Priority | Reference Price Used | When It Applies                               |
| -------- | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| 1        | **Buy Box price**    | Normal case, a Buy Box winner exists          |
| 2        | **Lowest FBA price** | Buy Box is suppressed (N/A)                   |
| 3        | **Lowest FBM price** | Buy Box is suppressed and no FBA offer exists |

When a fallback is in effect, a warning indicator appears next to the calculator. Hover over it to read which reference price is being used. If none of the three prices is available, Max Cost cannot be calculated and the indicator says so.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Why this matters:** A suppressed Buy Box is itself a signal worth investigating, it can mean the listing has pricing or compliance problems. Treat a fallback-based Max Cost as an estimate and confirm the real sale price before committing.
{% endhint %}

### Realistic Example

Suppose you find a kitchen gadget with the following data:

| Parameter    | Value     |
| ------------ | --------- |
| BuyBox Price | EUR 24.99 |
| Cost Price   | EUR 8.50  |
| VAT Rate     | 19%       |
| Fulfillment  | FBA       |

The calculator returns:

| Output           | Value    |
| ---------------- | -------- |
| Total Fees       | EUR 7.82 |
| VAT Due          | EUR 3.99 |
| Estimated Profit | EUR 4.68 |
| Margin           | 18.7%    |
| ROI              | 55.1%    |

With a 55% ROI and nearly 19% margin, this product passes most sourcing criteria. You would then check BSR history and competition before committing.

***

## Offers Table

The **Offers** section shows every active seller on the listing, displayed in a sortable table.

| Column          | Description                                          |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| **#**           | Offer index (rank by price)                          |
| **Fulfillment** | FBA or FBM badge                                     |
| **Seller**      | Seller name (Amazon Retail highlighted when present) |
| **Price**       | Listed price including shipping                      |
| **Stock**       | Estimated stock quantity for that seller             |

{% hint style="info" %}
**Why this matters:** If Amazon Retail is on the listing, winning the Buy Box becomes significantly harder. If there are 20+ FBA sellers within a tight price band, margins may erode quickly. Use this table to gauge competitive intensity.
{% endhint %}

***

## 📈 Charts & Historical Data

Four charts provide trend and competitive intelligence:

### 1. BSR History Chart

Displays Best Sellers Rank over time (typically 30-90 days). Click the expand button to view the chart in full-screen mode.

**What to look for:**

* **Stable low BSR:** consistent demand
* **Seasonal spikes:** BSR drops sharply during holidays, then climbs back
* **Steadily rising BSR:** declining demand; proceed with caution

### 2. Price History Chart

Shows historical pricing trends for the product, including BuyBox price and lowest FBA/FBM offers.

**What to look for:**

* **Price stability:** healthy market; margins are predictable
* **Frequent price wars:** indicates aggressive repricer competition
* **Sudden price drops:** may signal liquidation or new aggressive entrant

### 3. Monthly Sold Chart (Sales Estimator)

A line chart that plots the **estimated monthly units sold** over time, the same demand signal as the **Est. Sales** KPI, but as a historical trend rather than a single number. Use it to judge whether demand is consistent, seasonal, or fading.

**What to look for:**

* **A flat, steady line:** reliable, predictable demand
* **Recurring peaks:** seasonal product, time your buying to the upswing
* **A declining trend:** demand is cooling; weigh against the current price

{% hint style="info" %}
**Availability:** The estimate is modeled from BSR history, so it needs enough historical data points to plot. New listings or products in low-volume categories may show little or no history. The figure is directional, validate with a test order before scaling.
{% endhint %}

### 4. BuyBox Share Chart

A **pie chart** breaks down which sellers held the Buy Box over the tracked period and how often each one won it, your own store is highlighted so you can see your share at a glance.

Below the pie chart, a **Buy Box history table** lists each competing seller in descending order of win frequency:

| Column         | Description                                                                    |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Seller**     | Seller name, linked to their Amazon storefront (your own store is highlighted) |
| **Avg. Price** | Average price at which that seller won the Buy Box                             |
| **% Won**      | Share of the tracked Buy Box events that seller won                            |
| **Last Won**   | The most recent date that seller held the Buy Box                              |

{% hint style="info" %}
**Why this matters:** A single seller winning the Buy Box most of the time signals a dominant (often the brand owner or Amazon Retail) competitor that is hard to displace. A Buy Box that rotates across many sellers at similar prices signals an open, contested listing, and a likely price war.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" icon="rocket" %}
**Pro tip:** Click the expand icon on any chart to open it in a large modal. This is especially useful for BSR History, where you want to identify seasonal patterns over longer timeframes.
{% endhint %}

***

## Search History

Below the main results area, a **Search History** table logs every product you have previously looked up. Each row shows:

| Column            | Description                   |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------- |
| **Picture**       | Product thumbnail             |
| **Product Title** | Listing title                 |
| **ASIN**          | Amazon identifier             |
| **Timestamp**     | When you performed the search |

Click any row to instantly reload that product's data without consuming an additional search credit.

{% hint style="info" icon="circle-info" %}
**Note:** Search history is saved per account and persists across sessions. Use it to quickly revisit products you are evaluating over multiple days.
{% endhint %}

***

## Saving ASINs (Watchlist)

{% hint style="info" %}
**Search History vs. Watchlist, at a glance:** **Search History** is an automatic log of every ASIN you look up, no action needed. The **Watchlist** is your hand-picked shortlist: you deliberately save the ASINs you want to track, each with a label, note, and target cost.
{% endhint %}

Search History is automatic and time-ordered, it logs everything you look up. The **Watchlist** is the curated, intentional companion to it: a personal shortlist of the ASINs you actually want to track, each saved with a label, an optional note, and a target buy-cost.

### Why save an ASIN

* **Build a shortlist** of products you are evaluating without re-typing identifiers
* **Tag intent** by labeling each ASIN as *My Product*, *Competitor*, or *Watch*
* **Group related products** into your own named lists (e.g. "Q4 candidates", "Brand X")
* **Record a target cost** so you instantly know your buy ceiling next time you revisit
* **Compare across marketplaces**, the same ASIN saved on a different marketplace is tracked separately
* **Keep a snapshot** of the product's key metrics from the moment you saved it

### Saving from the results card

After a successful lookup, a **Save** button appears next to the Product Info card.

* Click **Save** to add the ASIN to your watchlist in one click. The button changes to **Saved** and a toast confirms *"Saved to your watchlist."*
* Click the **Saved** button again to open the save/edit popover, where you can set the label, list, note, and target cost (see below).

### Quick-saving from Search History

Each Search History row has a **bookmark** button. Click it to save that ASIN instantly with the **Watch** label, no popover required. Click it again to remove it. Saving here mirrors the results-card Save, so an ASIN saved in one place shows as saved in the other.

### The save / edit popover

Opening the popover (titled **Save to watchlist** for a new entry, or **Edit saved ASIN** when editing) lets you set:

| Field           | Description                                                                                                   |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Label**       | One of **My Product**, **Competitor**, or **Watch**, how you intend to track this ASIN                        |
| **List name**   | Optional custom list to group the ASIN under (e.g. "Q4 candidates"). Reuse an existing list or type a new one |
| **Note**        | Optional free-text reminder about why you saved it                                                            |
| **Target Cost** | Optional buy-cost ceiling you are willing to pay per unit                                                     |

Confirm with **Save** (or **Update** when editing). A **Remove** action is available when editing an already-saved ASIN.

{% hint style="info" %}
When the Sourcer recognizes the looked-up ASIN as one of your own products, the popover suggests the **My Product** label automatically. You can override it before saving.
{% endhint %}

### The Saved tab

A dedicated **Saved** tab lists your watchlist as product cards, with a badge showing how many ASINs you have saved. Each card displays the saved snapshot, BSR, estimated monthly sales, and your target cost, along with the label chip, any custom-list chip, and your note.

Controls available on the Saved tab:

| Control               | What it does                                                                         |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Label filter tabs** | Filter by **All**, **My Product**, **Competitor**, or **Watch** (each shows a count) |
| **List filter**       | Narrow the grid to a single custom list                                              |
| **Search**            | Text search across your saved ASINs                                                  |
| **Pin / Unpin**       | Pin important ASINs to keep them prominent in the grid                               |
| **Edit**              | Reopen the popover to change the label, list, note, or target cost                   |
| **Remove**            | Delete the ASIN from your watchlist                                                  |
| **Re-look-up**        | Run a fresh Sourcer lookup for the saved ASIN on its marketplace                     |

{% hint style="danger" icon="circle-info" %}
**Re-look-up consumes a search credit.** The card stores a snapshot (title, BSR, Buy Box price, estimated sales) captured when you saved it, viewing that snapshot is free. **Re-look-up** fetches live data and counts as one lookup against your monthly quota, just like a normal search.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" icon="circle-info" %}
**Note:** The watchlist is saved per user and per project, and is scoped per marketplace. The same ASIN saved on Amazon.de and Amazon.it is two separate entries, each with its own label, note, and snapshot.
{% endhint %}

***

## Chrome Extension Integration

![Sourcer Chrome Extension: instant analysis on Amazon listing pages](/files/mdLgQzhgLZAlN9fICad9)

A badge in the top-right corner of the search section links to the **SellerMagnet Chrome Extension** on the Chrome Web Store. The extension allows you to run Sourcer lookups directly from any Amazon product page without switching to the dashboard.

See the dedicated [Chrome Extension Guide](/selling-tools/product-sourcer-overview/chrome-extension.md) for installation and usage instructions.

***

## Common Sourcing Workflow

1. **Identify candidates:** Use supplier catalogs, wholesale lists, or manual browsing to find potential ASINs.
2. **Paste ASIN into Sourcer:** Select the target marketplace and click Search.
3. **Check BSR and Est. Sales:** Confirm minimum demand (e.g., BSR under 100,000, Est. Sales above 30/month).
4. **Review competition:** Check the Offers table. Avoid listings with 15+ FBA sellers or Amazon Retail presence.
5. **Calculate profit:** Enter your cost price. Require a minimum 30% ROI and 15% margin.
6. **Validate with history:** Confirm BSR and price stability over 90 days.
7. **Decision:** Buy if all criteria pass; skip if any red flags appear.

***

<details>

<summary><strong>⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid</strong></summary>

| Mistake                                           | Why It Hurts                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ignoring the number of competing FBA sellers      | Even a profitable product loses margin when 20 sellers race to the bottom   |
| Not checking Amazon Retail presence               | Amazon Retail almost always holds the BuyBox; your inventory may sit unsold |
| Using BuyBox price without checking price history | A temporarily inflated price gives a false profit picture                   |
| Skipping the Hazmat flag                          | Hazmat products require special approvals and higher FBA fees               |
| Not accounting for VAT                            | Forgetting VAT can turn a "profitable" product into a loss                  |
| Sourcing based on BSR alone without Est. Sales    | A low BSR in a tiny category may still mean only 5 units/month              |

</details>

\## ✅ Best Practices

1. **Set personal sourcing criteria before you start:** Define your minimum ROI, margin, and maximum competitive seller count. Stick to these rules to avoid emotional buying decisions.
2. **Batch your research:** Paste multiple ASINs in sequence and use Search History to compare them later.
3. **Cross-reference marketplaces:** A product with thin margins on Amazon.de may be highly profitable on Amazon.it or Amazon.es. Switch marketplaces in the dropdown and re-run the search.
4. **Use the Chrome Extension for speed:** When scanning retail websites or competitor storefronts, the extension lets you evaluate products without context-switching.
5. **Check seasonality:** Use the BSR History chart to identify whether current demand is sustainable or just a seasonal peak.

***

## ❓ FAQ

<details>

<summary><strong>What product identifiers can I search for?</strong></summary>

ASIN, UPC, EAN, ISBN-10, ISBN-13, full Amazon product URLs, or keyword phrases. The Sourcer handles all of these automatically.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Does each search consume one credit from my quota?</strong></summary>

Yes. Each unique product lookup counts as one search. Reloading a product from Search History does not consume an additional credit.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Why does the calculator show different fees when I toggle between FBA and FBM?</strong></summary>

FBA fees include pick-and-pack fulfillment, storage, and weight handling charges. FBM fees are limited to the referral fee since you handle shipping yourself (enter your own shipping cost in the FBM Cost field).

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I search for products on marketplaces where I do not sell?</strong></summary>

The marketplace dropdown shows all marketplaces connected to your Seller Central account. If you want to research a marketplace you have not yet enrolled in, you will need to add it in Seller Central first.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How accurate are the Estimated Sales figures?</strong></summary>

Sales estimates are modeled from BSR data using category-specific algorithms. They are directional indicators, accurate enough for sourcing decisions but not exact. Always validate with your own sales data after a test shipment.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What does the "Eligible" field mean?</strong></summary>

It indicates whether your seller account is approved to list and sell that specific ASIN. Some categories and brands require gating approval from Amazon.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Why do I see a VAT warning icon?</strong></summary>

The VAT rate could not be auto-detected for the selected marketplace. Enter your applicable VAT rate manually to get an accurate profit calculation.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Does saving an ASIN to my watchlist use a search credit?</strong></summary>

No. Saving an ASIN, and viewing its saved snapshot on the Saved tab, is free. Only **Re-look-up**, which fetches fresh live data for the saved ASIN, counts as one lookup against your monthly quota.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What is the difference between Search History and the Watchlist?</strong></summary>

Search History is an automatic, time-ordered log of every lookup you run. The Watchlist (the **Saved** tab) is a curated shortlist you build deliberately, each entry carries a label (My Product / Competitor / Watch), an optional custom list, a note, and a target cost. Use history to revisit recent lookups; use the watchlist to track the ASINs you care about over time.

</details>

***

## ➡️ What's Next?

{% content-ref url="/pages/9BLtTr2v8wYs6EWCS7Ll" %}
[Chrome Extension](/selling-tools/product-sourcer-overview/chrome-extension.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/vGcfp3NAeI5iI7qpdt6M" %}
[Identifier Converter](/selling-tools/product-sourcer-overview/identifier-converter.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/XxiOnXmNvAunjLWPxJPP" %}
[Repricer Overview](/selling-tools/repricer-overview.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}