# Product Sourcer

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**Difficulty:** 🟡 Intermediate · **Reading time:** \~10 min
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**Open this page in your dashboard:** [**Go to Product Sourcer →**](https://dashboard.sellermagnet.com/sourcer)
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## 📋 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       |

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**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.
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***

## 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

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**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.
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***

## 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.
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***

## 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

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**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.
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| 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 %}

### 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.
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***

## 📈 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

Bar chart showing estimated monthly units sold over time. Validates whether the product has consistent demand or is trending up/down.

### 4. BuyBox Share Chart

A pie chart and history table showing which sellers won the BuyBox, their average selling price, win count, and the date they last held the BuyBox.

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**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.
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***

## 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.

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**Note:** Search history is saved per account and persists across sessions. Use it to quickly revisit products you are evaluating over multiple days.
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***

## 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>

***

## ➡️ 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 %}


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