Ethan Alexander was a high school sophomore when he used a $500 family gift to start an Amazon reselling business that eventually generated $125,000 in sales.
Alexander received the money from an investment account established by his great-grandfather for his great-grandchildren. Shortly afterwards, he watched an Instagram video about online reselling and decided to use the money to pay someone to teach him the business.
Teen Started an Amazon Reselling Business With $500 and Made $125,000
The venture took off almost immediately. Alexander generated nearly $10,000 in revenue during his first month and more than $25,000 in August.
His strategy involved buying products cheaply and reselling them on Amazon for relatively small margins, typically $2 to $4 per item. He initially bought laundry detergent from Walmart, driving between stores across the Kansas City area and filling his family’s garage with stock.
He spent hours packaging orders and making deliveries to the post office, while also juggling school and his social life. He eventually hired help, but mistakes with product labels cost him thousands of dollars.
By February 2026, the workload had begun affecting his grades, prompting him to shut down the business.
Now 18, Alexander says he has invested much of his earnings and plans to attend college. Despite the experience, he remains determined to become an entrepreneur and eventually run his own business.
