FBA Scanner

Are FBA bluetooth scanners worth it for selling on amazon?

37 Comments / Amazon FBA, Amazon Merchant Fulfilled / By

In today’s post I will begin taking a more in depth look at FBA bluetooth scanners, one of the tools that I am using to help me find products to resell on amazon more efficiently.  Today’s post will be in the form of a youtube video, as I think demonstrating how the product works will be better than just writing about how it works.

How FBA Scanner Works

So, here’s the video:

As you can see, this FBA scanner is very useful for online sellers. In case you are interested, here is a link to the current KDC200 bluetooth scanners that are available on ebay.  I purchased mine about 2 months ago for $299, and the current prices remain in that ballpark.  These are rather expensive so I don’t necessarily recommend them to everyone selling on amazon, but if you are doing decent volume and want to improve your efficiency this is, in my opinion, the best bluetooth scanner for FBA.  There are some cheaper options out there, but after doing a good amount of research, I felt this was the best bang for my buck.

I also recently purchased a closeout lot of open box KDC300 bluetooth scanners that I am willing to sell to readers of this blog (subscribers get first dibs!) for $200 a piece before I begin to sell them on amazon or eBay.  These are open box and fully tested and functional.  The KDC300 is actually one step up from the KDC200, and perform basically the same as the KDC200 with a different type of laser.  The retail price is around $500, but you can usually find them on amazon or ebay for about $300 used.  This is offer is intended for personal use only, and there will be a limit of one per person.  If you are interested in purchasing one just send me an email at grant.ryanj@gmail.com.

Please let me know in the comments what you thought of the video format, and if you would like to see more videos in the future.  As always if you have any other questions or comments please leave them below or send me an email at grant.ryanj@gmail.com.

37 thoughts on “Are FBA bluetooth scanners worth it for selling on amazon?”

  1. Dave

    Interesting, I didn’t catch which app you are using with the scanner?

    Catan is fun but you should look into Puerto Rico or Agricola 🙂

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hi Dave,

      In the video shown I am using Scanpower. I now use Scoutify by InventoryLab as my main scanner. Both apps are compatible with a usb scanner.

      I actually own Puerto Rico as well, that is is a good one 🙂 I will have to check out Agricola

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  2. Yasar Tekin

    Hi Ryan

    I’m planning to buy KDC300 and I was wondering if the scanner is compatible with Amazon Seller App? I know that it was not for awhile. However I have recently seen Jonathan’s update on online sellin reviews about the Bluetooth scanner and he says that it works with Amazon Seller App. I just wanted to be 100% sure before I make the purchase.

    Thank you in advance for your help and guidance.

    Reply
  3. Chris

    Great info. Thanks for sharing. I want to do FBA, only doing merchant fulfilled right now. Think I’m afraid to take the plunge.

    Reply
  4. Jeff

    Ryan I just stumbled onto your site while looking for information about getting into FBA. I used to do arbitrage between office supply stores then sell on Ebay. I’m thinking this might be a fun way to have another revenue stream. Do you still have any scanners left?

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hi Jeff,

      This could definitely be a fun revenue stream. Unfortunately, I am all out of the scanners.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  5. Linda

    Newbie here. I am currently using profit bandit but as I grow will probably switch to scan power can I use this scanner for both apps? Thanks in advance

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hi Linda,

      Yes, you can use a scanner with both apps. The only “catch” though is with Profit Bandit, you have to pay a one time fee of $49 to use your scanner with the app.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  6. tricha

    hey ryan we recently purchased he kdc 200i. We followed instructions to set it up. Its linked with my iphone however when we scan it doesnt show up on profit bandit. I contacted profit bandit and they basically said this was not one of the units they tested. any suggestions?

    Reply
  7. LC

    Hey Ryan:

    Great video and excellent information! I have definitely bookmarked your site as it is an outstanding resource. I agree with your conclusion on the scanner but would like to add a personal experience to help others that may be on the fence about this decision. I don’t mean to hijack your page but this lengthy post might just help someone realize how to make this work better for them.

    Yesterday I attended a huge booksale that was 45 minutes away from home. Prior to the trip, I made sure my phone was fully charged with ProfitBandit fully operational. Due to the size of the sale, I expected that there might be 1-2 other FBA sellers there. The sale was so large that they had posted rules “no scanning before 1PM”. I was there at 1PM promptly and ready to go. Out of nowhere, numerous people starting scanning at 1PM – every single one using bluetooth scanners with earbuds. Ummm.. I thought as I lined up my first book for scanning. Finally had UPC centered and waited for the “connecting to Amazon” delay. By that time the guy next to me had scanned 10-15 books. No joke! It was an embarrassing two hours of me the amateur being totally outranked. But I’m not easily embarrassed so it was no big deal. The lesson was invaluable however.

    The “pros” used scanners mostly with the Dell Axim 51 PDA. They had rules set in the software such as only beep on scanning an item with a certain retail. They didn’t even need to fully remove the book before scanning the next book. By the time I had done a shelf, these guys were done with a section. Everything was instantaneous for them as the database is downloaded into the PDA. The biggest waste of my time was not the scanning (which you appropriately describe) but the waiting on the phone to connect with Amazon. By the time, I had one book to review they had scanned ten or more to find the one that was reselling at their chosen price or more. Since the books were only $1-$3, they didn’t even bother looking at the price of the book. Hopefully this will help someone out there. I’m not looking forward to the investment ahead but I see now that I could be so much more efficient on every trip. Working without a scanner (especially with books) is like searching for diamonds with cloudy, foggy glasses.

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hey LC,

      This is great info and thank you for sharing it here! It sounds like you already have it figured out, but for anyone who may not know it is important to understand that the PDAs mentioned literally download the pricing information from amazon at a current point in time and store it on the device. This allows for nearly instantaneous results to be displayed on their PDA upon scanning an item, however the pricing data from amazon is only as good as when it was downloaded. Using a PDA like this often works well for book sellers where speed might be essential, but it may not make since in retail stores where having up to date information is very important.

      The real takeaway is that their are options beyond just using a scanning app on your phone, and using a PDA may make more sense depending on the category you sell in. If you have questions on this feel free to let me know. LC might be able to answer as well if there are questions.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hey Jcharles,

      I watched some reviews on youtube and did some searches online and it seemed like the KDC was a little bit higher quality for the same price. I don’t have anything against the Opticon 2005, but I picked the KDC200 and haven’t looked back.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  9. Peter

    Hi Ryan,

    Thanks for the post. Sent you a payment via Paypal for a scanner. Please let me know if and when it has been shipped.

    Regards,
    Peter

    Reply
  12. John

    Ryan,

    Just discovered your blog, great information. The scanner video is great, very clear that for high volume it is a must. I am interested in tha KDC300, I will send you an email. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hey John,

      Thank you! I still have a couple scanners available so I will keep an eye out for your email.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  13. chad

    Hey Ryan,

    Enjoyed the video . Just a couple of questions.
    I went out sourcing today but I am just
    Getting started and it just seems overwhelming .
    When you first started did you just scan everything until you found good deals or did you have a good idea of what groceries or toys or health and beauty products you could profit from right away?
    Also I have been watching some of the scanner monkey podcasts and they are helpful and they say they try to profit at least $5 off of an item is this about what you look for or do you look for bigger margins ?

    Thanks
    Chad

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hey Chad,

      Glad to hear you enjoyed the video! It can be a bit overwhelming when you are just getting started. When I was just getting started I would scan basically every clearance item I could find to try to find deals, and I didn’t really have an idea of what products would be good sellers. I now have a better idea of what I am looking for when I go into stores, but it takes time to acquire the “eye” for this.

      I am generally looking for a minimum profit of about $5 per item as well. I will go as low as about $3 per item if I can buy a large quantity and send them into FBA. Hope this info helps!

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
      1. chad

        Hey Ryan,

        Another update in the scanning apps . I downloaded profit bandit and emailed there support to get the workaround for not having a pro account ( I had already done this a week or so ago and they told me it would be no problem) but now when I emailed them my info they just said I had to get a pro account an first 30 days where free if I wanted to do that.

        So the only free trial app I have found so far is fba scan , it gives you 100 free scans and no credit card required at first, just not sure about the info this app gives it seems kind i confusing that’s why I was going to go with profit bandit , guess I need to bite the bullet an get an amazon pro account and start sending stuff in.

        Reply
        1. Ryan Grant

          Hey Chad,

          Thanks for the update, and it sounds like others have been having the same experience with being told they need a pro account to use profit bandit. It looks like having a pro account might be a something people have to get right away if they want to use Profit Bandit.

          Best Regards,
          Ryan

          Reply
  14. GHarkness

    I enjoyed the video; however, watching videos on a regular basis just doesn’t work for me. (though this topic definitely lent itself to video) I wonder, if you are intending to do videos in the future, if you could also post a transcript, for those of us who read several times faster than you can talk 🙂 ? That would be much appreciated!

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Glad to hear you enjoyed the video! I am only really planning on posting a video when the topic requires it, such as demonstrating a product like this. I will definitely look into posting transcripts for future videos.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  15. Ron

    Is there still monthly fee if using the scanner? Would anything change on amazon’s end, etc. that would make scanner not as efficient?

    Reply
    1. Ryan Grant

      Hi Ron,

      With Scanpower there is no monthly fee for using the scanner. There is no change to anything on amazon’s end either, literally all the bluetooth scanner does is bypass your phone’s camera for inputting UPCs. Let me know if you have any further questions.

      Best Regards,
      Ryan

      Reply
  16. Sharon

    Thanks for the info. I just bought a blue tooth scanner last week & would have loved the deal you are offering too bad I am one week ahead : ( still have not learned the ins and outs of using it, so far just playing around with it. I’m interested in learning about what arm band you use, I have Samsung galaxy s4. Thanks again Ryan!
    Sharon

    Reply

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