Zen Arbitrage Review (2024 Update): Is Amazon FBA Still A Money Maker?

Updated On: March 6, 2024

Welcome to my Zen Arbitrage review. My goal is to answer common questions like: how much it costs, if it's a scam, and if you can actually make money with it. The end goal is to help you understand if it's a good fit for you personally, and if there are any better alternatives out there.
Zen Arbitrage Review

This Zen Arbitrage review has been throughly researched with information and testimonials that are available online to anyone in the public. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.

Hello, and welcome to my Zen Arbitrage review!

So let me guess; you’re reading this review because…

  • You saw a Zen Arbitrage review ad on YouTube, and the messaging was so good it got your attention. Since you’re a smart consumer, you searched on Google for customer reviews which led you here.
  • You’re interested in starting an online business. So, you Googled the different ways to make money online. Your search led you to the Zen Arbitrage program and this review.
  • You asked for suggestions on the best Amazon sellers online courses on Reddit or Quora. Someone mentioned Zen Arbitrage, and you decided to see what people say about it.

Regardless of where you fall, I’m glad your search led you here. This review won’t disappoint you, either. The following 10-15 minutes you’ll spend reading this review will be worth every second. I’m going to explain what the program is and how it works.

By the time you’re through with reading this review, I aim to answer all your questions, including:

  • What is the Zen Arbitrage program?
  • Whether the Amazon FBA program, Zen Arbitrage, is worth the time and money you are willing to give
  • Who is behind the program?
  • Is the Zen Arbitrage a scam?
  • What features that Zen Arbitrage offers when you pay for the program
  • Most important, what are the best alternatives to Zen Arbitrage?

At the Center For WorkLife, I’ve written thousands of reviews about programs like this one. My reviews help millions of site visitors make an informed choice – escaping money-making schemes designed to rip you off. That’s why I provide real reviews based on real experiences.

I’ve actually done a lot of these courses myself.  This is how you get reports based on personal experience.

Along with my experience using Zen Arbitrage, I’ve also searched the internet. I’ve gathered people’s reviews on Trust Pilot, BBB, and Reddit to see other people’s experiences.

So, without further ado… let’s do further. Let’s start with the top pros and cons in my Zen Arbitrage review.

Table of Contents

Program At A Glance

Community
Mentorship
Curriculum
3.50
Summary

Overall, Zen Arbitrage has an average rating of 3.5/5, indicating that it is a decent platform for online book arbitrage work. However, it could use some  improvement.

What I liked
Earning Potential. You can make money with Zen Arbitrage, the online shopping tool. You can take advantage of the big price differences between books sold by merchants and Amazon.
Plenty of opportunities to flip books for profit. Zen Arbitrage helps you search through Amazon’s huge collection of books. This means that you can find books that you can buy cheap and sell for more. There are more books to flip than there are people who do it.
Dependable software that works for you. The Zen Arbitrage software can help you run your book arbitrage business. The software is easy to use and has decent features. It helps in finding book plus, buying and selling on Amazon.
What I Didn’t Like
Selling books on Amazon isn’t easy because of all the rules. This means your sales could be negatively impacted if you don't comply. You need to make sure you understand them before using the online book arbitrage tool.
You won't make money fast with Zen Arbitrage. This means you have to give it your time and spend a lot of money before you start seeing results. It takes time to learn how to use Zen Arbitrage and find good deals that are actually current.
You can't sell all books on Amazon. Amazon can control what books you can sell. Sometimes, they don’t let you sell a book at all. Other times, you can sell a used copy or a special edition. This can limit your options and hurt your profits. So, while Zen Arbitrage helps you find the best books to sell in the arbitrage marketplace, it can’t guarantee that Amazon will let you sell them.

TLDR – What’s My Verdict on Making Money With Zen Arbitrage?

Zen Arbitrage Verdict

Okay, I get it; some of y’all prefer skimming through articles for a straight “yes” or “no.” So let me be kind to you and address this quickly.

As I’ll explain later in this Zen Arbitrage review, I do like the legitimate Amazon business model.

However, I wouldn’t recommend signing up for the Zen Arbitrage program.

Now hear me out;

It’s true that Peter Valley, its creator, is a successful Amazon seller. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll get equally successful selling books on Amazon.

For example, just because a chef can make a delicious cake doesn’t mean you can make one too. You’ll encounter your share of challenges that require discipline and patience.

That’s because you need a lot of money to start Zen Arbitrage. Plus, it’s hard to make money from it. You have to find profitable books that not many people know about.

I’m not calling Zen Arbitrage a scam. There are better alternatives that show you practical ways of making money online with Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA).

Are you interested in checking out my top alternatives in this category? Check out the Digital Landlord program here.

Who Benefits From Program

Zen Arbitrage Benefits

I have a special love for Amazon FBA programs. That’s because it’s a legit way of making money online. Plus, I’ve also earned passive income as an Amazon seller in the past.

So, who can benefit from Zen Arbitrage? And who is going to find it a waste of time and resources? These are the questions I’m going to answer in this section.

Zen Arbitrage will be beneficial to you if you belong to the following categories:

  • A book lover who wants to turn your passion into profit. You can find and flip books that you like or know well and enjoy the thrill of hunting for bargains and hidden gems.
  • A beginner or experienced entrepreneur who wants to start or grow an online business. You can use Zen Arbitrage as a business in a box. It features reliable and easy-to-use software, training videos, and support. You can also scale your business without any inventory, experience, or physical location.

Meanwhile, there’s a group of individuals who won’t benefit from Zen Arbitrage. This group includes the following:

  • If you are not willing to take risks. You will face restrictions or competition from other sellers. Zen Arbitrage does not guarantee that you will make money or avoid losses. One Trust Pilot reviewer said they lost hundreds of dollars because of the platform’s errors and lack of information.
  • If you are not ready to learn and work hard. Zen Arbitrage requires time and effort to master the software and the system. You have to watch the training videos, practice the skills, and do your research. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. One reviewer said they did not have the time to properly learn and do it.

A 1,000 FT View of the Zen Arbitrage Program

Wow! You’ve made it this far… For that, my friend, I’ve got mad respect for you.

Now, let me give you a bird’s eye view of the program.

The Online Book Arbitrage Model

Zen Arbitrage is a web-based platform created by Peter Valley. You can use it to find and resell books on Amazon, a global marketplace.

With Zen Arbitrage, you can search for books in any book category, new or used. You then compare their prices with the real-time FBA prices. You can also see the price history charts and sales rank of each book. These indicate their sales and rankings on Amazon.

For example, you find a Dungeons and Dragons book for $5.79, including sales tax and shipping.

You can resell it on FBA for $79.99, making a profit of $314.46. Zen Arbitrage’s profit calculator automatically deducts Amazon fees. It then shows you your estimated profit for each book.

The calculator doesn’t include sales tax. Suppose your state charges tax on online orders. You’ll need to calculate this cost separately and enter it into the profit calculator.

Zen Arbitrage also lets you see if other sellers offer the same book at a lower price on the arbitrage books marketplace. You can also access the textbook database. It contains millions of books that are in high demand during the textbook season.

The trade-in arbitrage feature also helps you find books that you can trade in for Amazon gift cards.

With Zen Arbitrage, you also get searching selling leads. These are books that have a high profit potential. You can also join the private Facebook group. Here, you interact with other online book arbitrage users.

You also get tips and support from Peter Valley himself. You can even watch his YouTube channel, where he shares his 10 ways to arbitrage books online.

If you want to get started with Zen Arbitrage, you can sign up for a trial period and test the platform for yourself.

After the trial period, you can choose from different plans based on your needs and budget. The Zen Arbitrage cost varies depending on the plan you choose. However, it is affordable compared to other online businesses.

Here is a breakdown of how the program works:

  • Find books on Amazon that are selling for less than their FBA value
  • Use the book arbitrage tool to search for books on Amazon
  • Look at their real-time sales history, rank, and sales data
  • Buy the books online and ship them to your address, a prep & pack service, or an FBA warehouse
  • Once you list the books for sale, you can start receiving orders and making profits.

So… Who Is Peter Valley?

Peter Valley From Zen Arbitrage

Now, let’s look at the creator of The Zen Arbitrage tool, Peter Valley.

He is a pioneer and expert in selling books on Amazon. Peter has written 14 books on how to master the art of selling on Amazon. He shares his secrets and strategies with readers on a global scale.

Peter is also a mentor and coach. He helps aspiring Amazon sellers achieve success in their sales. As a result, his students have seen amazing results.

Peter Valley also runs a YouTube channel. He gives out free tips and tricks on how to make money by buying and selling books on Amazon.

What Are the Benefits Claimed by the Zen Arbitrage Program?

Zen Arbitrage Review

The main promise of Zen Arbitrage is that they will help you make over $99,000 per month buying and selling books on Amazon.

Sounds simple enough, but here’s the catch:

This “over $99,000 per month” thing is just marketing hype to make it look like you’re getting rich quickly.

To be fair, they do say that the results may vary. That means that you are unlikely to get the same results as their other Zen Arbitrage members.

According to this Amazon seller, it’s not as easy as they’d want you to believe. Plus, it seems that the software needs constant monitoring to avoid losses.

Source Quote Link To Read
Reddit ZenAbritrage has become more “scammy” over time Reddit
Trustpilot I’m not very happy with the platform itself Trustpilot

What Is the Zen Arbitrage Cost?

The pricing of Zen Arbitrage is not very clear. Peter Valley says he offers a monthly subscription of $79 that includes all the features and functions and also gives away a lot of “free” material.

However, some users have reported that this is not the whole truth. He may try to sell you more expensive products and services later, that amount to thousands at the very least.

Is Zen Arbitrage Legit?

Now to the million-dollar question: is Zen Arbitrage a scam or legit?

The program is pretty legit. I mean, the Zen Arbitrage software is real, so you can buy and learn how to use it. You have access to resources you’ll need, including support from other Zen Arbitrage members.

Is it my top Amazon FBA program, though? Nah!

Here’s why;

There are almost no reviews on the internet on this program. I’m talking about only two reviews on Trust Pilot and NOTHING on BBB. Plus, NOBODY discusses it on Reddit.

I don’t know about you, but with limited information on this program, that won’t cut it.

My favorite program so far is Digital Landlord.

How Does Zen Arbitrage Compare to Other Programs?

I like that Zen Arbitrage comes with a vast database with over 21 million books. This surpasses its top competitors like eFlip, which only has about 3 million books. With this expansive database, you have better chances of finding profitable opportunities.

However, Zen Arbitrage’s hidden fees make it pricey compared to its competitors. Plus, if you’re a beginner, you’ll find the software quite overwhelming to use.

What’s My Opinion on Zen Arbitrage?

If you like my reviews, you probably know by now that I write about programs I’ve used. So, my reviews are based on my experience using the different software and courses.

That said, I’ve noticed that the programs I’ve tried out have had conflicting reviews. One group will give bad reviews, while the other one will give some encouraging reviews.

You can’t make this up, so the reviews on Reddit, Trustpilot, and BBB are often genuine experiences. However, my experience has taught me that they often vary. If someone found Zen Arbitrage valuable, you might find it a waste of time; the reverse is also true.

So what’s my suggestion?

When deciding on an Amazon FBA program, you should consider the following:

The guru’s achievements: Winners produce winners. That’s not a saying, but you want to learn from leading experts. The guru must have some weight to their name. I’m talking about proven success.

Reliable support: Studying a program is one thing. Practicing the skills you learn is another. Some gurus tell you that their program is easy to use and that you can depend on them for support. However, some gurus ghost their students after payment. Ensure the program you choose has solid support from the guru, their staff, and the online community.

The reliability of the tool: You need to find out if the program works as advertised. Does it deliver accurate and updated data on book prices, sales rank, and profit margins?

The cost of the tool: The program should charge a reasonable monthly fee for the value it provides. Also, check if the results it gives are actually worth your investment.

The testimonials of the tool users: Check if the program has positive reviews and feedback from other book arbitrageurs who have used it successfully. How much profit have the users made?

My Recommendation on the Book Arbitrage Tool

We’ve laid the principles on how to choose an Amazon FBA program. Now, let’s use our principles to decide if Zen Arbitrage is worth it.

Let’s start with the positives:

  • The Zen Arbitrage software is a reliable tool. I’ve found only one user who had a problem with the tool. Every other user I’ve read about seems to have had no problem working with it. Plus, Peter Valley also keeps the database fresh to make sure you don’t lose any chances.
  • You have great support. The training program teaches you everything you need to know. From the basics of book arbitrage to advanced strategies. You also have access to live webinars, email support, and a private Facebook group.
  • Peter is a reputable guru. He’s known in the industry and has also authored several books like Trade in Arbitrage or Textbook Annihilation.

Now, let me tell you what I don’t like about the program:

These are the reasons that I would not suggest Zen Arbitrage to most people, based mostly on my own opinion:

  • Negative reviews: There are negative reviews on Trustpilot and Ripoff Report. The only positive reviews I found were on their own website. These were screenshots of supposed Zen Arbitrage users. That’s kinda weird to me.
  • It’s pricey for those on a budget: You need a lot of cash to buy these books. Otherwise, you can’t make a full-time income from it. Buying textbooks when they are not in high demand requires you to wait for months before you get your money back.
Area Score Description
Time Investment 4.0 / 5 You need to invest a lot of time to start seeing your ROI.
Level of Control 3.5 / 5 You have some degree of control over the business and sales.
Ease of Implementation 3.5 / 5 It’s quite easy to implement the strategies you learn.
Profit Potential 4.0 / 5 If everything goes according to plan and you invest the time required, the profit potential is great.

What’s Inside Zen Arbitrage?

Is Zen Arbitrage Legit

Zen Arbitrage has several features that make it stand out from other tools. Here are some of them:

Huge Book Collection

Zen Arbitrage has access to 21 million books. It also has a higher return rate and can search over 40 websites for books.

Accurate Search Filters

You search for books by many criteria. These include the following:

  • Sales rank
  • Number of offers
  • Book category
  • New or used pricing
  • Title
  • Amazon’s pricing

This makes your search faster and easier.

FBA Automator

Zen Arbitrage scans books across 40+ sites automatically. It then gives you the following results:

  • Real-time FBA and 3PL pricing data
  • Shipping costs
  • Profitability tracking
  • Legal permission checks
  • Real-time price history and sales charts
  • Trend and profit identification

Arbitrage Library

Zen Arbitrage has a large arbitrage library that gives you access to over 50 videos. The videos help you make smart decisions about your investments, profits, and long-term sales.

Textbook Database

You get access to a special textbook database with over 300,000 textbooks. It also has over 20 million web-based materials. This gives you more opportunities in the book arbitrage market.

Historic Rank and Sales Data

Zen Arbitrage shows you previous sales and ranking data. This lets you choose books with higher profit potential, thus avoiding losses. You can also see real-time sales history charts and projected wasted investment figures.

Arbitrage Marketplace

Zen Arbitrage not only helps you buy books but also sell them. The Arbitrage Marketplace lets you buy and sell leads to increase your income.

Business In A Box

The program’s monthly subscription gives you a complete package. This way, you can start your business without any hassle.

10 Ways to Arbitrage

Zen Arbitrage offers ten different ways to make money from arbitrage. These include searching, selling leads, and buying leads. You also get access to a unique arbitrage books marketplace.

Price Drop Alert Feature

You get automatic updates when book prices drop. This allows you to take advantage of opportunities.

Zen Arbitrage Features vs Competition

Zen Arbitrage vs Competitors Features

Zen Arbitrage vs. eFLIP

Zen Arbitrage has a collection of 21 million books, with 32.8 million on Amazon. eFLIP has a smaller collection of 23 million ISBNs.

They both have software that shows sales history and lets you filter search results. But eFLIP has better price filters that let you set limits for new and used book prices and Amazon prices.

Both services have limits on ranking and publishing window. They also offer free trials that you can use to try them out before committing.

Zen Arbitrage vs. Book Profits

Book Profits is for anyone who wants to build an online business with used books. It helps users find books and sell them at higher prices to make a profit. Both software tell you immediately if a tracked item’s price drops.

Zen Arbitrage vs. Tactical Arbitrage

Tactical Arbitrage is different by checking over a thousand other retail websites. It compares the prices of similar products on Amazon. This way, you can find the chance to buy low and resell at a profit. It is good at researching wholesale products and doing digital arbitrage.

Zen Arbitrage lets users search more than 40 different online bookstores. Tactical Arbitrage offers a 7-day free trial, while Zen Arbitrage offers a 14-day free trial. Also, Tactical Arbitrage costs less than Zen Arbitrage.

The Final Say: Buy or Don’t Buy

You finally made it to the end. So what do you think?

Is Zen Arbitrage a buy? Based on my experience with the program and the reviews I’ve read online, my answer is YES!

Is it the best in the industry? NOPE! I still think that it’s overpriced for what it offers, especially when compared to the Digital Landlord.

Would you like to learn more alternatives for Zen Arbitrage? Be sure to check out my top articles.

Read Our In Depth Breakdown Of The Top 5 Amazon FBAOpp Courses For 2024

Did Zen Arbitrage Make The List?

Top Alternative / #1 Way To Make Money in 2024

I’ve personally tried all of the major online business models:

  • I’ve sold fidget spinners through Amazon FBA
  • I’ve drop-shipped a toilet-bowl putting green on Shopify
  • I’ve sold women’s health supplements via Clickbank affiliate marketing

And I made money with all of them, so trust me when I say: there is no “perfect” business model.

That being said, my #1 recommendation for making real money online is, hands-down: being a Digital Landlord.

Whether you’re a complete newbie, or you’ve been around the block before but have never had that “big win” to propel you forward, becoming a Digital Landlord is for you. 

Here’s Why:

1)Time: If you’ve got a spare hour-or-two each day, you can do this. If you want to drop everything and go all-in, you can do this. More time obviously means faster results, but even putting in a few hours per day is enough to see real success.

And because of that flexibility, you don’t need to trade your time for money. Once the income starts, it’s recurring.

That means you can take a month off, travel the country, pursue a passion project, chill on the beach, or charter a boat across the world.

But you can only do that once you’ve created an income stream that doesn’t require YOU to be there all day, every day.

2) Ownership & Control: With Amazon FBA, you don’t technically own the customer base.

Amazon could literally shut you down overnight. They have a history of kicking suppliers off their platform, or stopping payouts to affiliates for certain products once they’ve built their own.

Why pour your soul into a business that could be taken away from you at the drop of a dime?

When you’re a Digital Landlord, you literally own all of the assets, which means you have ultimate control.

3) Big Margins: With FBA, you’re often going to have really slim margins. That means you need to hit a serious scale to make serious money. This usually entails spending A LOT of money on ads and other methods for growing traffic to your product.

Being a Digital Landlord, your profit margin is nearly 100%. Watch here to learn how.

Just a reminder: these Digital Rental Properties are worth (at a minimum) $500/mo in semi-passive income. And each time you create another one, your income increases, and the effort put into creating the next property decreases.

Best case scenario, you have properties bringing in over $3,000+/mo on auto-pilot.

4) It’s Effectively Copy-Paste: Here’s my favorite part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up, you can literally copy-paste another version of it and find another willing “renter” in a few days. DOUBLING your income doesn’t get much easier than that…

If you wanted to double your income with Amazon FBA, you would need to sell twice as much inventory, or double your profit margins. And I can guarantee you (from my fidget-spinner FBA days), that’s a lot harder than a few clicks & a phone call.

5) You’re Helping REAL People: My biggest gripe with FBA is that you’re basically only helping yourself. The world doesn’t need another B.S. gadget to consume.
It’s cool in the short term to make a quick buck, but in the long-term, it gets really old, really fast.

But when you’re a Digital Landlord, you’re helping solve REAL problems that people are ASKING for help with:

Small local businesses around the world need one thing: customers. Without them, their business would fall apart. If we can provide those customers, they’re going to be really happy – and they’re going to pay you for it.

We’re not helping Jeff Bezos shoot another rocket into space – you’re helping a struggling mother or father put FOOD on the table for their families, put their kids through college, or simply live life a little bit more comfortably.

Having this type of impact on the world is what will help you sleep soundly at night.

So, the rest is up to you. You could keep looking at other FBA programs like Zen Arbitrage, which might make you money 12 months from now.

You could keep researching and researching for the next few months (or few years), never making a concrete decision.

OR, you can look deep inside, think about those dreams, hopes, & desires, and make the decision to ACTUALLY make it happen, just like it has for thousands of other students before you.

Making a fortune while actually helping real people that need it.
If this sounds like you,
click here to see how it all works.

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