BUYER PROTECTION
Are done-for-you Amazon stores legit? How to vet a provider in 12 checks
There is a right way to have someone build and run your store
No sales call required
Some are legitimate and many are not. When people ask whether done-for-you Amazon stores are legit, the label covers two very different things: a service that sets up and runs a store you own, and an earnings program sold to individuals. A legitimate provider works on a store in your name, publishes every fee and the costs you carry, makes no earnings or profit claims and never asks for your password. Programs that promised monthly profit or sold "automated" stores to people without a business have been shut down by the FTC.
This page is buyer education, not legal advice. If you are about to sign a contract, confirm your questions with your attorney.
Are done-for-you Amazon stores legit, or a scam?
It depends on which of the two things you are being sold. The same words are used for both, so look at the structure underneath.
| Question | A store service for a business you own | An earnings program sold to individuals |
|---|---|---|
| Whose name is the seller account in? | Yours, and your company's | Sometimes yours, sometimes the program's, often unclear |
| Who pays for inventory? | You, directly to the supplier | Often paid to the program, which "handles" it |
| How is the provider paid? | Published fees, written down before work starts | A large upfront fee, often with a profit split |
| What is promised? | Work: setup, listings, daily operations, reports | Money: monthly profit, earnings without work, a payback date |
| Who decides what to sell? | You approve every product | The program picks, or sells you a product list |
| What happens when it ends? | You keep the accounts, listings, data and stock | The store may be locked, sold on or shut down |
The left column describes a real service. The right column describes the pattern the FTC has pursued again and again.
What has the FTC done about Amazon automation programs?
The FTC has brought a run of cases against programs that sold online stores as an earnings opportunity. These are context, not a reason to panic: each case shows what a scheme looks like from the outside.
- DK Automation (Nov 16, 2022).
The FTC acted against a business that told consumers they could earn money from Amazon stores with little or no work, sold Amazon business packages priced as high as $100,000 and used fake reviews touting large profits.
- Automators AI, also known as Empire Ecommerce (Aug 22, 2023).
A federal court temporarily shut down an operation that promised consumers large profits from Amazon and Walmart stores, claimed AI would ensure success and projected $4,000 to $6,000 in monthly net profit. Consumers put in about $22 million, according to the FTC.
- Ecommerce Empire Builders (May 9, 2025).
The court order bans the company and its owner from selling business opportunities. It sold "done for you" storefronts for as much as $35,000 and promised profits of $10,000 a month. The judgment was $9,786,124, partially suspended.
- Ascend Ecom (Jun 23, 2025).
A proposed order bans the owners from selling business opportunities or business coaching and from enforcing contract terms that stop customers posting reviews. The FTC alleges the operation defrauded consumers of at least $25 million.
- Ecom Genie and Profitable Automation (Jul 17, 2025).
Sued in October 2024 for promising stores on Amazon and Walmart with sales of "$100K+ per month"; the owner and companies are banned from business opportunity sales, with a judgment of nearly $14 million.
- FBA Machine (Jul 30, 2025).
Sued in June 2024 for falsely guaranteeing that buyers would make money from AI-powered storefronts. The settlement order bans the operator from business opportunity sales, with a $15.7 million judgment, partially suspended. The FTC alleges consumers lost over $15 million.
- Click Profit (Aug 25, 2025).
Sued in March 2025 for allegedly costing consumers at least $14 million while claiming ties to brands such as Nike and Disney that did not exist; the final settlements include permanent bans from business opportunity sales (PPC Land, Aug 25, 2025, press).
- Air AI (Mar 24, 2026).
Sued in August 2025; a proposed settlement bans the company and its owners from marketing business opportunities, after allegations of false earnings claims and refund guarantees.
The common pattern: income promises, claims that the money arrives without work, AI or automation hype and stores sold to people with no product and no business. Fake proof often comes with it, from invented brand partnerships to contracts that try to stop customers from posting reviews.
12 checks before you pay anyone to build or run your store
Run every provider through the same list. A legitimate one will answer each point in writing without being pushed.
- 01The seller account, brand and bank account are in your name and your entity.
If the account is opened in the provider's name, you do not own the store.
- 02Every fee is published, with a written list of the costs you carry.
Inventory, platform fees, freight, ad spend and apps should be named before you sign, with who pays each one.
- 03No earnings or profit figures.
Under the FTC Business Opportunity Rule, a seller of a business opportunity that makes an earnings claim must give you a written "Earnings Claim Statement Required by Law" with dates, the number and percentage of buyers who achieved it and an offer of written substantiation. If someone quotes earnings, ask for it.
- 04You can work out exactly how the provider is paid.
A commission is not a red flag by itself, if the rate and what it applies to are written into the agreement before work starts. A profit split sold as a way to make money without running the business is, and so is a fee nobody will put in writing.
- 05No promised sales, rankings or approvals.
No date by which you will earn back what you spend, and no buyback offer. Nobody controls those outcomes.
- 06Access through each platform's own tools.
Amazon user permissions, a limited Walmart role while you keep Admin, Shopify collaborator access. Never your password.
- 07You approve what to sell.
A provider can research products with you and show the numbers per unit, but the decision is yours. Be wary of anyone selling a list of "winning products".
- 08You pay suppliers and platforms directly.
The provider should not hold your inventory money or a prepaid balance on your behalf.
- 09The contract is short and readable.
Term, notice period and what happens to your data, access and listings when it ends.
- 10Named people you can look up,
with a US contact and business hours stated exactly as they are.
- 11Reviews you can verify on third-party sites.
The FTC's rule banning fake reviews and testimonials took effect Oct 21, 2024. Contracts that stop you from posting a review are a warning sign in themselves.
- 12Disclosure documents, if it is sold as a business opportunity.
Federal rules require a disclosure document at least 7 calendar days before you sign or pay. Texas has its own business opportunity law, with registration and disclosure duties of its own. Ask the seller which rules it follows and why.
What does a managed store cost?
Prices vary widely, so put every quote next to a published one. Here are ours, for context, with the costs you pay separately.
| Ecom Relays service | What it covers | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Store Launch | Setting up your store on a channel, with 30 days of support | Shopify $999, Amazon $1,499, Walmart $1,499; two channels $2,499, all three $3,499 |
| Store Care | Daily running of a store you own, after launch | $399 a month (Starter) or $699 a month (Plus) |
| Full Relay, our managed store service, retainer model | Product research and sourcing, setup, launch and daily running | $1,499 onboarding, then $999, $1,999 or $3,999 a month by channels and SKUs |
| Full Relay, performance model | The same scope | $2,499 one-time service fee, then a commission on the store's results at a rate written into the agreement before work starts |
In every case you pay for inventory, freight, platform fees, apps and ad spend directly. Store Care and the Full Relay retainer have a 3-month first term, then run month to month with 30 days' notice. Full details are on pricing.
For contrast, Ecommerce Empire Builders charged up to $35,000 for storefronts, according to the FTC's May 9, 2025 announcement. A high price is not proof of a scheme, and a low one is not proof of a good service. What matters is what you own, what you pay for and what is promised.
How Ecom Relays runs a managed store
We offer two routes, and neither is an earnings program. Store Launch and Store Care are for founders who have a product and want a store set up and run day to day. Full Relay, our managed store service, adds product research and sourcing for founders starting further back.
The same rules apply to both:
- You own everything.
Every seller account, the brand, all inventory and every supplier relationship are in your name.
- You approve every decision.
Products, suppliers, prices and purchases. We research and recommend; you decide.
- You pay costs directly.
Inventory, freight, platform fees, apps and ad spend go from you to the supplier or platform, never through us.
- A named lead runs the daily work.
Orders, messages, account health, stock and reorder alerts and reimbursement claims, with a weekly written update.
- Access the right way.
Named user access on every platform and never your password. Access is removed within 24 hours if you leave.
- No promises about money.
We do not sell stores and we never promise income. On the Full Relay performance model: when your store sells, we earn; when it does not, you owe no commission.
Owner-light, not owner-free: expect to spend time every week reviewing and approving. A typical Full Relay timeline runs research in weeks 1 to 3, sourcing in weeks 3 to 8 and launch in weeks 6 to 12, then daily running. That is typical, not promised.
Most new stores take months to find steady sales, and some never do. Inventory, platform fees, freight and ad spend are paid by you.
Who should not buy a managed store
A managed store service is the wrong purchase for some people, and saying so is part of doing it properly.
If that describes the offer you are looking at, read managed store vs store-for-sale before you sign anything.
-
Anyone looking for money without running a business. A store is a business with costs, decisions and risk.
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Anyone without the budget for stock, platform fees, freight and ads on top of the service fee.
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Anyone who wants to buy a ready-made store, or take a share of a store's profit without running it.
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Anyone who wants a promised sales figure or a date to earn back what they spend.
How much does a done-for-you store cost?
Quotes range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands, so compare each against a published price. Ours: Store Launch from $999 per channel, then Store Care from $399 a month. If you also want product research and sourcing, Full Relay, our managed store service, starts at $1,499 onboarding plus $999 a month, or $2,499 plus a commission. Inventory, fees, freight and ads are extra and paid by you.
Can a store make money without me?
No honest provider can promise that. A store is a business: products sell or they do not, and the costs are yours either way. You will spend time each week approving products, prices and purchases. Most new stores take months to find steady sales, and some never do.
Who owns the store?
You should, completely: the seller account, the brand, the inventory, the customer data and the supplier relationships, all in your name and your entity. If a provider opens the account in its own name or holds your inventory money, you do not own the store, whatever the contract calls it.
Is Amazon automation legal?
Running your own store with outside help is legal and common. What the FTC has acted against is selling earnings promises: programs that told buyers they would make monthly profits from stores they did not really run. The label "automation" is not the problem; the promises are.
Do you pick the products?
In Store Launch and Store Care, you bring the product. In Full Relay, we research demand, competition, fees and margin per unit and vet suppliers, then recommend. You approve every product and supplier and pay suppliers directly. We do not sell product lists.
How do you get paid?
Through published fees. Store Launch and Store Care are fixed fees. Full Relay has two options: a retainer, or a $2,499 one-time fee plus a commission on the store's results at a rate set in the written agreement before work starts. When your store sells, we earn; when it does not, you owe no commission.
What if I want to stop?
Store Care and the Full Relay retainer have a 3-month first term, then run month to month with 30 days' notice by email. Access is removed within 24 hours of the end date, and everything stays in your accounts. Ask any provider for the same terms in writing.
What should I ask before paying anyone?
The 12 checks above, in writing. Who owns the accounts, every fee and cost you carry, how the provider is paid, what is promised, how access works and what happens when it ends. For a longer list of questions, read how to choose a managed store service.
How we handle logins and data is on security and access. More comparisons are on all comparisons.
Sources11 sources
- 01ftc.govNov 16, 2022; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 02ftc.govAug 22, 2023; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 03ftc.govMay 9, 2025; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 04ftc.govJun 23, 2025; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 05ftc.govJul 17, 2025; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 06ftc.govJul 30, 2025; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 07ppc.landClick Profit settlements announced Aug 25, 2025; press; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 08ftc.govMar 24, 2026; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 09ecfr.govFTC Business Opportunity Rule, 437.2 and 437.4; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 10federalregister.gov16 CFR Part 465; published Aug 22, 2024, effective Oct 21, 2024; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 11help.shopify.comasking a merchant for their password is prohibited; collaborator requests approved by the merchant; undated page; checked Oct 20, 2026Primary
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