Most people have been taught how to work hard instead of learning how to make money work hard for them. These days, having a financial aptitude skill set is tremendously valuable. The world has transitioned beyond cold hard cash, and people are now reaping the benefits of buying, holding and selling across the stock market.
This lucrative way of earning money has gained immense popularity, even in volatile and uncertain economic climates. How, you ask? Simply by choosing the right broker to assist you in your trade to buy, hold and sell Amazon stocks. Compare top online brokers and get tips for putting your money to work in this guide.
In 1994, Amazon Inc. was founded and launched out of Jeff Bezos’ garage in Seattle. After quitting his investment banking job at a New York firm, Bezos set out to turn his vision into a multinational tech company. Focusing on cloud computing, e-commerce, digital streaming, and, most recently, artificial intelligence, Amazon Inc. is now considered the world’s leading e-commerce portal, making Jeff Bezos one of the richest people in the world. With a presence and impact worldwide, Amazon became best-known for selling movies, books, music, toys, electronics, household items, and doing it all through simplifying online transactions for customers. Amazon’s two-day “Prime” shipping and wide selection of products only continued to solidify its consumer reputation as a fast-service online retailer. Today, the company has branched out and owns multiple profitable subsidiaries, including Amazon Web Services, Ring, Audible, and Zappos.
Amazon.com went public in 1997, three years after it has been founded. At the time of its IPO, on May 15th, Amazon’s price-per-share was $18, a number that has steadily increased over time, even though the company has gone through four different stock splits. Today, Amazon trades on the Nasdaq under the “AMZN” symbol, and it is a blue-chip company, which means that it is highly reputable with consistent growth and leadership in its industry. Amazon’s reputation as a blue-chip company means that, overall, it has proven itself to be financially stable and established.
Traders who want to invest the hyper-growth company, that is AMZN, are able to do so with relative ease, as Amazon stock is technically available to all investors. Though many companies offer direct investment, Amazon requires traders who want to purchase its shares to go through a brokerage. When selecting a high-quality stock broker, you will want to pick one with low costs of trading, fast execution and conditions that are suitable for your trading strategy. To trade Amazon stock, you will need to use the “AMZN” ticker. Over the past ten years, Amazon has delivered gains of over 600%. Though nothing is ever certain with the market, companies such as Amazon, with their blue-chip reputation, are an excellent place to start for stock traders of all experience levels.
How to buy Amazon shares
Buying Amazon stocks isn’t quite as easy as just clicking a button – well, not yet, anyway. Before you begin trading on the stock market, there are a few steps you must take:
Step 1: Find an online broker you can trust.
First, find a broker that you can trust. There are a number of reputable brokers with different account offerings out there—so, to make it easier for you, we have listed the main factors to consider when making your choice.
- Minimum Investment & Commission: The minimum investment required and commissions charged by the firm you choose are typically the predominant deciding factors for many ‘do-it-yourself’ investors, whose fundamental concerns surround keeping costs low. For novices this rings particularly true, as the less you spend to get started the more you can invest, and those preliminary savings will have the most time to compound.
- Securities Traded: The firm you decide on should offer all the equities and assets that you want to constitute a large portion of your portfolio. Take it one step further, and you should be seeking out a broker that offers fixed income securities, such as bonds, which are used to add some stability to a long-term investment plan. Beginner investors with minimal capital may also seek a broker that offers fractional shares, which is a new offering that will allow you to invest in Amazon at a fraction of the market price. This can help investors diversify a smaller portfolio by investing in companies that otherwise might be out of reach. Having the ability to diversify your portfolio at any given moment is essential in any trader’s journey.
- Fast Execution & Volume Discounts: If you plan to be an active trader you should seek out a firm that can offer fast execution and volume discounts. A broker that can keep up with the speed of an active experienced trader, and one that can offer a price per share—rather than per transaction—is usually a firm that is a household name.
- Advanced High-Tech Platforms: High-tech industry-standard trading platforms, such as MetaTrader 4 and 5 are very popular amongst investors, and for good reason. Seek out a broker that can offer you the highest level of advanced interactive charts, analytical indicators, tools and other resources at your fingertips. If your chosen broker offers proprietary software, make sure that it is as top-notch as MT4 and MT5.
- Responsive Customer Support: At one point or another in your trading career you will encounter an issue that needs to be solved immediately. Customer solutions and direct digital communication services should be at the forefront of all great firms. Knowledgeable, fast customer support, with extended hours across multiple languages, is key for a positive and successful trading experience. We all need a little bit of support sometimes.
- Reliability & Security: A regulated broker has to follow the rules of the governing body. It is advised to seek out a firm that is governed by one or more agencies, for this very reason. A broker with no regulation poses security concerns for traders.
Step 2: Opening your brokerage account
After narrowing down your search for the right broker and finding the one that has all the offerings needed for your trading experience, the next step is to now open an account. The onboarding process should be straightforward—after all, they want you to start trading Amazon stocks as quickly as possible.
A standard onboarding process includes a verification scanning, where you will need to submit your identification, proof of address and other standard documentation. After sailing through registration you will be asked to deposit a specific amount into your account in the base currency designated by the broker, in order to activate your profile. Seek a broker that offers withdrawal and deposit methods of your preference.
Step 3: Practicing your trading strategy through educational resources and tools
Before trading Amazon stocks, make sure you have utilised the education resources offered to you by the broker you have chosen. Seek a broker that is able to offer you up-to-date pertinent and regulated educational courses, live economic calendars, real-time market news services, and so much more that will assist you in maximising your profits. When is the right time to buy Amazon stocks? Your chosen firm should be able to guide you through the markets every step of the way.
Step 4: It’s now time to buy Amazon shares
It’s now time to buy. Stock prices are constantly fluctuating throughout the trading day, based on market sentiment—so, as a trader and soon-to-be seasoned trader, you will get to know that certain times of the trading day offer better buying and selling opportunities than others. It is all the factors listed above that will help you stay ahead of the market, particularly when you are buying Amazon stocks, or any other assets, for that matter.
Step 5: Review your positions regularly
Maintain diversification within your investment portfolio, and never take your eye off the mark. The stock market is ever-changing—and so, reviewing your portfolio composition periodically is essential to ensure your position is always within your risk appetite and capacity.
Fees for buying Amazon stocks
Every broker has its own set of conditions, and one of those conditions is asset-specific fees for trading through their firm. An example of this type of cost is the commission-per-share charge, while trading Amazon stocks. Firm fees should be identified and taken into account when selecting a broker – if certain costs are prohibitive, keep searching until you find your preferred broker.
Best suited brokers for trading Amazon stocks
There is a handful of brokers which are known for having impeccable stock trading conditions and overall user experiences. We have compiled a shortlist of our preferred firms, where we believe you should be trading your Amazon stocks.
- Capital.com: A highly reputable broker, Capital.com offers a variety of features that make it a great choice for trading Amazon stocks. One of the key benefits of using Capital.com is its browser-based platform, which allows traders to conduct in-depth market analysis and create personalized forecasts using technical indicators. Additionally, Capital.com’s CFD-based approach to the stock market and its live market updates and chart formats, available on desktop, iOS, and Android, make it a flexible and user-friendly choice.
- Plus500: Plus500 is a well-established and reputable broker that offers a number of advantages for trading Amazon stocks. The Plus500CFD platform stands out for its commission-free trading on shares, a key distinction from Plus500Invest, where commissions are applicable. Risk warning: 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
- Admiral: Admiral offers a number of advantages for trading Amazon stocks. One of the main benefits of using Admiral is that it provides an educational center for their clients, which can be useful for new traders or those who want to improve their trading skills.
Summary
Now that you understand how to trade Amazon stocks through your chosen broker, it should be clear that timing and the discovery of your risk-appetite are what will help you get into the market. Every trader is unique in their own strategy— a one-size-fits-all solution never works—so, discover and build your investing persona through your chosen broker and start trading Amazon stocks today.