The FBA service enables sellers to ship products directly to Amazon fulfillment warehouses, where Amazon handles storage and delivery. This approach provides access to Amazon's vast logistics network and allows businesses to operate with enterprise-level capabilities.
The service streamlines logistics by managing warehousing, picking, shipping, and delivery tasks, freeing sellers to focus on product design, customer service, and marketing.
FBA products become eligible for Prime Delivery, enabling one or two-day delivery options to customers.
The five principal steps are:
In Seller Central, navigate to Manage Inventory, select listings, click Actions, then choose Change to Fulfilled by Amazon. Select "convert only" for multiple items until the final item, when you should choose "convert and send inventory."
Products can use manufacturer barcodes (commingled inventory) or custom labels.
Commingled inventory requirements:
The downside: products may be commingled with inferior or counterfeit items from other sellers.
In Settings > Fulfillment by Amazon, locate FBA Product Barcode Preference and select Enable or Disable accordingly. This method is the most cost-effective method but more time-intensive.
Amazon provides labeling for $0.20 per label, suitable depending on inventory volume. Learn more about FBA labeling.
Products must meet Amazon's Product Preparation Requirements, which vary by category: fragile, liquid, textiles, plush/baby, small, and adult items.
Incorrect packaging may incur FBA Manual Processing Fees.
Amazon repackages products at the warehouse for specific fees. Products must be new, unused, and have readable UPC/EAN/ISBN barcodes.
To enable: Select a product, choose "Amazon" in the Who Preps? field on the Prepare Products page, then confirm.
PCP partners with UPS and FedEx to reduce the costs of shipping goods to an Amazon warehouse by up to 45%. Shipments process faster through Seller Central.
Steps include:
Non-PCP carriers require tracking numbers for SPD or Bill of Lading and freight numbers for LTL shipments.
Thermal printers offer the most cost-effective solution. AZLabels provides a browser extension for printing directly from Seller Central.
Want to know how to get a free UPS thermal printer?
Following these five steps enables sellers to leverage Amazon's logistics infrastructure for efficient warehousing and rapid customer delivery. FBA allows you to run a home business with the bulk storage and delivery capabilities of Amazon's vast network.
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