What Is FBA Prep?
FBA is much more than the method used by sellers to ship their inventory. There are several strict guidelines that your inventory must adhere to in order to be considered acceptable by the Fulfillment Center. Certain of these rules are applicable to all inventory, while some are specific to a particular category. FBA prep refers to the process of preparing your inventory for Amazon. The focus is on the packaging and labeling of items, but some sellers, specifically those that import products, also include an inspection to their inventory. Making sure you get your FBA preparation right is extremely important. Amazon will not take stock isn't properly prepared, and you will be charged for returning it. It's worse: if your stock arrives damaged in Amazon, the customer will be unhappy and may would like to return the item. If this occurs, your listings could be rescinded or your account suspended.
Why Outsource FBA Prep?
FBA prep is a three options: either you can do it yourself or pay Amazon for it, or engage professionals. FBA preparation is very specific, involving rules and is easy to go wrong. You can outsource it and let the rest fall to the professionals. FBA preparation must be familiar with the process so that stock you send to FBA is in line with Amazon's guidelines. This will reduce the chance of the stock being rejected. This is especially important when you're first putting your inventory to FBA. Without having previously done this you may not realize how difficult it can be. Amazon's many rules make FBA inventory preparation can take a lot of time. Making boxes, examining stock and printing labels could be time-consuming. Your time can be better used to source new products.
Price
For most sellers, price is their main concern when deciding on FBA preparation. While it isn't the most important factor, it is natural to seek out the most affordable price. If your expenses start high does not mean that they must stay high. In the beginning, you must inquire whether the prep service charges you per item or monthly. Sellers with a high volume of inventory will be able to benefit from a monthly cost, while sellers with small volume sales will appreciate the per-item cost. Sellers with low volume may be more interested in the per item charge as they will likely send stock in less frequently. You will then want to be aware of the costs associated with the packaging process as some prep services charge additional fees for packaging materials such as bubble wrap or poly bags. It's also helpful to understand what storage charges are as well as the quantity of units you will need to deliver to the center for prep at any given moment. When selecting the FBA preparation service, cost isn't always the most important factor. You don't want a budget service that is sloppy however you'd like your prep costs to be affordable. Just because your initial costs are high does not mean they have to remain that way. You can lower your expenses by becoming more acquainted with the preparation process. For example you can split certain tasks between your factory and your prep firm. Have a look at the most popular Door to Door Delivery website for more.
Location
The ability to think strategically is essential in deciding where to put your prep center. If your business is mostly private label, you are more likely to export large quantities of stock to China. It is important to know the ports that your goods arrive at and finding an appropriate prep center nearby is a smart move. Danny McMillan says that it is possible to use prep centers close to the ports you ship to. This can not only save time and costs on trucking, but can also help your business run efficiently. If something goes wrong, your prep center could be able to send a person to the port to fix it. This wouldn't be feasible if there was more than 300 miles between your prep center and the port. For retail arbitrage sellers Preparing a facility near home is essential for them to be able to take their stocks in their vehicles, or avoid the expense of transport. It is essential to select a prep center that is close to an Amazon Fulfillment Center. The Amazon warehouse you send your merchandise to might be different each time. This is especially the scenario if you sign up to Amazon's Inventory Placement Service. Amazon will permit you to ship the entire inventory of one item to the Fulfillment Center. But Amazon is able to change the destination of the shipping from shipping to shipment.