If you are selling on Amazon, you will know that packaging and prepping your packages yourself can be time-consuming.

To avoid the risk of Amazon returning packages and feeling overwhelmed by packaging high volumes of orders, you should try an Amazon FBA prep service.

This guide will show you how to access Amazon and third-party prep services, how much it costs, and more. Keep reading to automate your packing processes and free up your time for more critical tasks.

What Is An FBA Prep Service?

An FBA prep service handles the packaging of your parcels. You can use the prep service provided by Amazon, or you can try outsourcing FBA prep.

When selling on Amazon, there are complex packing requirements you must adhere to to make sure that Amazon does not return your packages to you. These packaging requirements vary from item to item, and you are required to purchase and store the packaging products yourself.

To avoid spending time packing your products to these specific requirements and free up space in your home used for storing packaging supplies, you should consider using a preparation and packaging service.

A prep center will charge you per item for packing supplies and provide quality control and product photography. You will need to ask for quotes to find the best FBA prep services. A third-party prep center can store your products to reduce the costs of FBA storage fees.

How To Use Amazon’s Prep Service

Amazon ships more than 1.6 million packages per day. If you sell many products per week, you will start to get tired of packaging your products yourself. If you want Amazon to prep your packages for you, you will need to set this up in your shipping plan.

You can choose who packages your products after selecting FBA fulfillment services by accessing the send/replenish inventory page for shipments and accessing the prepare products tab. Then select Amazon in the ‘who preps’ field if you want Amazon to prep your products, or Merchant if you would like to prep your products yourself.

After taking this step, you can then choose who labels our products in the label product tab.

You can also access your FBA settings page to select who packages and labels your products. By changing who packages your products, you will not be altering any shipments you have already created.

The Costs Of Amazon’s Prep Service

When using Amazon fulfillment centers to package your products, you will have to select which category your product falls into. These categories can affect the price of packaging your products. Amazon prep pricing varies depending on the material requirements for each item category and the size of your items.

• Fragile/glass – $1.10 for standard size, $1.90 for oversized.
• Liquids – $50-80 for standard size, $1.00-1.30 for oversized.
• Apparel, fabric, plush, and textiles – $0.50-0.80 for standard size, $1.00-1.30 for oversized.
• Baby products – $0.50-0.80 for standard size, $1.00-1.30 for oversized.
• Sharp – $1.10 for standard size, $1.90 for oversized.
• Small – $1.30 for small items.
• Adult – $1.30 for standard size, $2.30 for oversized.
• Powders, pellets, and granular – $0.50-0.80 for standard, $1.00-1.30 for oversized.
• Perforated packaging – $0.50-0.80 for standard, $1.00-1.30 for oversized.

Amazon provides bagging, labeling, and bubble wrap options for these products. You will be charged an extra fee for boxing, hanger removal, set creation, suffocating stickering, and set stickering, as these are additional prep services.

How To Use A Third-Party Prep Service

When choosing a third-party prep service, there are a few things you must consider.

Location

Firstly, you must consider the location of the service. Is it near your supplier or your port of import for products shipped from overseas? Your third-party prep service should be in a convenient location.

Tax

If you select a third-party prep service in a tax-free state, your tax savings will significantly contribute to the costs of the prep service.

Storage

You will also benefit from checking if you can store products with your third-party prep service to help you reduce FBA costs.

Using Prep Services Offered By Your Freight Forwarders

You can streamline your supply chain if you source your products overseas by having your freight forwarding specialists package your products. Coshipper is an excellent option for sellers arranging for Amazon FBA shipping from China.

They can photograph your products before they are packaged and sent, and you can ask them to include your logo on the packaging.

Using your freight forwarders to package your products will eliminate the need for an extra stop in your package’s journey. Simply include your packaging requirements in your sourcing request.

What Are The Benefits Of Using A Prep Service?

There are many benefits to using a prep service, relating to the use of your time and the efficiency of your business. These benefits include:

Cost-Efficiency

The costs of using a prep service are relatively low, and you can save money by streamlining your products’ supply chain. You can also use the prices set out clearly by Amazon to find a better cost per item.

Lower Risk Of Package Rejection

If you package your products yourself, you run the risk of having your products returned to you for breaking Amazon’s packaging requirements. This can cause delays in your orders and harm your seller rating. By using FBA prep services, you will save yourself from having to keep an eye on Amazon’s policies for any changes or alterations.

Guaranteed Quality

By delegating the preparation of your products, you can rest easy knowing your products will be packaged quickly and adequately. Your prep service knows what they are doing and can get your products out to customers more rapidly than if you were packaging them yourself.

Centralized Storage Of Products

If you do not have to handle your products and have them shipped through you, then all of your inventory is readily available in one place. This means that as soon as an order is placed, you can immediately begin the process of getting your packages sent out to customers.

If you use Amazon prep services, you will focus on other elements of your seller business that need attention.

Which Products Are Eligible For Amazon FBA Prep Services?

When choosing to use Amazon’s prep service, it is essential to know which products are eligible and which products aren’t. Products that aren’t eligible for Amazon’s FBA prep service include:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Tires
• Gift certificates
• Items with unauthorized marketing details
• Loose batteries
• Damaged products

These products are not eligible for Amazon FBA, even if you choose to package your products yourself.

Even if you are using the Amazon FBA service to prep your parcels, you need to ensure that you pack your products protectively before sending them to an FBA warehouse. You will be accountable for any damage that occurs when your products are on the way to the warehouse.

How Much Does FBA Prep Cost?

If you use Amazon FBA’s prep service, you will be charged per item you prep and ship using their service.

For prepping small packages with Amazon, you will pay no more than $1.30 per item. For standard-sized items, you will pay no more than $1.30 per item, and for oversized items, you will pay no more than $2.30 per item.

You can get a quote from third-party prep services or your freight forwarding service to determine prep costs and gain competitive pricing offers.

Quality Assurance When Using FBA Prep Services

When automating packaging processes, you will not get a chance to see the products in person before you send them out to customers.

The cost of poor-quality items you ship to customers due to a lack of quality control can hurt your brand. This is why it is worth getting pre-shipping inspections.

It is best to get your quality control inspections completed before items are shipped to the US to prevent lost time and costs associated with sending products back or reworking them.

If you are packaging your products with your freight forwarding specialists, ask them to perform quality checks before prepping your items. This will ensure that you do not suffer the costs of poor quality.

If you are using Amazon’s prep service, they will perform quality control before your products are shipped. This will ensure that your products are in good condition before you send them to your customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Get Amazon To Prep My Parcels?

Amazon offers their own prep service, for which they charge per item. If you are using Amazon FBA, your products will be stored, prepped, and shipped in one of Amazon’s warehouses.

By using Amazon’s prep service, you will be reducing the risk of package rejection and saving yourself both the time and space needed to pack your products yourself.

How Do You Use A Prep Service?

When using FBA prep, you have a few options. You can get Amazon to prep your parcels, you can use a third-party prep service, or you can ask your freight forwarding company to package your products for you.

When choosing a third-party prep service, ensure you select a company based in a tax-free state close to your port of import or wholesale supplier. If you can make savings on tax, this will help cover the costs of a prep service. Storing your products at your third-party prep location will help you to save on FBA storage fees.

How Much Does FBA Prep Cost?

When using FBA prep, you need to figure out the most cost-effective option. Amazon charges between $0.50 and $2.30 per item, dependent upon the size of the item (small, regular, or oversized) and the category of the item (sharp items, glass items, liquids, etc.)

These prices include the cost of manual labor and packing materials.

Amazon’s prices per item are clearly listed on their website, so if you opt to use third-party FBA prep or use prep services offered by your freight forwarders, you have a clear guideline to help you find competitive prices.

What Is Amazon FBA?

Amazon FBA is a fulfillment service that offers Amazon sellers the opportunity to store their products in Amazon’s warehouses and ship them out to customers once they place an order.

Fulfillment by Amazon facilitates the operation of e-commerce businesses by allowing them to use Amazon’s platform to increase exposure for their brand.

By using Amazon FBA, sellers can offer faster shipping rates for their products and can access prep services, product photography services, and many more helpful features to assist in the automation of their business.

Summary

Packaging your products yourself can be time-consuming, and you run the risk of delayed orders if you do not adhere to Amazon’s policies on packing requirements. Any FBA business can benefit from using a prep service, particularly when they are receiving a large number of orders.

When choosing a prep service, it is crucial to calculate the costs and get the best deal for the packaging of your products.

Do not forget the importance of streamlining your supply chain and ensuring that you request quality control checks before your items are packed and prepped. You will also need to consider how you can get the best prices for the storage of your products.

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