What Is FBA Prep?
FBA sellers aren't just required to put everything into a box and then give it to couriers. There are in fact some strict rules that your stock must meet in order to be considered acceptable by the Fulfillment Center. These rules apply to all inventory, whereas certain rules are only applicable to a particular category. FBA prep refers to the process of preparing your inventory to be sold on Amazon. The primary goal of FBA preparation is the packaging and labeling of the items. However some sellers (especially importers) will also conduct inspections of their inventory. It is crucial to get it right before you submit your FBA. Amazon will not accept your stock in the event of mistakes. You'll be responsible for the cost of returning the stock. If you submit damaged items to Amazon and it gets incorrectly shipped to a buyer the customer is likely to be unhappy and will send the item back. If this happens, your listings will be removed or your account will be suspended.
Why Outsource FBA Prep?
FBA prep is a choice of outsourcing the process to third party, doing it yourself or paying Amazon. FBA preparation is complex intricate, complicated, and very easy to make mistakes. By outsourcing the process, in theory, you're handing it over to experts. FBA preparation services should have a good understanding of the procedure. They will ensure that your inventory is in compliance with Amazon rules before you send it to FBA. This will reduce the likelihood of your inventory being rejected. This is particularly important in the event that this is your first time submitting your inventory to FBA. This is because you won't understand how complicated it is until you try it out and make mistakes. Amazon's many rules make FBA inventory preparation can be a time-consuming affair. It's easy to lose time inspecting packaging boxes, stock, and printing labels when you could be finding new products.
Price
The most important factor is price for sellers when looking at FBA preparation services. It is not necessary that price should be your primary consideration, however it is understandable that you want the best deal. The cost of your services shouldn't go up just because they begin high. It's important to know whether your prep service charges per item, or per month. Sellers with high volumes of inventory will be able to benefit from a monthly fee, while sellers with low volume sales will appreciate the per-item cost. Small volume sellers might be more interested in the cost per item as they are likely to send stocks in less frequently. It is crucial to know the costs of packaging with your purchase. Some prep services might charge extra costs for bags made of poly and bubble wrap. It can also be useful to know the storage fees and whether there is any minimum quantity of units that you need to send into the center at one time. Price is not the only factor to consider when selecting the best FBA preparation company. A budget service should not be a sloppy operation, but you must also ensure that the prep cost to be manageable. Keep in mind that even if your expenses are initially high but that doesn't mean they must remain high. As you become more proficient in the process of preparation you can expect your expenses to decrease. You could divide some tasks among your manufacturers and the prep services you provide. Check out the top Door to Door Delivery website for info.
Location
When considering the location of your prep facility, you need to think about the location strategically. If the bulk of your business is privately labeled, you're bound to be shipping large quantities of merchandise from China. It is advisable to identify the ports from the point where your deliveries arrive, and then pick a nearby prep facility. Danny McMillan has found that prep centers close to ports for shipping can help you save time and cut down on trucking costs. This will also make your business easier to run smoothly. In the rare occasion that problems arise your prep center could potentially send someone to the port to sort things out. If your center was only 300 miles away from the port, this wouldn't be possible. Another thing to think about for sellers of retail arbitrage is that they should have a pre-fab centre close to their homes and, therefore, when they need to source stocks, they are able to take it in their own or pay very little trucking costs. Do not choose a facility located too close to Amazon Fulfillment Centers. Each Amazon warehouse may be different. This is the case even if you sign-up for Amazon's Inventory Placement Service. It is only possible to ship only one item stock to Amazon's Fulfillment Center. However, Amazon can alter the shipping address of shipping to shipping.